For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Tom Lackey
The word dinosaur was coined by Sir Richard Owen in 1842. The term means terrible lizard. For those who support an old earth theory by saying that the word dinosaur does not appear in the Bible is a specious argument like Jehovah Witnesses saying that the word trinity does not appear in the Bible.
Vince Terranova
I enjoy all the scientific data. Our Almighty God has given man the ability to research fascinating subjects. I, on the other hand love the simplicity of God's Word and all that it produces.
The very first verse in the bible helps us tremendously: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Wow! That's alot of creating. The entire universe, along with all its galaxies (in which man continues to find more), have been created by God, along with a tiny planet called Earth. Okay. I would say that's a pretty good start. As recorded in His Word, God is so gracious to inform us that He has also decided to fill the earth with many things suitable for His desire. He then begins to list them in order. On day six, God creates "living creatures" (verse 24). "And God saw that it was good." (verse 25)
Chapter 2, verse 1 says: "Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array." Are you satisfied yet--- that it was God Almighty that created these creatures called dinosaurs, or whatever other name man decides to assign them?
Their bones have been found. Some are mammoth creatures. God is the author of all creation! Let us enjoy the beautiful things of God. I have held and loved many stray and some wild animals. Let no man put a limit on what God can do for His pleasure and ours. I look forward to the day when I will be able to be with all of God's glorious creatures in all their uniqueness and splendor.
Danny Hickman
Whether or not the word 'dinosaur' appears in scripture, has nothing to do with whether or not we trust the science known as 'carbon dating.' Either we do or we don't. That's number one.
Number two: There are Christian scientists who believe in the inerrancy of scripture, who also trust the science of carbon dating. What are they, double agents?
Why do some of us wish to make it a political bar fight?
Genesis 1 doesn't tell us the beginning of the world. It tells us the beginning of the story, our story. It's told using allegory, symbolism, emblems and figurative expressions, none of which challenges the truthfulness of the narrative.
I think that's the issue with many of us who don't want the science community to disclose the knowledge of their findings. Unbelievers use that knowledge to corroborate their beliefs. Some believers, who believe the bible can only be understood literally, have no more understanding of the scriptures than the unbelievers. They act as if they're reading a legal or a legislative document. It has to be concise and unambiguous. They play right into the hands of the truth deniers.
I believe the bible is the truth as well as the info we have on carbon dating.
I'm free of any doubt that the bible is the powerful and majestic word of truth; God's word! It doesn't require any protection from an assault on its dignity and nobility. In the words of David, 'Let them alone, let them curse' (cuss). (2 Sam 16:11). God's got this!
Jennifer Rothnie
I think you mean radiometric dating. Carbon is only one of the many elements used to come up with theorized dates, and isn't effective to measure anything over 50k years. It's one of the better ones (though not perfect) as it is one with a short enough half-life that we can actually test it, unlike ones with half-lives of millions of years. Hence if someone wants to date an old letter or a pot, then carbon dating is the way to go.
Interestingly enough, carbon dating has shown some support for dinosaurs having lived recently in the history of the Earth, within the past 50k years if not 10,000 years. This is because the half-life of carbon is so short, and carbon is an organic molecule, that one would not find any undecayed carbon in a fossil that was "millions of years." Yet scientists have found significant undecayed carbon in some dinosaur fossils even after accounting for contamination, and even have found that some bones aren't completely "fossilized" at all, still having some soft tissue like cartilage cells, proteins, DNA, chromosomes, blood cells, etc. - which to our knowledge would be impossible past one million years, let alone a supposed 75 million.
Danny Hickman
Thank you for helping me with the science I willingly admit to being ignorant about. I probably should have put some kind of bracket around "carbon dating."
"Determining how old stuff is," is what I'm talking about. However it's done, whatever the science is called, we either trust the science and the scientists or we don't.
I will repeat myself: why do some of us want to make it a political bar fight? "Some scientists have found" this, and some that.... Okay, they don't all agree.
EVERYBODY never agrees on anything, even on christian doctrine. If preachers and pastors don't all agree about baptism, holy communion, tithing, worship days... I could run out of characters listing christian doctrine that the universal church squabbles about, then it's not a winning argument to talk about what scientists don't agree on. Their contrasting interpretations and analyzes of the data doesn't prove anything significant.
They're doing the same thing that we do; if you try to make hay of the fact that they don't all agree on the data, then you're supporting that kind of logic when it's used against our ministry.
I don't know how long ago it was that dinosaurs lived here. I know what I believe about it. What I believe about it does nothing to make me doubt anything I believe about the bible. I'm one of those people who don't need all of the pieces to fit together neatly. When they do, it usually unsettles me. I like not knowing who's right about this. It strengthens my faith..