Rapid Uplift of the World's Largest Mountain Ranges
by Owen Borville
Creationists believe the large mountain ranges in the world such as the Himalayas, Rockies, and Andes formed during the Genesis Flood 4,600 years ago as a result of rapid uplift. Marine fossil deposits found on top of the world’s tallest peaks confirm rapid uplift during or after the flood. Many do not understand how a global flood could cover today’s tallest mountain peaks, including Mount Everest at over 29,000 feet (8,848 meters). There is not enough water in today’s oceans to cover the tallest mountain peaks of today. However, if one considers the possibility that these tallest peaks did not exist before the flood or were much smaller, the creationist time frame can be explained. It has been noted that if the earth’s surface and continents were flattened, there would be enough water in today’s oceans to cover the earth by two and a half kilometers in depth. The tallest peaks of today were uplifted during the flood, according to the creationist model. The addition of much floodwater to the ocean basins dramatically reshaped the surface of the earth, in addition to much erosion and volcanic activity. The Genesis Flood was truly the most catastrophic natural event in human history and occurred less than 5,000 years ago according to the creationist timeline. The creationist model is in stark contrast to the uniformitarian old earth model, which describes mountains being uplifted slowly over millions of years. The creationist model describes today’s mountains being uplifted during the more than one year period of the Genesis Flood event. The rapid uplift of the world's largest mountain ranges is key to the creationist model and time frame.
This assumption of millions of years has been told for so long that the idea of rapid tectonic uplift is strange to most mainstream scientists. However, the creationist model describes today's mountains being uplifted during the 12-month Genesis Flood event. Evolutionists also believe that the Himalayas and other large mountain ranges were uplifted out of a marine basin and acknowledge the fossils on the peaks, however these evolutionists believe that uplift occurred very slowly and gradually over millions of years. So how are creationists so sure that rapid uplift of mountain ranges occurred? Well, first of all, the preservation of marine fossils on the mountain peaks could not have occurred over millions of years. Fossils can only be preserved by being deposited and buried rapidly during a catastrophic event, such as the Genesis Flood.
Evolutionists and uniformitarian old earth geologists recognize that the world's tallest mountain ranges were uplifted mostly during the last five million years, including the Himalayas, the Alps, the Rockies, and the Andes mountains (1) (2). In the uniformitarianist geologic time scale these events occurred very recently in their time scale that dates back 4.6 billion years. Even the uniformitarian time scale and the old earth geologists recognize that these large mountain ranges were uplifted during the same time period, just as the young-earth creationists, who believe that these largest mountain ranges were uplifted during the year-long catastrophic global flood of Genesis less than 5,000 years ago. Uniformitarians believe that the same present geologic processes occur at the same rate throughout geologic history. If the earth has been in existence for 4.6 billion years, as the uniformitarians believe, and "the present is the key to the past", why have the largest mountain ranges only been uplifted so recently in their time scale instead of gradually over their time scale?
In addition, mountains are known to erode rapidly and current erosion rates show that mountain ranges could not have existed for millions of years, even with the gradual tectonic uplift of the uniformitarian time frame. Erosion of mountains is caused by rainfall, climate, rock slides by gravity, and weathering processes along with glacial erosion. In addition, the catastrophic erosion from the receding waters of the Genesis Flood likely eroded the mountain ranges heavily, as seen from the many "water gaps" found in today's mountain ranges. The largest mountains on earth today must be very young, only several thousand years old as the creationist model describes and not millions of years old as the evolutionists believe.
(1) Baumgardner, J. 2005. Recent Rapid Uplift of Today’s Mountains. Acts & Facts. 34 (3).
(2) Whitcomb, John C. and Henry M. Morris, The Genesis Flood, Presbyterian and Reformed, pp. 127-128, 1961.
by Owen Borville
Creationists believe the large mountain ranges in the world such as the Himalayas, Rockies, and Andes formed during the Genesis Flood 4,600 years ago as a result of rapid uplift. Marine fossil deposits found on top of the world’s tallest peaks confirm rapid uplift during or after the flood. Many do not understand how a global flood could cover today’s tallest mountain peaks, including Mount Everest at over 29,000 feet (8,848 meters). There is not enough water in today’s oceans to cover the tallest mountain peaks of today. However, if one considers the possibility that these tallest peaks did not exist before the flood or were much smaller, the creationist time frame can be explained. It has been noted that if the earth’s surface and continents were flattened, there would be enough water in today’s oceans to cover the earth by two and a half kilometers in depth. The tallest peaks of today were uplifted during the flood, according to the creationist model. The addition of much floodwater to the ocean basins dramatically reshaped the surface of the earth, in addition to much erosion and volcanic activity. The Genesis Flood was truly the most catastrophic natural event in human history and occurred less than 5,000 years ago according to the creationist timeline. The creationist model is in stark contrast to the uniformitarian old earth model, which describes mountains being uplifted slowly over millions of years. The creationist model describes today’s mountains being uplifted during the more than one year period of the Genesis Flood event. The rapid uplift of the world's largest mountain ranges is key to the creationist model and time frame.
This assumption of millions of years has been told for so long that the idea of rapid tectonic uplift is strange to most mainstream scientists. However, the creationist model describes today's mountains being uplifted during the 12-month Genesis Flood event. Evolutionists also believe that the Himalayas and other large mountain ranges were uplifted out of a marine basin and acknowledge the fossils on the peaks, however these evolutionists believe that uplift occurred very slowly and gradually over millions of years. So how are creationists so sure that rapid uplift of mountain ranges occurred? Well, first of all, the preservation of marine fossils on the mountain peaks could not have occurred over millions of years. Fossils can only be preserved by being deposited and buried rapidly during a catastrophic event, such as the Genesis Flood.
Evolutionists and uniformitarian old earth geologists recognize that the world's tallest mountain ranges were uplifted mostly during the last five million years, including the Himalayas, the Alps, the Rockies, and the Andes mountains (1) (2). In the uniformitarianist geologic time scale these events occurred very recently in their time scale that dates back 4.6 billion years. Even the uniformitarian time scale and the old earth geologists recognize that these large mountain ranges were uplifted during the same time period, just as the young-earth creationists, who believe that these largest mountain ranges were uplifted during the year-long catastrophic global flood of Genesis less than 5,000 years ago. Uniformitarians believe that the same present geologic processes occur at the same rate throughout geologic history. If the earth has been in existence for 4.6 billion years, as the uniformitarians believe, and "the present is the key to the past", why have the largest mountain ranges only been uplifted so recently in their time scale instead of gradually over their time scale?
In addition, mountains are known to erode rapidly and current erosion rates show that mountain ranges could not have existed for millions of years, even with the gradual tectonic uplift of the uniformitarian time frame. Erosion of mountains is caused by rainfall, climate, rock slides by gravity, and weathering processes along with glacial erosion. In addition, the catastrophic erosion from the receding waters of the Genesis Flood likely eroded the mountain ranges heavily, as seen from the many "water gaps" found in today's mountain ranges. The largest mountains on earth today must be very young, only several thousand years old as the creationist model describes and not millions of years old as the evolutionists believe.
(1) Baumgardner, J. 2005. Recent Rapid Uplift of Today’s Mountains. Acts & Facts. 34 (3).
(2) Whitcomb, John C. and Henry M. Morris, The Genesis Flood, Presbyterian and Reformed, pp. 127-128, 1961.
Mount Everest
