Creation Science Book Review
After Eden
Chapter 10: Being Overflowed with Water
Review by Greg Neyman
© Old Earth Ministries
First Published 15 August 2005
This chapter concerns itself with the Flood, which Morris contends is global, but which we know from a lack of geological data that a global flood is impossible. Morris argues that a local flood is not Biblical. Progressive creationists accept a local flood, and accept the flood account as the inerrant and infallible Word of God. God's Word is not in conflict with a local flood. Of course, old earth creationists vary in their acceptance of inerrancy, and in their interpretations of the Word, from literal to allegory, thus I cannot speak for all old earth creationists.
In the opening statements, he discusses time. Time is what makes the evolutionary thought process capable. For some reason, young earth creationists do not like time. I personally like time. Since no bad information is in this argument against an old earth, we shall move on.
Geologic Strata and Fossils as Proof of Long Ages (Page 157)
Only minor issues here. Of course they are used as proof of long ages. It is impossible to interpret them as anything but long. It is only when you come with a young earth bias that you consider them young. Young earth creation science advocates call them young, even before examining them to see if they really are young...this is science in reverse. Science makes observations, and then reaches a conclusion. YEC scientists have already reached the conclusion, before examining the evidence. No wonder their science is so full of holes and easily disproved.
Morris does not mention it, but many accuse old earthers of circular reasoning. In other words, we date the rocks using the index fossils, and we date the fossils using the rocks. This is a complete misunderstanding of how we date rocks. For more, see this article.
I'm surprised Morris does not attack this principle very much. He doesn't even offer any evidence against it. Rather strange then that he should even bring it up.
Genesis Clearly Teaches a Worldwide Flood (Page 159)
Yes, a straightforward reading of the text supports this...it's just the physical evidence for the flood that is lacking. Young earth creation science has no proof that a worldwide flood ever happened in the geologic record. Every time they try and use a geologic feature as evidence for the Flood, they are show to be "blowing smoke."
There is no need to provide a point-by-point rebuttal, as these issues are well documented by Dr. Hugh Ross, myself, and other old earth creationists. Just like the interpretation of "day" can be long ages, the interpretation of "whole earth" can be shown to be the known earth, without damaging inerrancy or the infallibility of God's Word. What we end up with is young earth "experts" in Hebrew who say the earth is young, and old earth "experts" in Hebrew who say the earth is old. It's still the same Bible...the results of the Flood are still the same from man's perspective, and it's still an inerrant, infallible Word.
To be brief, I'll only discuss a few issues. First, if it was local, why didn't God just have Noah move away while He flooded the region? Noah, during his boat-building, provided a proclamation against the people. He could preach repentance. Also, the people could merely have followed Noah, thereby escaping the Flood. Finally, I don't know why God chose this method...we will have to ask Him later. He could have simply had them all drop dead, or send a plague of some type, or some other equally devastating catastrophe.
Evolutionary Science Cannot Accept the Genesis Account (Page 161)
Actually, it does...every day! Conservative Theistic Evolutionists have no problem with the teachings of a flood which wiped out mankind. What differs is only the size of the flood...the actual results of the flood are the same. Of course, the statement rings true for non-Christian evolutionists.
Morris claims that they cannot accept it because it would eliminate the long ages needed for evolution to work. Not so...just ask the theistic evolutionists. You can have long ages with the Flood account.
He really sticks his foot in his mouth on page 162. He claims, "If the Flood as recorded in Genesis actually occurred, the entire surface of the earth would show the record of the colossal scouring and restructuring." It does not...there isn't a shred of evidence from geology that a worldwide flood occurred only 4,300 years ago. He doesn't even present any evidence to support this claim. Instead, he rambles on about a myriad of topics, but never discusses specifics. I will address this at the end of this page.
If the Genesis Flood is True, What Should We Expect to Find? (Page 164)
While this is interesting, he presents no evidence for a young earth. That is because each of the points he lists is also expected with an old earth interpretation. He lists "Many large graveyards of fossil deposits." I don't know what his definition of "many" is. Yes, there are fossil graveyards, but they are not significant in number. Over 99 percent of all fossils are found as individuals, not in any graveyards. Of course, the most well-known of these are of the dinosaurs, but even with them, the numbers found in graveyards do not represent the majority of dinosaur fossils.
One example does need addressing. He says "The distinctive presence of every kind of animal, with clear differences between the types." With this, he is alluding to the fact there are no transitional fossils...each fossil organism in the rock record is distinct, and cannot be shown to have developed into another organism. This presents no problems for progressive creationists, but theistic evolutionists would disagree with this. In fact, the transition for several organisms is well documented. For more, see Transitional Fossils.
The Message From Scripture and the Evidence Left Behind (Page 165)
In summary, the language of the Bible, in a simple, straightforward reading, does indicate a worldwide flood. Morris claims that "The geological and paleontological evidence is exactly what one would expect to find as the products of the flood of Genesis." When one considers the points he made in the previous section, this is true. But the points he made do not discuss specifics. They are so generic as to support either position, old or young earth.
When you look at God's own creation, made with His own hands, there is no evidence of a worldwide flood. When you examine the specific claims of young earth creation science, they are all full of holes and consist of poor scientific work. To see the topics which are disproved, click the links below. I've put the Flood articles at the top of the list.
Disproved Young Earth Flood Claims
Grand Canyon: Monument to Catastrophe
Studies In Flood Geology - A Book Review
Noah's Ark Does Not Prove a Young Earth
Other Young Earth Claims and Old Earth Evidences
AiG is Taking Dinosaurs Where???
Ken Ham's Misconceptions about Opals
The Truth about Plastic Deformation
Biblical Creationism Book Review
Chopping a Title Hides the Truth
Is the Earth's Magnetic Field Young?
Mount Saint Helens Dacite Dating
The Unraveling of Starlight and Time
Woodmorappe's Shotgun Attack on Ar-Ar Dating
How Good Are Those Young Earth Arguments?
Creation Evidence Museum Lacks Evidence!
If you are not a Christian, and you have been holding out on making a decision for Christ because the Church always preached a message that was contrary to what you saw in the scientific world, then rest assured that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, and you can believe in Christ and receive salvation, while still believing in an old earth. Click here for more.
Are you a Christian who believes in young earth creationism? Now that we have shown the many difficulties of the young earth creation science model in this and many other articles, how does this impact your Christian life? If you are a young earth creationism believer, click here.
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