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Can millions of years of death, disease and suffering be ‘very good’?

This letter is printed first in its entirety. The letter is printed again (indented red text), with point-by-point responses by Dr Jonathan Sarfati, interspersed as per normal email fashion.

Sir,

Does this org. really believe in a young earth theory? I am a practicing Christian, teach bible courses and believe that the Bible is the Inspired Word of God. But, nothing in the Bible indicates how old the earth is or when God created the cosmos, and it doesn’t matter. God only used two pages of the Bible to discuss creation so it apparently isn’t that important to Him when we think the earth was created. Please don’t take this as any criticism, it is not intended as that. I don’t believe in macro-evolution and there are no solid scientific facts to back that theory up, but there are a zillion facts that back up astronomical observations and physical facts. I heard a radio broadcast today where a member of your org., ridiculed the big bang theory ….WHY. That proves there is a God who created the heavens and earth by speaking it into existance. I was curious at those remarks.

Thanks and God Bless

S.L.

USA

Sir,

Does this org. really believe in a young earth theory? I am a practicing Christian, teach bible courses and believe that the Bible is the Inspired Word of God. But, nothing in the Bible indicates how old the earth is or when God created the cosmos, …

Yes it does, because the grammar indicates that the days were normal-length, that Adam was created on the sixth day of creation, and the birth of the next person in the genealogy occurred when Adam was 130 years old, and these ages are given for a number of names right up to the founding of the nation of Israel. Also, any view of millions of years does not come from Scripture but from imposing man’s fallible ideas upon God’s infallible Word. The worst problem is that such views have millions of years of death, disease and suffering before Sin, despite God’s calling creation ‘very good’ (Genesis 1:31) and death ‘the last enemy’ (1 Cor. 15:26—see Q&A: Compromise).

… and it doesn’t matter.

You should have read the information on our website before writing, as per our feedback rules. We have extensive Q&A pages and / or you can use the search button. Some articles to start with:

God only used two pages of the Bible to discuss creation so it apparently isn’t that important to Him when we think the earth was created.

How much space does God have to devote to something before you’ll think it’s important?

Please don’t take this as any criticism, it is not intended as that. I don’t believe in macro-evolution and there are no solid scientific facts to back that theory up, but there are a zillion facts that back up astronomical observations and physical facts.

Perhaps you could have named even one of these alleged facts.

I heard a radio broadcast today where a member of your org., ridiculed the big bang theory … .WHY.

We explain this in more detail at Q&A: Big bang

That proves there is a God who created the heavens and earth by speaking it into existance. I was curious at those remarks.

That’s not how most big-bang proponents regard it—see The dubious apologetics of Hugh Ross.

Thanks and God Bless

S.L.

USA

You too
(Dr) Jonathan Sarfati

Published: 4 February 2006