Changes

Arguments made in favor of a global flood include:

Arguments made in favor of a global flood include:

===Depositional Rates===

===Depositional Rates===

In the chapter "Is fossilization evidence of a catastrophe?" (pp. 196-198) it is pointed out that "''The process of fossilization is itself an evidence of abnormal deposition.''" Rotting of carcases begins to occur upon death, and then bacteria and scavengers (e.g. vultures), begin recycling the body's material. After this, weathering processes destroy the bones themselves, whether dissolution in the sea or weathering on land. The only way to preserve a carcass is to prevent the effects of both scavengers and weather, burying it deeply enough that the oxygen bacteria need is excluded, and rapidly enough that there is still something left to preserve.  

In the chapter "Is fossilization evidence of a catastrophe?" (pp. 196–198) it is pointed out that "''The process of fossilization is itself an evidence of abnormal deposition.''" Rotting of carcases begins to occur upon death, and then bacteria and scavengers (e.g. vultures), begin recycling the body's material. After this, weathering processes destroy the bones themselves, whether dissolution in the sea or weathering on land. The only way to preserve a carcass is to prevent the effects of both scavengers and weather, burying it deeply enough that the oxygen bacteria need is excluded, and rapidly enough that there is still something left to preserve.  

However, J.B. Birdsell estimates the average rate of deposition during the last geologic epoch (the Pleistocene) was just .024 inches a year, not nearly enough required to preserve fossils.<ref>J.B. Birdsell, ''Human Evolution'', Chicago: Rand McNally, 1972, p. 141.</ref> It is pointed out that major fossil deposits shown around the world (e.g. the Karroo formation with over 800 million fossilized skeletons of vertebrate animals) indicate a tremendous amount of rapid sedimentation for fossilization. Other examples given include the Monterrey shale with over 1 billion fossil fish within 4 square miles, and the Mission Canyon formation and Williston Basin which are estimated to contain over 10,000 cubic miles of broken crinoid plates, crinoids being deep sea creatures. ''Reasons'' quotes Clark and Stearn's conclusion, "''How many millions, billions, trillions of crinoids would be required to provide such a deposit? The number staggers the imagination.''"<ref>Thomas H. Clark and Colin W. Stearn, ''The Geological Evolution of North America'', New York: The Ronald Press Co., 1960, p. 88.</ref> ''Reasons'' concludes that it is more reasonable to believe a massive Flood rapidly deposited fossils than that slow, gradual depositional rates were responsible.

However, J.B. Birdsell estimates the average rate of deposition during the last geologic epoch (the Pleistocene) was just .024 inches a year, not nearly enough required to preserve fossils.<ref>J.B. Birdsell, ''Human Evolution'', Chicago: Rand McNally, 1972, p. 141.</ref> It is pointed out that major fossil deposits shown around the world (e.g. the Karroo formation with over 800 million fossilized skeletons of vertebrate animals) indicate a tremendous amount of rapid sedimentation for fossilization. Other examples given include the Monterrey shale with over 1 billion fossil fish within 4 square miles, and the Mission Canyon formation and Williston Basin which are estimated to contain over 10,000 cubic miles of broken crinoid plates, crinoids being deep sea creatures. ''Reasons'' quotes Clark and Stearn's conclusion, "''How many millions, billions, trillions of crinoids would be required to provide such a deposit? The number staggers the imagination.''"<ref>Thomas H. Clark and Colin W. Stearn, ''The Geological Evolution of North America'', New York: The Ronald Press Co., 1960, p. 88.</ref> ''Reasons'' concludes that it is more reasonable to believe a massive Flood rapidly deposited fossils than that slow, gradual depositional rates were responsible.

===Environmentally-Mixed Fossil Deposits===

===Environmentally-Mixed Fossil Deposits===

McDowell & Stewart note in the chapter, "Are the fossil deposits environmentally mixed?" (pp. 199-201), that if the fossil record is truly the result of slow depositional and erosive forces over millions of years, we should not then find animals and plants from very different environmental zones buried together in rock stratum. However, if a global Flood is instead at work, we should see tropical life mixed with those found in temperate and arctic climates, as well other environments. Key quotes made in ''Reasons'' to prove the latter is true include the following:

McDowell & Stewart note in the chapter, "Are the fossil deposits environmentally mixed?" (pp.&nbsp;199–201), that if the fossil record is truly the result of slow depositional and erosive forces over millions of years, we should not then find animals and plants from very different environmental zones buried together in rock stratum. However, if a global Flood is instead at work, we should see tropical life mixed with those found in temperate and arctic climates, as well other environments. Key quotes made in ''Reasons'' to prove the latter is true include the following:

{{cquote|"The Pleistocene marine faunas of California have long attracted attention. Many of them are large: 100 to 350 species of mollusks in one formation.... These fauna show different associations. Some associations include cool-water and warm-water species.... They evidently do not represent the same environment; in fact, they appear to represent notably different environments..."  

{{cquote|"The Pleistocene marine faunas of California have long attracted attention. Many of them are large: 100 to 350 species of mollusks in one formation.... These fauna show different associations. Some associations include cool-water and warm-water species.... They evidently do not represent the same environment; in fact, they appear to represent notably different environments..."  

===Rapid Sedimentation===

===Rapid Sedimentation===

In the chapter "Was the sedimentation rapid?" (pp. 205-207) emphasis is made on whether the fossil record shows evidence of rapid sedimentation, or slow, gradual deposition at a rate of .024 inches a year (Birdsell's estimate). ''Reasons'' quotes the following sources to suggest that deposition was in fact far faster:

In the chapter "Was the sedimentation rapid?" (pp.&nbsp;205–207) emphasis is made on whether the fossil record shows evidence of rapid sedimentation, or slow, gradual deposition at a rate of .024 inches a year (Birdsell's estimate). ''Reasons'' quotes the following sources to suggest that deposition was in fact far faster:

{{cquote|"In my own collection, I have a lobster from the Solenhofen stone of Germany which was apparently fossilized in the act of catching a small fish."

{{cquote|"In my own collection, I have a lobster from the Solenhofen stone of Germany which was apparently fossilized in the act of catching a small fish."

-William Matthews, ''Fossils''<ref>William H. Matthews III, ''Fossils'', New York: Barnes and Noble, 1962, p. 135.</ref>}}

-William Matthews, ''Fossils''<ref>William H. Matthews III, ''Fossils'', New York: Barnes and Noble, 1962, p. 135.</ref>}}

In analyzing these sources, it is noted in ''Reasons'' that the 2,600 feet of shale in the Green River formation contains 6.5 million bands, each of which is typically believed to have taken one year to deposit, making for a 6.5 million year depositional period. However, the fossil fish are pressed flat between the bands, the flesh outline of the fishes can be seen not just the bones, and the thickness of each band would make it difficult to preserve the fish. ''Reasons'' concludes that (a) the flesh outline indicates the fish were buried so rapidly they hadn't undergone decay, (b) deposition occurred with considerable pressure from above given the compression of fossils between bands, and (c) bands of just 1 mm or 5/1000 of an inch per year would make it virtually impossible to preserve the fish from bacteria and scavengers, and certainly not leave the flesh intact.

In analyzing these sources, it is noted in ''Reasons'' that the 2,600 feet of shale in the Green River formation contains 6.5 million bands, each of which is typically believed to have taken one year to deposit, making for a 6.5 million year depositional period. However, the fossil fish are pressed flat between the bands, the flesh outline of the fishes can be seen not just the bones, and the thickness of each band would make it difficult to preserve the fish. ''Reasons'' concludes that (a) the flesh outline indicates the fish were buried so rapidly they hadn't undergone decay, (b) deposition occurred with considerable pressure from above given the compression of fossils between bands, and (c) bands of just 1&nbsp;mm or 5/1000 of an inch per year would make it virtually impossible to preserve the fish from bacteria and scavengers, and certainly not leave the flesh intact.

===Fossilized Footprints===

===Fossilized Footprints===

*[[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]]

*[[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]]

==External Links==

==External links==

[http://joshmcdowellmedia.org/FreeBooks/ReasonsSkepticsShouldConsiderChristianity.pdf Reasons Skeptics Should Consider Christianity] at JoshMcDowellMedia.org.

* [http://joshmcdowellmedia.org/FreeBooks/ReasonsSkepticsShouldConsiderChristianity.pdf Reasons Skeptics Should Consider Christianity] at JoshMcDowellMedia.org.

==References==

==References==

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{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Christian Books]]

[[Category:Christian Books]]

[[Category:Creationism]]

[[Category:Creationism]]

[[category:Young Earth Creationism‏‎]]

[[Category:Young Earth Creationism‏‎]]