Re: geology, good science and a quest for info

From: George Andrews Jr. (gandrews@as.wm.edu)
Date: Wed Sep 19 2001 - 13:27:56 EDT

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    Hi Mark;

    Mark Hubbard wrote:

    > I found myself in a discussion last night with some friends who
    > were very adamant about the earth being only a few thousand
    > years old and provided me with a host of "proofs" straight from the
    > Creation Research Institute.
    >
    > These included:
    > -2nd law of thermodynamics (still not sure what that had to do with
    > their arguement?)

    Systems maintained far--from--equilibrium regularly enjoy a decrease in
    entropy at the expense of the surroundings; e.g. the Sun's entropy is
    increasing in that it is becoming more ordered as it burns and the
    Earth's (and its occupants') entropy LOCAL decreases as evolution
    progresses.

    >
    > -unreliability of carbon dating

    It works quite well actually.

    >
    > -dinosaur / man tracks in Texas

    These are not man's prints but three toed dinosaurs. (See excellent
    article a few years back in Scientific American). Other evidence for
    dino. prints, not mentioned by the YEC, include tail swish marks and
    roughting (?) marks (you know nose--in--dirt marks :-) ) Moreover,
    there has bee fraud involved with many YEC pictures; i.e., the human
    footprints were fabricated. (Easily proved by carbon dating techniques
    on the actual plasters :-) )

    >
    > -Grand Canyon formation "proven" to be recent

    > -ancient trees sticking up through multiple layers of rock
    > - and others

    Not so; Glenn Morton can help you here.

    I found it very interesting that these friends very unwilling to

    > consider anything I had to say that might contradict their views.
    > Almost as if it challenged their faith and maybe God!? It made me
    > wonder what ideas or beliefs I hold to -that if shown to be in error-
    > would weaken my faith. I'll have to think about that some more.
    >

    This is the problem; YEC has supplanted Christ's revelation of Himself
    as the corner stone for their faith. They instead depend upon
    psudeo-scientism; Very dangerous!!!! Our faith is, as always, secure in
    the Person of Jesus the Christ as revealed in scripture and to our
    hearts today through the Holy Ghost.

    I feel an amen is warranted :-)

    >
    > On a somewhat related note, our college (College of the Ozarks in
    > SW Missouri) will be hosting "Dr." Carl Baugh in November for
    > lectures on intelligent design. Should be interesting. I will keep
    > you posted on that one.

    Oh, oh; I heard Mr. Baugh while I was a professor at LeTourneau U. in
    Texas. He was very entertaining and very wrong; it was obvious hat he
    was performing with acts such as: "Taradactals are alive and well in S.
    America and that "Quantum Algebra", applied to the Genesis verses
    reveals the Earth to be young. Unfortunately, there has also been
    serious questions raised regarding his academic credentials and web
    sites (for what they are worth) exist informing people about this. As
    an individual who has heard him speak, I do not recommend him at all to
    your university.

    Sincerely

    George

    --
    George A. Andrews Jr.
    Physics/Applied Science
    College of William & Mary
    P.O. Box 8795
    Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
    



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