Marco Rubio Clarifies The Earth’s Age: It’s ‘At Least 4.5 Billion Years Old’

[DonViejo]

By Igor Volsky on Dec 5, 2012 at 9:28 am

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) turned heads last month when he told GQ Magazine that he didn’t know the age of the earth and sparked speculation that he is laying a foundation for a 2016 presidential run. “I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to answer that. It’s one of the great mysteries,” he insisted.

But on Wednesday Rubio walked back his remarks, telling Politico’s Mike Allen that he could have given a “better answer, a more succinct answer.” The Florida senator said he recognized that scientists agree that the earth is at least 4.5 billion years old and explained that this belief is not inconsistent with his faith. He also claimed that his answer is similar to how then-presidential candidate Barack Obama replied to the question in 2007. Here is Rubio:

RUBIO: There is no scientific debate on the age of the earth. I mean, it’s established pretty definitively, it’s at least 4.5 billion years old. I was referring to a theological debate, which is a pretty health debate. And the theological debate is … how do you reconcile with what science has definitively established with what you may think your faith teaches. Now for me, actually, when it comes to the age of the earth, there is no conflict. I believe that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And I think that scientific advances have given us insight into when he did it and how he did it, but I still believe God did it…. I just think in America we should have the freedom to teach our children whatever it is we believe. And that means teaching them science, they have to know the science, but also parents have the right to teach them the theology and to reconcile the two things.

Watch it:

-snip-

http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/12/05/1284791/marco-rubio-the-earth-is-at-least-45-billion-years-old/

[brucefan]

1. Huh?

[Third Doctor]

2. Wow

it took him this long to try to sound rational.

[deutsey]

3. I agree with Rubio

"I just think in America we should have the freedom to teach our children whatever it is we believe."

And I'm teaching my kids that I believe most Republicans are morons.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. . . . but that's 6,000 years in "God Years".

[yellowcanine]

9. Creation with the appearance of age...

Check it out. I don't know why more fundies don't go for this. It solves everything.

http://www.biblicalhorizons.com/open-book/no-45-creation-with-the-appearance-of-age/

[no_hypocrisy]

11. I love biblical imponderables.

[SteveG]

12. Buying this would mean that God is a deciever

creating a universe that looked old, would mean that the Deity is deliberately deceiving those who believe in him. Creationists get themselves all tied up in knots when you point that flaw in that particular argument.

[yellowcanine]

13. That is a small matter for someone who proposes this in the first place.

Intellectual integrity is not a requirement.

[DreamGypsy]

5. That's great, Marco. Congratulations on your 2000 year advance in thinking.

You have to admit, though Marco, that recognizing a god which, 13.7+/-.2 billion years ago, flipped an unknown circuit breaker in an unknown box, releasing an unfathomable amount of energy in an unfathomably small unknown medium, and then let the laws of physics play out to create expanding space and all the contents of that space that we observe today...well, does create just a few issues to reconcile with the notion the god "created Man in her own image".

Have fun! It's a lovely trip.

[savalez]

6. But is it flat or round?

[yellowcanine]

8. Square like Rubio's head.

[yellowcanine]

7. What a douchebag. If Rubio is running in 2016, it could be just as entertaining as 2012 was.

[Paladin]

10. Too Late, Shitstain. (nt)