Am I reading this very long thread correctly to understand some posters believe the Earth is less than 6,000 years old; evolution is a myth ; and that fossil records cannot be believed?

Check out the Creation Museum in Kentucky (naturally) for their non-scientific beliefs that even show modern looking "Garden of Eden" people romping with dinosaurs. Maybe it was Fred Flintstone and Dino?

Yes!
 

I have strong Christian friends of mine, who, when I said it was warmer 500,000 years ago than now (as we were discussing the hoax of "global warming" in today's environment), were incredulous and quickly explained to me that the earth was only somewhere between 8 and 10,000 years old. When I brought up the science of carbon dating they said that they chose to believe what was in the Bible. We simply agreed to disagree. Other than that they are both very involved people and "normal" in all other seeming ways, so one's belief can indeed be a strange bed partner. While they know what is right for them, I know what is right for me.

New comments from Pope Francis on this topic:
Pope Francis declares evolution and Big Bang theory are real and God isn't 'a magician with a magic wand' - Europe - World - The Independent

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Posting a quote from the Pope is not being un-gentle.

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We can agree to disagree on selective sensitivity within a discussion forum.

"I envision a world where all chickens will be free to cross roads without having their motives called into question."

I graduated from Loyola University and can tell you that the Jesuits are progressive (by Catholic standards) in their preaching and teaching. Perhaps that is why Francis is the first Jesuit pope. The origin of the universe and evolution were discussed in the required Theology classes and closely resembled the Pope's recent announcement. And that was in the late 60's. So hardly earth shattering news to some.

MESSAGE TO THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES:
ON EVOLUTION
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II* 22 October 1996** To Pontifical Academy of Sciences

"In his encyclical Humani Generis (1950), Pius XII has already affirmed that there is no conflict between evolution and the doctrine of the faith regarding man and his vocation,

Today, more than a half-century after the appearance of that encyclical, some new findings lead us toward the recognition of evolution as more than an hypothesis.* In fact it is remarkable that this theory has had progressively greater influence on the spirit of researchers, following a series of discoveries in different scholarly disciplines. The convergence in the results of these independent studies—which was neither planned nor sought—constitutes in itself a significant argument in favor of the theory.

What is the significance of a theory such as this one? To open this question is to enter into the field of epistemology. A theory is a meta-scientific elaboration, which is distinct from, but in harmony with, the results of observation. With the help of such a theory a group of data and independent facts can be related to one another and interpreted in one comprehensive explanation. The theory proves its validity by the measure to which it can be verified. It is constantly being tested against the facts; when it can no longer explain these facts, it shows its limits and its lack of usefulness, and it must be revised."


The Catholic church's recognition of the scientific evidence for evolution is not new. It goes back over 50 years. What this pope said is nothing new. It just has been magnified by the progressives in the hierarchy as a sign of a more modern church, and reviled by the conservatives who wish to return to rigid orthodoxy. But, it is nothing new at all.
Pope, evolution: Francis statement on science echoes earlier Church pronouncements.

It is a monumental task to gather all the theories beliefs,etc pertaining to creation spoken or written by men for men since the beginning of time. People once believed that the earth was flat and now we can launch a vehicle into space and see for ourselves that the earth is somewhat oblong. We create a history based on what we have discovered to date and speculate about what it means but we can never know.....at least as of today

It is good that religious institution are open to working with the scientific community. I say this because all over the world Jewish and Christian religions are being systematically dismantled not only by Europeans and extremist in the middle east but by atheists right here in America.

I was saddened to see Hollywood's depiction of Noah and have recently learned that the director (his name escapes me) but he is an atheist and has made a movie about Moses wherein he claims Moses to have been both a schizophrenic and very cruel.

I make this point to illustrate how just one man can change the conversation based on pure conjecture. This artistic license is irresponsible and very prejudicial but unfortunately there are no agency to regulate this kind of behavior

I like Don Rumsfeld approach:

There are known knowns
There are known unknowns
There are unknown unknowns
There are unknown knowns

When it comes to the big bang theory keep this mind;)

Jesus said in Luke 18:
 

8 Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Christian churches are being slammed as is the holidays of Christmas & Easter. Seems very strange to me that this generation knows more then the previous generations. Why has this all happened in the last 15 years? You can condemn Christianity and no one says anything but yet if you bring up the aggressive religions you are talking in hate speech.

If someone steals from their church it will hit every paper in the country enforcing that you can not trust Christian churches.

Talking about the big bang theory is just another way not to believe in the book of Genesis - the Jewish and the Christian 1st book.

...and the Earth is 6,000 years old?

Really? What a strange conclusion.

2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

What do the Young Earth Creationists think about that? They believe every word as literal truth in the Bible and have their date of creation as about 6,000 years ago- with no doublespeak.