Recently there was a debate between Bill Nye, best known as “the science guy’ and Ken Ham an Australia minister who founded the Creation Museum in Kentucky. They respectfully and cordially argued whether God created the earth 6000 years ago or if our planet is the result of billions of years of natural forces shaping it into its present form.

This debate will most likely never be settled to everyone’s satisfaction. However I believe I can resolve one of the most problematic issues between the two sides and that is the age of the earth; is it billions of years old or nearly 6000 years.

Here’s my theory.

Years ago I worked as a swine project manager for large feed supplier. Every week I would travel to a different sales district and each morning I’d travel with a territory manager. This salesman would take me to one or two of his dealers who would then take me to see a customer. I would then dispense advice and recommendations concerning the management of their swine herd.

One of the districts I visited was in Higginsville Missouri. The first day of the week I was traveling with a salesman named Don. Don was a good natured fellow who people like to give a hard time to. He took it all in stride and usually gave back as good as he got.

We pulled into one of Don’s dealers who immediately commented that he hadn’t seen the salesman for quite awhile. Don reminded him that he was scheduled every two weeks and that the last time he had called and said he needed to be at a meeting. Don offered to come another day but the dealers said no forget it, we’ll just keep to our regular schedule and forget about that week.

The dealer said, “Yea I remember that but you ain’t been here for five weeks!”

“How do figure that? It’s only been three weeks.” Don said.

“Ok the last time you was here was week one.”

“Yeah but I was here then,” replied Don.

“That don’t matter. That was week one. “ the dealer insisted

“OOOK”

“Then there was the next week.”

“Yeah but I wasn’t scheduled to be here.”

 “Yeah I know but that was week two.”

“Well alright.”

“Then there was the next week.”

“Yeah and that’s the week you said it was OK to skip.” Don reminded him.

“And that was week number three.”

“Alright I’ll allow that.”

“Then the next week was week number 4.”

“Yeah but I wasn’t scheduled to be here.”

“Still that was week number four. Then there’s this week.”

“Yeah but I’m here this week!”

“Don’t matter, that’s five weeks, you ain’t been here for five weeks!”

By this time the store bookkeeper and the feed mill manager had wandered in and they took the side of the guy who signed their paycheck. After a lively debate the things quieted down and the conversation turned to other matter.

Soon a customer backed up to the landing dock and started helping himself to bags of feed. Don recognized him and went out to say hello. The customer, fifty pound bag in hands, looked at him and with all the innocence of a new-born calf said,

“Hey, haven’t seen you for a while.”

In an instant the dealer called out, “That’s cause he ain’t been here five weeks.”

Now you may be wondering what this has to do with the age of the earth.

It’s well know that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible, Genesis to Deuteronomy. Therefore having worked with so many Missourians I’m convince there is a simple reason for the time discrepancy; Moses was from Missouri!

So if you factor in how people from Missouri calculate time, you can see how 6000 years can become a few billion years.

OK I’ll admit my theory is a bit far fetched. But even if Moses wasn’t raised in the “Show Me state”,  I do know this; the Good Lord is the creator of all good things, especially folks from Missouri.