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Don Stewart :: What Is the Idealized View of Time? (Mature Creationism)

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Don Stewart
There is also what is known as the idealized view of time. This is also known as mature creationism. The idealized view of time makes the distinction between actual time and ideal or perceived time.

Mature Creationism

This theory recognizes that God created Adam with the appearance of age. When Adam was thirty seconds old he looked like a full-grown adult. He did not have to grow up or learn a language - he was created fully mature.

If God made the remainder of the universe along this same line, then the actual age would not be the same as the age that things appear to be. Trees would have been created fully mature, animals did not have to grow up, and the stars were already shining in the sky. If this is the case, then the universe could look millions or billions of years old but actually be relatively young. Therefore, there is no conflict between the Bible and science because God made the universe to look old when He created it a relatively short time ago.

Difficulties With The Idealized View Of Time
It is true that all creation would have to have some appearance of age. The problem with this view is that it makes it impossible to detect any age of the earth. All scientific attempts at trying to date the earth are futile because the appearance of age has been built-in into God's creation.

Some argue that this theory makes God a deceiver. On the one hand, the universe gives the impression of being very old, while, in actuality, it is only a few thousand years old with age built-in to the creation. However, this would not be the case if He has told us that this is exactly what He has done. There is no deception on God's part if He created everything fully mature and then revealed that fact to humanity.

Did God create the universe relatively recently with the appearance that it is millions of years old, or did He really create everything millions of years ago? Or is it possible that the earth really is relatively young and that modern dating methods are incorrect? These are the questions that continue to divide Bible-believers.


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