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This is in reply to the nonsensical tirade by Ted Hinds in Monday's Times.
First of all, creationists who believe the earth is only a few thousand years old are only in error about 4.6 billion years when it was formed along with the sun and other planets as proven by astronomers many years ago. Mr. Hinds states that it is "assumed" that the universe is old when it is the creationist who are assuming that it is not. His supposition that "newly created but already old" is a ridiculous and bizarre concept.
The research of scientists such as archeologists, geologists, paleontologist, etc. has proven without a doubt the ages of earth and life it has supported beginning about 542 million years ago and which has since evolved imperceptibly into the species present on earth today.
If the earth is not old, it would be impossible to account for all the fossil remains of dinosaurs that date back 265 million years; of us, Homo sapiens, many of whose early ancestors remains have been found, some of which are at least 5 million years old; and of all the other examples of early life forms excavated from the primeval crust of the earth.
Hinds' letter is a prime example of the American anti-intellectualism that Joan King rightly finds so truly frightening.
Jim Scharnagel
Gainesville