Review by Greg Neyman
© Old Earth Ministries
Review Published April 2006
Morris actually admits that this appears to be a problem, but he offers several solutions to the problem.
First, God knew about the Fall, so these animals were created with these features in anticipation. However, if they were created perfectly for their designed function, and they were designed to live as plant eaters, this hypothesis fails, for it implies that God did not create them "perfect."
Second, they "adopted" (not "evolved") these features after the fall, through many generations of variation, adaptation, and selection (sounds like evolution!). If this is the case, we should be able to see other species today developing these features as they have need, but it has not been observed.
The third scenario is a that "the Devil did it." Satan may have performed "breeding experiments, or genetic engineering on both mankind and the animals." Enough said. ☺
Morris finally gives the explanation that he prefers. He attributes it to a DNA alteration which caused plants to grow thorns, the snake to slither on its belly, and Eve to experience heightened pain with childbirth. Although this sounds nice, there is no proof.
God cursed Adam, (not the ground he worked), Eve, and Satan (not the entire animal kingdom). Thorns probably existed prior to Adam's sin, outside the Garden of Eden (remember, the Garden was separate, distinct from the rest of the world). The creation does groan under man's pressure, but that is man influencing the creation, not God. (Genesis 3:17 says "Cursed is the ground because of you;")
Morris is making this argument for teeth developing after the fall, not based on the evidence, but based on his beliefs that there was no death prior to Adam's sin. It is a requirement that comes out of his belief system, and not from any actual evidence. Fortunately, old earth creationists do not struggle with this question of sharp teeth before the Fall.
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.
Is the Big Bang Biblical Book Review Home
Section 1 - Biblical Issues
Q21 - Sharp Teeth
Section 2 - Biology (15 Questions)
Section 3 - Creation Questions (8 Questions)
Section 4 - Geology, The Flood, The Young Earth (16)
Section 5 - Physical Science (10 Questions)
Section 6 - Impact on Society (20 Questions)
Section 7 - Personal Application (11 Questions)
To learn more
about old earth creationism, see
Old Earth Belief,
or check out the article
Can You Be A
Christian and Believe in an Old Earth?
Feel free to check out more of this website. Our goal is to
provide rebuttals to the bad science behind young earth creationism,
and honor God by properly presenting His creation.