The age of the earth and Christianity
Many have the impression that all Christians believe the earth is 6,000 years old. This is simply not true at all. I believe that the earth is older than 6,000 years and I’m a Christian. I believe that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth period. Then he destroyed the earth and recreated it. See my post on the Gap Theory.
Even though I and many Christians believe in an old earth doesn’t mean that there are no scientific grounds to deny a 6,000 year old earth. AIG, a group of Young Earth Creationists (YEC) spend a lot of time on this issue. This link gives a few of their reasons. Along with AIG there is creationscience.com. In the FAQ of their site, they have an explanation of Radiocarbon dating and the assumptions it makes. The author states:
Radiocarbon ages less than 3,500 years are probably accurate. Ages around 40,000 radiocarbon years, which are typical of coal, have much younger true dates
He gives sound reasoning for his assumptions and are definitely worth a read.
Recommended reading:
Old Earth Creationism on Trial: The Verdict Is In
Thousands not Billions: Challenging the Icon of Evolution, Questioning the Age of the Earth