Hi TMK,Thanks...and I appreciate your spirit as well.Now, I will be the first to admit that I do not know with absolute certainty whether or not the universe is billions of years old or much younger in line with a strict acceptance of the Genesis account. I just see ways in which spiritual faith and natural science can simultaneously coexist -- not as enemies -- but as two entities created by the same Author. This allows me to freely accept the possibility that God's creation could have occurred precisely as it was written. As for that pesky tree: We just don't know how it happened because the Word of God does not include the details. There could have been rings because trees need photosynthesis to grow...and God could have provided the photosynthesis necessary for that growth in a quick or instantaneous time. After all, "God planted a garden..."Most importantly, my point has been that God doesn't need to obey the rules or laws that He designed. Remember: We can say to those trees to get up and plant themselves in the ocean and it would be done. There aren't any "laws" in this universe that would permit such a thing...yet it is as possible as setting the sun's shadow back several degrees as a sign. Science is a very deep and thought provoking subject. It is no wonder that it almost becomes a "religion" for some people. However, I have known some brilliant, beautiful minds that are "experts" in their fields and still choose to put their faith in God. Such faith even led a scientist-astronaut to read the Scriptures while circling the Moon in space or another to take communion on the surface of the Moon.A few years ago, NASA allowed individuals to include names that would be etched onto microchips on probes or rovers that went to Mars and other missions in space. For the Curiosity rover that recently landed and is currently exploring Mars, I included "JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER. - Hebrews 13:8" among several other verses that I chose. I remember telling my wife that it is great to know that the Word of God is present on the surface of the planet Mars. However, my wife pointed out that the universe was spoken into existence by the Word of God. "God is already there," she reminded me. How true that is! God is here on Earth, at the supernova that we talked about and even to the beginning and end of the universe. Physicists are looking for the origins and causes of the Big Bang. Won't they be surprised to learn where that actually leads?
_________________Christopher
by SkepticGuy on 2012/8/27 11:43:26before i get asked, no i do not believe in evolution. i do believe in creation. i do not believe the 6000 year old earth theory that most christians believe. i do think evidence shows the earth is much older than that.
_________________David