Creation Matters Vol. 6 No. 1 Jan./Feb. 2001

12 Pages·0.36 MB·English

by  Creation Research Society

Volume 6, Number 1 Jan. / Feb. 2001
Is the Black Sea Flood the Flood of Genesis?
by Carl R. Froede, Jr., P.G.
R
elatively shallow submerged ar- Exploration and Discovery of
Abstract: Geological evidence obtained
eas around portions of the Black the Glomar Challenger
through rock cores indicates the presence of
Sea are proving to be of consid-
freshwater flora and fauna beneath the Black For many years geologists have wondered
Sea, suggesting that this area was once a erable interest for both marine geologists
about the stratigraphy and composition of
smaller freshwater lake. It has recently been and archaeologists. Several years ago,
the world’s continental shelves and ocean
proposed by a few uniformitarian geoscientists submerged in tens of feet of water, fresh-
basins. The interest in finding valuable
that prehistoric human communities living ad- water shells were discovered and reported
mineral resources in these submerged set-
jacent to this body of water were rapidly dis- by scientists conducting underwater re-
placed when the Mediterranean overflowed and tings pushed for their exploration. The
search around the Black Sea (Ross and
filled the Black Sea with saltwater. Some ma- technology necessary to undertake such
Degens, 1974). More recently, discoveries
rine geologists believe this event to be the basis challenging research initiatives only be-
have been made of what appear to be the
of the Biblical Flood story. came available in the middle 1960’s.
remains of human habitation in almost one
Drilling the ocean floors and continental
However, none of the work being con- hundred feet of water. Several uniformi-
shelves became a reality with the forma-
ducted by these researchers has any bearing on tarian scientists are now claiming that the
the Flood reported in Scripture. I propose that tion of the Joint Oceanographic Institu-
flooding of the Black Sea several thousand
the drowned dwellings in the Black Sea (if they tions for Deep Earth Sampling (JOIDES)
years ago provided the basis of the Flood
prove to be such) represent post-Flood com- more commonly known as the Deep Sea
myth of Genesis as well as that of many
munities adversely impacted by the rapid rise of Drilling Project (DSDP). This research
other cultures (McInnis, 1998; Ryan and
sea level associated with the close of the Ice program operated from 1968 to 1983.
Age. The overflow of the Mediterranean into Pitman, 1998). How does this discovery fit
Ninety-six drilling projects (i.e., legs)
the Black Sea forced the people, living in the with Scripture, and is this the Flood of
were conducted covering areas within the
communities adjacent to the small freshwater Genesis?
lake, to migrate to higher ground. ...continued on p. 2
©2000 Associates for Biblical Research
Contents
The
....and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the Is the Black Sea Flood the Flood of Genesis ............... 1
ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat The Flood of Noah and the Black Sea ........................... 1
Flood of
(Gen. 8:4) Naturalism Doesn’t Work ............................................... 5
A ccording to the Bible, Noah’s Ark landed on the Letters: Answering Evolutionists .................................. 5
Noah
mountains (plural) of Ararat. Ararat is a place
Speaking of Science .................................................... 7-8
name, also called Urartu by the Assyrians New “Creationist” Books
and the (while the vowels in the two words are different, the Fossils of a Feather
Flood of Evidence
consonants are the same: r-r-t). Urartu was an ancient
Fishy Business
kingdom of eastern Asia Minor which flourished from
Black Far Fewer Genes
the 9th-6th centuries BC. Heartless Finding?
Space “Bubbles”
The precise resting place of the Ark was on one of
Sea
the mountains in the region of ancient Urartu. While Speaking of Education ................................................... 9
Kansas
most modern researchers looking for Noah’s Ark (af-
Pennsylvania
fectionately called “Ark-eologists”) believe the exact South Carolina
location is on the slopes of the highest peak in the region
Creation Tour: Niagara Falls, Spectacular Canyons .. 10
by Gary A.
(called Mount Ararat today), the Bible simply states it
Position Available ......................................................... 10
Byers was one of the mountains in that region.
Workshop: How to Debate Evolutionists .................... 11
...continued on p. 6 Creation Calendar ......................................................... 12
The Black Sea Flood
...continued from page 1
Gulf of Mexico; the Atlantic, Pacific, and
Indian Oceans; and the Mediterranean and
Black Seas. (Hsü, 1992).
Two legs of the DSDP (portions of
Leg 13 in 1970, and Leg 42A in 1975)
drilled the Mediterranean Sea floor and
contributed much to understanding the
origin and stratigraphy of this submerged
area (Hsü, 1983). Probably the biggest
theory advanced as a result of the drilling
was proposed by Kenneth Hsü when he
stated that the Mediterranean had dried up
during the Miocene (1983, 1992). I will
not pursue his ideas further and suggest
that the interested reader consult the ref-
erences cited for additional information.
However, much of the information ob- Figure 1. The Black Sea with the former freshwater lake elevation (-350 feet) shown as a dotted line
inside of the present sea level. Rivers flowed into the former freshwater lake from the north. The
tained in the drilling of the Mediterranean
overflow of the Mediterranean Sea through the Bosporus Strait is believed to have initiated the flood
later contributed toward similar theories
which some uniformitarians believe to be the Flood of Genesis. Modified from Ross and Degens
about the origin and history of the Black (1974, Figure 1, p. 184).
Sea.
center stage during this leg of the DSDP. to be a slow transition of the Black Sea
from a freshwater lake to its present
The Black Sea William “Bill” Ryan was the co-chief
brackish state, starting approximately
scientist on Leg 13, which later set the
In 1969 the Atlantis II cruised the Black 9,000 years ago and terminating 7,000
stage for his further investigating the Black
Sea, taking 40 shallow cores from various years ago – based on shallow rock cores.
Sea (Ryan and Pitman, 1998, p. 74). The
portions of the floor of the Black Sea. Their work did not indicate that the
DSDP experience in the Black Sea would
None of these cores reached beyond 250 flooding of the Black Sea by the Mediter-
later contribute to his own work on its
feet below the sediment-water interface ranean occurred catastrophically, as has
origin and history.
(Ross and Degens, 1974, p. 184). Deeper
drilling would have to wait for the DSDP
Black Sea Research Begins
drill ship Glomar Challenger.
Creation Matters
Bill Ryan took the information obtained
DSDP drilling in the Black Sea was
from DSDP Leg 13 and the Atlantis II ISSN 1094-6632
originally conducted to determine if it had
cruise and began his own investigation into Creation Matters — a CRS publication
potential as a large oil and gas province
the geology of the Black Sea. Over the Volume 6, Number 1
(Hsü, 1992). What was found surprised Jan. / Feb. 2001
following years several research cruises
the investigators. It was surmised, through Copyright © 2001, Creation Research Society
and collecting efforts documented both
the examination of various rock cores, that All rights reserved.
geologic features and freshwater fossils
the Black Sea was in the recent past a large General Editor: Glen W. Wolfrom
which could only be explained if the Black
freshwater lake (Figure 1). This required a
For membership / subscription information,
Sea were formerly much lower, possibly as
disconnection from the Mediterranean, as advertising rates,
much as 350 feet below today’s sea level and information for authors:
today saltwater flowing through the Bos-
Glen W. Wolfrom
position (Ryan and Pitman, 1998, p. 106).
porus Strait makes the Black Sea brackish. P.O. Box 8263
I will not review the details of the Ryan and St. Joseph, MO 64508-8263
It was proposed that during the last ice Pitman theory for the origin and history of
age, when global sea level was considera- the Black Sea; the interested reader can EmailP: hcoonneta/fcat@x: c8r1e6a.t2io7n9r.e2s3e1a2rch.org
bly lower, the Black Sea became a land- consult their work. Rather, I wish to focus
Creation Research Society Website:
locked lake which received freshwater on the many differences between the http://www.creationresearch.org
from areas to the north. At that time the Scriptural Flood documented in Genesis Articles published in Creation Matters represent the opin-
Mediterranean did not flow into the Black and the local tranquil flood proposed by ions and breelfielefsc to tfh teh oe fafiuctihaol rps,o saintido dn oo nf otht enecessarily
Sea. This interpretation was based on Ryan and Pitman. Creation Research Society.
freshwater fossils (both plant and animal) Advertisements appearing in this publication do not
However, before proceeding further it necessarily imply endorsement of the events, products, or
recovered from rock cores drilled in the services by the Creation Research Society.
should be noted that research conducted by
Black Sea (Hsü, 1992; Ryan and Pitman,
Ross and Degens (1974) during the Atlan-
1998). Interest in the Black Sea waned as
tis II cruise documented what they believed
the geology of the Mediterranean took
2 Creation Matters — a CRS publication Jan. / Feb. 2001
been proposed by Ryan and Pitman. currence. Ryan and Pitman (1998, p. 56) The answer is quite simple, and I offer
stated: this up for their use to help them explain
The Genesis Account Versus why almost every ancient culture of people
Belief in the flood as an agent of
The Flooding of a Freshwater has some version of a flood legend. Sim-
global change has subsided in the
Lake ply stated, they, too, were displaced by a
century since Louis Agassiz’s
global rise in sea level position associated
The Ryan and Pitman thesis (1998, p. 57) momentous discovery of the Ice
with the breakdown of the polar ice caps,
regarding the flooding of the Black Sea as Age and the conversions of
which occurred just a few thousand years
the basis for the Biblical Flood myth can Buckland and Lyell... A modern
earlier.
best be summarized using their own words: essay on the Genesis story in
Western thought says the “dilu- Dr. Brian Rucker and I reported on the
... what if the myth story is ex-
vial theory came to be seen as many evidences of drowned paleo-Indian
amined in a different light, one
what it was: one of the many communities which have been docu-
that asks if human history was
imaginative but mistaken ven- mented along the coast of Florida (Rucker
cleaved into a before and after
tures that have accompanied the and Froede, 1998). These ancient com-
primarily because the inundation
development of earth-science.” munities were rapidly displaced when the
was permanent and not tempo-
polar ice caps began to disintegrate, and
rary? Might a flood that never Statements such as this throughout
worldwide sea level rose tens of feet in
subsided have expelled a people their book imply that the Biblical account
what was probably a decade at the close of
from their former homeland and of the Flood is one of mythology which is
the Ice Age. These cultures also developed
forced them to find a new place to equal to all the other trans-cultural ac-
flood myths to deal with the local flooding.
live? Might the boat that the
counts of a flood. The Ryan and Pitman
The only problem with this approach is
survivors built and filled with version of Noah’s Flood is sans everything
their account of a boat — one which
seed and animals have been not Scriptural except the water, which they
sounds like the Ark of Genesis. Perhaps
for the purpose of repopulating never withdrew from the Black Sea. Any-
they, too, built such a craft to float to the
the earth but for transporting to one who wishes to base his world-view on
new sea level position? Good thing they
safety the items vital to a contin- how scientists interpret Scripture should
knew beforehand to build that boat so that
ued subsistence (domesticated really appreciate this book.
they got the story straight!
plants, animals, and knowledge
The Ryan and Pitman account com-
of the arts)? And what if in ad-
pletely discounts everything before the What About the Submerged
dressing such a hypothesis one
Flood. No discussion is provided regard- Ruins?
does not limit the investigation to
ing the Garden of Eden or the first sin.
Mesopotamia but looks beyond Marine geologist Robert Ballard is ex-
They simply start at what they view as a
its borders? ploring the Black Sea in an effort to
flood myth which needs to be addressed
document the dwellings and structures of
The Ryan and Pitman proposal simply because it has its basis in so many different
folks who were displaced by the rise of the
states that communities of humans once cultures. However, they have made a ma-
Black Sea thousands of years ago (Reed,
lived around the freshwater lake that jor oversight and I want to offer them an-
2000). While this effort is not being done
eventually became the Black Sea. The sea other aspect of the flood legend to add to
to “prove” the Ryan and Pitman hypothe-
level rise of the Mediterranean, approxi- their own. This way they can explain the
sis, it is being advanced by the popular
mately 5,600 years ago, breached the Bo- flood myths and legends of many different
press as proof of the flood myth. I predict
sporus Strait and began to fill the fresh- cultures, not only locally/regionally, but
that all of the work done by Ballard and
water lake with saltwater (Ryan and Pit- globally.
others will be used to explain away what
man, 1998, p. 157). People living adjacent
Scripture accurately records. The local
to the lake observed water levels rising in The Flooding of Coastal
and tranquil flood of the Black Sea will
the range of several feet per hour, and they Environments and the Global
help certain folks sleep better knowing that
escaped by either floating on the rising Rise in sea level
“science” can explain away the “myths” of
water or attempting to outrun it. The
Ryan and Pitman only appear to address the Bible.
eventual result was the filling of the Black
cultures found in association with the Mid-
Sea and the dispersion of those peoples to I propose that the structural ruins and
dle East. So, their version of a flood myth
areas across Europe, the Middle and the tools discovered by Ballard and others in
would only occur in those cultures which
Far East. This, according to their book, is the Black Sea (if they prove to be of human
had some direct experience with the event.
the basis of the Flood myth among the design and origin) reflect post-Flood cul-
What about all the other cultures, which
different cultures. tures which moved into the basin seeking
had already settled away from this area,
food and a fresh water supply. Their
An obvious problem with the Ryan and which were not impacted by this
eventual dispersion from these areas fol-
and Pitman concept is that it is completely event, for example, the native Americans?
lowed the end of the Ice Age and the
different from what Genesis records. They Why do they have flood legends if they
concomitant rise in global sea level posi-
believe that the Flood is a mythological were already in the New World and were
tion. This is in opposition to the Ryan and
story adapted by the many cultures im- not affected by the rise and dispersion of
Pitman belief that these artifacts reflect the
pacted by the event at the time of its oc- cultures from the Black Sea?
Jan. / Feb. 2001 Creation Matters — a CRS publication 3
onset of the localized and tranquil flood It is a stretch to link the catas- Age, which was a recent event, did more
which inspired its incorporation into trophic filling of the Black Sea’s than raise water levels globally — it dis-
Scripture. I believe that the Ryan and Pit- freshwater lake to the deluge placed various late ice-age communities.
man book provides an interesting account myth recorded in Scripture. The
of what may have happened to post-Flood circumstances of this special Acknowledgments
communities living adjacent to the fresh- flooding (one without 40 days and
Thanks to Dr. J. K. Reed for his encour-
water lake when the Mediterranean over- nights of rain, and one that never
agement to write this article, and to Dr. E.
flowed and filled the Black Sea. receded) deserve elaboration for
L. Williams for providing a helpful re-
readers curious about prehistory.
The submerged ruins and artifacts view. Any mistakes are my own. As al-
documented in the Rucker and Froede ...the belief that this particular ways, I thank my wife, Susan, who con-
(1998) article can also be used by indi- flood or any other is the one di- tinues to support my research and writing
viduals uncomfortable with the Genesis rectly experienced by Noah is an efforts. (Proverbs 3:5-6).
account to document the flood and disper- individual decision. It is not a
sion of paleo-Indian cultures living in the question that can be answered by References
new world. These cultures would have scientific method. Hsü, K. J. 1983. The Mediterranean Was a Desert.
developed a flood myth, only a few thou- Princeton University Press. Princeton, NJ.
sand years earlier from those cultures dis- In following the Ryan and Pitman hy- Hsü, K. J. 1992. Challenger at Sea: The Ship that
placed with the flooding of the Black Sea pothesis, Rucker and I could just as easily Revolutionized Earth Science. Princeton Uni-
basin. Thank goodness the flood myth has have proposed that the displacement of versity Press. Princeton, NJ.
been solved by “science” in a way that does paleo-Indian cultures living out on the McInnis, D. 1998. And the waters prevailed. Earth
7(4):46-54.
not create a conflict. Science and the Bible Florida continental shelf adjacent to the
Reed, C. A. 2000. Noah’s village. Geotimes. p. 15.
do not conflict when the Bible totally smaller Gulf of Mexico, during the close of
Ross, D. A., and E. T. Degens. 1974. Recent sedi-
yields everything to what science dictates. the Ice Age, lead to the flood stories re- ments of Black Sea. In Degens, E. T. and D.
corded in native American legends. This A. Ross (Editors). The Black Sea – Geology,
Synopsis suggestion, like that of Ryan and Pitman, Chemistry, and Biology. Memoir 20. Ameri-
can Association of Petroleum Geologists.
fails to acknowledge the accuracy of
According to Ryan and Pitman, the flood- Tulsa, OK. pp. 183-199.
Scripture over the ever-changing concepts
ing of a large freshwater lake (the ancestral Rucker, B. R. and C. R. Froede, Jr. 1998. Archaeo-
of mankind. logical and geological evidence of a recent
Black Sea) by the Mediterranean Sea, ap-
and rapid sea level rise from sites along
proximately 5,600 years ago, permanently
Conclusion coastal Florida. Creation Research Society
displaced the human communities living Quarterly 35:54-65.
around it. These various groups of people The discovery of drowned villages in the Ryan, W. B. F. and W. C. Pitman III. 1998. Noah’s
spread away from the Black Sea region, Black Sea (if additional research proves Flood: The New Scientific Discoveries about
the Event that Changed History. Simon and
taking with them a flood story which such) possibly records the rise of sea level
Schuster. New York.
eventually became the flood myth recorded following the climax of the Ice Age. Many
Ryan, W. B. F. and W. C. Pitman III. 1999. Reply
by many different cultures. A serious such post-Flood human communities to “On the trail of the great flood.” Discover
problem with this approach occurs where found themselves displaced from their 20(3):16.
Ryan and Pitman fail to follow Scripture or dwellings with the rapid rise of sea level
explain how other cultures, not impacted associated with the close of the Ice Age. Carl Froede Jr., is a professional geologist and
young-earth creationist author who lives and
by this event, came up with their own The structures that Ballard and others
works in Atlanta, Georgia. He has been active
similar story of the global Flood, including might identify in the Black Sea were not a
in creation science for over ten years and has
a large boat to save a few individuals and part of the Genesis Flood; rather, they re-
written numerous articles for various crea-
the animals, which is faithfully recorded in flect post-Flood communities living close tionist organizations.
Genesis. to a source of food and water.
The entire concept of the flooding of Marine geologists and oceanographers
the Black Sea, as the basis of the Genesis are just now starting to look for drowned
Flood story, provides an excellent example structures associated with displaced people
where “science” supersedes the facts of and the rise of sea level. I am sure that
Scripture with the ideas of man. The Ryan many more will be found, especially along
and Pitman tale begins with the idea of coasts impacted by the rapid rise of sea
explaining away the mythological fable of level associated with the close of the Ice
the flood. However, their flood story Age. Brian Rucker and I have identified
simply stands on its own merit — with several such sites around the Florida coast.
nothing to compare it to the Biblical ac- Nothing being discovered in the Black Sea
count. Ryan and Pitman (1999, p. 16) defends the Ryan and Pitman flood hy-
readily admit this in a reply to a letter pothesis. Rather it shows that the earth was
written in complaint of the scientific basis much different from the present during the
for the flood story of the Bible; they stated: Ice Age. Sea level rise at the end of the Ice
4 Creation Matters — a CRS publication Jan. / Feb. 2001
Naturalism Doesn’t Work
by John H. Calvert
A
lthough naturalism might work criticism by a competing world view — Wells is a brilliant scientist who also is a
with purely observable phenom- i.e., that life may be a product of design. good writer. He has had numerous other
ena, it does not work with origins scientists review his work for accuracy and
One reason naturalism should not
science and evolutionary biology, which content. Although the book’s focus is on
drive a historical science is that historical
are essentially historical sciences. The his- specific examples of misleading teachings,
sciences are necessarily susceptible to
toricity of evolutionary biology is ex- it also introduces the reader to the depths
subjective accounts. This is because the
plained by Ernst Mayr in his article in the of the problems that evolutionary biolo-
focus is on past events which can not be
July 2000 issue of Scientific American. gists have in explaining their version of the
tested by direct observation as in the case
Mayr is touted by Scientific American as “historical narrative” of the origins of life
of physics and chemistry. When the ac-
“one of the towering figures in the history and its diversity.
count is driven by the philosophy of Natu-
of evolutionary biology.” Mayr explains it
ralism rather than by the evidence, the Many of us are being told that, as “lay
this way:
“history” necessarily conforms itself to the persons,” we must rely only on scientists
..Darwin introduced historicity philosophy and thereby loses all objectivity for guidance on how to respond to this
into science. Evolutionary biol- and credibility. controversy. That is precisely what we
ogy, in contrast with physics and should not do. Although input from sci-
What if our newspaper reporters were
chemistry, is a historical science entists holding both naturalistic and logi-
directed by their editors to write accounts
— the evolutionist attempts to cal viewpoints is important, it is also es-
of past events using the philosophical as-
explain events and processes that sential that we consider the viewpoints of
sumption that all democratic viewpoints
have already taken place. Laws others when dealing with how to show
are not valid? We have seen the results of
and experiments are inappropriate children the evidence that bears on the
this kind of censorship on open and objec-
techniques for the explication of historical question of what causes life and
tive reporting in all dictatorial regimes,
such events and processes. In- its diversity. Since the question involves
such as the Third Reich in Germany, and in
stead one constructs a historical logical, legal, philosophical, and cultural
communist Russia under Stalin. I can re-
narrative, consisting of a tentative issues, we need more than scientists to
member when we had Radio Free Europe
reconstruction of the particular help us decide how to develop trustworthy,
radio stations beaming all the news to
scenario that led to the events one unbiased, and objective “historical narra-
Russians because their government cen-
is trying to explain. tive[s] of the cause of life and its diver-
sored any views that were inconsistent with
sity.”
The new book by Dr. Jonathan Wells, the communist manifesto.
entitled Icons of Evolution, shows that this The precise same thing is happening in
John Calvert, who has practiced law since
‘historical narrative,’ that has been and is our country with regard to the issue of what
1968, is a member of the American Bar Asso-
being presented to our children as the only causes life and its diversity. That is essen-
ciation, Missouri Bar Association, and Ameri-
factually viable theory, is actually based on tially a historical question. If the history is can Trial Lawyers Association, and has been
misrepresentations of the facts. Instead of driven by a Naturalistic agenda that cen- admitted to practice in federal and state courts.
being driven by the evidence, the “histori- sors one of the two competing hypotheses, Mr. Calvert is a founder and a Managing Di-
cal narrative” is driven by the Naturalistic we will be engaging in the same sort of rector of Intelligent Design Network, Inc., a
world view that all phenomena result only propaganda that characterized Nazi Ger- non-profit organization that is focused on the
from the laws of chemistry and physics. many and communist Russia. education of the public about intelligent design.
This is applied materialistic philosophy,
I highly recommend the book I men-
dressed up as science to protect it from
tioned earlier, Icons of Evolution. Dr.
Letters
Answering Evolutionists debate began with Charles Darwin. In his ar- people who wrote the Bible didn't know what
ticle, David says “the debate has been going on they were talking about, some people conclude.
Ilove your Creation Matters and CRS Quar-
for well over a hundred years.” We need to let However, if we convince people that this theory
terly. Keep up the good work. people know that this has been going on since is 'nothing new under the sun,' it makes Darwin
I have a comment for David Bump, who the fall of Adam and Eve (not since the rise of not look so scholarly. Just a constructive ob-
authored the article 'Answering Evolutionists in Darwin). servation. The rest of the article was excellent
Print Media.' I believe there is one myth that This may be a minor point, but suggesting for supplying answers to hard evolution come-
we as creationists must help people overcome, that the debate began at Darwin leads people to backs. Thanks.
and I believe David added to that myth in his
believe that we are a more enlightened people Paul VandenLangenberg
article. That myth is that the creation/evolution
now than back before Darwin. Therefore, [email protected]
Jan. / Feb. 2001 Creation Matters — a CRS publication 5
The Flood of Noah
...continued from page 1
The Black Sea
With solid evidence of the Ark not forth-
coming, an interesting development comes
from the Black Sea, about 500 miles to the
east of modern Mount Ararat. Here, in
1999, just weeks after discovering the
world’s oldest deep-sea shipwrecks in the
eastern Mediterranean Sea, maritime ex-
plorer Bob Ballard directed another under-
water search sponsored by the National
Geographic Society. Famous for his pre-
vious discoveries of the Titanic, Bismark
and Yorktown ships, he serves as a Na-
tional Geographic Society explorer-in-
residence and operates the Institute for Ex-
ploration.
Ballard’s efforts followed several
years of land and underwater archaeology
in the Sinop region of the Black Sea. A
1998 underwater expedition identified a
series of what appeared to be man-made
The ancient kingdom of Ararat (Urartu) with the highest peak in the region, called Mount Ararat today, located
structures. But it wasn’t until September,
at the headwaters of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Undersea explorer Bob Ballard found a wooden structure
2000, that clear evidence of human struc- along the ancient shoreline of the Black Sea, 300 feet below its surface and 12 miles inside its present southern
tures and artifacts were found, photo- shoreline.
graphed, and plotted by Ballard’s team.
Black Sea suddenly and dramatically Noah’s Flood.
An ancient shoreline changed from a much smaller freshwater
Ballard’s finds are very interesting and
Apparently, the Black Sea was once much lake to a substantially larger saltwater sea. offer a unique glimpse of an ancient civi-
smaller and people once inhabited the an- This is when the ancient shoreline was lization. Further research will be necessary
cient shoreline, now 12 miles inside the inundated and the building buried. to date the structure and identify the people
present shoreline. Here, Ballard’s team An ancient flood who lived there. Ballard’s flood was im-
investigated an ancient wooden structure pressive, but Noah’s was greater!
Ballard’s discovery complemented the re-
about 300 feet below the sea’s present
search of William Ryan and Walter Pit- Gary A. Byers has graduate degrees in Chris-
surface.
man, in their book, Noah’s Flood (1999). tian Education and Biblical Archaeology. He
Amazingly well-preserved with its Working along the Black Sea’s northern serves as the Executive Director of the Associ-
wooden beams showing clear evidence of coastline, they proposed a massive glacial ates for Biblical Research and Administrative
Director of the Ai Expedition at Khirbet el-
having been worked with tools, the build- melting in 5500 BC (7,500 years ago),
Maqatir in Israel.
ing measured 13 by 39 feet. In addition to raising the level of the world’s oceans by
the structure, architectural remnants of hundreds of feet. According to Ryan and © 2000 Associates for Biblical Research. This
wattle and daub construction, stone tools, Pitman, this massive flood was the basis article first appeared in the ABR Newsletter,
Vol. 31, No. 5, and is reprinted here by per-
and even pieces of ceramic have been re- for the Biblical story of Noah’s Flood.
mission.
ported.
While the Associates for Biblical Re-
Ballard attributed the building’s pres- search believes there is scientific evidence
ervation to the lack of oxygen at that depth for Noah’s Flood, we do not believe Bal-
of the Black Sea. Not only did the limited lard, Ryan and Pitman have found it.
oxygen preserve the wood, it also kept the Clearly Ballard has discovered dramatic
structure safe from a variety of marine evidence of a massive ancient flood, but
creatures that would normally destroy it. none of the three scientists believe it was a
In his study of the ancient coastline, worldwide flood. We agree. The Biblical
Ballard identified both saltwater and Flood was of such proportions that it
freshwater shells. From the evidence, he completely changed the surface of the earth
suggested a great catastrophe occurred in and created the geological table beneath
the area about 7,000 years ago, when the the Black Sea. This flood occurred after
6 Creation Matters — a CRS publication Jan. / Feb. 2001
Speaking of Science
New “Creationist” Books ner of Montana State, have made this Genesis. They say they don’t believe in
theory famous. One of the scientists in miracles. Well, what do you call fish that
T he RATE book is out! Radioisotopes
Jurassic Park was patterned after Horner, can turn into people? Keep an eye on folks
and the Age of the Earth, edited by
using his theory in the story. who say they don’t believe in miracles,
Larry Vardiman, Andrew A. Snelling, and
while the things they do believe sound
Eugene F. Chaffin was published last National Geographic has had several
pretty far-fetched. What they believe takes
month and is now available. Including the features on this topic. In the 7/98 issue
a large amount of faith. The lack of sci-
glossary and appendices, it is over 600 they showed three fossils that evolutionists
entific proof leaves them no other choice.
pages of material authored by Vardiman, use as proof, but they had to admit that,
Don DeYoung, John R. Baumgardner, according to their dating methods, birds — contributed by Glenn Jackson
Steven A. Austin, Snelling, Chaffin, and had already been around for millions of
D. Russell Humphreys, with a prologue by years before these fossils are said to have Flood of Evidence
John D. Morris. Co-published last year by lived. The 11/99 issue revealed a new A stronomers now believe that Mars
CRS and ICR, it not only contains material fossil that supposedly proved that “birds once had a flood that covered most
on radioisotopes, but it also explores geo- are dinosaurs, just as sure as humans are of the planet. Many who believe in the
chemical processes in the mantle and mammals.” However, in the 10/00 issue it Mars flood, however, say that it is a fairy
crust, and it discusses radiohalos as well. was admitted that somebody had glued the tale to believe that the same kind of thing
tail from a dinosaur fossil onto a bird
Another new book, published in Oc- could have happened here on Earth 4000
fossil. The supposed new discovery was a
tober, and it is already into its second years ago, even though most ancient cul-
fake.
printing. Though it doesn’t deal directly tures have legends of such a flood. The
with creation science, it is, it blasts the US News & World Report (7/3/00, p. whole planet Mars is now a desert. Earth
presentation of evolution in textbooks, the 47) showed a fossil, dated at “75 million is now three-fourths covered with water,
press, museums, etc. It is Jonathan Wells’ years” before birds, which had feathers up to 8 miles deep. Think about that.
Icons of Evolution, which points out that and was said to have lived before most The 6/30/00 issue of Science says that
the favorite ‘evidences’ used to support dinosaurs. Alan Brush of the University of some gullies on Mars look as though they
evolution in textbooks and to the public Connecticut believes the dino-bird theory, formed only months ago. They look fresh,
are false, and have been known to be false but says of this fossil, “It looks like a because there’s been no water to mess
for many years. The basis for Wells’ feather, but so does a fern.” (Science News, them up since the big flood. Mars has only
conclusions lies, not in religious or anti- 6/24/00, p. 405). Dr. Horner objects, “I half the gravity of Earth, so any water there
evolution material, but in the standard don’t care if feathers went all the way back would dry up, turn into clouds, and basi-
peer-reviewed journals themselves. The to turtles, it doesn’t mean dinosaurs cally float away into space. Our gravity is
undeniable implication regarding these couldn’t have feathers, too.” (By the way, why Earth’s water is still here. Asteroids
evidences is that they are the result of recent DNA research has forced evolu- that hit Mars make craters, but there are no
conscious deceit by evolutionist popular- tionists to give up on turtles being the craters in the Mars gullies. It looks like
izers and textbook writers. “oldest” reptiles. Of all reptiles, their there have been no asteroids impacts since
DNA is most like the crocodile, which
Slightly earlier in the year, another the floodwaters dried up.
supposedly evolved much later.)
fascinating book was published: Phillip There are drainage canyons on Mars.
Johnson’s The Wedge of Truth. The first The 12/8/00 issue of Science de- One is bigger than our Grand Canyon.
chapters detail the progress and aims of the scribes another new fossil bird which has Some of the rock layers from the Mars
Intelligent Design (ID) movement. The tail feathers that look like very long scales. flood are two miles thick (US News &
last chapters, however, do what has possi- Some think that this proves feathers World Report, 12/18/00) and were formed
bly not been done before in ID writings. evolved from scales. “We just don’t around the same time as the asteroid storm
Johnson progresses logically, step-by-step, know,” says Robert Reisz of University of (Science, 12/8/00). This all fits together
from the concept of intelligent design, to Toronto. Richard Prum of University of pretty well for the Flood theory. Of course
the identity of the God of the Bible as the Kansas says it’s “too high up on the evo- evolutionists believe that the asteroid
only possible Designer. This, then, should lutionary tree to tell us much of anything storm was about 3.9 billion years ago, and
be of great interest to creationists. about the origins of feathers.” the Mars flood was more than 3.5 billion
— contributed by Helen “Penny” Fryman Why do evolutionists hope so much years ago. Maybe it was really only 4000
that birds came from dinosaurs? Because years ago.
Editor’s note: All three books are available
they had to come from somewhere, and
from CRS Books.
— contributed by Glenn Jackson
dinosaurs are the best that they can do.
Fossils of a Feather Why do they believe that humans came
Fishy Business
from fish? Because they had to come from
T here’s been a lot the past year about somewhere, and evolutionists tell me they Linda Ivany of Syracuse University has
the “dino-to-bird” theory in evolu-
do not believe in miracles, like God cre- been studying fish fossils, to tell what
tion. John Ostrom of Yale, and Jack Hor-
ating birds on the fifth day as described in the temperature of the earth was when they
Jan. / Feb. 2001 Creation Matters — a CRS publication 7
were alive. She used oxygen isotope ratios human proteome project: the identification of The truth is that we have no evidence at all
in their bones, which is thought to be a the functions and expression patterns of the for alien life. As I’ve said before, many evo-
good sign of the ancient temperature. In proteins encoded by the genes. lutionists believe that if we find life on other
planets, it will somehow prove that evolution is
the 10/9/00 issue of Nature, she describes — contributed by Glen Wolfrom
true. This really would not prove anything one
a time when many fish species all around
way or the other. No evolutionist has been able
the world suddenly became extinct. Could Heartless Finding?
to demonstrate the means by which life could
the Flood of Noah could have caused that? L ast spring, scientists reported their dis- have started here on Earth. So watch them, as
Ivany says that the summer tempera- covery of a fossilized dinosaur heart (1). they try to convince us that life came here from
CT (computerized tomography) scanning of the outer space, and then try to explain how life
tures were not very different before and
fossil was said to have revealed that it was a evolved in outer space.
after that time. It was the winter tem-
four-chambered heart - evidence suggesting
peratures that were four degrees (Celsius) Dworkin’s experiment was a joint effort
that dinosaurs were warm-blooded. Now,
between SETI, NASA, and the University of
cooler. That could mean that there was an
however, some other researchers are suggesting
California. They took chemicals like we think
ice age. The creation model says that there that the structure is not a fossilized heart at all,
are in the clouds of deep space, froze them in a
was an ice age right after the Flood of but is rather an ironstone concretion (2, 3).
vacuum, and shined UV light on them. They
Noah, which may have lasted several cen-
Rowe, the skeptic in this situation, is re- formed amphiphilic molecules (i.e., “soapy”
turies. True science is confirming a literal ported to be an expert in CT scanning of fossils. organic compounds with both polar and non-
interpretation of Genesis, more and more One of his criticisms seems to be that if it is a polar properties), which appear to be similar to
all the time. heart, it ought to look like one. He says it bears those in ancient meteorites, and which, upon
no resemblance to a crocodilian heart. Neither exposure to water, self-organize into tiny, mi-
— contributed by Glenn Jackson
are there the usual features of a normal heart, croscopic droplets. These vesicles are appar-
such as atria, coronary arteries, cardiac veins, ently capable of processing “UV light energy to
Far Fewer Genes
pulmonary vessels, or vena cavae. Further- produce increasingly complex structures”
T he recent announcement of the publica- more, he claims that such concretions are within the droplets.
tion of the first draft of the human genome common in formations similar to the one in From this work, they say that such mole-
contained at least one surprise. At an estimated which these dinosaur remains were found, and cules, which may have arrived on the early
30,000 to 40,000 genes, the count is much that they are often found in association with Earth from outer space, “could have contrib-
fewer than the 100,000-plus genes which were dinosaur bones. He also suggests that soft tis- uted to the origin and early evolution of life.”
once predicted by some researchers — “sur- sue preservation is not known in this sedimen- Louis Allamandola of NASA says, “This dis-
prisingly low,” according to the leaders of the tary environment. covery implies that life could be everywhere in
landmark studies. To be fair, the number is One of the authors of the original report, the universe.” Under the Washington Post
fairly close to more recent estimates predicted D.A. Russell, provides a reply, defending their photo of the droplets (1/30/01, p. A1) is the
by extrapolation from sequence analysis of the original view. He maintains that it is actually a caption: “cell-like structures began to form.”
first two chromosomes in 1999. sandstone concretion, and that such concretions Science News 2/3/01 also carried the story (p.
For comparison, it was noted that there are often form around organic residues (in this 68). In a press release (2), the authors refer to
some 25,000 genes in the small mustard plant, case, the dinosaur's heart). He cites examples the structures as being “reminiscent of cells,”
Arabidopsis thaliana; 19,000 in the roundworm of soft tissue preservation from the very same not cell-like.
Caenorhabditis elegans; and 13,600 in the formation where the dinosaur was found. And These bubbles are no more “cell-like” than
fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster. With the finally, Russell argues that the dinosaur heart the ones in your bathtub. Soap bubbles have
gene counts so close, some are asking why hu- doesn't have to resemble that of a crocodile, nor membranes too, but they’re not alive. In 1862,
mans are much more complex than these sim- do relatively thin-walled structures have to be Louis Pasteur proved that the theory of “spon-
pler organisms. preserved. taneous generation” (that life can come from
With 20/20 hindsight, scientists are now Apparently, Russell and his colleagues are non-life) was wrong. The truth is that evolution
emphasizing that the number of genes is just the continuing their investigations. This surely depends on spontaneous generation being true.
starting point for creating complexity. Accord- won't be the last word on the subject. That might burst somebody’s bubble.
ing to a 10-Feb-01 Associated Press story, the (1) Fisher, P.E., et al. 2000. Science 288:503. (1) Dworkin, J.P., D.W. Deamer, S.A. Sandford,
differences in complexity may be related to: (2) Rowe, T., et al. 2001. Science 291:783a (Tech- and L.J. Allamandola. Self-assembling amphi-
• human genes are more likely to give nical Comments, Science Online, philic molecules: Synthesis in simulated
www.sciencemag.org). See also Stokstad, E. interstellar/precometary ices. Proc. Natl. Acad.
rise to multiple proteins rather than
2001. Science 291:811. Sci. USA, Vol. 98, Issue 3, 815-819, January
just one. — contributed by Glen Wolfrom 30, 2001.
(2) Scientists find clues that the path leading to the
• human proteins are more versatile.
Space ”Bubbles” origin of life begins in deep space.
http://web99.arc.nasa.gov/~astrochm/vesicle.html
• for humans, there are differences in Jason Dworkin of the SETI Institute (Search
— contributed by Glenn Jackson
the timing of when genes are turned for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) is the main
on and off, and in what tissues they
author of a paper in the Proceedings of the Na-
are active.
tional Academy of Sciences. (1) If you saw the
film or read the book “Contact,” you know that
As indicated above, this newly published
SETI spends its time trying to get in touch with
genome is considered a draft - the sequence
civilizations on other planets. Star Trek and
data are about 92% complete. Also, the func-
Star Wars are great entertainment, but may have
tion(s) of each of the genes has yet to be de-
given some people the idea that Klingons, Vul-
termined. Now there is talk of taking on the
cans, and Jedi Knights may be out there.
8 Creation Matters — a CRS publication Jan. / Feb. 2001
Speaking of Education
Kansas Pennsylvania South Carolina
T he Kansas battle has not gone away. In the meantime, a battle in Pennsylva- T he third place where mistakes in
In 1999 the State Board of Education, nia has been going on. The proposed science education are being chal-
in a 6-4 vote, had the gall to eliminate from educational standards for this state include lenged is in South Carolina. Here Patty
state testing standards two areas of evolu- the following: that biology students should Pulliam is simply trying to request that
tion which are not scientifically testable be able to “analyze evidence of fossil rec- science be presented in the most correct
and which are highly disputed as well, ords, similarities in body structures, em- form known at any given time. To this
even among evolutionists. With the bryological studies and DNA studies that end she has pointed out the errors in the
autumn elections there is now a new Board support or do not support the theory of texts regarding evidence used for evolu-
of Education. The education standards are evolution,” and “analyze the impact of new tion, and is merely asked for warning or
being re-considered and the initial drafts scientific facts on the theory of evolution.” caution labels regarding this material.
contain the presumption that naturalism is However, because evolution is a sacred This, also, has been refused thus far at the
the only possible basis for interpretation of cow, it is not allowed to be either impacted local level.
scientific data. At the January meeting or analyzed. The evolutionist community
As Phil Hartwig, author of an op-ed
there were a number of presentations by is rising up in protest, saying that ques-
piece appearing in the Santa Barbara
those opposed to this limitation. Whether tioning, or even critically examining evo-
News-Press, December 24, 2000, pointed
or not their objections will matter will be lution will result in a collapse of science as
out, “With this kind of attitude, it’s no
seen when the Board votes in February. we know it, and that perhaps the sky will
wonder that the origins debate continues
fall over western civilization.
Editor’s note: On February 14 the to blaze in our public schools. If the “de-
newly-elected State Board of Education However, in a letter posted in the fenders” of science education were more
voted 7-3 to approve new science stan- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Thursday, Janu- diligent to clean up their own act, perhaps
dards. The new testing guidelines consider ary 25, 2001, Phil Skell writes: “The sci- they would have fewer problems with
evolution to be a concept which unifies the ence related to origins of life is negligible creationists. They would certainly engen-
entire science curriculum. and totally irrelevant to the education of der more trust.”
students in preparation for careers in mod-
— contributed by Helen “Penny” Fryman
ern biology, or for understanding the cur-
rent status of the field.”
Creation Calendar
...continued from back page
June 23 Aug. 31 - Sept. 3
Darwin’s Influence on Man: His Science and His Theory Geologic Formations of Southeast Missouri: Johnson’s Shut-ins, Taum
by Dr. Thomas Koufel Sauk Mountain, Elephant Rocks, Cave
South Bay Creation Science Association Family Creation Safari
7:00 pm, Cornerstone Community Church, Torrance, CA CSA for Mid-America (Kansas City Area)
Contact: Garth Guessman [phone] Contact: Tom Willis [phone], [email protected]
July 21 September 2-8
Hear God’s Side: Visit to Kansas Univ. Natural History Museum Western Canyons Bus Tour — Creation Tours led by
Family Creation Safari, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Dr. John Meyer, Dir. CRS’ Van Andel Creation Research Center
CSA for Mid-America (Kansas City Area) Origin Phoenix, AZ. Paid registration required.
Contact: Tom Willis [phone], [email protected] Contact: Dave Endy, Pilgrim Tours, [phone]
August 15-17 October 27
Discontinuity — Understanding Biology in the Light of Creation KATY Bike Trail: Bicycle along the beautiful Missouri River Bluffs
Conference sponsored by Baraminology Study Group, Center for Origins Family Creation Safari, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Research and Education (Bryan College), and Cedarville University CSA for Mid-America (Kansas City Area)
To be held at Cedarville University Contact: Tom Willis [phone], [email protected]
Contact: Dr. Todd Wood, Box 7731, Bryan College, Dayton, TN 37321 November 24
[phone], [email protected] Squaw Creek Wildlife Refuge: Migration and other marvels of God
August 18 Family Creation Safari, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Fossils and Geology of Kansas City CSA for Mid-America (Kansas City Area)
Family Creation Safari, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Contact: Tom Willis [phone], [email protected]
CSA for Mid-America (Kansas City Area)
Contact: Tom Willis [phone], [email protected]
Jan. / Feb. 2001 Creation Matters — a CRS publication 9
Date: June 19-22
Creation Tour
Price: $425 / person double occupancy
Origin and Finish: Morgantown, PA
Niagara Falls — Spectacular Canyons
Day 1: Grand Canyon of the East — Letchworth State Park
Day 2: Old Fort Niagara — Niagara / Mohawk Power Station — First view of Niagara Falls
Day 3: Niagara Falls Tour — Butterfly Conservatory — Whirlpool Rapids
Day 4: Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania — Pine Creek Canyon Gorge
This four-day tour will be led by Dr. John Meyer,
internationally-known research scientist and director
For more information, contact: of the CRS’ Van Andel Creation Research Center.
The tour of glacial history and wondrous scenery will
Dave Endy, Pilgrim Tours
800-322-0788 provide an understanding of natural history within a
Biblical perspective and creationist framework.
This tour will be distinctively Christian, with daily
Bible studies, Christian fellowship and encouragement.
What Are Creationists Thinking about ...?
As new scientific discoveries make the headlines, have you ever wondered how
your fellow creationists are reacting? Have you ever thought of a “crazy” new
idea about origins and wanted to bounce it off another creationist?
Now you can keep in contact daily with creationists from all around the world. The
Creation Research Society sponsors CRSnet, an online community of CRS members
who have e-mail access to the Internet. Not only do participants discuss the latest
scientific findings related to origins, but they also receive news about the CRS — its
research, publications, and activities — and other creation-related news.
For more information, send an e-mail message to Glen Wolfrom at [email protected].
Participation is limited to CRS members in good standing.
Position Available
DIRECTOR, VAN ANDEL CREATION RESEARCH CENTER
T he Creation Research Society (CRS) represents 600 member sci- hic flood. Strong skills in interpersonal relations, writing and public
entists who evaluate science in a Biblical framework. For nearly speaking are required. Experience in both scientific research and
forty years it has published a scholarly journal that challenges evolu- business management is ideal, but significant expertise in one of these
tionary theory. areas is essential. The director will develop the research staff, manage
business for the Center, and be involved in raising funds for the Cen-
Nominations and inquiries are invited for the position of Director of the
ter’s support.
Van Andel Creation Research Center.
The position requires a self-starter who can work with limited direct
The Center, operated by CRS, is located in rural northcentral Arizona.
supervision. Considerable travel is required. The position offers ex-
The nearly-new facilities are modestly equipped, debt-free, and can
citing possibilities to be an international leader in the creationist
provide research space for five full-time scientists.
movement.
Dedication to full inspiration of Scripture and to faith in Jesus Christ as
For more information, contact Dr. John R. Meyer at 520-636-1153, or
Lord and Savior is essential. Applicants should be committed to a
e-mail [email protected].
young-earth creationist position and to a worldwide, catastrophic Noa-
10 Creation Matters — a CRS publication Jan. / Feb. 2001