I am reading an excellent book called "THE GOD DELUSION" by Richard Dawkins.

It has opened my eyes up to the amazing level of ignorance and misinformation that religions create. So I started asking people here in Nigeria:

1. How old is the World?
2. Have you ever heard of dinosaurs?
3. If yes (only a very small percentage got this far) do you belive they existed?
4. Have you ever heard about evolution?

I was honestly quite shocked at the responses I have heard so far. Admittedly a lot of those I have asked so far have not been well educated people but still, I really didn't believe that anyone could still think the world was only 7000 years old. But even some educated people seem to reject this on the basis of their book

So I open the questions up to all you Nairalanders and am very interested to hear your responses.

If you want after answering you can also say if you believe in a God or not?

Hi,

Before I reply your thread,i think you should do a bit more digging and the evidence you would uncover would probably shatter all your religious believe.
The estimate of the age of the earth derived from the age of bible events would put the earth at 6000 years old which is infact ridiculous.

Source.http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-age-of-earth.html

How Old Is The Earth, And How Do We Know?
he generally accepted age for the Earth and the rest of the solar system is about 4.55 billion years (plus or minus about 1%). This value is derived from several different lines of evidence.

Unfortunately, the age cannot be computed directly from material that is solely from the Earth. There is evidence that energy from the Earth's accumulation caused the surface to be molten. Further, the processes of erosion and crustal recycling have apparently destroyed all of the earliest surface.

The oldest rocks which have been found so far (on the Earth) date to about 3.8 to 3.9 billion years ago (by several radiometric dating methods). Some of these rocks are sedimentary, and include minerals which are themselves as old as 4.1 to 4.2 billion years. Rocks of this age are relatively rare, however rocks that are at least 3.5 billion years in age have been found on North America, Greenland, Australia, Africa, and Asia.

While these values do not compute an age for the Earth, they do establish a lower limit (the Earth must be at least as old as any formation on it). This lower limit is at least concordant with the independently derived figure of 4.55 billion years for the Earth's actual age.

The most direct means for calculating the Earth's age is a Pb/Pb isochron age, derived from samples of the Earth and meteorites. This involves measurement of three isotopes of lead (Pb-206, Pb-207, and either Pb-208 or Pb-204). A plot is constructed of Pb-206/Pb-204 versus Pb-207/Pb-204.

If the solar system formed from a common pool of matter, which was uniformly distributed in terms of Pb isotope ratios, then the initial plots for all objects from that pool of matter would fall on a single point.

Over time, the amounts of Pb-206 and Pb-207 will change in some samples, as these isotopes are decay end-products of uranium decay (U-238 decays to Pb-206, and U-235 decays to Pb-207). This causes the data points to separate from each other. The higher the uranium-to-lead ratio of a rock, the more the Pb-206/Pb-204 and Pb-207/Pb-204 values will change with time.

If the source of the solar system was also uniformly distributed with respect to uranium isotope ratios, then the data points will always fall on a single line. And from the slope of the line we can compute the amount of time which has passed since the pool of matter became separated into individual objects. See the Isochron Dating FAQ or Faure (1986, chapter 18) for technical detail.

A young-Earther would object to all of the "assumptions" listed above. However, the test for these assumptions is the plot of the data itself. The actual underlying assumption is that, if those requirements have not been met, there is no reason for the data points to fall on a line.

The resulting plot has data points for each of five meteorites that contain varying levels of uranium, a single data point for all meteorites that do not, and one (solid circle) data point for modern terrestrial sediments. It looks like this:

Why am I not surprised that most religious-heads would stay clear of any intellectual inquiry!

Mongue:


I am reading an excellent book called "THE GOD DELUSION" by Richard Dawkins.

It has opened my eyes up to the amazing level of ignorance and misinformation that religions create. So I started asking people here in Nigeria:

1. How old is the World?
2. Have you ever heard of dinosaurs?
3. If yes (only a very small percentage got this far) do you believe they existed?
4. Have you ever heard about evolution?

I was honestly quite shocked at the responses I have heard so far. Admittedly a lot of those I have asked so far have not been well educated people but still, I really didn't believe that anyone could still think the world was only 7000 years old. But even some educated people seem to reject this on the basis of their book

So I open the questions up to all you Nairalanders and am very interested to hear your responses.

If you want after answering you can also say if you believe in a God or not?

There is mass evidence to prove that large creatures called" dinosaurs" did exist by fossils found so that cannot be disputed "Unless some how the Devil, planted them there to decieve us for what reason I don't know"

The earth is obviously older than 6 thousands years old as explained by the poster Mrmayor.

Evolution is a study which is helping to explain the origins and adaptations of many species that exist in the world today however if your question is leaning towards why many in this forum will not even consider the evidence presented to them is that they are told by their "superiors" that it is nothing but heresy and poison and should seek not to investigate these proven facts yet most of them rely on the benefits of these studies for their survival today.

I for one have drawn no conclusions as the existence of God being that no one has proven that he does not exist and I seem to observe things that defy belief and sound evidence. Therefore I choose to borrow a verse from the good book which challenges me to seek out the truth and hold steadfast to it.

@Apostle Huxley
How are you? i see you been very busy spreading your message keep it up

The bible claims the earth is not more than 6000 years old,yet we have discovered fossils dating back millions of years.seen extinct creatures like dinosaurs and mammoths. Where does that leave religion?

@post
in a very religious country like nigeria where did u see a book like The God Delusion to buy? And be careful where u chose to read your book. I remember getting dirty looks on a bus by a nigerian man coz i was reading a book called In God We Doubt he even queried me about the author and that was here in london

I'm really perplexed by the way religious whatnots and christian apologists have stylishly avoided this thread.where are the likes of davidylan,noetic and the firing squad to come execute this topic. It just goes to show that people despite all the evidence,choose not to look beyond their noses. . . . .

manmustwac:

@post
in a very religious country like nigeria where did u see a book like The God Delusion to buy? And be careful where u chose to read your book. I remember getting dirty looks on a bus by a nigerian man coz i was reading a book called In God We Doubt he even queried me about the author and that was here in london

In God we Doubt? who wrote that book

bawomolo:

In God we Doubt? who wrote that book

A man called John Humphreys he used to read the news on BBC TV back in the days

http://www.amazon.co.uk/God-We-Doubt-Confessions-Atheist/dp/0340951265

Tùdor:

I'm really perplexed by the way religious whatnots and christian apologists have stylishly avoided this thread.where are the likes of davidylan,noetic and the firing squad to come execute this topic. It just goes to show that people despite all the evidence,choose not to look beyond their noses. . . . .

They must be too busy now reading and re-reading their bible to find out if they can found any evidences or written records of Dinosaurs.

The god delusion is not an excellent book.

According to Christians all of the  living creatures were brought into existence in the same initial creation week. (six days). This would include the Dinosaurs. Now can Christians tell me how can enormous animals like Dinosaurs, Mammoths, Tyrannosaurus etc , , who weighed more than thirty tons entered inside Noah's Ark.?

The bible never claimed an age for planet earth,folks.This is just misperception of what is in the book.We need to be fair sometimes to that book while we continue to critique it.

jagunlabi:

[b]The bible never claimed an age for planet earth,[/b]folks.This is just misperception of what is in the book.We need to be fair sometimes to that book while we continue to critique it.

The bible never did.

No one said the bible ever did.but calculating from the genology in the bible from adam to jesus no matter how you twist it,doesnt add up to millions of years,does it?

jagunlabi:

The bible never claimed an age for planet earth,folks.This is just misperception of what is in the book.We need to be fair sometimes to that book while we continue to critique it.

So how can christians be sure that we are in 2009 if they dont even know the age of planet earth?

Tùdor:

I'm really perplexed by the way religious whatnots and christian apologists have stylishly avoided this thread.where are the likes of davidylan,noetic and the firing squad to come execute this topic. It just goes to show that people despite all the evidence,choose not to look beyond their noses. . . . .

So what do u expect them to do? There is no way anyone of christian apologists can come on this thread and doubt the evidence about the dinosaurs and the age of the planet.

Wow. This thread is a fossil.











Proof of evulusion!

you guys are funny oh... so the bible told u the age of the earth? what do you have inside your skulls?

shyna01:
you guys are funny oh... so the bible told u the age of the earth? what do you have inside your skulls?

Dont mind them, in an effort to discredit the bible, they start lying against it?

Tudor3:
No one said the bible ever did.but calculating from the genology in the bible from adam to jesus no matter how you twist it,doesnt add up to millions of years,does it?

So how many years did Adam spend in the garden of Eden?

michaelwestern:


Dont mind them, in an effort to discredit the bible, they start lying against it?

I assure you, nobody lied about that....just Google "young earth creationism" to see your fellow Christians backing up the age of the earth with the bible.

Because the Bible erred on the age of the earth, it is not an excuse to reject ALL religions. Corruptibility of the xtian Bible is not an evidence of a Creator's non-existence.

Abuamam:
Because the Bible erred on the age of the earth, it is not an excuse to reject ALL religions. Corruptibility of the xtian Bible is not an evidence of a Creator's non-existence.

and this one want to forget the quran was not another Bible copy and paste. . . Oga the quran is an even more stupider reworked plagiarized version of the bible.

davien:
I assure you, nobody lied about that....just Google "young earth creationism" to see your fellow Christians backing up the age of the earth with the bible.

Backing up the age of the earth with which verse in the bible? where is the age of the earth recorded in the bible?

michaelwestern:


Backing up the age of the earth with which verse in the bible? where is the age of the earth recorded in the bible?

Go ask your Christian creationist brethren....there are no shortages of them in here... OLAADEGBU and the likes.

The earth we now inhabit is not the original earth created by God in Gen 1:1. The earth existed millions of years b/4 man appeared. And the Archangel who took charge of this earth was Lucifer.
Now, Ezekiel 28:13. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precius stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, and the beryl, and the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle and gold: the wormanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. B/4 he (Lucifer) fell he ruled the earth according to the will of God. Lucifer praised God with beautiful songs and gave God the glory. Buth as soon as pride arose from his heart causing him to rebel against God, God drove him out of the Old Eden and passed dire judgement on him (Lucifer). The Old earth became without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. Lucifer became Satan and took the power of the air.

johnydon22:

and this one want to forget the quran was not another Bible copy and paste. . . Oga the quran is an even more stupider reworked plagiarized version of the bible.

I thought atheists pride themselves on rationality and logical thinking. You must be a different breed. You just echo what the xtians, whom you despise, say about Islam, which you also despise. Develop independence in thinking... do not rely on what others say, to develop your thoughts. That is the way of religious fanaticism.

Nowhere does the Qur'an define its period of creation as a day and a night. Nowhere does it indicate when Adam was created. No definite figures are given for the ages of patriachs and generations between them; whereby one can calculate the purported age of the earth, or humans on earth. Only the Bible gives such erroneous figures. If the Qur'an was "copy-pasted as you claim, then why did the copy-paster not copy those glaring discrepancies?

huxley:
Why am I not surprised that most religious-heads would stay clear of any intellectual inquiry!

Have you heard about Leviathan and Behemoth in Bible? They are dinosaurs, they are less than 6000 years old. Also dinosaur is an early century name, they were all classified as dragons. There are some that still have blood in them and must have been exterminated by man.
“Look at Behemoth,
which I made along with you
and which feeds on grass like an ox.
16
What strength it has in its loins,
what power in the muscles of its belly!
17
Its tail sways like a cedar;
the sinews of its thighs are close-knit.
18
Its bones are tubes of bronze,
its limbs like rods of iron.
19
It ranks first among the works of God,
yet its Maker can approach it with his sword.
20
The hills bring it their produce,
and all the wild animals play nearby.
21
Under the lotus plants it lies,
hidden among the reeds in the marsh.
22
The lotuses conceal it in their shadow;
the poplars by the stream surround it.
23
A raging river does not alarm it;
it is secure, though the Jordan should surge against its mouth.
24
Can anyone capture it by the eyes,
or trap it and pierce its nose?


41 [ a]“Can you pull in Leviathan with a fishhook
or tie down its tongue with a rope?
2
Can you put a cord through its nose
or pierce its jaw with a hook?
3
Will it keep begging you for mercy?
Will it speak to you with gentle words?
4
Will it make an agreement with you
for you to take it as your slave for life?
5
Can you make a pet of it like a bird
or put it on a leash for the young women in your house?
6
Will traders barter for it?
Will they divide it up among the merchants?
7
Can you fill its hide with harpoons
or its head with fishing spears?
8
If you lay a hand on it,
you will remember the struggle and never do it again!
9
Any hope of subduing it is false;
the mere sight of it is overpowering.
10
No one is fierce enough to rouse it.
Who then is able to stand against me?
11
Who has a claim against me that I must pay?
Everything under heaven belongs to me.
12
“I will not fail to speak of Leviathan’s limbs,
its strength and its graceful form.
13
Who can strip off its outer coat?
Who can penetrate its double coat of armor[ b ]?
14
Who dares open the doors of its mouth,
ringed about with fearsome teeth?
15
Its back has[ c ] rows of shields
tightly sealed together;
16
each is so close to the next
that no air can pass between.
17
They are joined fast to one another;
they cling together and cannot be parted.
18
Its snorting throws out flashes of light;
its eyes are like the rays of dawn.
19
Flames stream from its mouth;
sparks of fire shoot out.
20
Smoke pours from its nostrils
as from a boiling pot over burning reeds.
21
Its breath sets coals ablaze,
and flames dart from its mouth.
22
Strength resides in its neck;
dismay goes before it.
23
The folds of its flesh are tightly joined;
they are firm and immovable.
24
Its chest is hard as rock,
hard as a lower millstone.
25
When it rises up, the mighty are terrified;
they retreat before its thrashing.
26
The sword that reaches it has no effect,
nor does the spear or the dart or the javelin.
27
Iron it treats like straw
and bronze like rotten wood.
28
Arrows do not make it flee;
slingstones are like chaff to it.
29
A club seems to it but a piece of straw;
it laughs at the rattling of the lance.
30
Its undersides are jagged potsherds,
leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.
31
It makes the depths churn like a boiling caldron
and stirs up the sea like a pot of ointment.
32
It leaves a glistening wake behind it;
one would think the deep had white hair.
33
Nothing on earth is its equal—
a creature without fear.
34
It looks down on all that are haughty;
it is king over all that are proud.”

Praise be to YAHWEH

Abuamam:


I thought atheists pride themselves on rationality and logical thinking. You must be a different breed. You just echo what the xtians, whom you despise, say about Islam, which you also despise. Develop independence in thinking... do not rely on what others say, to develop your thoughts. That is the way of religious fanaticism.

Nowhere does the Qur'an define its period of creation as a day and a night. Nowhere does it indicate when Adam was created. No definite figures are given for the ages of patriachs and generations between them; whereby one can calculate the purported age of the earth, or humans on earth. Only the Bible gives such erroneous figures. If the Qur'an was "copy-pasted as you claim, then why did the copy-paster not copy those glaring discrepancies?

lmao... every atheist here know the quran is just another reworked version of the jewish mythology.. No christian have said this to my hearing.. its just plain plagiarism of both the jewish scriptures and the gnostic gospels. its just too obvious. . Am sure you still believe it was revealed to ur prophet.. **lol**
Tho the books of the bible are hewn from the jewish scriptures, it will be laughable for you to claim that the quran didnt copy from the bible..anyway am just too tired to go any further..
i will just leave this here


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqhrUTLSs0I&feature=youtube_gdata_player

johnydon22:

lmao... every atheist here know the quran is just another reworked version of the jewish mythology.. No christian have said this to my hearing.. its just plain plagiarism of both the jewish scriptures and the gnostic gospels. its just too obvious. . Am sure you still believe it was revealed to ur prophet.. **lol**

Your statement is so brimming with evidence that I see no way to refute it. Plus your statistics are unassailable.

And yes, I believe that it was revealed to our prophet (saw), but will not derail this thread. Another topic for another day.

Stay in peace.