Creationism – Evolution Nexus

Realistic Creationism:
Creation of the Human Habitat

This in-depth article was first published by us on an earlier generation of our parent website, the L. F. Nexus, and was orginally titled “Realistic (Phenotypical) Creationism, Yes!.”

Dr. Bisconti is the discoverer of the “realistic (phenotypical) creationism interpretation,” which is based on the “field view description.”

First, evolutionists are inexact because the Theory of Evolution is actually the Hypothesis of Evolution. Visit our Hypothesis Proof page for an explanation.

Before we talk about creationism, we want to make it clear to everyone that we only disagree with “classical creationism,” NOT “realistic (phenotypical) creationism.” What is commonly referred to as “creationism” is classical creationism.

Note that classical creationism is 99% correct.

Now, creationists are inexact because the account in Genesis is not a “global view description”: that is, it is not written from the perspective of someone viewing the earth from outer space.

Creationism is based on the false idea that “the earth” in Genesis 1 is “the earth as modern man conceives it,” that is, as a globe. THIS IS INCORRECT! The earth was “the earth as the people of the prophet Isaiah’s time conceived it.” You find a description of this conception of the earth in the Bible in the “Book of Isaiah” in Isaiah 40:22:

It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in….”

Note “the circle of the earth.” This refers to the “circle of the horizon as a man sees it standing in the middle of a field.” Note “the heavens as a curtain.” A curtain has a beginning and an end. This is the “sky as a man sees it standing in the middle of a field.” This is not the “vastness of outer space which has no beginning or end.” Finally, note “as a tent to dwell in.” This refers to “the sky as a man sees it standing in the middle of a field.” This is the sky “as a tent.” The vastness of outer space is NOT like a tent. It is like a BOX and, more accurately, a spherical container.

So, now, armed with this “field view description,” we can correctly understand Genesis 1. We will save our detailed explanation for later. For now, just note the following:

In the Genesis account, God only explicitly revealed His creation of the human habitat. He did NOT explicitly reveal His creation of the entire universe.

Now, make no mistake, God did create the entire universe. However, our knowledge of that fact is not EXPLICITLY communicated in the Genesis account.

Now, how does the field view description help us?

Scientific facts that do not bear upon the human habitat, directly or indirectly, are irrelevant to defending the reliability of the Genesis account. For example, what is out of human view is irrelevant to the Genesis account. This means that the knowledge of the subterranean, the planets, the solar system, the galaxies, and most of the universe is irrelevant to the Genesis account. Also, the creation of some species of plants and animals is irrelevant to the Genesis account. This is because only those species of plants and animals are relevant that occurred in the human habitat at the time that the Genesis account was written. Note also that Genesis 1 was not intended to be an exhaustive description of either the entire universe or the entire human habitat. The latter means that species not visible to the human eye are not relevant to the Genesis account. Now, there are two main points we are making here. First:

There is no need for the reconciliation of all of the known facts of the physical universe with the Genesis account because the Genesis account does not deal with all of the known facts of the physical universe.

Second:

No fact stated in the Genesis account contradicts any fact of science, even though science is not infallible.

This is so important that we are going to say it again:

No fact stated in the Genesis account contradicts any fact of science, even though science is not infallible.

Now, for our skeptical friends, here is the Genesis account (Genesis 1:1-31 with my commentary interspersed in italics).

You will not be able to find anything that contradicts a single fact of science.

Now, you may object because the account says God created all plant life in a single day. ACTUALLY, HOWEVER:

The account does NOT say that God created all species of plant life in a single day, though, of course, he could have. Only one species or multiple, naturally coexistent species of each form of plant life were created. Note that it would take less than a day for any new species of plant life to cross the existential threshold. The Genesis account does not say that God took all day to create any species of plant.

You may object because the account says God created all animal life in a single day. ACTUALLY, HOWEVER:

The account does NOT say that God created all species of animal life in a single day, though, of course, he could have. Only one species or multiple, naturally coexistent species of each form of animal life were created. Note that it would take less than a day for any new species of animal life to cross the existential threshold. The Genesis account does not say that God took all day to create any species of animal.

Note that the order of creation relative to plants and animals is consistent with evolutionary hypotheses; that is, botanical life preceded aquatic life, which, in turn, preceded air-breathing organisms. Note that we are not trying to promote any evolutionary hypothesis; it is just that evolutionary scientists, since they deal with the same scientific facts as we do, sometimes get certain things right.

You may object because the account says that things were brought into existence from nothing. ACTUALLY, HOWEVER:

The account does NOT say that anything was brought into existence from nothing.

Note that the account says:

God willed things into existence.

This willing of things into existence is on the same order as “the willing of a thought into your mind” or the “the willing of a decision into your consciousness.” The concept of “willing things into existence” is common to all human beings. Of course, God’s will can manipulate the physical environment like our minds can manipulate our mental “environments.” The latter only makes sense since, as Genesis 1 says, God gave us a mini version of his powers. Note the words “created man in his own image.”

Now, we know that there are many other questions and objections from both those who believe the Genesis account and those who do not. Suffice it to say, if you need answers, God will provide them and we are here to provide the answers that he has provided us. Note that God’s answers are not only true because they are from God. They are also true because they are consistent with reality and with the body of scientific fact taken collectively.

Well, everything you have read is just a taste and, now, as promised, here is:

The Genesis Account
Commentary updated February 4, 2009 5:18 AM CST.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. God created the sky over the human habitat and the ground in the human habitat. Note that this first sentence is a summary of what is about to be reported in detail. Now begins the detailed report. And the earth was without form, and void (there was no ground); and darkness was upon the face of the deep (there was no light over the body of water referred to; we don’t know what body of water this was; note that the starting point for the creation of the material (nonenergy) portion of the human habitat was under water; this is implicit in the “dividing of the water” on the second day). And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. “Waters” is a plural word used in a singular sense (more later). And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. God commanded his powers to will into existence the light of the human habitat and, then, the light of the human habitat was willed into existence. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. God’s division of the light from the darkness indicates His independence from the laws of nature. In other words, God can create light without a light source. This verse tells us that God did not mix the source-unassociated light (the light that would become the light of the day) with the darkness (the darkness that would become the darkness of the night). And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. Everything God created so far he created in one day. Now, remember, this is not speaking about the entire universe or the entire Milky Way galaxy or the entire solar system or the whole of our planet.

And God said, Let there be a firmament (the visible arch of the sky) in the midst of the waters (plural but singular in meaning), and let it divide the waters from the waters (this means there were to be waters above [clouds] and waters below [a lake or sea or ocean]). God commanded his powers to will into existence the visible arch of the sky in the midst of the waters and to separate one region of water from another region of water. And God made the firmament (the visible arch of the sky), and divided the waters which were under the firmament (the firmament is the visible arch of the sky) from the waters which were above the firmament (the firmament is the visible arch of the sky): and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. This is not simply telling us what God named the firmament, the visible arch of the sky. It is telling us that God imparted certain enduring characteristics to the visible arch of the sky. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place (this refers to the fact that God was assigning the waters to a limited area; that is, the lake or sea or ocean was not going to be everywhere in the human habitat anymore), and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth (this is not simply telling us what God named the dry land. It is telling us that God imparted certain enduring characteristics to the dry land); and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas (“Seas” is a plural word used in a singular sense (more later): and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. God commanded his powers to will into existence the plant life of the human habitat and, then, the plant life of the human habitat was willed into existence. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind (the text repeats what was already stated; this is a literary device that is used to emphasize the information that is being communicated; more later on this point.): and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day.

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night (this might be baffling to you; it sounds like God is creating light all over again; actually, he is creating sources of light; God created light before he created its source [the concept of sourceless light is not inconsistent with modern science, by the way {more later}]).; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule (the word “rule,” in this case, relates to a law of cause and effect that God established in nature) over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

And God said, Let the waters (it is interesting that God gives water the power to facilitate the creation of the first animals of the human habitat; this does not prove evolution but it is consistent with the hypothesis that animal life started in water) bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life (God created the fish life of the human habitat), and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven (God created the birds of the human habitat). And God created great whales (God is providing some interesting detail here), and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. God commanded his powers to will into existence the land animals of the human habitat and, then, the land animals of the human habitat were willed into existence. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. The text repeats what was already stated. This is a literary device that is used to emphasize the information that is being communicated. More later on this point.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. God decides to create man. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them (the word “bless” means “to promise a good future”), and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Devil’s Advocate

Question> Why would God not tell us in the Bible about life forms that existed before those specified in the Genesis account?

Answer> The knowledge of such life forms would be immaterial relative to the essential needs of mankind.

Question> Why would God allow some life forms to come into existence solely through the operation of the laws of nature, rather than to be created all at once?

Question> Why would God create some life forms, rather than allow all life forms to come into existence solely through the operation of the laws of nature?

Answer> First, we don’t know that God did not create all life forms all at once at the beginning of the periods of their existence. However, if he did not, it might be because God would want to further impress upon us his creative power. After all, if everything in nature was governed by natural law, our belief in God’s intervention in times of need might be brought into question and our belief in free will might be brought into question.

Question> If certain life forms existed billions of years ago, there is no time in the Genesis account for God to either have created them or for them to have come into existence through the laws of nature.

Answer> The Genesis account does not say that the days occurred without intervening time.

Question> The Genesis account gives us the impression that the days occurred without intervening time.

Answer> An impression is not a fact. The Genesis account never explicitly states that there was no intervening time between any two days.

Question> If the days occurred with intervening time, how could the days be incremented by only 1? Wouldn’t there be day 1,345,222,776 and day 559,423,543?

Answer> The days in the Genesis account are “days of material creation.” The things that are specified in the Genesis account contribute to human survival, comfort, and happiness. The other days (no one knows how many of these other days there were, if any)…the other days may have been “days of the operation of the laws of nature” or “days of immaterial creation.” An example of immaterial creation would be the fact that dinosaurs are not necessary for human survival, comfort, and happiness. Though dinosaurs may have been edible, they certainly would have been a great challenge to survival, comfort, and happiness. God allows challenges in human existence but the challenges he allows are always within certain limits. Now, we know this last statement may spark a debate. If so, we are ready for it.

Ancient Hebrew

As soon as possible, we will be providing interlinear exegesis of the actual, ancient Hebrew text of Genesis Chapter One.

Genesis Chapter One In Ancient Hebrew

Footnote: Note that God provided the Genesis account not as a lesson in botany and zoology but to inform the human race that he is the ultimate source of every good thing in life. As such, though the Genesis account is consistent with botanical and zoological fact, it deals with much more than botanical and zoological fact.