Cavemen on Dinosaurs

[InfinityMax]

It has recently come to my attention that there are multiple people here who believe that dinosaurs and humans existed at the same time. I always assumed that a belief in Flintstones as historically accurate was a theory reserved for religious goofballs, but it appears that many people here do actually believe the men and dinosaurs shared the planet at the same time.

So in my usual completely insensitive manner, I was wondering if those of you who believe in Land of the Lost would maybe answer a few questions.

1) Do you believe that God created the world from nothing in a literal 7-day period? Like if we had been there, we wouldn't have had time to grow a decent beard?

2) Do you just say that carbon dating is a tool of the devil? Because if you don't, how do you reconcile a considerable pile of scientific evidence that would really destroy the Lost World theories for people who are not allowing religion to overrule science?

3) If you believe that humans and dinosaurs were alive at the same time, are you an American Protestant? (I predict an extremely high correlation)

4) Can anyone explain why God couldn't have used evolution to create the world?

I really am curious how an otherwise reasonable person believes in what seems to me to be such an obviously irrational theory.

[Malechi]

Personally, I think question 1 should be split to:

1a) Do you believe in God?
1b) Do you believe that God created the world from nothing in a literal 7-day period?

As a belief in God is required for the latter half of the question.

1a) Yes. God exists. (Note that I am Agnostic, therefore I am unsure of the deity's exact name hopefully I won't be getting a face to face for quite some time)
1b) No. The Bible explains creation in a way man's mind can understand.
2) No. Carbon dating works.
3) I do not believe that dinosaurs and man coexisted except in the realm of fictional literature.
4) Nope. I believe that is exactly what happened.

I do not believe in the absolutes of either the Bible or science. Both come upon contradictions and are continuously revised (yes, the Bible has been revised many times people).

[rdhight]

Originally Posted by InfinityMax

1) Do you believe that God created the world from nothing in a literal 7-day period? Like if we had been there, we wouldn't have had time to grow a decent beard?

Yes. It's certainly not the only possible reading of Genesis, but it's the one I believe.

Originally Posted by InfinityMax

2) Do you just say that carbon dating is a tool of the devil? Because if you don't, how do you reconcile a considerable pile of scientific evidence that would really destroy the Lost World theories for people who are not allowing religion to overrule science?

Well, the devil is the father of lies, and there are plenty of cases where twisted science has been used to justify terrible things, just as twisted religion has been. Whether carbon dating is one of those cases, I have no idea. Whether it's just a plain old mistake, I have no idea. So I don't know if conflict between them is real or imaginary. And anyway, I dislike the idea that science and religion are in a horse race where a gain for one is a loss for the other. But if it came to that and I had to choose between carbon dating and Scripture? Scripture, in a heartbeat.

Originally Posted by InfinityMax

3) If you believe that humans and dinosaurs were alive at the same time, are you an American Protestant? (I predict an extremely high correlation)

Yes I do, and yes I am.

Originally Posted by InfinityMax

4) Can anyone explain why God couldn't have used evolution to create the world?

I don't see any reason why He couldn't have, but I don't see a good way to argue from the Bible that He actually did.

(I know this is a touchy subject. Just wanted to say that I'm not taking offense, and I don't mean to give any.)

[jaques]

An additional question:

What is a "day"?

This is a very important question for those who believe that it's necessary for God to have literally created the world in 7 days for the Bible to be true.

Just to let you know where I'm going, the astronomical definition of a day is the time between one noon and the next when seen from a point on the equator of the planet for which the observer is doing the measurement.

So exactly what would one astronomical day be for God?

[Parduz]

I was on the way to answer to questions, but now i'm scared and i think that's better to keep my idea for me.

Originally Posted by InfinityMax

I really am curious how an otherwise reasonable person believes in what seems to me to be such an obviously irrational theory.

You love the danger. I have an answer to this also, but I just want to say that these are things that should be discussed around a table, while looking at the "opponents" in the eyes, 'cause otherwise this thread will burn in flames soon.

If you really want to know my answer to your curiosity then PM me and i will reply, but i will never write it here.

[Revdyer]

No offense intended, IMax, but didn't we do this just a few months ago? Here. It's only 138 pages long and locked, but somewhere in the middle is a very windy discussion of this question. <grin>

[InfinityMax]

Dude, that religion thread was a trainwreck from page one. I never read any of it. I was specifically wondering about this particular theory, because to me, you have to be willing to completely ignore mountains of scientific evidence in order to embrace a theory like this. It flies in the face of logic and rational behavior, but it doesn't have to. You can believe in a divine creator and still believe the huge piles of evidence that says dinosaurs and men never coexisted. It's not even hard. You just have to discard the idea that you know how God tells time.

[Eckels]

A belief in god, or any form of deity worship isn't irrational. If you believe (through whatever channels) that there is a god that needs to be obeyed, obeying that god is totally rational.

If you don't believe in god, then it would be irrational to also believe in things such as creationism.

You're not questioning the irrationality of the compromise, Imax. You're questioning the logic, not rationale, of believing in god - an argument that will never be settled - at least not with the faithful. It's a waste of time.

I happen to agree with you, but not all humans are like-minded. Let them think what they want. We have the fossils, evidence, and the scientific method for finding our answers. They have a book, men dressed in gowns with funny hats, and word-of-mouth storytelling since the days that men thought the world was flat, to give them their answers.

We're both looking in two corners of a dark room, for the light switch that doesn't exist. Just leave the room.

[Revdyer]

Was it Bertrand Russell who said, "Philosophy is like a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there? But, theology is like a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there, and he finds it!"?

[Parduz]

Rev:
LOL
Nice phrase. I don't agree at all, but's nice

[Raudulfr Shieldcrusher]

Originally Posted by rdhight

Yes. It's certainly not the only possible reading of Genesis, but it's the one I believe.

Well, the devil is the father of lies, and there are plenty of cases where twisted science has been used to justify terrible things, just as twisted religion has been. Whether carbon dating is one of those cases, I have no idea. Whether it's just a plain old mistake, I have no idea. So I don't know if conflict between them is real or imaginary. And anyway, I dislike the idea that science and religion are in a horse race where a gain for one is a loss for the other. But if it came to that and I had to choose between carbon dating and Scripture? Scripture, in a heartbeat.

Yes I do, and yes I am.

I don't see any reason why He couldn't have, but I don't see a good way to argue from the Bible that He actually did.

(I know this is a touchy subject. Just wanted to say that I'm not taking offense, and I don't mean to give any.)

Can I ask why you believe this? How were you taught? How were you raised? Did you learn this from your parents?

And if you are that hardcore religious, isn't Heroscape bad?

[kacey3]

Originally Posted by Malechi

1a) Do you believe in God?

Even this is a baited question, because the question itself implies that there is a god to believe in. The appropriate question is "Do you believe there is a god?"

Your way is akin to asking "do you believe in fish?" I know that there are fish, but do I believe in them? Rather than, "do you believe there are fish?" Which asks the question, of whether there are even fish to believe in.

Sorry, just my own pet peeve.