Evolutionists believe that the Earth is very old. There are many ages given but around 4-5 billion years is generally accepted by them.
But the Earth doesn't look young or old! The Earth looks like the Earth. There is nothing that we can find that specifies how old it is or how young it is.
The beliefs and the resulting pre-conceptions of each person will allow them to see the
Earth as they expect it to be. Consequently they see a very old Earth, because they need
that idea for their belief in evolution, or a very young Earth because they are Christians
and that is what the Christian Bible says.
So does the available science prove or disprove either belief?
There are no absolute ways of knowing. Carbon dating can only be used for things that were once alive and which are not more than approximately 50 thousand years old (because there is no more C14 left to be measured after that time). There are many other factors that need to be taken into account to get an accurate reading, up to the 50 thousand year limit of course!
There are other ways to measure rocks. These measure isotope concentrations and these measurements can be made very accurately. The problem is that there are some assumptions that have to be made. We have to assume that we know the isotope concentrations in the original sample. We also have to assume that the rate of decay was constant and that no isotopes were lost or gained in the time.
Radiometric dating is very easy to abuse. A researcher can take a number of sample rocks from around a sample fossil. When they test them they can simply pick those samples that give the age that they expect the fossil to be! They just ignore the other samples that do not fit their preconceived idea! After all what scientist would be stupid enough to announce that they have found a fossil that is outside the time period that the species lived!
There is another approach that could give a good indication of the age of the earth. We can look at various situations where we have a a known rate of change, and apply that rate of change back through time. We come up with a number of interesting observations including:
- The continents are eroding too quickly.
- There is not enough helium in the atmosphere.
- There is not enough sodium in the oceans.
- There is too much helium in minerals.
Please see this link for a more complete discussion
These issues need to be addressed using science. Faith is not scientific. If the science supports the belief system then that is OK. But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater if it doesn't! For example the Catholic church has recently adopted evolution-based ideas to replace belief in Genesis 1-12. This was a panic response to scientists claiming that evolution was a proven fact. Now scientists are beginning to see how complex the cells are, how DNA operates and how these systems cannot possibly be derived from incremental changes over a long period of time (evolution). So are the Catholic going to keep their faith in evolution, or go back to the Bible as their authority? Either way will be embarrassing for them!
Interesting articles in the Answers in Genesis site with some answers to these questions.
Answers in Genesis - various Questions and Answers
Answers in Genesis - Young Earth