Adam, the first man?

For the Young Earth Creationist (YEC), the chronology of the cosmos is beholden to a literal interpretation of scripture (i.e., the heavens and earth were created in six 24-hour days). But the Bible states that the sun, moon, and stars were not given to shine until the “fourth” day. How, then, was time accounted for when the celestial “clock” wasn’t yet “ticking”?

I’m sure the YECs have their answer.

I have observed that scientists and religionists forever conflict inasmuch as neither is willing to concede facts “outside the box.” Scientists generally do not allow for God’s involvement in Earth’s affairs. And creationists generally do not allow for evidence not supported by their holy texts.

The (fullness of) truth, however, undoubtedly lies somewhere “outside the box” – where few are willing to look.

The Bible (as Vox Day once wrote) is “an ancient tribal anthology telling the story of a fallen creature who is congenitally incapable of lifting himself out of his own evil.” It is the story of merely one family.

Ours.

Nowhere does the Bible disclaim, however, the existence of other worlds, other records, or even other families! The Bible speaks but little of what has come before our time and even less of what shall transpire hereafter. Worlds without number, perhaps, have come into and gone out of existence prior to our own. And might there have been several “beginnings” (of humankind) on this orb prior to the arrival of our own common ancestor? (This would explain much that is observed in the paleontological record.)

I heard somewhere that 200,000 years would suffice to obliterate all recognizable trace of human influence on this planet. Virtually every “artificial” contrivance – by force of nature – would be smashed, moldered or ruined into forms indistinguishable from “natural” ones, given this amount of time. That seems about right to me. Even the great pyramids of Egypt would be weathered to dust.

If the earth were, indeed, very old (and I think the evidence is overwhelming that it is), then there is no reason to suspect that human life has NOT been introduced, extinguished, and reintroduced time and time again throughout our planet’s long existence.

After all, why let a perfectly good home go to waste? No diligent steward or landlord would permit his property to remain fallow, vacant or idle for long!

Perhaps Matthew 20:1-16 might be read again in a new light?