Claim CH220:
The universe was created mature, with apparent age. Light from the sun
and stars fell on the earth from its beginning. This is sometimes called
the omphalos argument after the title of an early book expounding it
(Gosse 1857).
Source:
Gosse, Philip H. 1857. Omphalos. Reprint, Woodbridge, CT: Ox Bow
Press, 1999.
Morris, Henry M., 1974. Scientific Creationism, Green Forest, AR:
Master Books, pp. 209-210.
Response:
- Apparent age is indistinguishable from real age. Why not forget the
distinction and just call it age?
- The universe has an appearance of history as well as an appearance of
age. Stars of all ages are seen, including the supernovas of dying
stars. Geological evidence shows that the early earth went through
millions of years with little oxygen in the
atmosphere. Many
other examples could be added. The appearance of age asks us to accept
that light from supernovas came from stars that never actually existed,
and that the evidence for low oxygen was also faked. This makes God
into a deceiver, since he created an appearance different from reality.
Romans 1:20 says that God is to be "understood from what has been
made." The apparent age claim says we cannot trust what has been made.
created 2000-4-23, modified 2004-5-25
