Ken Ham and Bill Nye Debate Creation

     Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.  I thought I would take the time to write on the debate that aired on February 4th, 2014 with Ken Ham and Bill Nye.  I watched the debate from beginning to end.  I first of all commend Ken Ham for his courage to stand against those who claim that there is no God.  While I do not exactly believe as Ken Ham does in all matters there are a few things that I would note.  As I watched the debate, I found Ken Ham's speech a little too fast and hard to understand.  All through out the time that I was listening to him I was wishing with all my heart that Kent Hovind was up there instead.  Dr. Kent Hovind would have ran circles around Bill Nye.  Not to take away any credit from Ken Ham but public speaking as I well know can be difficult.  Nonetheless, the debate went very well and I believe Ken Ham made as many points that can be made clear enough.  

     Now for Pat Robertson.  Pat Robertson complained about the debate telling Ken Ham to stop with this 6000 year old world issue.  (SEE VIDEO BELOW)  Claiming that we look stupid when we debate a 6000 year old world.  Yet, what Pat Robertson is failing to remember is that the debate was not only the 6000 year old creation but in various times Bill Nye mocked the flood.  Which if you are a Christian know that the mocking of the flood is a sign of perdition. 

 2 Peter 3:3-6  Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,  (4)  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.  (5)  For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:  (6)  Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

      Those who mock the creation story more than likely mock the flood story.  What I want to ask Pat Robertson is, does he believe in a world wide flood that killed all of life except those on the boat?  Bill Nye claims that such a story is ridiculous.  He claims there is no way unskilled boat makers could have made such a boat.  That there is no way the 16 million species we have now could have come from only 7000 from the boat.  So with all of creation aside Pat Robertson, what do you say about Noah's Ark?  

     As a Bishop of the Church I can assure you there is clear explanations that clarify in Scripture all of creation, the flood and any questions found in geological finds.  So here is what the scripture clearly teach.

  1)   The Lord formed the earth in 6 days.  The sign of the sun and moon are clear indications of that.  "There was morning and there was evening the first day."  

2)  The dating of 6000 years from Adams years are correct.  It does not take a mathematician to add the years found in the bible to say that from Adam to now is about 6000 years.

3)  The world being many of years old is also correct.  What we fail to remember is a few things. 

A.  God created the heavens and the earth and the spirit hovered over the waters.  The earth was created and laid under the waters.  What we do not know is for how long was it like that before God said LET THERE BE LIGHT.  Remember the scriptures say   Genesis 1:1-2  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  (2)  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Thousands, Millions, Billions???

B.  God created Adam first and then Male and Female and then Eve.  Adam and Eve and all of man dwelt on the earth for a long time.  While we have Adam's Earthly Years what we do not know is how long did Adam and Eve live prior to being kicked out of the garden to die?  What we seem to think is that Adam and Eve were created and immediately they sinned.  I believe it was not for many of years before they sinned.  The age of Adam was not his pre-fallen age but his post fallen age.

4)  The story of Noah is accurate.  Everything on the earth died except for 7000 or so kind.  What people fail to remember is that after the flood there was nothing stopping God from creating again. Yes, he could have created 11 new species every day.  This is the same God who created a Fish large enough to swallow Jonah without notice.  Further while Noah may have been an unskilled boat maker with God's help anything is possible, even the impossible.  We are also talking about a God who split the Red Sea and freed 2 million + Israelite s from the grasps of a super world power using a man named Moses and a Rod.

     In Conclusion, I found this debate to be very enlightening.  To understand that the world, the earth and all of creation to have been around for thousands, millions or even billions of years is not a denial of faith.  God can use whatever He wants to use to make whatever He wants to make.  I leave you with a lasting story to understand the concept.  

Bill wanted a bike.  So instead of purchasing one he decide to go to yard sales and find the bike that he wanted.  During that time he could not find the perfect one so instead decided to build one from old bike parts.  He found tires, forks, a frame, handle bars, cranks and other accessories and he put the bike together.  Finally he had the perfect bike.  Jim his friend saw Bill riding the bike and asked him when did he get that.  He said just recently.  Jim then began to say that Bill has a new Bike. Bill will even claim he has a new bike.  Chris on the other hand is a bike expert and after looking at Bill's bike claims that there is no way that is a new bike because the forks that are on that bike are 5 years old and the seat which they do not make anymore is an antique over 30 years old.  Chris will claim that the bike has to be at least 30 years old.  Can Bill have a NEW BIKE made up of OLD PARTS?  

There is nothing impossible with God.

Bishop Michael Salman

Alethian Christian Church