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So I'm trying to figure out how to explain Dinosaurs. We use Sonlight which is a christian curriculum but we are learning basic dino stuff outside of that right now as a unit study. I'm waiting for the questions about God and Dinosaurs, so for those who have already taught this how should I explain it? My dd is a questioner just like me and I know I was never given a satisfactory answer to this dilema. Obviously there are alot of disparities but I do want my kids to at least grow up believing, they can review facts and change their minds when they are grown if they choose. Anyway I'm going on and on, back to the point. How do you explain the time differences and biblical differences? Maybe I should've posted this in the religion forum....anyway, does anyone understand what I am trying to say or am I rambling again?
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My kids ask a lot of questions, too. Ds's favorites: why did the dinosaurs become extinct, why were some dinosaurs meat eaters, why don't dinosaurs live today... we go round and around. Somedays I attempt long explanations, but at that age I think short is best. I remember reading "To Kill A Mockingbird"- the main character, Atticus, answers all his kids questions about rape, discrimination, etc honestly but very shortly. His daughter asks what rape is, and he answers, "Carnal knowledge of the female body without consent" (something along those lines). Anyway, it always struck me that the kids were just looking for an answer... not a long, draw out explanation. They were satisfied with his short, to the point responses.
Some days I answer tricky dinosaur questions by saying, "Because that is how God made them." That works pretty often.
As far as the time line and God.. God created the world. Maybe he created dinosaurs first and then Adam and Eve came along in the garden... I don't know for sure. There are a lot of things that I can't explain about God, but He is a pretty massive subject, and my mind is no match for his, so I don't fret over it too much. Sometimes I stop and pray for the right words to explain things before I plunge in.
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Hi everyone! I've been overloaded with life and have been away from the board for awhile. Finally had a couple of free minutes to check in this morning.
The dinosaur issue had been a question for me for awhile. A few weeks ago we got the book What Really Happened to the Dinosaurs? by John Morris and Ken Ham. This book says that the dinosaurs were created on day 6, same as other animals and Adam and Eve. Another resource I have read says that an animal mentioned in Job 40 (a Bahemoth) may have been a "dinosaur." I have seen a couple of other children's books on the subject at our local Christian book store.
I also really like this web site for general information relating to creation vs. evolution.
Hope this helps, gotta run, DD still needs breakfast, 8 loads of laundry to do today, babysitting friends kids in an hour, plus still need to do today school lessons! I'm already dizzy from running in circles!
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I asked the question about dinosaurs when I was little. Here's what we figured out. The Bible is a translation, and not necessarily literal. God created earth, and animals, etc., not necessarily in seven "days" as we know them - those days could be eons. just a thought.
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I think God created animals and beasts, and got rid of them as he saw that they couldn't coexist with what he eventually really wanted to inherit the earth...mankind. Also, the caveman/prehistoric man thing is easy for me to understand in that he created Adam and Eve in his image, but maybe there were others he created before until he got them to be exactly what he wanted them to be. Adam and Eve were the first humans to be given a soul, so that is why they are called the first man and woman (in my way of understanding it). Hope this helps out some.
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Based on what I have learned is that the dinosaurs were made by men they would mix different types of animals. As God saw the people were getting wicked thats why He destroyed them with the flood during Noah's time. When they say the earth has been created millions and millions of years ago thats not true, the earth has was created 4,000 years before Christ and now 2,006 years after Christ.
Remember there is a enemy who is always tryieng to fool us.
Hope this helps
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Men had power to create animals? I think I'm not understanding what you are saying. Also, they can do tests (carbon dating, etc) to show the age of something. I'm sure that the earth really is that old. The Bible says that God created everything in 6 days, but it also says that time to God is different than our concept of time. To him, millenia can pass in the blink of his eye. In other words, six days to him could be 600 million to man. I don't think that men had the power to create dinosaurs. Also, homosapien bones are not found with dinosaurs, so they didn't coexist. Furthermore, written history only goes back 6,000 years or so, but trace history goes back much further. Not wanting to start an argument, but I think she wants to blend what science has proven with her faith.
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Thanks Jeannette, but you are right I didn't want to start a religious fight since we aren't even in the religion forum!
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I'm not looking for drama or to start a fight. I just want to say that there are scientists out there who agree with much of what Blessedmom-2 said. If anyone is interested in learning their theories, they work through the Institute for Creation Research.
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Growing up, my Mom taught us that the dinosaurs were killed in the flood because Noah just couldn't fit them in the Ark!! I know it sounds funny, but that's what we learned! I remember going to a seminar about Creation vs Evolution and the main theme was the question "Were you there?" which basically means to me, no one really knows for sure because none of us were there. Sometimes saying "I don't know honey" to our kids can give them a more realistic and down to earth view of us. None of us know it all so I don't worry about having all the answers for my son. Gives him more reason to use his own noggin. JMO