MYTHS DRESSED AS SCIENCE - Since the interstellar radiation incident on the earth's atmosphere varies with the seasons, with weather, with solar activity, with galactic activity, and with variations in the earth's magnetic field, it is extremely unreasonable to expect constant production rates for any of these radioisotopes over the vast amounts of time claimed. Why would any scientist publish something as fact when it rests on such a shaky foundation? It appears the fundamental reason is that these "scientists" are attempting to indoctrinate the public rather than educate them - A recent MSN article claims a fossilized hominid called "Little Foot" found in a cave at the Sterkfontein site near Johannesburg, South Africa, is approximately 3.67 million years old. A similar report appeared in ScienceNews. Both articles provide insufficient detail to make an intelligent evaluation of the method used to arrive at the stated conclusion, and as such that conclusion must be regarded as suspect. However, there is one key point concerning radioisotope dating they offer that can be straightforwardly addressed. The technique used to date Little Foot is called cosmogenic nuclide dating. Cosmogenic production of radioactive isotopes from direct nuclear reactions on more common stable isotopes has been known since the early 20th century, but it has only recently become accepted for in radioisotope dating.

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Myths Dressed as Science

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Since the interstellar radiation incident on the earth's atmosphere varies with the seasons, with weather, with solar activity, with galactic activity, and with variations in the earth's magnetic field, it is extremely unreasonable to expect constant production rates for any of these radioisotopes over the vast amounts of time claimed. Why would any scientist publish something as fact when it rests on such a shaky foundation? It appears the fundamental reason is that these "scientists" are attempting to indoctrinate the public rather than educate them

BY VERNON R. CUPPS, PH.D.

 

A recent MSN article claims a fossilized hominid called "Little Foot" found in a cave at the Sterkfontein site near Johannesburg, South Africa, is approximately 3.67 million years old.

A similar report appeared in ScienceNews.

Both articles provide insufficient detail to make an intelligent evaluation of the method used to arrive at the stated conclusion, and as such that conclusion must be regarded as suspect.

However, there is one key point concerning radioisotope dating they offer that can be straightforwardly addressed.

The technique used to date Little Foot is called cosmogenic nuclide dating. 

Cosmogenic production of radioactive isotopes from direct nuclear reactions on more common stable isotopes has been known since the early 20th century, but it has only recently become accepted as a phenomenon that must be accounted for in radioisotope dating.

Cosmic rays, which originate high in the atmosphere, can form cascades of elementary particles.

When these particles strike certain atoms such a silicon (Si), oxygen (O), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), or chlorine (Cl), they can induce a nuclear reaction that changes them into a radioisotope, e.g.:

¹⁴C + p → ³H + ¹²C
²⁸Si + n → ²⁶Al + ³H
³⁵Cl + n → ³⁶Cl + γ
⁴⁰Ca + n → ⁴¹Ca + γ

These are just a few of the potential cosmogenic nuclear reactions that can produce radioisotopes such as ³H, ²⁶Al, ³⁶Cl, and ⁴¹Ca.

A critical question concerning the use of these isotopes as reliable clocks is, what are the assumptions that must be made in order for the isotopes to be reasonably used as clocks?

Four basic assumptions are necessary to use any radioisotope dating process as a reliable clock:

(1) The system of which the rock samples are a part must be a closed system. This is an increasingly bad assumption with the increasing age of the system.

(2) Decay rates of the isotopes used as clocks must remain constant over time. Again, this assumption becomes more tenuous with the increasing age of the system.

(3) The initial or primordial concentrations of parent and daughter in the system must be accurately known.

(4) For any system ages of long duration, it must be assumed that enough time has passed for measurable levels of the radioactive daughter to have been produced.

All four of these assumptions must hold fast without exception — any exception invalidates the dating method.

It is doubtful that any one of these assumptions can be rigorously satisfied over 3.67 million years, much less all four.

But the particular dating method used to date Little Foot added one more dubious assumption, i.e.:

(5) The production rates for the cosmogenic radionuclides have remained constant over millions of years.

Since the interstellar radiation incident on the earth's atmosphere varies with the seasons, with weather, with solar activity, with galactic activity, and with variations in the earth's magnetic field, it is extremely unreasonable to expect constant production rates for any of these radioisotopes over the vast amounts of time claimed.

To suggest that all five assumptions can be strictly maintained for over three million years is completely untenable.

Why would any scientist publish something as fact when it rests on such a shaky foundation?

There are probably many superficial reasons, but it appears the fundamental reason is that these "scientists" are attempting, whether consciously or unconsciously, to indoctrinate the public rather than educate them.

Dr. Cupps is Research Associate at the Institute for Creation Research and received his Ph.D. in nuclear physics from Indiana University-Bloomington.

The Institute for Creation Research (ICR) wants people to know that God’s Word can be trusted in everything it speaks about—from how and why we were made, to how the universe was formed, to how we can know God and receive all He has planned for us.

After 50 years of ministry, ICR remains a leader in scientific research within the context of biblical creation. Founded by Dr. Henry Morris in 1970, ICR exists to conduct scientific research within the realms of origins and Earth history, and then to educate the public both formally and informally through professional training programs, through conferences and seminars around the country, and through books, magazines, and media presentations.

https://www.icr.org/article/myths-dressed-science/

THE GAP THEORY - Conjectures such as the Gap Theory are provocative and challenge us to search "the whole counsel of God" for consistency and integrity with known, established doctrines. As the "prince of this world," Satan's offer to Jesus Christ in the famed temptations was valid, or else it wouldn't have been a temptation. By God's allowing the cosmic drama to play itself out, Satan will inadvertently glorify God by demonstrating that there can be only one will in the universe and all other paths lead to chaos and destruction. God will use the weakness of man, and his redemption through faith in His Son, to redeem not only fallen man, but "a new heavens and a new earth." The so-called "Gap Theory" is a conjecture about a possible interval between the first two verses in Genesis 1. Among other things, it attempts to deal with the creation of the angels, the fall of Lucifer, and related topics. The angels apparently witnessed the creation of the earth; but when were they created? Satan's rebellion is also portrayed in Scripture; but when did he fall? The third word, Elohim, the name of God, seems to be a grammatical "error": it is a plural noun, used as a singular. It is recognized by many scholars as the first hint of the Trinity. It is the second verse that raises some questions. “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” - Genesis 1:2. The conjecture is that between the first two verses of the Bible, after the original creation which included the angels and Lucifer, there was a rebellion and a judgment of his principal domain, the Earth.

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The

Gap 

Theory

What is the Gap Theory and is it valid?

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Conjectures such as the Gap Theory are provocative and challenge us to search "the whole counsel of God" for consistency and integrity with known, established doctrines. As the "prince of this world," Satan's offer to Jesus Christ in the famed temptations was valid, or else it wouldn't have been a temptation. By God's allowing the cosmic drama to play itself out, Satan will inadvertently glorify God by demonstrating that there can be only one will in the universe and all other paths lead to chaos and destruction. God will use the weakness of man, and his redemption through faith in His Son, to redeem not only fallen man, but "a new heavens and a new earth."

Q & A with Chuck Missler

The so-called "Gap Theory" is a conjecture about a possible interval between the first two verses in Genesis 1.

Among other things, it attempts to deal with the creation of the angels, the fall of Lucifer, and related topics.

The angels apparently witnessed the creation of the earth; but when were they created?

Satan's rebellion is also portrayed in Scripture; but when did he fall?

Genesis 1:1

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” - Genesis 1:1

Beresheet Bara Elohim et ha-Shamayim et ha-Eretz.

Seven Hebrew words; 4 x 7 letters.

Volumes have been written on this verse alone. This opening declaration in verse 1 stands alone; it says it all.

If you understand this verse you will have no trouble with any other verse in the Bible.

The first word is Beresheeth, "In Beginning," which yields the name of the book of Genesis in Hebrew.

The second word is bara, to create out of nothing.

This is in contrast to similar words in the Hebrew: Asa, to make, fashion, or fabricate; and Yatsa, to form or shape. (Isaiah 43:7 uses all three.)

Most of what we see in the remainder of Genesis 1 are forms of "made."

The third word, Elohim, the name of God, seems to be a grammatical "error": it is a plural noun, used as a singular.

It is recognized by many scholars as the first hint of the Trinity.

Genesis 1:2

It is the second verse that raises some questions.

“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” - Genesis 1:2

The words, "without form and void, tohu w'bohu, seem to be contradicted by a passage in Isaiah:

“For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain [Whto tohu], he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.” - Isaiah 45:18

And also in Jeremiah:

“I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void [tohu w'bohu]; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.” - Jeremiah 4:23-27

When were "all the cities thereof broken down"?

Furthermore, the verb hayah, "was" in Genesis 1:2, is a transitive verb; it is the same word used when "Lot's wife became a pillar of salt."

It implies an active transition.

Also, the waw, "and," in Genesis 1:2 usually implies a time delay.

Here it can be construed as an adversative conjunction, implying a reversal as well as a delay.

(In the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate it is rendered as "but.")

Putting all this together, some scholars suggest that it should be rendered:

"But the earth became without form and void ("ruined and uninhabitable"); and darkness was on the face of the deep (LXX: abousso). And the Spirit of God hovered (Talmud: like a dove?) over the face of the waters."

The Cosmic Interval

The conjecture is that between the first two verses of the Bible, after the original creation which included the angels and Lucifer, there was a rebellion and a judgment of his principal domain, the Earth.

We thus find Satan already fallen in Genesis 3.

According to this view, the record following is simply a reconstruction and the subsequent unfolding of God's plan of redemption.

These ideas were published by Thomas Chalmers in 1814; George Pember, in 1907; Arthur C. Custance in 1970, and Donald Gray Barnhouse, among others, in more recent years.

This is all, of course, highly speculative, and there are those who have published refutations against this view.

In any case, attempting to employ the "Gap Theory" in an attempt to reconcile the Genesis record with geologic or paleanthological theories is inappropriate and futile.

Fossils are dead: they occurred after Adam.

Clearly, the Biblical record attributes plants and animals to the post-Adamic world, and its subsequent "bondage of decay" to the fall in Genesis 3.

The ambiguities of language, and its subsequent translations, often leave room for creative speculations.

Conjectures such as the Gap Theory are provocative and challenge us to search "the whole counsel of God" for consistency and integrity with known, established doctrines.

Speculations such as these can stimulate fruitful discussions but should, of course, be maintained with a light touch at best.

Yet, the possibility of such an interval would seem to reconcile many of the passages regarding Satan and his background.

His aspirations to "ascend into heaven," and the suggestive portrayal in what appears to be a pre-Adamic Eden, with the earth as his principal domain, would seem to harmonize with this view.

As the "prince of this world," Satan's offer to Jesus Christ in the famed temptations was valid, or else it wouldn't have been a temptation.

By God's allowing the cosmic drama to play itself out, Satan will inadvertently glorify God by demonstrating that there can be only one will in the universe and all other paths lead to chaos and destruction.

God will use the weakness of man, and his redemption through faith in His Son, to redeem not only fallen man, but "a new heavens and a new earth."

Koinonia… is a New Testament word which is most often translated to mean “communication”, “fellowship”, or “communion”. Koinonia House, or K-House as we are affectionately called, is dedicated to the development and distribution of materials for encouraging and facilitating serious study of the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. We are a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization.

K-House was founded by Chuck and Nancy Missler. Chuck, a Naval Academy graduate and former Branch Chief of the Dept. of Guided Missiles, had a remarkable 30-year executive career. He served on the Board of Directors of 12 public companies and was CEO of 6 of them. For twenty years Chuck balanced his high-profile corporate career with his teaching commitment to a weekly Bible study at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa in Southern California. Nancy, while raising their four children, has touched the lives of thousands through her in-depth teaching of Biblical discoveries in her “Way of Agape” and “Be Ye Transformed” books and tape series.

After a devastating earthquake in 1992 demolished their home in Big Bear, California, Chuck and Nan moved Koinonia House to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and K-House now reaches tens of thousands through its monthly newsletter, radio shows, podcast, Bible study materials, and conferences. More than eight million Bible study resources have been distributed in the U.S. and in over 35 countries around the world. Thanks for visiting us. Please join us in this Grand Adventure, and let’s see what the Lord will do!

http://www.khouse.org/articles/2000/262/