It’s a breakthrough! I just did the math on the age of the earth with the help of the billing department in a major D.C. law firm. Take 7,000 years for a young earth, convert it to billable hours, and bingo – you get 5 billion years. The divide between young earth Creationists and modern science is a lot smaller than we thought! Who would have guessed that lawyers would be the missing link that brought harmony to science and some forms of religion?
Personally, I’m an old earth guy, still clinging to religion as well as science, who believes that this incredible universe was created in a wise, orderly manner consistent with all empirical observations. It’s far too clever and beautiful for anything else. I share some of my personal views on science and LDS religion on my LDSFAQ page: Science and LDS Teachings.
Now if only the majority of the members would catch up with that sentiment.
In Abraham 3:24, the “materials” that were used to create the earth were not necessarily raw materials. They could have been parts of a recycled planet.
I believe that “the beginning” of Genesis 1:1 is merely the beginning of our turn here, not the absolute beginning of this ball of mud.
I think the earth is billions of years old, if you count from the time when it was non-solid pre-planetary matter. That is not inconsistent with there being only 6,000 years since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden.
It could be that the fossil record was laid down billions/millions of years before Genesis 1:1. We merely live on a recycled planet.
It’s not really possible to lay down fine-graded layers of sediment, pollen, microscopic organisms, etc. and then postulate that these were all re-assembled into a “new earth.”
Any fossils would have been destroyed.
The fine, graduated layers would be disturbed beyond recognition.
If one wants to postulate a rebuilt earth from “old materials,” then one is back into miracle territory–certainly possible, but one would expect to find no physical evidence of it.
Since this is not an entirely serious post, I hope we don’t get too serious here. We’re all wrong on how the earth was formed. It’s just a matter of deciding who’s most wrong. All the evidence I’ve seen suggests that it’s everybody else.
Just have to say – LOVE. IT. ROTFL!
I used to be an accountant for a firm of attorneys… I can verify (be the second witness) that you are entirely correct!
Personally, I don’t care if it is young or old, or in between, it is totally awesome and I never cease to wonder at the intelligence that permeates this creation. For all I know, ‘the gods’ could have spoken it into existance, or caused it to evolve. I’ll understand it when I’m on the other side. Until then, I’ll continue to photograph it as long as my hands will allow. Which, unfortunately may not be much longer.
One thing I will say though, I did not evolve from apes!!!
A cat maybe… but definitely not apes…
Anonymous at 6:02:
Huh? You’re reading a lot more into what I wrote. I said nothing about re-assembling or even assembling.
Perhaps you’re still thinking of “creation” as a molecular level event. I’m speculating that the “creation” of Genesis 1:1 is more of a “macro” event.
The Hebrew word translated as “created” in Genesis 1:1 has a more literal meaning as “organized.” Joseph Smith went to great pains to point that out, and that the original Hebrew word does not carry any connotation of creation-out-of-nothingness.
Jeff’s right. We have no idea what Genesis literally means as far as “creation” or even “organization” of this planet.
Joseph Smith was reported to have said (and I’m still trying to track down the quote) that the Earth was “organized” from a pre-existing planet that had served previous purposes.
I’m speculating that perhaps previous life forms (dinosaurs, etc) on that planet were wiped out, some fossilized, and somehow the new “earth” was organized from it.
The “creation” of Genesis 1:1 may be more like a “do-over” or even a “make-over” or a “re-hab.”
I have no idea if that does or does not include “disassembly” and “re-assembly.” And if it does include any disassembly/re-assembly, at what level it took place. Maybe it took place at nothing smaller than the continental plates. We just don’t know. But if any of my speculations come close, I want “I told ya so” rights. 🙂
Genesis and the Pearl of Great Price have enough holes you can drive a Mack Truck through, and come up with all sorts of scenarios that would fit the descriptions given.
The only thing the scriptures are clear on, is that we haven’t been given the whole story yet.
My “recycled Earth” theory pretty much rejects the creation ex-nihilo model of mainstream Christianity.
And my theory is focused on the interpretation of Genesis 1:1 describing the beginning of our turn on Earth, not an absolute beginning.
I think Creationists have made unsupported assumptions about what “the Creation” of Genesis really was. Therefore most Big-Bang theorists and Evolutionists may actually be closer to actual events than the Christian-based Creationists.
When God finally reveals all mysteries, as promised in the scriptures, everybody, including both Creationists and Evolutionists are likely going to say things like “Oh!” and “Wow!”
And when all is revealed, I’m confident that it will all make sense.
Bookslinger,
The quote you’re looking for is from the King Follett Sermon. I know because I just read it last night.
What I find interesting about what Joseph said is that the law of conservation of mass/matter was postulated in 1789. That is essentially what Joseph is stating…organization instead of creation. Which makes sense. God is bound by His own laws.
I highly doubt, even though the theory came out 16 years before Joseph was born, that he had any knowledge of it.
Jeff,
I would like to sue the Creator then, for not paying our organization, the ERS, in back taxes for the billable hours that were accrued on this creation. Not just the construction workers, but also the architects and those present that wanted to live in this creation.
You can find my number on the bottom if you have any information that may assist us in this case.
Sincerely,
Charles Ollections
ERS(Eternal Revenue Service)
1-866-GIVE-BAC EXT. 5555