Fossils and Strata Creation
Interpretations
Since believers in creation are sharply critical of
evolutionary and uniformitarian theories concerning early earth history, can they project
a constructive, alternative interpretation of strata and fossils? The answer is Yes.
Nevertheless, the creation scenario for earth history is no more capable of conclusive
verification by experimental test than is the evolution scenario. The following, however,
is one possible interpretation of the data which conforms to much of the observed data.
Some basic assumptions of a creation model of early earth
history are the following:
1. The creation of all things could have taken
place at any time in the past, perhaps only ten thousand years ago, more or less.
2. The world initially was probably characterized
by uniformly mild of semi-tropical climate, a fairly high average humidity, perhaps a
slightly different mix of atmospheric gases including a somewhat higher content of carbon
dioxide, smaller oceans and lower mountains than presently exist, and much more extensive
cover of vegetation on the land surface and perhaps a richer animal population in the
oceans as well as on the land mass. Large areas of shallow seas may have been covered by
floating forests.
3. At least one global catastrophic event involving
complete flooding of the earth was the chief agent in the destruction of most of the
ancient biosphere and the production of the greater part of the geological strata and
other features of the present earth surface. These include:
a. The rise of sea level above the highest
mountains then existing may have been brought about by a combination of factors including:
(1) condensation of the atmospheric water vapor,(2) release of subterranean water from the
earth's crustal rocks directly into the oceans and also into the atmosphere b volcanic
action, (3) possibly the elevation of the ocean floor relative to the land surface, and
(4) possibly by extraterrestrial water.
b. The inundation of the entire surface of the
earth produced vast tidal waves and stupendous currents which scoured the land surface,
eroding vast volumes of rock.
c. The resulting sediments were deposited to
produce the major sedimentary structures observed on earth today.
d. The flood was accompanied by vast volcanic and
mountain-building activity.
e. Sedimentary deposits classified as Pleistocene
and also some classified as Cenozoic probably were mostly laid down in the post-flood era.
f. Extensive catastrophic glaciation occurred a
sufficiently extended period of time after the flood to allow for the multiplication of
species and for their migration from Ararat where the ark was grounded. This period of
time between the flood and the glaciation is indicated by the fact that large populations
of animals and plants were deep frozen over a huge area of northern Siberia and Alaska.
g. At some time subsequent to the flood tectonic
activity in the earth's crust brought about the breaking up of the original land mass and
its separation into the modern continents. Final separation could not take place until
considerable migration of animal species had occurred.
4. The factors determining distribution of fossils
in the sedimentary deposits included:
a. The association together of particular
assortments of plants and animals in ecological communities.
b. Geographic locations of particular plants and
animals.
c. Relative mobilities of different animals.
d. Relative densities, sizes, and other properties
of particular plants and animals.
e. The physical principles of water transport and
deposition, a subject which is only very imperfectly understood and which largely defies
exact mathematical analysis.
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