GH Classic: Age of the Universe from the ACAKW

Another message from the ACAKW.

Recently some questions have arisen as to the age of the universe. The Torah says its roughly 6000 years, the Scientists (imach shemom vzichrom) say its 15 billion. Of course a torah true jew knows not to listen to the scientists. However for all you Kiruv projects out there, we must present a more acceptable answer. Don't worry, its okay for you to hold of these answers whilst you are not yet fully frum. However upon your conversion to full frumkeit, you must immediately reject these for the torah true position.

Each answer is followed by its author / proponents.

1. The universe only looks old, but thats because Hashem created it that way, either as a nisayon or maybe it was some kind of divine short cut - Even G-d didn't want to wait 15 billion years for Adam to show up. (Philip Henry Gosse - Omphalos 1850, Lubavitcher Rebbe, my charedi sister-in-law)

2. The first 6 days were not human days. As it says in tehilim A thousand Years is like a second in G-ds eyes. Since there were no men before day 6, we must be talking about G-ds time. If you do the math and fiddle with the numbers, 6 days of seconds at a thousand years a second = excatly 15 billion years ! (Popular explanation)

3. The first 3 days before the sun was created were not regular days, because there were no sun. Therefore these were billions of years long. (Another popular explanation).

4. Time is relative, not absolute. Therefore it all depends on whose vantage point you are talking from. From a vantage point outside the universe, 6 days could have passed, whereas inside the universe, it was more like 15 billion. Comparable to 1 or 2 above, but with some decent science behind it. (Gerald Schroeder).

5. They were 6 real days. However time sped up during those 6 days, so that 15 billion years worth of changes happened then, even though it was 6 days. Comparable to 4 above, except with no science behind it. (Semi popular)

6. Nishtane Hatevah (The world has changed). After the flood, all the laws of science mysteriously changed. So carbon dating, galactic red shift and all the other "proofs" from science as to the age of the universe are in fact mistaken. (Popular - Bonus ! Also explains half-mouse-half-earth creatures and tremendous ages of Adam etc).