At the dawn of history, where God created the heavens and earth, a vapor canopy was above the whole earth which created a tropical climate.

Let’s look at some evidence that supports this claim.

Coral cannot grow in frigid water, yet we have found fossil coral near the poles. We also have found coal veins near the poles indicating that vast amounts of vegetation once grew there. The remains of dinosaurs have been found everywhere on earth yet those animals could only survive in a warm tropical climate. there is so much evidence supporting a once tropical climate throughout the earth that scientists (Christian and non-Christian) universally agree to it.

This poses a huge problem for evolutionists who suggest that the continents have drifted over a period of millions of years.

Now let’s look more at the evolutionist view. They claim that the inception of our earth happened to an instant when a big bang caused everything that was in random order to mysteriously come together to form the earth and the universe. The odds of that happening are similar to a tornado going through a junk yard and when the storm subsides, a fully assembled jumbo jet would be sitting there ready to fly.

Let’s talk about another interesting question. How old is the earth? Scientists have always been puzzled by this question and they still are. Evolutionists make the claim that it is roughly 4,500 million years old. The problem still remains that they have no conclusive evidence to support such a claim.

All of our methods of dating are unreliable, especially when comparing the results to each other. Every method is plagued with unsolved assumptions. All studies are based on current conditions not knowing precisely what conditions were like so long ago. Christians make the claim that based on the Genesis account in the Holy Bible, our earth cannot be more than 10,000 years old.

We do have some clues that support a young earth. Scientists know that our earth is being showered daily by meteorite dust in amounts that can actually be measured. This dust contains nickel. By measuring the amount of nickel in the ocean water, scientists can estimate a ballpark figure as to how old the earth is. These calculations conclude that the earth is thousands of years old, not millions of years old.

Another clue is the concentration of salt in the oceans. It is constantly rising. Scientists have been observing how rapid this concentration increases over time. Again the results conclude that the earth is thousands of years old and not millions.

What do fossils tell us? Let’s do some digging (little humor). the evidence provided by fossil records does not support an old earth and the gradual development theory that tiny organisms evolved into more complex organisms.

Evolutionists claim that layers of sediment were laid down over millions of years, but the same complex organisms are present in almost every layer from top to bottom. Scientists all agree that these layers of sediment eventually turned to layers of strata rock where our fossils are found. This gradual theory of millions of years was put to rest when we found vertical fossilized tree trunks. They extended from the lower layers of strata right through to the top layers. They were completely intact with no changes in structure.

Huge mammal fossils have been found extending through many layers of strata. Many were found with vegetation in their mouths indicating of a sudden death.

In the year 1282 a scientist named Ristoro d’Arezzo was one of the first to look at fossils. He claimed that all fossil evidence points to a worldwide flood. He dug up fish bones and seashell fossils near a high mountain peak. In about 1500, Leonardo da Vinci was building a canal in Northern Italy and discovered marine animal fossils as he dug.

The Christian view states that because of man’s total rejection of God and his standards, the whole earth was changed through the judgment of God. The whole earth was flooded, eroding sediment and relocating it to other areas causing layer after layer of sediment that eventually turned to strata rock. The fossil evidence proves that this happened in a very short period of time. Most religious and civilizations in the world that have left any documentation have talked about such a flood.

Let’s look at some other finds that evolutionist have problems with. Schools of thousands of millions of fish fossils have been found covering large areas of strata rock. When a fish dies it is eaten by another fish in a matter of hours, making it impossible to form a fossil. The only explanation is a sudden catastrophic event, the biblical flood. We have excavated many entire skeletons of duck-billed dinosaurs that suddenly dies in a swimming position with their heads thrown back. Evolutionists cannot explain this because these dinosaurs were not aquatic creatures. Falls in line perfectly with a biblical flood. In the Cumberland Bore Cove in Maryland, dozens of species of mammals, birds and reptile fossils have been found. Many of these animals were not native to that area. they were from totally different climates and habitats. These instances prove that thousands upon thousands of animals died at the same time and were buried in sediment that eventually turned to strata rock layers.

The evidence speaks for itself. Science and religion work together and never contradict each other. The problem arises when people present falsified views that have never been proven. We Christians rely on the Word of God (our Holy Bible) because it has proved itself to be true and accurate time and time again.

Skeptics constantly try to prove it wrong, but it has never been done. The complexity of our world is a perfect display of intelligent design, a marvelous creation.

Whenever there’s a creation, there has to be a creator. That being our God of the Holy Bible!

Rick Jones lives in Mahoning Valley and writes occasional columns for the Times News.