BipolarA Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Has anyone ever come across this argument from a christian... How do you explain the fact that when archeologists dig they find things in the order (layer by layer) that god created them? I haven't really studied much on archeology and what order things are found, but I highly doubt it is in the order of creation. I didn't really know what to say when a christian tried this one on me...I just sort of giggled inside and said I haven't really thought much about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesG Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 lol haven't heard that one. I guess the first thing to ask is which creation account? if its genesis 1 that doesn't go in order of creation of our planet if genesis 2 man came after many other carbon based life forms and is wrong as well so archeology geology biology etc do not support a literal interpretation of creation. Or you could just say that is not a fact bud go back to elementary school and learn what fact means cause it smells like bull shit from over here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 It's called stratigraphy and archeology borrowed it from geology: Stratigraphy is a key concept to modern archaeological theory and practice. Modern excavation techniques are based on stratigraphic principles. The concept derives from the geological use of the idea that sedimentation takes place according to uniform principles. When archaeological finds are below the surface of the ground (as is most commonly the case), the identification of the context of each find is vital in enabling the archaeologist to draw conclusions about the site and about the nature and date of its occupation. It is the archaeologist's role to attempt to discover what contexts exist and how they came to be created. Archaeological stratification or sequence is the dynamic superimposition of single units of stratigraphy, or contexts. It's a pretty simple concept. Look around your home or office. If you're a "neat" person find the desk of the "messy" person (I happen to be this latter). Anyhow, in an undisturbed (this being key) vertical deposit (or a pile of stuff on a desk) you should notice that things go from oldest at the bottom to newer then newest at the top. Since newer things get deposited on top of older things as time progresses. On your desk new bills get stacked on older bills and then you forget to pay them. Now, this happens outside as well. Newer layers of sediment get deposited over older layers. Newer layers of trash get put over older ones. And so on. But only as long as the layers are not disturbed. If this happens then things can appear "our of order." But this will be seen locally and usually a larger survey can show this happening. Local floods can redeposit layers. People can move around most anything (ie. you rearrange your bill pile and now the oldest ones are on top instead of the bottom). The creation story says that "god" created everything at once. So one layer then everything else building on that massive start. That doesn't really exist. But there's the world-wide flood and that should have churned things up pretty good depending on how it's interpreted (which is every which way). But when the waters stop churning about and everything settles what should happen is everything that is heaviest should come out of the solution first followed by the rest by weight (ie. boulders -> silt). But that's not how the layers and the stuff (ie. fossils) in them are deposited at all. Not even close. mwc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrNo Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Even if you don't take the days as literal, the creation account makes no sense in terms of the order things are created. In Genesis 1, for example, the sun is clearly created AFTER vegetation (in vs. 1 he creates "light" but then in vs. 16 he clearly creates the sun, moon and stars). Any junior high biology student knows that plants depend on the sun. There is no way they could come before the sun. Then in Genesis 2 we get a second creation story with a different order. Here he creates man BEFORE there is any vegetation to sustain him. The only way this might possibly work is if the days are literal, but of course that flies in the face of science. So creationists have a few dilemmas. Which creation account is right? Do you believe in the literal interpretation of days and deny science? Or do you go with metaphorical days and deny science? Their only solution is to back up whichever interpretation they choose by saying it was done supernaturally. At which point you can ask why God decided to create in such a way as to mislead us, as all natural evidence seems to contradict that interpretation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Has anyone ever come across this argument from a christian... How do you explain the fact that when archeologists dig they find things in the order (layer by layer) that god created them? I haven't really studied much on archeology and what order things are found, but I highly doubt it is in the order of creation. I didn't really know what to say when a christian tried this one on me...I just sort of giggled inside and said I haven't really thought much about that. It isn't a fact. No explanation required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pops Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 Just as an aside to this topic-- I ran across a six-thousand year theory for the world in which the person asserted that we are only going to have six thousand years before the end if the world. And of course, Ussher's and the Jewish calendar calculations were wrong--- and according to him (a Church of God worshiper) that we were in the last 5 or so years. What really caught my eye though is that he asserted that there was a recent scientific study that said we were all descended from a "most common related ancestor" around 4000 or so years ago-- which according to him was not long after the flood. Refutations anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 I tried to research the most common related ancestor theory but have to admit, it is a little confusing to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BipolarA Posted July 11, 2013 Author Share Posted July 11, 2013 Thanks for all the information...I don't remember learning about stratigraphy, but it helps me with this christian's misguided logic. When christian's try to use logic from the bible to support their beliefs it always frustrates me! Oh well...thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 Just as an aside to this topic-- I ran across a six-thousand year theory for the world in which the person asserted that we are only going to have six thousand years before the end if the world. And of course, Ussher's and the Jewish calendar calculations were wrong--- and according to him (a Church of God worshiper) that we were in the last 5 or so years. What really caught my eye though is that he asserted that there was a recent scientific study that said we were all descended from a "most common related ancestor" around 4000 or so years ago-- which according to him was not long after the flood. Refutations anyone? Yes. Just smile and nod. But if you must do more then certainly he'll be more than happy to share this "scientific study." If he's actually able to produce it I'm sure a quick once over will make it quite clear that there's really nothing to refute (unless refuting some apologist's wet dreams is something you care to do). mwc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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