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I wonder if it's even possible to debate issues that sometimes go to the core of someone's basic beliefs, without offending. To a YE creationist, questioning a belief that they hold sacred (their intrepretation of the bible and their very faith in God), is going to be offensive no matter how it is stated.

To a evolutionist, questioning something that they know is true, is also going to be met with extreme frustration, always. To them (and myself) stating that the earth is 6000 years old, is like pointing to a blue sky and telling everyone that the sky is yellow. It's very difficult to read such things and not groan with frustration.

To a YE creationist, questioning a belief that they hold sacred (their intrepretation of the bible and their very faith in God), is going to be offensive no matter how it is stated.

Exactly. This is why I abstained from the agreement (for the most part). Certain posters (at least one since banned) would find your very post "offensive" which gets no one anywhere.

I wonder if it's even possible to debate issues that sometimes go to the core of someone's basic beliefs, without offending. To a YE creationist, questioning a belief that they hold sacred (their intrepretation of the bible and their very faith in God), is going to be offensive no matter how it is stated.

To a evolutionist, questioning something that they know is true, is also going to be met with extreme frustration, always. To them (and myself) stating that the earth is 6000 years old, is like pointing to a blue sky and telling everyone that the sky is yellow. It's very difficult to read such things and not groan with frustration.

There is a little bias written into this post. Note, you said that the creationist "believes" something to be true, but the evolutionist "knows" it to be true. The evolutionist is operating on a deeply held belief as well. Evolution is a theory of origins. And, yes, for those who hold the view of an old earth saying that it is less thatn 10,000 years old I imagine would be upsetting. Less upsetting, I would add, than it would be to a creationist since 6,000 years is not 100% necessary for one to be a Christian. My faith is not contingent upon how God did something, just that he did something. The fact that there is ample evidence for a young earth bolsters that interpretation of Scripture (which I believe to be correct) and is helpful, but all of Scripture would not collapse if there is say a gap in between verses 1 and 2 of Genesis. There is a major problem with putting millions of years in between the days of creation, however, as that has physical and theological implications.

Well, I happen to believe that the universe is approximately 6,000 years old from the space/time coordinate of inception and 15 billion years old (more or less) from our space/time coordinates. I base this on the Word and the inflationary model. Freeper Views on Origins

Likewise, I believe there was indeed a worldwide flood, but that it was targeted to the patches of civilization where Adamic man would have lived. I base this on the Word and archeological evidence. Freeper Views on Origins - Patriarchs

In other words, I can have a "young earth" point of view, as a Fundamentalist Christian - and at the same time embrace science and have a wonderful discussion on the science threads!