Desert Problem For Young Earth Creation Science
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The Desert Dilemma for Young Earth Creationism
Summary: Young-earth creationists face significant challenges in explaining fossil-bearing rock layers. Their model suggests all such layers must have formed during Noah's Flood. However, this poses issues, as fossils indicate death before the Fall of Man, contradicting some scriptural interpretations.
Main Article:
Young-earth creationists propose that all fossil-bearing rock layers were formed during Noah's Flood. This is problematic because fossils imply death occurred before the Fall of Man, conflicting with their scriptural interpretation.
The Grand Canyon, with its prominent rock layers, has been a focal point for young-earth research. They believe that explaining these rocks as young will support the broader acceptance of their model.
The Coconino Sandstone Issue
A major challenge is the Coconino Sandstone, a 315-foot thick formation believed by geologists to be created by wind-deposited desert sand dunes. This is inconsistent with the notion of a flood-deposited origin. Above this sandstone lie marine layers, the Toroweap and Kaibab Limestones, suggesting ocean environments. If the Coconino Sandstone formed in a desert, this contradicts the idea of a singular flood event and indicates an older earth.
Some young-earth scientists argue it was formed underwater, refuting its desert origins. However, this explanation lacks the necessary geological support.
Other Desert Sandstones
Desert-origin sandstones globally challenge the young-earth viewpoint. If any exist with marine layers above them, it questions the entire flood model and suggests an older planet.
One example is the Navajo Sandstone, visible in Zion Canyon National Park. Its desert characteristics are evident, beneath which lie the Grand Canyon's layers. Above the Navajo, additional formations, including the dinosaur-rich Morrison Formation, further complicate the young-earth model. Dinosaurs supposedly died in the flood, yet their fossils are above all Grand Canyon layers.
Evidence Acknowledged by Creation Scientists
Remarkably, young-earth scientists themselves have inadvertently confirmed the desert origin of formations like the Navajo Sandstone. In "Grand Canyon: Monument to Catastrophe," a cornerstone young-earth text, the authors unintentionally use data from desert sand dunes to argue for water-based origins of other formations. This acknowledgment supports the old age of the earth.
Conclusion
The Coconino and Navajo Sandstones are just two examples of desert formations. There are likely more globally, such as those in China and Mongolia, which also disprove a young-earth timeline. The overwhelming geological evidence aligns with the understanding of an ancient earth, confirming long-standing geological findings.
In summary, while young-earth creationism strives to align geological observations with scriptural interpretations, the weight of the evidence supports an older earth, as both science and creation testify.
References:
1. Oard, Michael, "The Extinction of the Dinosaurs." [Link](http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/magazines/tj/tj_v11n2.asp)
2. Austin, Steven (ed.), "Grand Canyon: Monument to Catastrophe," Institute for Creation Research, 1995
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: Desert Problem For Young Earth Creation Science.
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