ACG members and the age of the earth

c.g. winder (cwinder@julian.uwo.ca)
Thu, 23 Oct 1997 11:08:23 -0400 (EDT)

FRIENDS::--
Bill Payne has joined the ASA chat line. Be prepared for a plethora of
huff and puff arguing for a 'Young Earth'. One of his favourite topics is
coal beds. Every one he has seen supports the idea of a young earth, even
though every state geological survey in which coal occurs adheres to the
old earth understanding.
Bill draws upon Ph.D. (PennS) research by Steve Austin, who was a young
earther before he started the research and still was when he finished. His
study was on a single bed of coal - #11 - in western Kentucky. But the
abstract of Austin's thesis has inferential evidence for old age, such
as how about bed #10, #9, #8,#7, etc. which occur in vertical sequence.
My recommendation is that ASA 'chaters' should resist the temptation of
responding to Bill's commentaries and questions. When you answer one, he
will come back with another or change the subject.
If you decide to reason with a personal message to him, be prepared to
have him put on the ASA chat line - an action I view as irresponsible
because the objective is a continuance of controversy, confusion, and
conflict. The objective of science is SOLVE PROBLEMS, not generate and
perpetuate problems.
REMEMBER - no response and silence quickly terminates a continuance.

Recently a polling of Affil.Christ.Geologists was conducted amongst
members who have an e-mail address. A simple question was asked.
IS THE EARTH VERY YOUNG? or IS THE EARTH VERY OLD?
The results are below. 50 out of 82 responded 'old', one said 'young' and
one made 'no committment'. The one who made no committment was asked seven
times, and still refused. I would be pained to identify the indiviual.

If you wish to review the geoscience and Scriptural evidence for an 'old
earth', consult our dialogue presentation by a Presbyterian minister and
myself in the homepage <http://www.arrowweb.com/jddwyer/, or if you
request, I will send the essays by e-mail

Gordon Winder, UWO Geology, London, CANADA.

***********************************************************
The Affiliation of Christian Geologists(ACG) is associated with ASA. A
basic question for all geologists, including Christian, is about the age
of the earth.When asked, a couple of knowledgable ACG members stated
that most ACG members are 'old earthers'. My thought was - let's
quantify!! In mid-September 1997, I sent to ACGers with whom I have
corresponded, or their e-mail address became available on the ACG chat
line, two simple questions -

IS THE EARTH VERY YOUNG? or IS THE EARTH VERY OLD?

and requested a brief answer -- and gratifyingly, most did!!

Then questions came - was I going to make available the results? Should I
send only to those who responded? Better to inform the whole list - which
brought the realization that all should be asked. On Thursday 97/10/02,
the question was placed on the ACG chat line. Herewith the results,
including some other numbers.

Number on the ACG membership list 260
Number with an e-mail address 82(fluctuating)
Number who received individually 32
Replies stating OLD 27
Replies stating YOUNG 0
No committment 1
No reply 4 - 32

Number receiving by acg-l (82-32) 50
Number responding 21
Replies stating OLD 18
Replies stating YOUNG 1
Replies stating BOTH (!) 2
Not responding 29 (+21=50)

Comments
1. This survey includes only ACG members with an e-mail address.
2. In an election (or polling), those who vote determine the conclusions.
3. I consider the sample representative of the entire ACG membership.

CONCLUSION
Most ACG members consider EARTH IS OLD.

Marantha Gordon