>However, you are correct that within YEC views which require a young-earth
>(<10,000 years) if the volcanoes didn't go off during the flood, then there
>is NO explanation for the volcanic rocks sandwiched throughout the flood
>sediments. If the volcanoes didn't go off, then the YECs must believe that
>God created the volcanic rocks without volcanoes.
Young-earth creationists are fond of distinguishing between 'catastrophism'
and 'uniformitarianism'. But this is misleading. The real distinction is
between 'mono-catastrophism' and 'poly-catastrophism'. Henry Morris and
other modern young-earth creationists attribute all geology everywhere to
one global catastrophe. Other geologists conclude that there were many
floods as well as many other catastrophes at various times and places, as
well as times of relative quiescence. This flood-geology exaggeration,
which goes way beyond what the Genesis text requires, forms the entire
organizing principle of creationist earth history and in so doing tends to
neglect other phenomena, such as volcanism and astronomical events. That's
why it was generally rejected by geologists in the early 1800's, even
before Darwin and before radioactive dating was used.
Paul Arveson, Code 724, Research Physicist, Signatures Directorate
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division
9500 MacArthur Blvd., West Bethesda, MD 20817-5700
arveson@oasys.dt.navy.mil bridges@his.com
(301) 227-3831