A Real Dynotopia?

Modern scientists are in agreement that fierce giant reptiles once existed on the earth. Indisputable evidence is the fossil record, which are littered in countless locations in all 4 continents. They also can accurately identify the age of these artifacts. By counting the layers of dirt that has built up over time, they calculate the dinosaurs having lived and died millions of years in the past.

A group of scientists who call themselves "Creationists" disagree, claiming that prehistoric monsters lived in the age of man, and may have survived into modern times. They even claim theirs is not a new idea.

In his book "After the Flood", creation scientist Bill Cooper writes, "That the earth might be millions or even billions of years old is a fairly recent idea". He goes on to mention passages in the Bible he purports to be references to dinosaurs.

In the Book of Job the author describes two creatures called Behemoth and Leviathan, which seem to be animals unknown to us today. Job describes Behemoth "which feeds on grass like an ox", obviously a peaceful herbivore. He goes on to say "His tail swings like a cedar". No known animal alive today has a tail as large as a cedar, though the remains of dinosaurs clearly do.

The Leviathan of the scriptures seems to be a marine animal, and a powerful and terrifying one. As Job explains "Can you put a cord through his nose, or pierce his jaw with a hook?"

Creationists offer sightings of giant reptiles in modern chronicles as well. They site tales from the Middle Ages when brave knights fought fierce fire-breathing dragons as possible proof of encounters with real dinosaurs. Dragon stories appear in legends all over the world, but especially in England, China, and Persia. The flying beasts in these stories could easily have been real pterodactyls, which we have proof existed.

As recently as the 20th Century reports of strange beasts continued. Most famous is the elusive resident of Loch Ness, popularly known as "Nessie". In 1977 a similar creature was captured in the nets of a Japanese fishing vessel. Though dead and rapidly decaying, numerous photographs taken prove it was animal known to modern scientists. Despite the presence of a marine biologist onboard who verified it as like an ancient plesiosaurus, Western papers still claim it a decomposing shark carcass.

How could such creatures be alive today? How could reputable scientists be so mistaken in reckoning the age of prehistoric animals? One answer say creationists may again be the biblical records.

In the Book of Genesis, we find the story of a cataclysmic flood that covered the planet for over a year. The vast amount of mud and silt stirred up by such a deluge, and its subsequent settling, could account for the sedentary layers which modern scientists claim took millions of years to form.

Dinosaurs could have been carried on the Ark, they say. There is no detailed list of the types of animals on Noah’s famous vessel, other than every type of air-breathing creature. The passages from Job clearly show some survived, according to creationists.

One hindrance to the creationists cause is the lack of physical evidence. Other than the monster whose rotting corpse was cast back into the ocean by the Japanese in 1977, this important factor has so far been lacking. Yet considering the vast amount of proof that is available, from historical records to sightings in the present day, can modern scientist continue to discount the theories of Creation Science?