Scientists use a technique called radiometric dating to estimate the ages of rocks, fossils, and the earth. Many people have been led to believe that radiometric dating methods have proved the earth to be billions of years old. This has caused many in the church to reevaluate the biblical creation account, specifically the meaning of the word “day” in Genesis 1. With our focus on one particular form of radiometric dating—carbon dating—we will see that carbon dating strongly supports a young earth. Note that, contrary to a popular misconception, carbon dating is not used to date rocks at millions of years old.
Basics
Carbon Atom
Before we get into the details of how radiometric dating methods are used, we need to review some preliminary concepts from chemistry. Recall that atoms are the basic building blocks of matter. Atoms are made up of much smaller particles called protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons and neutrons make up the center (nucleus) of the atom, and electrons form shells around the nucleus.
The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom determines the element. For example, all carbon atoms have 6 protons, all atoms of nitrogen have 7 protons, and all oxygen atoms have 8 protons. The number of neutrons in the nucleus can vary in any given type of atom. So, a carbon atom might have six neutrons, or seven, or possibly eight—but it would always have six protons. An “isotope” is any of several different forms of an element, each having different numbers of neutrons. The illustration below shows the three isotopes of carbon.
Some isotopes of certain elements are unstable; they can spontaneously change into another kind of atom in a process called “radioactive decay.” Since this process presently happens at a known measured rate, scientists attempt to use it like a “clock” to tell how long ago a rock or fossil formed. There are two main applications for radiometric dating. One is for potentially dating fossils (once-living things) using carbon-14 dating, and the other is for dating rocks and the age of the earth using uranium, potassium and other radioactive atoms.
Carbon atomic mass numbers
The atomic number corresponds to the number of protons in an atom. Atomic mass is a combination of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. (The electrons are so much lighter that they do not contribute significantly to the mass of an atom.)
Carbon-14 Dating
Carbon-14 (14C), also referred to as radiocarbon, is claimed to be a reliable dating method for determining the age of fossils up to 50,000 to 60,000 years. If this claim is true, the biblical account of a young earth (about 6,000 years) is in question, since 14C dates of tens of thousands of years are common.1
When a scientist’s interpretation of data does not match the clear meaning of the text in the Bible, we should never reinterpret the Bible. God knows just what He meant to say, and His understanding of science is infallible, whereas ours is fallible. So we should never think it necessary to modify His Word. Genesis 1 defines the days of creation to be literal days (a number with the word “day” always means a normal day in the Old Testament, and the phrase “evening and morning” further defines the days as literal days). Since the Bible is the inspired Word of God, we should examine the validity of the standard interpretation of 14C dating by asking several questions:
Is the explanation of the data derived from empirical, observational science, or an interpretation of past events (historical science)?
Are there any assumptions involved in the dating method?
Are the dates provided by 14C dating consistent with what we observe?
Do all scientists accept the 14C dating method as reliable and accurate?
All radiometric dating methods use scientific procedures in the present to interpret what has happened in the past. The procedures used are not necessarily in question. The interpretation of past events is in question. The secular (evolutionary) worldview interprets the universe and world to be billions of years old. The Bible teaches a young universe and earth. Which worldview does science support? Can carbon-14 dating help solve the mystery of which worldview is more accurate?
Carbon Isotopes
The use of carbon-14 dating is often misunderstood. Carbon-14 is mostly used to date once-living things (organic material). It cannot be used directly to date rocks; however, it can potentially be used to put time constraints on some inorganic material such as diamonds (diamonds could contain carbon-14). Because of the rapid rate of decay of 14C, it can only give dates in the thousands-of-year range and not millions.
There are three different naturally occurring varieties (isotopes) of carbon: 12C, 13C, and 14C.
Carbon-14 is used for dating because it is unstable (radioactive), whereas 12C and 13C are stable. Radioactive means that 14C will decay (emit radiation) over time and become a different element. During this process (called “beta decay”) a neutron in the 14C atom will be converted into a proton. By losing one neutron and gaining one proton, 14C is changed into nitrogen-14 (14N = 7 protons and 7 neutrons).
David, That Dinosaurs became extinct about 22,000 years ago or that Neanderthals became extinct about 40,000 years ago or that many things in the Grand Canyon are 10,000 to 50,000 years old has absolutely nothing to do with evolution and millions of years that you wrongfully accuse me of. And you have not answered any of the ridiculous things you have claimed which contradict God's Word and your assessment of Carbon 14 dating which you copied word for word from someone that agrees with you on the internet.
Wanna be "prophet" richard, you're big on "chronology" but you won't check the chronology of evolutionary concepts you ignorantly embrace without realizing it. You haven't a clue how evolution has influenced liberal Theology but don't feel lonely! You continue to ignore scripture that exhorts you to resist believing without testing. You probably are unaware of such scripture--can you find it?? I can locate it for you if you want. You've obviously never read it
Wanna be "prophet" richard, you're big on "chronology" but why won't you check the chronology and development of evolutionary concepts? See if you can tell me which came first, the evolutionary concept of an old universe OR did theologians beat them to it?? OR did evolution simply lead the way as theologians blindly followed?? You and other Christians ignorantly embrace these evolutionary concepts or premises without realizing their relationship to evolution. You are clearly unaware of evolution's influence over liberal Theology! In addition to all that, you continue to ignore scripture exhorting you to resist believing without testing. You probably are unaware of such scripture--can you find it--lets see? I can locate it for you if you want.
avid, Carbon 14 dating only proves that the earth is over 6,000 years old and is only accurate for up to 50,000 years. Those who believe in the evolution of man and all species have to believe in evolution which takes millions of years and the Big Bang theory. Unfortunately most unbelievers and over 60 percent of the liberal Protestants and over 70 percent of the Roman Catholics believe in the Big Bang theory and evolution which takes millions of years.
This includes Pope Francis!!!
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis waded into the controversial debate over the origins of human life, saying the big bang theory and evolution did not contradict the role of a divine creator, but even required it. The pope was addressing the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, which gathered at the Vatican to discuss �Evolving Concepts of Nature.� Pope Francis said, �When we read about Creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything. But that is not so,� Francis said. �He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfillment.� �God is not a divine being or a magician, but the Creator who brought everything to life,� the pope said. �Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve.�
Pope Francis has also made comments showing he believes in the Big Bang Theory:
Pope Francis Quote: �The Big Bang, which today we hold to be the origin of the world, does not contradict the intervention of the divine creator but, rather, requires it.��Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of Creation�. However the Big Bang Theory is COMPLETELY inconsistent with the Creation account. God says He created man in HIS IMAGE, not in the Image of an ape. Christian belief in Evolution is a slap in the Face of God, and a bunch of monkey business.
Giovanni Bignami, a professor and president of Italy�s National Institute for Astrophysics, welcomed Francis� comments, saying he had buried the �pseudo theories� of creationists. The pope�s statement is significant,� Bignami told Italian news agency Adnkronos. �We are the direct descendants from the Big Bang that created the universe. Evolution came from creation.�
"Wanna be prophet" richard, you keep ignoring my questions! I ask them to get you think! You should be familiar with Bible verse enough to quote its warnings to TEST what you hear before believing! Richard, answer my questions!! There's another verse that condemns Uniformitarianism! Where is this verse? I'll give you yet another opportunity to perform your own research before helping you this time! The reason you believe such evolution foolishness is because you're unacquainted with the Bible. Youve shown us how adept you are at copy and pasting but you can't explain your stuff!
You're no better off than Pope Francis, Richard. You've been evolutionized just as much as he, even though you deny belief in evolution, you accept its premises! You accept the evolutionary premise of an old milllions-of-year-earth and you accept preAdamic races. You think the Neanderthal man came before Adam despite the fact the Bible says ADAM was the first human created. But you blindly follow the uniformitarian evolutionist's INTERPRETATION of carbon 14. You ignore the fact evolutionists load uniformitarian assumptions into carbon14 mix!! You think thats science!!!
Genesis 1:1,2: In the beginning God created the **HEAVENS** and the earth. Now the earth was **FORMLESS AND EMPTY**, **DARKNESS** {**AFTER GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS THEY BECAME DARK**} was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the **WATERS!** {And then God created **MORE WATER** on the old earth on the 2nd Day as per Genesis 1:6 and on the 3rd day as per Genesis 1:10]
And since after God created the **HEAVENS** and then they became **DARK** God then **RECREATED THE HEAVENS** on the old earth on the 4th Day as per Genesis 1:14-17!!!
Just before each of God's 6 days of RECREATION {**NOT 7 DAYS**} we see the phrase: And God said, "Let...
God said, Let... on the **FIRST DAY** in Genesis 1:3-5 **SECOND DAY** Genesis 1:6-8 **THIRD DAY** Genesis 1:9-13 **FOURTH DAY** Genesis 1:14-19 **FIFTH DAY** Genesis 1:20-23 **SIXTH DAY** Genesis 1:24-31
It is interesting to note that during God's 6 days of Recreation in Genesis 1:3-31 He never mentions creating the **EARTH** since God had already **CREATED EARTH** **BEFORE** the 6 days of His Recreation!!
Does God's word say in other Scripture that the present earth was ever **FORMLESS AND EMPTY** with **DARKNESS**???
Jeremiah 4:23-28: The Lord Almighty said, "I looked at the earth and it was **FORMLESS AND EMPTY**, and at the heavens, and their **LIGHT WAS GONE**.I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying. I looked and there were no people, every bird in the sky **HAD FLOWN AWAY**. I looked and the **FRUITFUL LAND HAD BECOME A DESERT**; all its towns lay in ruins before the Lord, before His fierce anger!" This is what the Lord says, The whole land will be ruined, though I will **NOT DESTROY IT COMPLETELY**, Therefore the earth will mourn and the **HEAVENS ABOVE GROW ** DARK**, because I have spoken and will not relent, I have decided and will not turn back!!"
Now some will say the context Of Jeremiah explains something different. However God has said over 100 things in the OT that were out of context like Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 7:13 and Isaiah 7:15 had absolutely nothing to do with Isaiah 7:14: The Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you will call **IMMANUEL**! {Which means **GOD WITH US**!}
David, That Dinosaurs became extinct about 22,000 years ago or that Neanderthals with the intelligence of an ape, became extinct about 40,000 years ago or that many things in the Grand Canyon are 10,000 to 50,000 years old has absolutely nothing to do with evolution and millions of years that you wrongfully accuse me of.
And you have not answered any of the ridiculous things you have claimed which contradict God's Word and your assessment of Carbon 14 dating which you copied word for word from someone that agrees with you on the internet, and you failed to give him credit!!
David, Carbon 14 dating only proves that the earth is over 6,000 years old and is only accurate for up to 50,000 years. Those who believe in the evolution of man and all species have to believe in evolution which takes millions of years and the Big Bang theory. Unfortunately most unbelievers and over 60 percent of the liberal Protestants and over 70 percent of the Roman Catholics believe in the Big Bang theory and evolution which takes millions of years. Only about 1 percent of Bible believing Christians believe in evolution and none believe in the Big Bang Theory.
However, Pope Francis believes in evolution and the Big Bang Theory!!!
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis waded into the controversial debate over the origins of human life, saying the big bang theory and evolution did not contradict the role of a divine creator, but even required it. The pope was addressing the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, which gathered at the Vatican to discuss �Evolving Concepts of Nature.� Pope Francis said, �When we read about Creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything. But that is not so,� Francis said. �He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfillment.� �God is not a divine being or a magician, but the Creator who brought everything to life,� the pope said. �Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve.�
Pope Francis has also made comments showing he believes in the Big Bang Theory:
Pope Francis Quote: �The Big Bang, which today we hold to be the origin of the world, does not contradict the intervention of the divine creator but, rather, requires it.� �Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of Creation�. However the Big Bang Theory is COMPLETELY inconsistent with the Creation account. God says He created man in HIS IMAGE, not in the Image of an ape. Christian belief in Evolution is a slap in the Face of God, and a bunch of **MONKEY BUSINESS**.
Giovanni Bignami, a professor and president of Italy�s National Institute for Astrophysics, welcomed Francis� comments, saying he had buried the �pseudo theories� of creationists. The pope�s statement is significant,� Bignami told Italian news agency Adnkronos. �We are the direct descendants from the Big Bang that created the universe. Evolution came from creation.�
Fantasy "prophet" richard, you refuse to answer the questions I've raised. Yet you've routinely condemned others on this site for not responding to your queries. I noticed how you decry others who quote liberals but you quote liberals. Why do you not answer questions regarding you false theories. I've provided scientific evidence refuting all your misunderstandings, which are many, concerning carbon 14 and you mishandling of scripture. You can't quote "recreation" scriptures because there are none for you to quote. So you twist scripture and falsely attest it supports your false views. Stop acting like a false prophet. You are simply imagining false impressions and forcing them onto scripture to support your incompetent views which correlate with the views of evolution.
David, I always us God's Word to support my positions which unfortunately you never do!
Timothy 3:16,17: All Scripture is **GOD-BREATHEED** and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead and in view of His appearing and His Kingdom, I give you this charge: **PREACH THE WORD**; be prepared in season in out of season, correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear!!
I Peter 1:23-25: For you have been **BORN AGAIN**, not of perishable seed but the imperishable, through the living and enduring **WORD OF GOD**. For all people are like grass, and all their glory is like flowers in the field; the grass withers and the flowers fail, but the **WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER**!!
Why do you continue trying to exhort a person that does not believe the Word of GOD Almighty. He has made up his mind that he knows EVERYRHING,and everybody else knows nothing about anything. Just look how he takes hostage almost every thread with walls of Scripture that do not pertain to the subject. Then he evades answering questions about his understanding of the Word of GOD Almighty.
Genesis 1:1,2: In the beginning God created the **HEAVENS** and the earth. Now the earth was **FORMLESS AND EMPTY**, **DARKNESS** {**AFTER GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS THEY BECAME DARK**} was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the **WATERS!** {And then God created **MORE WATER** on the old earth on the 2nd Day as per Genesis 1:6 and on the 3rd day as per Genesis 1:10]
And since after God created the **HEAVENS** and then they became **DARK** God then **RECREATED THE HEAVENS** on the old earth on the 4th Day as per Genesis 1:14-17!!!
Just before each of God's 6 days of RECREATION {**NOT 7 DAYS**} we see the phrase: And God said, "Let...
God said, Let... on the **FIRST DAY** in Genesis 1:3-5 **SECOND DAY** Genesis 1:6-8 **THIRD DAY** Genesis 1:9-13 **FOURTH DAY** Genesis 1:14-19 **FIFTH DAY** Genesis 1:20-23 **SIXTH DAY** Genesis 1:24-31
It is interesting to note that during God's 6 days of Recreation in Genesis 1:3-31 He never mentions creating the **EARTH** since God had already **CREATED EARTH** **BEFORE** the 6 days of His Recreation!!
Does God's word say in other Scripture that the present earth was ever **FORMLESS AND EMPTY** with **DARKNESS**???
Jeremiah 4:23-28: The Lord Almighty said, "I looked at the earth and it was **FORMLESS AND EMPTY**, and at the heavens, and their **LIGHT WAS GONE**.I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying. I looked and there were no people, every bird in the sky **HAD FLOWN AWAY**. I looked and the **FRUITFUL LAND HAD BECOME A DESERT**; all its towns lay in ruins before the Lord, before His fierce anger!" This is what the Lord says, The whole land will be ruined, though I will **NOT DESTROY IT COMPLETELY**, Therefore the earth will mourn and the **HEAVENS ABOVE GROW ** DARK**, because I have spoken and will not relent, I have decided and will not turn back!!"
Now some will say the context Of Jeremiah explains something different. However God has said over 100 things in the OT that were out of context like Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 7:13 and Isaiah 7:15 had absolutely nothing to do with Isaiah 7:14: The Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you will call **IMMANUEL**! {Which means **GOD WITH US**!}
David, That Dinosaurs became extinct about 22,000 years ago or that Neanderthals with the intelligence of an ape, became extinct about 40,000 years ago or that many things in the Grand Canyon are 10,000 to 50,000 years old has absolutely nothing to do with evolution and millions of years that you wrongfully accuse me of.
