“I think the age of the universe has zero to do with how our economy is going to grow”
GQ: How old do you think the Earth is?
Marco Rubio: I’m not a scientist, man. I can tell you what recorded history says, I can tell you what the Bible says, but I think that’s a dispute amongst theologians and I think it has nothing to do with the gross domestic product or economic growth of the United States. I think the age of the universe has zero to do with how our economy is going to grow. I’m not a scientist. I don’t think I’m qualified to answer a question like that. At the end of the day, I think there are multiple theories out there on how the universe was created and I think this is a country where people should have the opportunity to teach them all. I think parents should be able to teach their kids what their faith says, what science says. Whether the Earth was created in 7 days, or 7 actual eras, I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to answer that. It’s one of the great mysteries.
Blowback
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What is so hard about saying that the Earth is 4.5 billion years old?
I’m genuinely curious.
Good Lt on November 19, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Good Lt:
You know, that would have been a good answer from him. I think I have a pretty strong case as to why believing in facts and science shows good critical thinking skills, etc.. but that would have been a good ‘political’ way to appease his sorcery-believing base.
inklake on November 19, 2012 at 11:30 AM
This is a basic idiot test. The earth is not 6000 years old. Anyone that cannot come out and simply say that the earth is billions of years old is an idiot. An answer like he gave essentially says “Well I believe its 6000 years old, but I know I will look like an absolute moron if I say that, so I am going to hedge hedge hedge”.
thphilli on November 19, 2012 at 11:30 AM
I can tolerate a creationist. Not sure I could tolerate a flat earther.
lorien1973 on November 19, 2012 at 11:31 AM
I really doubt the GQ reporter was that “deep.” Anyway, a much better way to suss that out would be to ask “Do you believe Christ is the only way to Heaven.”
It’s a gotcha question, nothing more. One of the very few parts of the Bible that you can currently criticize and use to imply, or directly state, that someone is an idiot for taking literally is the first three chapters. That’s why they ask these questions, it is a “scientific opportunity” to be religiously intolerant. Nothing more.
29Victor on November 19, 2012 at 11:32 AM
The Earth is ~4.5 billion years old.
Problem?
Good Lt on November 19, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Ding ding ding.
Good Lt on November 19, 2012 at 11:34 AM
That GQ “journalist” should have followed up with asking Rubio if he’s ever been to the Natural history museum to look at the dinosaur bones….uh….I mean Jesus horse bones. LOL
MoreLiberty on November 19, 2012 at 11:36 AM
Why do you care so much? It always amazes me that, as an atheist, you seem to care so much what other people think.
I’ve known Christians that use their faith as a weapon, as an excuse to start a fight. I used to think that it was an exclusively Christian phenomenon. I’ve come to realize that it’s just part of human nature.
29Victor on November 19, 2012 at 11:37 AM
Since no one was around 4.5 billion years ago, the reality is that you have no clue what the half life of those materials that are used to age the earth were at the time.
Science has proven the half life of several radioactive elements varies based on what is happening around them, with one actual item determining the half life being humans observing the element. Another, one would be the amount of neutrons passing through them. Another, the amount of electromagnetic force flowing around them. Another, the amount of cosmic galactic rays passing through them. So can you tell me with a straight face that you are 100% or even 99.99% certain the age is 4.5 billion years +/- 100 million?
What if the half life’s of some elements was significantly shorter a long time ago? Changes the age of the Earth. If they were much longer, then that also changes the age of the Earth.
astonerii on November 19, 2012 at 11:37 AM
What is so hard about saying that the Earth is 4.5 billion years old?
The theological implications about sin and death, and thus Christ, vis a vis the bible’s statements.
I haven’t wrapped my head around it, nor do I think I ever will. I am a creationist. I believe god created the universe, that it didn’t spontaneously exist on its own, etc. As to age, I know recorded and archaeological history goes back further than six thousand years. I also know that evolution has a lot of problems. In the end it doesn’t concern me.
What does concern me is my situation with my creator and from there, my fellow man, and theirs with their creator.
Logus on November 19, 2012 at 11:38 AM
What’s so hard in saying that “Since every bit of ‘evidence’ of macro-evolution contains words/phrases such as “could be”, “possibly”, “might be”, “there’s a chance”, etc., I can’t for certain believe that we evolved from single-celled organisms”?
DethMetalCookieMonst on November 19, 2012 at 11:39 AM
I disagree. It was a “gotcha” question. There is no good answer for a Christian conservative on this one. If he says that he believes that the earth was created in six days then he looks like an idiot to a bunch of people and it will be used to attack him for years. If he says that the earth is billions of years old it will be used to attack his faith.
Why is this so hard for some here to understand? It was a good answer and from it I am completely unable to figure out what he believes. To me it sounds like he’s an Intelligent Designer, but that’s just a guess.
29Victor on November 19, 2012 at 11:40 AM
You knwo your hero Ron Paul is a christian, right? And you know christians believe in a creator, right? And I know you tink that christians are morons. So basically you wanted someone that you knew was a moron to be POTUS.
DethMetalCookieMonst on November 19, 2012 at 11:41 AM
Man wrote the bible, man translated the bible, man is imperfect, man loves to control other men and tell them how to lives their lives.
Discuss.
MoreLiberty on November 19, 2012 at 11:41 AM
Good Lt on November 19, 2012 at 11:34 AM
As astonerii points out, according to which yardstick? Ask children to measure something and even if many of them use the same measuring device, you’ll still get different answers. Evolution has flaws in its theories and findings. Scientists have problems with some of their measuring tools and standards. The earth is very old. God created it. That’s all I need to know.
Logus on November 19, 2012 at 11:42 AM
As has been pointed out according to science the Earth is AT LEAST 4 billion years old. The key [part being at least. There is nothing to say it isn’t 8 billion…or 80. In other words the earth appears to be, for all intents and purposes, of incredible age. What science doesn’t, and can’t say, is that if there is a being capable of creating the universe that it could not look to be of incredible age even if it was created yesterday. So in fact it is a great mystery to some of faith.
This is not a basic id or idiot test, unless you are saying a person of faith is by definition an idiot. If you are then I think we know who the idiot is.
Rocks on November 19, 2012 at 11:42 AM
Hmm. This is an interesting hill for people to die on.
lorien1973 on November 19, 2012 at 11:42 AM
That’s the thing about liberty and those that actually support it. Just because RP believes something doesn’t mean that he forces you to believe it. Live your life the way you see fit, but don’t force it on others. With liberals and the religious right they want to tell others how to live their lives via the force of government.
MoreLiberty on November 19, 2012 at 11:43 AM
The two of you seem to miss the point. Does it matter if your hairdresser thinks the Earth is flat?
NotCoach on November 19, 2012 at 11:43 AM
You are wrong. Ron Paul does want to force people to live the way he believes. He just happens to believe things you believe in, so you do not see any problem with forcing people to live that way.
astonerii on November 19, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Actually, while Rubio’s answer for this gotcha question was pretty good. The best answer to the question is. “You know, I really don’t care how old the Earth is.”
Rocks on November 19, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Remember, people. There are many, many history books that have contrictions regarding George Washington. Thus, George Washington never existed.
DethMetalCookieMonst on November 19, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Verbal plenary inspiration. Codex Sinaiticus (AD 350), Codex Vaticanus (AD 350), Codex Alexandrinus (AD 400).
29Victor on November 19, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Do you care about what’s true and what isn’t?
http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CF/CF210.html
Good Lt on November 19, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Or just give the correct answer, which is ‘somewhere around 4.5 billion years.’ And then add that the reporter should be asking relevant questions instead of gotcha questions.
The “gotcha” only works if the answer is something stupid. Like claiming the Earth is 6,000 years old.
Good Lt on November 19, 2012 at 11:48 AM
Oh noes, Rubio just lost the Frum/Brooks/Good Lt vote.
How on earth is he ever going to succeed now?? /S
Norwegian on November 19, 2012 at 11:48 AM
Man dons the white lab coat, white lab coat man teaches student man “climate science”, man is imperfect, man loves to control other men and tells them how to live their lives while making a buck.
That man is Al Gore.
Discuss.
Punchenko on November 19, 2012 at 11:49 AM
But thphilli believes that if you believe in a creator that you are a moron. Ron Paul is a christian that believes in a creator. Therefor, using thphilli’s logic, Ron Paul is a moron. Yet thphilli was a big supporter of Ron Paul being POTUS.ll
BTW, it’s interesting how you mention how you say Ron Paul doesnt’ force you to believe what he believes. YOu would think if thphilli felt that way as well that he wouldnt’ call anyone who beleives in a creator a moron or anythign like that. Kind of like who libs try to “force” people to vote for them by threatening to call people who are against the dems “racist”.
DethMetalCookieMonst on November 19, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Yeah, an athiest answer with no proof. Great reply retard.
Radioactive materials, every single last one of them decays at different rates based on their environment, including the velocity they are moving in relation to some other object.
YOU and NO ONE ELSE knows precisely what the environment was 10000 years ago, let alone hundreds of millions to billions. So your answer of 4.5 billion years old is BS and arbitrary. It is the best guess science has offered, but it is not a FACT.
astonerii on November 19, 2012 at 11:50 AM
I care about what I believe is true, but I don’t care if other people believe exactly the way I do about things that don’t matter to their job, their politics or their eternal state. Reading your comments I’d think I was back at LGF (banned AD 2008ish).
29Victor on November 19, 2012 at 11:51 AM
Or at least one shouldn’t believe they’re the inerrant word of Almighty God.
DarkCurrent on November 19, 2012 at 11:51 AM
Why should he give the “correct” answer to a question he doesn’t care about? Does knowing the age of the Earth have any practical purpose? And a gotcha question is a gotcha question because it forces you to take a side. Why should someone take a side on an issue with no practical import?
Rocks on November 19, 2012 at 11:51 AM
29Victor on November 19, 2012 at 11:51 AM
Rubio says too much here, is trying too hard. I would have just looked irritated/annoyed at the interviewer and asked him “how the ef does that relate to my work? Whats your next question about? Recipes?”
Valkyriepundit on November 19, 2012 at 11:51 AM
I agree. End of discussion. Now let us discuss the mutilation of male genitals..ie…circumcision. There is no difference between female circumcision with the exception of societal acceptance.
MoreLiberty on November 19, 2012 at 11:53 AM
So, just checking: all the “Science!” crusaders in this headline would be perfectly fine if Sen. Rubio also answered that scientifically speaking, abortion is heinous because it destroys a unique human life, right?
Or does your deep, abiding faith in science only apply to benign things like the age of the universe, and not, you know, murder.
Good Solid B-Plus on November 19, 2012 at 11:53 AM
I agree with both points. The earth is billions of years old, is not the center of the universe and the earth is round. I also believe, as science can prove, that abortion stops a beating heart.
MoreLiberty on November 19, 2012 at 11:56 AM
The validity of the theory of evolution has nothing to do with the age of the Earth.
They’re separate questions and fields of study. However, everything we know about the Earth’s age supports evolution, and evolution is what we would expect to see if the Earth is billions of years old.
You know this, right?
Good Lt on November 19, 2012 at 11:57 AM
Yes, in fact.
Abby Adams on November 19, 2012 at 11:58 AM
It is true that the Earth is billions of years old.
It is also true that recorded history is only thousands of years old.
Joseph Russo III on November 19, 2012 at 11:58 AM
Beautiful. Only 15% of Americans believe in unguided evolution (most of whom are probably Democrats) while 63% believe in AGW. But standing firm on evolution while rejecting AGW is the only way to win!
29Victor on November 19, 2012 at 11:58 AM
I would be. Next strawman please.
DarkCurrent on November 19, 2012 at 11:58 AM
Added for clarification.
Good Lt on November 19, 2012 at 11:58 AM
That is just a sick and/or ignorant statement.
29Victor on November 19, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Is Good Lt actually Chuckles Johnson?
Discuss.
Dack Thrombosis on November 19, 2012 at 12:00 PM
Rubio lost the Brooks vote early since he didn’t attend Harvard by way of Andover. But if Rubio made the case for the creation of a hyper-credentialed aristocracy, er, meritocracy made up of New Yorkers and Bostonians, then maybe — just maybe — he could win back the all-important Brooks vote.
And David Frum will support whoever offers him a job and pastries.
Punchenko on November 19, 2012 at 12:01 PM
It’s actually a very important, relevant question for a potential leader. If you are capable of rejecting overwhelming evidence when it conflicts with what you prefer to believe, that says something significant about your personality and your ability to make rational decisions.
Jon0815 on November 19, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Yeah, I hinted at that earlier. It seems like such a foolish and pointless fight to pick. Especially since Rubio gave such an excellent (if, according to some here, too long) answer that should be a model for other conservatives in this situation.
29Victor on November 19, 2012 at 12:02 PM
The Sphinx looks as if it has erosion caused by rain water. If this is true wouldn’t that make it older than the currently accepted age?
Discuss.
Joseph Russo III on November 19, 2012 at 12:02 PM
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