Creationism and biogeography

[Gastro]

How can creationism explain current biogeography? I’ve heard that Madagascar has 6 species of crayfish, while Africa has none. How would the crayfish have been able to walk from Turkey to Madagascar and not establish themselves along the way? Could they have even made the journey in such a small time?

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[PhilVaz]

Gastro << How can creationism explain current biogeography? >>

It can’t, if you mean accepting a worldwide flood, and all biogeographical distribution of animals are the result of spreading out from Noah’s Ark on Ararat about 5000-7000 years ago in sets of 2 (or 7).

It is a major scientific objection to taking the story of Noah and the global flood as literal. So I go with the local flood idea. Also they would have to squeeze 1.5 to 2 million presently known species of animals (or 10 million species that haven’t been discovered yet) into a measly 5000-7000 years of evolution which is clearly absurd as well. That’s simply not enough time for 1.5 to 2 million (or 10 million) species to evolve from 2 of each of the Genesis “kinds.”

Here is one of our longer threads on this subject last year, with my contributions.

As for how creationists try to answer biogeography, I’m sure AnswersInGenesis has made some feeble attempts.

Phil P

 

[J.W.B]

I also don’t see how every single animal could have fitted on the Ark. I do believe the flood was local alot more than literal. North american Indian tribes date back IN AN UNBROKEN LINE past the flood as well.

 

[PhilVaz]

Why the Bible teaches Noah’s Flood must be Local

Probably the best defense of a local flood online. Now hopefully this thread will die a quick death unless someone starts copying/pasting large amounts of material from AnswersInGenesis, DrDino, or the Kolbe Center.

Phil P

 

[atheos_sum]

ah, fishsticks.

I just started a post with this same topic: “Creationism and the Problem of Biogeography.”

 

[adstrinity]

Gastro:

How would the crayfish have been able to walk from Turkey to Madagascar and not establish themselves along the way?
Thanks,
Andrew

He wouldn’t. He would swim…or whatever crayfish do. It was, afterall, a flood, you know. All salt water, probably…

An Eddie Izzard bit goes along the lines of:

But, there’s a lot of problems with the Noah’s Arc flood story, aren’t there? For example, it wouldn’t make much sense with the ducks, now then would it?
God: Alright, get on the boat, I’m going to cause a flood.
Ducks: So what? Instead of swimming down here, we’ll swim up here then, now wont we?

 

[Lazerlike42]

answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/migration.asp

answersingenesis.org/creation/v25/i4/blanket.asp

Very Protestant site, but then again many creationists are Protestant. I didn’t bother reading it yet, but their site does tend to have pretty decent answers for this sort of question.

For a complete list, go here: answersingenesis.org/home/area/qa.asp

 

[PhilVaz]

<< I just started a post with this same topic: “Creationism and the Problem of Biogeography.” >>

No problem, Lazer is pretty new. He hasn’t seen the 4.5 billion posts we’ve traded already on these creation-evolution topics, going back to May 2004. And yep I’ve left my share of TalkOrigins links. My new weapon is this book by Davis Young, an evangelical geologist from Calvin College. I will defeat all creationists on the board and turn everyone into theistic evolutionists, in another 3 years. Just takes time.

Phil P