Dinosaurs? Did They Go On Noah's Ark Too? Earth is How Old?

[_Moniker]

I was just considering the implications of the 6000 year old earth idea and how some theists may incorporate the dinosaurs into their beliefs.

I've never really spoken to anyone (off the net) that believed the Earth was only 6000 years old. I assume those that believe this accept that dinosaurs actually once lived. Or were dinosaur fossils planted on the Earth by God to give the appearance of a much older Earth? ?? ??

Do LDS believe man and dinosaurs roamed the Earth at the same time? How do they possibly account for dinosaurs and still believe that the Earth is only 6000 years old? Did the dinosaurs miss the ark?

[_huckelberry]

I cannot remember any theory of young earth and dinosaurs for LDS speakers that is not a variation on the various speculations that other people have presented. Just makeing an observtion I do think more LDS consider a earth creation from the pieces of a former creation which contained dinosaurs. Outside of LDS circles that theory is less popular than the Morris theory that the flood totally destroyed the rocks of the earths crust and resettled them in the layers which we find containing fossils. The different animals not chosen for arking settled in nice seperate layers due to geography or something,( I think the theory achieves a sort of perfection of having absolutely nothing to do with reality)

I am puzzled by the observation that that flood theory not only doesn't fit the biblical story all the well as well as having nothing to do with geological observation. I sort of understand people remaining absolutely ignorant of geology. It is a bit of a specialized interest not connected with everyday concerns. These same people do try to be careful with their Bible reading. Well in truth I do not know in the flesh any young earth theorizers. I heard tell a gentleman who worked in the office worked held to such views(I live in an areas with 7th day Adventists who have inclined to support this flood theory) The man retired before I ever got a chance to ask him how thinking this actually works.

You see I so totally disbelieve young earth creation and the flood that I know the words but am clueless what the experience of thinking that real would be like.

It is fairly simple in my mind, the earth is billions years old, dinosaurs all died long ago and their bones settles in soils long ago buried deep enogh to be compressed to stone. There was no flood. The story in the Bible is folklore which was rewriten to be a theological reflection in parable form. I thnk the Bible is a compilation of peoples thoughts experiences and history. As a beliver in Christianity I believe God is calling the people involved into a sharper focus which becomes a foundation for the life of Jesus. I find the record in the Old Testament very informative about people. I do not expect to find any secret magic knowledge. Its science and history is nothing more than what people had natural access to at that time. People Bc knew squat about dinosaurs.

[_moksha]

[_Moniker]

You see I so totally disbelieve young earth creation and the flood that I know the words but am clueless what the experience of thinking that real would be like.

Ha! I so relate, huckleberry! There are some 7th Day Adventist about these parts, too. Yet, I don't talk about religion much outside the boards - when it occurs it's usually someone asking me my views and I politely deflect the questions. :)

It is fairly simple in my mind, the earth is billions years old, dinosaurs all died long ago and their bones settles in soils long ago buried deep enogh to be compressed to stone. There was no flood. The story in the Bible is folklore which was rewriten to be a theological reflection in parable form. I thnk the Bible is a compilation of peoples thoughts experiences and history. As a beliver in Christianity I believe God is calling the people involved into a sharper focus which becomes a foundation for the life of Jesus. I find the record in the Old Testament very informative about people. I do not expect to find any secret magic knowledge. Its science and history is nothing more than what people had natural access to at that time. People Bc knew squat about dinosaurs.

It's fairly simple in my mind, as well. It seems that some mental pretzels and some rather interesting theories must be created to get the Earth at 6000 years old, dinosaurs, the global flood, and Noah to work -- I am not that imaginative!

I was rather stunned when I discovered on the boards that some LDS are taught (believe) that the Earth is 6000 years old. I think of certain denominations that are rather fundamental and possibly fringe as believing this and was shocked to discover this same thought pattern by LDS. I think one of the redeeming qualities about the LDS Church is their focus on education -- how can any educated individual take even basic classes in World Civ, Geography, Anthropology and not run into issues with some of the literal teachings of the Bible? I don't see how they sort it out in their mind.

[_CaliforniaKid]

I was rather stunned when I discovered on the boards that some LDS are taught (believe) that the Earth is 6000 years old.

Isn't there a verse in the D&C to this effect?

[_Moniker]

I was rather stunned when I discovered on the boards that some LDS are taught (believe) that the Earth is 6000 years old.

Isn't there a verse in the D&C to this effect?

Oh, dear. I have no idea. I just know that Gaz thinks the Earth is 6000 years old and there are some other posters (I believe Jadams?) that have made comments to this effect.

[_KimberlyAnn]

D&C 77:7 could be interpreted to mean that the earth will have a lifespan of 7,000 years:

7 Q. What are we to understand by the seven aseals with which it was sealed?
A. We are to understand that the first seal contains the things of the bfirst thousand years, and the csecond also of the second thousand years, and so on until the seventh.


KA

[_Moniker]

Here are some quotes I quickly got from MAD just now, CaliforniaKid:

YH8:

I think it is quite possible that the Earth "looks" 4.5ish billion years old, but "is" only 6,000 to 7,000 years old, so to speak. I wouldn't put it past God to be able to timewarp, "artificially age" things, or who knows what. Kinda along the lines of humans being able to make things look older than they really are and or artificially time test things.

JAdams:

I have always had doubt on the accuracy of science when it comes to dating biblical stuff, i can undrstand being accurate back till about 15oo B.C or therabouts, but before that. i don't beleive science is all that perfect. And partly because of the evidence thay use "carbon dating" e.t.c.. the molecules,d.n.a and whatever else they use probaby breaks down after a few thousand years as to bo not understandable to anyone.

John The Revelator:

It is quite logical to believe that the earth was created according to Kolob's time. In the book of Abraham we read that one revolution of Kolob (day) is a thousand years on earth. Thus it makes sense that each "day" was 1,000 years. Brigham Young was quoted saying (I paraphrase) "Whether it was 6 days, 6 years or 6 thousand years it does not matter"

I think it's ridiculous to believe it took the Lord billions of years to create the earth and then he only gives us 7,000 years to live on it.

Here: This thread talks about doctrine and age of the earth. I didn't spend much time on this. I just know the first few times I saw some alluding to the Earth being only 6000 years old I was rather shocked.

http://www.mormonapologetics.org/index. ... aurs&st=60

[_Gazelam]

Moni,

It is LDS teaching that prior to the Fall of Adam, there was no death in the world. There was no death because there was no blood. Blood being the corruptable element. Without blood there was also no procreation, so there were no children until after the Fall.

I think 6,000 years is a general number. You provided a link a short time ago to the oldest known city with a Temple which dated back about 5,000 years ago and which featured three tribal families spreading out from this central hub (Shem, Ham, And Japheth?)

To say that the dinosaurs were all killed in the Flood would not be too great a stretch I don't think. I heard someone state once that we notice that the corpses are all found buried up in mud like they had been washed downstream and buried as opposed to their bodies being eaten away by insects and other critters.

My only stance is that there was no death in the world prior to the Fall. You can timeline any way you want from Adam till now. And Christ himself testified to the Flood of Noah.

Gaz

[_Roger Morrison]

Very interesting thought: Noah's Ark and dinos... Just imagine, "...two..." of them?? Such questions, to our educated societies, unless concluded as you and Huck articulated, will surely close the lid on Christian sects, such as Mormonism, that continue in their ignorance to teach biblical literalism, as I see things. The thread re Spong, and Evolving Christianity confirm your thinking as well. Warm regards, Roger