http://bible.ca/tracks| Dr. Patton is the staff Geologist for the Qumran Plateu excavation in Israel, the site that produced the Dead Sea Scrolls some 2,000 years ago. These scrolls, perhaps the most significant archeological discovery of all time, have changed the way we view the Bible. Many have been led to believe that the original text of the Bible has deteriorated over years of copying and recopying. The Dead Sea Schrolls provide a test of that hypothesis, allowing us to compare modern versions with recently discovered manuscripts written over 2,000 years ago.
Dr. Patton will take you to the same scene of the original caves where the scrolls were discovered with one of the Bedouins who made the discovery. This is a fascinating story with eternal implications. Dr. Patton has a broad educational background; four years at Florida College, Temple Terrace, FL (Bible); two years at Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN (Geology); two years at Indiana Univ./Purdue Univ., Indianapolis, IN (Geology); two years, Pacific School of Graduate Studies. He has worked as Geologist in US, Canada, Australia, England, Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Cambodia, Israel, and Jordan.
Dr. Patton has participated in dinosaur excavations in Colorado, Texas, Utah, Wyoming and Canada. He is credited with excavating the longest consecutive dinosaur trail in North America, totaling 157 tracks, extending over 500 feet. He is a member of the Geological Society of America and was a speaker at their 1997 annual convention. Dr. Patton lectures at universities across the United States. He has conducted up to twelve Creation/Evolution Seminaries a year for twenty five years. He has participated in numerous public debates on creation/evolution including radio and TV debates. He has testified three times before Texas State Textbook Committee, Austin, TX. Presently,
Dr. Patton is consulting geologist & partner in Mazada Corporation, Dallas, TX. He is a staff geologist of the Creation Evidence Museum, Glen Rose, TX, staff geologist for the Qumran Plateau excavation in Israel.
http://bible.ca/tracks | Many people think faith is the opposite of evidence. Don Patton dispels that notion and the idea that you have to check your brain at the church door.
Free, full length Evolutionist-Converting Video Lectures!
Students, remember, your professors sound like they really know evolution works, until they are in the ring with an expert who really knows evolution is false! These videos will enable you to refute your university professors with information they refuse to allow to be taught in your classroom!
What Is Creation Science Add to Cart
(Religious or Scientific? Overview Of The Evidence) DVD - $12 US Each(Plus postage)
Dr. Don Patton - Creation Science is usually defined by the media as the Genesis account of creation - what is normally taught in the Sunday School classroom. The charge is continually repeated but it is not true. Creation science is scientific evidence, not religious dogma. Both creation and evolution have profound religious, philosophical implications, yet, both may be investigated scientifically. Chief Justice Rienquist and Justice Scalla pointed out that creation science involved the study of biology, paleontology, genetics, astronomy, astrophysics, probability analysis and biochemistry. They concluded that this discipline was the study "of scientific data supporting the theory that the physical universe and life within it appeared suddenly and have not changed substantially since appearing...Creation Science is a strictly scientific concept that...does not require the presentation of religious doctrine." Many have difficulty imagining scientific evidence for creation, perhaps because it is zealously censored from our classrooms. The truth is, there is a great deal of such evidence. Watch this video and see for yourself.
Click here for Dr. Patton's DVDs sets on different topic within creation science.
Paul Taylor and Eric Hovind of Creation Today welcome guest David Rives of davidrivesministries.org as they discuss how distant starlight can reach the Earth in 6,000 years, the significance of “red shift” and whether or not we see stars forming today.
About David Rives:
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…
The Alpha and Omega left a pattern of His fingerprints across each corner of the universe, found even in the tiniest crevices of our planet. A pattern that David Rives has devoted his life to finding and sharing… often defying the conventions of modern science.
In a culture of those who make sweeping statements, point fingers, or avoid controversy altogether, David has made bold assertions and fortified them through empirical research from the Earth to the furthest corners of heaven.
With a unique combination of creation, Biblical astronomy and archaeology, David has built a solid case for our Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ–and the world is taking notice.
David is deeply involved with historical and archaeological research, and his work on Dead Sea Scrolls projects have been featured on the History Channel, not to mention his countless appearances on other media outlets around the world. After eleven trips to the Holy Land and extensive work with observatory class telescopes, a steady following has emerged, as many tune in faithfully for his weekly video commentary on WorldNetDaily.
A songwriter and recording artist as well, the addition of creativity to traditional scientific findings truly puts David in a league all his own. Around the world, he has shared his compelling message through documentaries, music, photography and lectures.
Without intimidation, David is committed to spreading the truth of the Ultimate Creator: “The Bible is true from beginning to end. If you compromise on the very first verse of the Bible, then what next? Will we still believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised again? Everything comes into question when you begin questioning the very foundation of scripture: In the beginning, God created.” –David Rives
Just as the heavens declare the glory of God, David Rives is proclaiming the manifest presence of God throughout the universe, throughout our world and most especially in the hearts of those who know Him.
Over the past year, we at David Rives Ministries, have been working diligently on something very special. We are thrilled to announce that David is releasing his first book: “WONDERS WITHOUT NUMBER” NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER, the official release date of David’s book: “Wonders Without Number – Created with Purpose or Conceived from Chaos” is March 28th, 2013!
In this breathtaking book with over 160 photos, diagrams, and star charts, David builds a solid case for Jesus Christ, the Creator, while affirming the truths of the Biblical Record.
1992 Georgia Institute of Technology, B.S. Applied Biology
Professional Experience
Between my undergraduate and graduate work, I spent four years teaching high school science at a large college-prep school in NW Georgia. In addition to my teaching load (including AP biology, chemistry, physics, and electronics), I spent the winter months coaching the swimming and diving teams and the summer months running the outdoor high adventure program.
In 1996, I was awarded the three-year Maytag doctoral fellowship by the University of Miami. When that expired, I received a one-year fellowship from the Institute for Marine Science. While working on my PhD, I designed and performed many experiments in marine ecology and genetic engineering and helped to develop new protocols for the rapid cloning of fluorescent protein genes. The green and red fluorescent proteins my coworker and I cloned from hard and soft corals were used to create transgenic zebrafish. We patented one of these protein genes and licensed it to Promega, Inc. under the trade name ‘Monster Green’.
From 2001-2004, I helped design and build an aquaculture facility for Caribbean corals at UM’s Experimental Fish Hatchery. During these years I also performed over 500 research dives on the shallow coral reefs of the Florida Keys and Bahamas. Many of these were done at night to study the mass coral spawning episodes that happen at specific times during the warm summers.
I spent two years after obtaining my PhD working for an engineering company, mainly focused on impact mitigation for the Key West Harbor dredging project (since the channel runs right through the coral reef).
Upon leaving Miami, I was hired by the Institute for Creation Research to help on their GENE project. While there, I wrote computer programs to analyze human genetic data and managed to get one publication on this work into the secular literature.
In 2006, I was hired by Creation Ministries International as a scientist, speaker, and writer.
Publications and Patents
Carter RW (2007) Mitochondrial diversity within modern human populations. Nucleic Acids Research35(9):3039–3045.
Gibbs PDL, Carter RW, and Schmale MC (2007) Fluorescent Proteins from Aquatic Species. US Patent #7,291,711.
Carter RW, Schmale MS, and Gibbs PDL (2004) Cloning of anthozoan fluorescent protein genes. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C138:259–270.
Carter RW (2003) Cnidarian Fluorescent Proteins. PhD Dissertation. University of Miami.
Manica A, Carter RW (2000) Morphological and fluorescence analysis of the Montastraea annularis species complex in Florida. Marine Biology137:899–906.
Dr. Wieland teaches on the issues of race, culture and our origin. "And He has made from one bloodevery nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;" - Acts 17:26-27
One Human Family
The Bible, Science, Race and Culture
Whether it’s language, genes, the effect of various religions on culture and economics–even such ‘hot potatoes’ as slavery, affirmative action, IQ/race and indigenous problems–this deeply informative work is unlike any creation book you have ever read. Both forthright yet sensitive, One Human Family sidesteps political correctness to paint a truly fascinating ‘big picture’, while highlighting the real–world trustworthiness of the Bible. With amazingly apt anecdotes and analogies from a wealth of research and life experience, Carl Wieland’s fascinating and immensely readable exploration of our diverse global humanity goes way beyond the normal ‘all one race’ conclusion. Find out more...
Ideas and views in science are always shifting, but the ones that stand firm are those that uncannily tie up with what the Bible says.
Many dictionaries class them as fictitious, but Philip Bell states that 'hobbits' (or half-size humans) were real and are confirmed in the fossil record.
But what were these small beings -- human or primate?
Philip Bell digs deep into evolutionist assertions, asking for the scientific evidence that is said to support ape ancestry. In this programme, some evolutionists themselves admit to stretched truths behind widely accepted models of ape to man progression.
Philip Bell
Philip is a scientist and educator who lives and works in the United Kingdom. He studied biology and geology at the University of Wales (Swansea), graduating in zoology in 1989. For nine years he worked at a cancer research unit in chemosensitivity testing. During the 1990s, he was also a member of the Postgraduate School of Medicine, Bath University and (co-)authored a number of papers in secular medical journals (see longer bio for details).
Philip became a secondary school science teacher in the late 1990s, but has worked full time in Creation ministry since 2001, speaking on Bible/science topics in churches, schools and universities. Since January 2007, he has been CEO of Creation Ministries International (UK/Europe) and is a contributor to Creation magazine, the Journal of Creation and CMI’s website.
Philip trusted in Christ as a child and was raised in a strong Christian home to believe the Bible from the very first verse, but compromised with secular beliefs about origins in his late teens. During the course of his later, graduate studies he rejected evolution/millions of years on both scientific and biblical grounds. He came again to see the Bible as God's completely trustworthy, infallible Word on scientific and historical matters—not just matters of Christian faith and conduct. Philip is married with five children—two grown up and three home-schooled—and is a strong advocate of Christian education.
Qualifications
BSc(Hons) zoology; PGCE; CBiol MSB
Have a look through the additional Creation material available for you at www.god.tv/creation
Understanding the Law of Decay (the Second Law of Thermodynamics)
Creationists and evolutionists alike often misunderstand and misrepresent the Law of Entropy (the Second Law of Thermodynamics, or 2LT)—even those whose qualifications indicate they ought to know better. This is so widespread that CMI has long advised folk to consider avoiding it in favour of the Information argument (which is a subset of the 2LT issue, really). Better still, says this speaker, is to have as many folk as possible really, fully understand the 2LT and the principles which lead to it. And it is possible for the average reasonably intelligent layperson to grasp this, he says, in a way that bypasses the fog of equations. These tend to mystify most laypeople, but through the speaker’s use of many everyday and easily understood examples one can grasp the 2LT at a deep, intuitive level with just the barest minimum of equation symbols, without sacrificing accuracy in any way. In the process, it adds some powerful weaponry to the creationist armamentarium.
How are we able to see starlight from distant objects, lightyears away, if the earth is only 6000 years old?
Dr. Mason explains why light years are not a problem for a "recent" creation.
Dr Jim Mason
Biography
Jim has a B.Sc. in Engineering Physics from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada and a Ph.D. in experimental Nuclear Physics from McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Canada (under Dr M.W. (Martin) Johns, then Head of the Physics Department).
After a year on the faculty of the Physics Department at the University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada immediately following completion of his Ph.D. studies, he took a job with one of Canada’s major defence electronics system integration companies where he worked for 37 years. The first 20 years he spent developing passive and active sonar systems for shipborne, airborne and fixed applications that are in use with the Canadian, Portuguese, Belgian, Swedish and US Navies. The subsequent 17 years he spent developing integrated, secure, digital voice and data ground mobile tactical communications systems that are used by the Canadian and British armies. During his career, Jim held positions in software engineering, system engineering, program management and line management, including VP Engineering and Chief Technology Officer responsible for research and development. He served for several years on the company’s Executive Committee.
Jim grew up attending church regularly in a mainline Protestant denomination, reaching high school graduation without ever hearing the message of salvation and left the church and the faith when he took Geology 101 in first year engineering. Although he and his family resumed church attendance (in another mainline Protestant denomination) because he and his wife thought it would be good for their two young girls, it wasn’t until almost his 40th birthday that he heard the message of salvation when attending an evangelical church in response to the invitation of a friend and neighbour and subsequently accepted Christ.
However, Jim was initially what might be called a bi-polar Christian, believing in the salvation provided by Jesus but also believing in the evolutionary account of origins, the big bang, etc. It wasn’t until he attended a weekend seminar conducted by young-earth creation scientists where he saw that science and scripture were completely coherent. Since that time, largely as a result of information available from CMI, he has become increasingly amazed at how the truth of scripture is confirmed in every area of science and become increasingly concerned about how evolution is used as a means to avoid confronting the claims of Jesus.
Since retiring, he has felt called to use his scientific background to show others that the Bible is believable from first verse to last. Before joining CMI, he gave presentations on the creation-evolution issue to the College and Career groups at two local churches and facilitated a multi-week discussion group on the topic at the church he attends.
Dr Mason’s hobbies include skiing (downhill and cross-country), gardening/landscaping, renovations, and spending time with his two grandchildren. He and his wife Rosemary have three children and reside just outside Lakefield, Ontario near their two granddaughters.
Some Publications
J.F. Mason, “Structure of Rubidium and Strontium nuclides of Mass 90 and 91”, Ph.D. Thesis, 1969.
J.F. Mason and M.W. Johns, “Decay of 90Kr and 90Rb”, Canadian Journal of Physics48(17), 1970.
J.F. Mason and M.W. Johns, “Level Structures of 90Rb and 90Sr as populated in Beta Decay”, Canadian Journal of Physics48(24), 1970
J.F. Mason and M.W. Johns, “Lifetime of the First Excited State of 91Sr”. International Conference on Properties of Nuclear States (Montreal, 1969), contribution 2.43
J.F. Mason, J.F. Boulter, W.V. Prestwich and M.W. Johns, “Beta Decay of 90Kr and 91Kr”, International Conference on Properties of Nuclear States (Montreal, 1969), contribution 2.43
Summary
BSc in Engineering Physics; PhD in Nuclear Physics
37-year engineering and management career in defence electronics developing ASW systems and land, tactical C4 systems
Positions included Vice President, Engineering and Chief Technology Officer for one of Canada’s leading defence electronics system integration companies and member of the company’s Executive Committee
Miller has proudly voiced his support for what he calls "pro-science"
candidates in politics. He has actively campaigned for school board and
education candidates who support the teaching of evolution in Kansas and Ohio.
In the science community, he has sought to elevate the understanding of
scientists of the roots of the creationist movement, and to encourage
the popularization of scientific concepts.
Miller has appeared in court as a witness, and on panels debating the teaching of intelligent design in schools. In 2002, the Ohio State Board of Education held a public debate between two scientists, including Miller, and two proponents of intelligent design.[9] He testified for the plaintiffs, but only as a fact witness (not as an expert), in Selman v. Cobb County,
testing the legality of stickers calling evolution a "theory, not a
fact" that were placed on the biology textbook Miller authored. In 2005,
the judge ruled that the stickers violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.[10][11]
This decision was vacated on appeal because of missing records of the
previous trial. The case was remanded for additional evidentiary inquiry
and new findings, and a list of factual issues that the court would
probably want to address included as item 15 a reference to Miller's
testimony regarding “the colloquial or popular understanding of the term
[theory]” and the suggested question as to whether he has any
qualifications to testify as an expert on the popular meaning of the
word "theory".[12]
The case was remanded back to the lower court and was eventually
settled out of court. Miller was also the plaintiff's lead expert
witness in the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District,
challenging the school board's mandate to incorporate intelligent
design into the curriculum. The judge in that case also ruled decisively
in favor of the plaintiffs.
Miller is known for his appearances on the Comedy Central television show The Colbert Report.[16][17] Dr. Miller has also made many appearances on C-SPAN
debating proponents of creationism and intelligent design. He has
debated several supporters of intelligent design including biochemist Michael J. Behe.
He gave a Faraday Institute lecture in April 2009 on "God, Darwin and Design"[18] and appeared on the Today Programme
arguing, "The issue of God is an issue on which reasonable people may
differ, but I certainly think that it's an over-statement of our
scientific knowledge and understanding to argue that science in general,
or evolutionary biology in particular, proves in any way that there is
no God."[19]
He
is known as the Father of Modern Creationism, since he hugely shaped
this worldwide movement into what it is today. He started his teaching
career as a professor of applied science at Southern Illinois
University. But it was through his teaching opportunities as a professor
at Virginia Tech that he began his public defense of Genesis and
creation. Henry Madison Morris Jr., was born in Dallas, Texas in 19181.
His education was varied and extensive beginning with a bachelor’s
degree in civil engineering from Rice University – Houston in 19392.
He next obtained his master’s in hydraulics from the University of
Minnesota (1948), his Ph.D., in hydraulic engineering in 1950, also from
the University of Minnesota3. The following year he became professor and chair of civil engineering at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette4.
He later served as professor of applied science at Southern Illinois
and still later as the department chair of civil engineering at Virginia
Tech University5.
In 1961 he co-authored the famed Genesis Flood6
with Dr. John C. Whitcomb. In this massive treatise the authors
defended Flood Geology as recorded in Genesis chapters 6-9 and a literal
creation by God. This book has tangible answers to pernicious
questions. Through it, the faith of countless people has been
strengthened.
1963 was a pivotal year in Dr. Morris’ life. Along with nine other
young-earth creationists, he founded the Creation Research Society. Then
in 1970, he began what is still one of the most influential scientific
research hubs for creationism, the Institute for Creation Research
(ICR). The stated goals of ICR are, research, communication and
education in the areas of science that are connected with the study of
origins.7
Dr. Morris passed from this life into Glory at the ripe old age of 87, February 25, 20068 in Santee, California. But, being dead he still speaks9 – through his books, articles and devotionals.
As the author of a multitude of books including The Genesis Flood
(1961), Scientific Creationism (1974), The Genesis Record (1976),
Science and the Bible (1986), Many Infallible Proofs (1974) and The New
Defender’s Study Bible (1995)10
he addressed such topics as creation science, evolution, biblical
apologetics and the defense of the Faith, “once for all delivered to the
saints.”11
The work of ICR continues – the fruit of his hard labor, passed down
to his sons Dr. Henry M. Morris III and Dr. John D. Morris. They now
have a graduate school program12, as well as countless resources available through their live venues, books and written materials and website13.
When I think of Henry Morris, these three phrases come to mind: Scientist – he studied God’s creation and through his changed worldview14 he has helped proclaim the powerful message of Creation. Visionary – A man with a long-term goal of reaching this world for the Creator. His writings and influence live on15. Defender of the Faith
– Through his clear and concise way of presenting the evidence for a
literal reading of the Bible, he took the charge given to ALL Christians
by Peter literally.
1 Peter 3:15:
“15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be
ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of
the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16
Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of
evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good
conversation in Christ.6”
Henry Morris was an amazing man of faith, conviction and action. I
pray that my generation will be full of visionaries, creation scientists
and defender’s of the faith.
from http://creation.com/jim-mason-nuclear-physicist
Dr James Mason and wife
Dr Jim Mason has a B.Sc. in Engineering Physics from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and a Ph.D. in Experimental Nuclear Physics from McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He had a 37-year engineering and management career in defence electronics developing ASW (anti-submarine warfare) systems and land tactical C4 (computerized command, control, communications) systems. This included the positions of Vice President and Engineering and Chief Technology Officer for one of Canada’s leading defence electronics system integration companies and being a member of that company’s Executive Committee. Dr Mason’s hobbies include skiing (downhill and cross-country), gardening/landscaping, home renovating and spending time with his two grandchildren. He and his wife Rosemary have three children and reside just outside Lakefield, Ontario near their two granddaughters.
Biblical Christianity: the perfect logical system
Without the first 11 chapters of Genesis being taken as historical narrative and plainly understood as written, the rest of the Bible and, in particular, the New Testament message of salvation, does not compute.
Recently during a ministry tour of Canada, I had the pleasure of travelling with Dr Jim Mason, CMI-Canada’s newest speaker. I was interested to find out that he didn’t become a Christian till he was almost 40. So why would a logical scientist accept something that the world largely mocks?
Dr James Mason, wife and granddaughters
“I have become increasingly amazed at how comprehensive and yet internally consistent the Bible and Christianity are. I spent most of my working career as a System Engineer developing complex and sophisticated defence electronic systems. Consequently, I have come to think of the Bible and Christianity as the perfect system.”
Dr Mason compares biblical Christianity with the Apollo system that sent men to the moon and returned them safely: this included everything that was required, and didn’t have anything unnecessary to its goal. The same is true of biblical Christianity. “However”, Jim says, “the Apollo system, being man-made, was not perfect as amply demonstrated by the near catastrophe of the Apollo 13 mission. Conversely, the Bible/Christianity is perfect, having been crafted by God.”
And as Dr Mason later realised, a vital foundation to this system is the first 11 chapters of Genesis:
“Without these chapters being taken as historical narrative and plainly understood as written, the rest of the Bible and, in particular, the New Testament message of salvation, does not compute. It’s like the Saturn V rocket of the Apollo system. Without it, achieving the mission is impossible. Thanks, in part, to the excellent material on the CMI website, I came to realize that such an interpretation is well-supported scientifically, including in my own area of nuclear physics.”
But if Genesis is foundational, then how can evolution and long ages be reconciled to the Bible? Jim realised that it couldn’t:
“It destroys the Gospel by destroying its foundation. Adam and Eve disappear, original sin disappears, death through sin disappears, the need for a Saviour disappears and indeed, in the end, salvation and eternal life disappear.”
Furthermore, “evolution is at odds with the Bible everywhere”:
“The Big Bang says nothing created everything, versus the Bible that teaches that everything was created by the Word of God; the earth, sun, moon and stars formed by gradual accretion over billions of years rather than in a few days by the Word of God; life occurring by accident rather than by holy fiat; humans evolving over millions of years from an ape-like ancestor rather than being created in the image of God in a single day; death being an essential part of the world from the start rather than being an unintended but necessary consequence of mankind’s original sin.”
No theory of evolution can be formed to account for the similarity of molecules, for evolution necessarily implies continuous change …. The exact equality of each molecule to all others of the same kind gives it … the essential character of a manufactured article, and precludes the idea of its being eternal and self-existent. James Clerk Maxwell
Real science supports the Bible
So, what areas of Dr Mason’s own expertise support the biblical creation model and oppose the secular evolutionary one? Jim points to the building blocks of nature and their economy of design, something that impressed the great creationist founder of electromagnetism, James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879), who wrote:
“No theory of evolution can be formed to account for the similarity of molecules, for evolution necessarily implies continuous change … . The exact equality of each molecule to all others of the same kind gives it … the essential character of a manufactured article, and precludes the idea of its being eternal and self-existent.”1
Modern science strengthens this argument, as Jim explains:
“Elementary particle physics tells us there are only 3 fundamental particles, each occurring in a few variants resulting in a total of only 24 elementary particles. Everything in the entire universe is made from and held together by these 24 particles.”
Yet from just these 24 basic building blocks, “There are 118 chemical elements which can be combined to create almost innumerable compounds like iron oxide, calcium carbonate and amino acids; and these can be combined to create almost innumerable substances like bubble gum, proteins and concrete; and these can be combined to create even grander structures like buildings and airplanes and computers and even the human body. That sure looks like design at its best.”
“Yet the evolutionists would have us believe that these 24 particles just happened by accident and then just happened to accidentally combine into particles that then just happened to combine into the elements, that then just happened to combine into a few compounds that then just happened to combine into a cell that then just happened to evolve into some humans and that only the airplanes, buildings and computers had to have a designer. Who are they kidding?”
Furthermore, he explains that only 12 of these particles provide 3 of the 4 forces that hold everything in the universe together, “design at its best”:
“These are the strong nuclear force that holds atomic nuclei together, the weak nuclear force that enables some types of radioactivity and the electromagnetic force which is responsible for just about every phenomenon we experience on a daily basis. The fourth, and weakest force, is gravity. These forces cover an incredible range of strengths and all behave differently: gravity only attracts; the electromagnetic force both attracts and repels; both act over infinitely long distances whereas the strong force only acts within the nucleus. Gravity, the weakest force, accounts for the motion of the stars and planets; the electromagnetic force accounts for light travelling from the stars to Earth. Finally, the strong force keeps all the nuclei in atoms from flying apart due to the electromagnetic repulsion between the protons.
“But that is not all. The relationship between these forces is so finely tuned that even a slight change in just one of these relationships would render the universe as we know it impossible. An accident? I don’t think so!”
In cases where the actual age of the rock is known, radiometric dating techniques typically give wildly erroneous ages. For example, rock formed in a lava flow from Mt. St. Helens in 1986 was radiometrically dated as 2.6 million years old!
Radiometric dating
Probably the strongest ‘evidence’ for the long ages required by evolution is right in Dr Mason’s field of expertise: radiometric dating. But he explained that it doesn’t actually measure age at all. Rather, it measures the ratio of the radioactive ‘parent’ element to the stable ‘daughter’ element in, say, a sample of rock today. And the age must be inferred by using these measurements in a calculation, and this relies on several unverifiable assumptions; e.g.:
“ … that there was no daughter element present when the rock was formed—i.e. the daughter element is entirely due to decay of the parent in the sample; that no amount of either parent or daughter has leached into or out of the rock since its formation; and that decay rate has not changed over time. If any of these assumptions are incorrect, it can dramatically change the calculation of the age. Since it is impossible to know for sure whether any of these have happened, it is not reasonable to trust the calculated age as accurate.”
Dr Mason points out:
“In cases where the actual age of the rock is known, radiometric dating techniques typically give wildly erroneous ages. For example, rock formed in a lava flow from Mt. St. Helens in 1986 was radiometrically dated as 2.6 million years old! If, every time you read a newspaper report concerning an incident about which you had first-hand knowledge, you found that the newspaper report was totally wrong, how many of these would you read before you began to suspect that all the reporting was wrong?”
After about 90,000 years of decay, there is so little 14C left that even today’s very sensitive instruments cannot detect it. … Yet 14C has been found in diamonds … even though the diamonds are allegedly 1 to 3 billion years old.
Furthermore, he shows that the long-agers’ favourite dating method, carbon dating, supports a much younger age. That’s because radioactive carbon is so short-lived it should not be present in anything over 100,000 years old, yet it is found in coal and diamonds allegedly many millions of years old (see his explanation in the box below).
Further evidence for a young age from nuclear physics comes from large amounts of helium found in tiny zircon crystals extracted from rocks that are allegedly 1.5 billion years old. The amount of uranium and lead present in the crystals indicated that the helium was the result of radioactive decay of the uranium. However, in the supposed 1.5 billion years of the rock’s existence, essentially all the helium that would have been produced by this decay should have diffused out of the crystals. Using the amount of helium actually present in the crystals and the rate of diffusion of helium through these crystals as measured by an independent laboratory, the age of the crystals, and therefore the rock from which they came was only about 5,700±2,000 years! This implies that the decay rate was much faster in the past—undermining a key assumption of radiometric dating.2
Encouragement
It should be very encouraging for scientifically-minded young people in church homes to see that real scientists like Dr Mason can embrace biblical creation. So did he have any advice for students thinking of studying science?
“Go for it! Science—that is operational science, how the world works—is fascinating stuff—and it is operational science that has provided all the technological and medical advances that make our present age so wonderful. However, be careful not to confuse the facts of operational science with the musings of origins science—that is the materialistic speculations about how things came to be. Don’t be afraid to ask, ‘Why do you say that?’ or ‘How do you know?’ about anything and everything. Truth will stand up to hard questions and deep digging!”
Radioactive 14C is continually being formed in the atmosphere, and makes up about a trillionth of all carbon atoms on Earth. Because it is biologically almost indistinguishable from non-radioactive carbon (12C), it is absorbed by plants during photosynthesis and then by animals eating the plants and other animals eating the animals that eat the plants and, of course, by humans when we eat our burgers and broccoli. When the plant or animal dies, it stops absorbing carbon and the 14C decays without being replaced, thus changing the ratio of 14C to 12C in the dead plant/animal over time. Using very sensitive instruments, the current ratio in a sample of the dead plant/animal can be measured and used (along with the known rate of decay of 14C and the assumption that the ratio of 14C to 12C in the atmosphere has always been the same as today) to calculate an age for the specimen. However, after about 90,000 years of decay, there is so little 14C left that even today’s very sensitive instruments cannot detect it.
Coal
Numerous samples of coal from different seams in different parts of the US have been found to contain substantial amounts of 14C, even though, according to the evolutionary time scale, the samples are allegedly between 37 million and 318 million years old. What’s more, the amount of 14C found is of the order of 100 times the sensitivity of the instruments, so it is not simply a minor measurement blip. Some people try to dismiss this as contamination of the sample during processing, but the laboratories that do these measurements have developed sophisticated procedures to make sure that this does not happen. Interestingly, despite the supposed wide range in ages, the age calculated from the 14C measurements for all the coal samples is very similar—about 50,000 years.
This is still appreciably larger than the biblical age. However, it is reasonable to assume that the amount of 14C in the atmosphere at creation was zero rather than the same as today, that it would take time for it to increase to today’s level, and that the disruption of the Flood would cause other drastic changes to this ratio. Incorporating these things into the calculations can easily bring the computed age in line with the biblical age.3
Diamonds
Carbon-14 in diamonds is another example of a young age measurement in substances that are ‘supposed to be’ very old. Diamond is the hardest substance on earth, because it’s an extremely rigidly-packed crystal of carbon. Therefore it’s impervious to the alleged possible contamination that has been used to try to dismiss the results for coal, although unreasonably. Yet 14C has been found in diamonds at essentially the same level as in the coal samples even though the diamonds are allegedly 1 to 3 billion years old.4
Maxwell, J.C., ‘Discourse on Molecules’, a paper presented to the British Association at Bradford in 1873, as cited in Lamont, A., James Clerk Maxwell, Creation15(3):45–47, 1993; creation.com/maxwell. Return to text.
Humphreys, R., Nuclear decay: evidence for a young world, Impact 352, October 2002; www.icr.org/pubs/imp/imp-352.htm. Return to text.
Baumgardner, J., 14C evidence for a recent global flood and a young earth; in Vardiman, L., Snelling, A. and Chaffin, E., Radioisotopes and the Age of the Earth, Vol. II, ch. 8, Institute for Creation Research, El Cajon, CA, 2005. Return to text.
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