Explaining Dinosaurs to Kids

MaBelleVie ↓

Fri, Sep 23 2011, 10:43 am

I never knew dinosaurs were so controversial. I do want my children to be thinkers, so I plan to introduce explanations as appropriate for their ages, and provide further context as they can understand more. Whatever I know I will share with them.

the world's best mom

Fri, Sep 23 2011, 10:49 am

The 3 explanations I've heard are:

1- that the Nachash may have been a dinosaur. When it lost it's arms and legs, it became a snake.

2- The dinosaurs died in the Mabul, and

3- The world was created with old looking dinosaur bones in it.

I tell my kids the first 2 explanations. I think the 3rd is a bit hard for them to undertand, but I don't see why it's so hard to believe. Hashem created the world with a lot of things in it, and not all of it was made looking brand new. Scientists believe in a lot of things that happened millions of years ago, and it's because Hashem made it look millions of years old.

↑ Chayalle ↓

Fri, Sep 23 2011, 11:01 am

the world's best mom wrote:

The 3 explanations I've heard are:

1- that the Nachash may have been a dinosaur. When it lost it's arms and legs, it became a snake.2- The dinosaurs died in the Mabul, and

3- The world was created with old looking dinosaur bones in it.

I tell my kids the first 2 explanations. I think the 3rd is a bit hard for them to undertand, but I don't see why it's so hard to believe. Hashem created the world with a lot of things in it, and not all of it was made looking brand new. Scientists believe in a lot of things that happened millions of years ago, and it's because Hashem made it look millions of years old.

That's so interesting! I never heard that before.

About the third explanation.....I guess when you think of it that way, that's the same as the explanation(s) I've heard about how caves, with the stalagmites and stalactites, exist....I mean, it takes billions of years for one inch to form. But the explanations I've been given is 1) Hashem created existing caves, and then set the future forming of more inches of rock into motion and b) the mabul was such a force of water that it formed rock forms much faster than the normal rate as we know it today.

Amital

Fri, Sep 23 2011, 11:07 am

My older boys love dinosaurs. A LOT.

My oldest is 7 and we have talked about the ambiguity about dating, when they lived, and the different possibilities. Although he doesn't like the lack of answers (and who does?!), he accepts that there are some things we don't know. For now, he is OK with that.

The younger kids are all content with the "something that we think lived a long time ago" line.

↑ chavs ↓

Fri, Sep 23 2011, 11:47 am

I do not think that saying that H-shem put fossils in the earth is in any way the same as santa claus lehavdil elef havdalos. One is paganism and one is one of the accepted opinions from the Torah. I find it disturbing to compare them.

↑ Chayalle ↓

Fri, Sep 23 2011, 11:54 am

chavs wrote:

ITA.

With one, they are told an outright lie. Santa came down the chimney to bring you that present you were begging for. No need to thank Momma and Daddy for spending hard earned cash, because it didn't come from them....no, not until you are older and you know the truth, and then you can question everything else they told you, because might that not be an outright lie as well?

OTOH telling a child that Hashem created a finished product called the world, and then set it in motion to function a certain way, is truth. He created existing caves, and earth, with all sorts of matter, including perhaps fossils? in the layers thereof...and then set in motion the formation of more matter, that takes billions of years to form but that He created "yesh meayin" - matter from nothing. This is one of the fundamental beliefs of the Torah.

↑ jewels

Fri, Sep 23 2011, 1:27 pm

Chayalle wrote:

chavs wrote:

What she said. From all the answers I gave my kids this one was actually the easiest for them to understand. They accepted it the way they accept that Hashem created everything else.

ElTam

Fri, Sep 23 2011, 1:39 pm

Quote:

Hashem created the world with a lot of things in it, and not all of it was made looking brand new.

I'm not trying to start a fight; I really want to understand this. Why would HaShem create things to look different ages. I believe that everything that is in creation exists for a reason, what would HaShem's reason be?

↑ Chayalle

Fri, Sep 23 2011, 1:43 pm

ElTam wrote:

Quote:

Hashem created the world with a lot of things in it, and not all of it was made looking brand new.

Rabbi Avigdor Miller discusses the concept that Hashem created "aged" products during Maaseh Beraishis. I heard it on tape.

Why? Good question. Your guess is as good as mine - but....what kind of a world would it be if there weren't already forests, and redwoods, and caves, and rocks, and stones.....

Barbara

Fri, Sep 23 2011, 1:59 pm

ElTam wrote:

Quote:

Hashem created the world with a lot of things in it, and not all of it was made looking brand new.

Far be it from me to suggest that Hashem doesn't create things that I don't see a reason for -- bedbugs, cockroaches, cancer, tsunamis.

But what I don't believe is that Hashem places stumbling blocks before the blind or, IOW, creates all kinds of evidence of one thing (the existence of dinosaurs, the age of the world) in a way that confuses us. Especially when there are other ways to fully reconcile the existence of dinosaurs with Biblical creation.

↑ Seraph ↓

Sat, Sep 24 2011, 2:23 pm

Barbara wrote:

ElTam wrote:

Quote:

Hashem created the world with a lot of things in it, and not all of it was made looking brand new.

Hashem gives us bechira chofshit, and sometimes davka does things that make it harder to believe in Him so that we actually get zchus for believing in Him.

hadasa ↓

Sat, Sep 24 2011, 3:42 pm

I'm one of those who try to avoid young children's exposure to dinosaurs, but if the topic would come up, I'd say something like, "We're not sure if they ever actually existed, but if they did, it was probably before the Mabul."

Concerning the possibility of Hashem creating fossilized bones as a stumbling block, two thoughts come to mind : a. Even if He did create them, He may have had other reasons known to Him alone. b. IIRC, there is a Rashi somewhere saying that Hashem created the stars specifically so that idol worshipers would have the possibility of worshiping them if they so chose. Same with "Na'aseh adam". It seems He does not refrain from setting stumbling blocks.

saw50st8 ↓

Sat, Sep 24 2011, 11:19 pm

We go with "a long time ago."

I don't believe that the fossils were just put there as fossils, so I'm of no help.

When my kids get to the age when they want definitive answers to time, then we'll deal with the answer differently.

But I dont' believe that the world is literally 6,000 years old so I'm probably the wrong person to ask.

HindaRochel ↓

Sat, Sep 24 2011, 11:55 pm

Barbara wrote:

ElTam wrote:

Quote:

Hashem created the world with a lot of things in it, and not all of it was made looking brand new.

This.
And we just answer their questions. Little ones just want to play with dinosaurs. I like the "Magic School Bus" for science for the little ones.

↑ hadasa ↓

Sun, Sep 25 2011, 12:05 am

MaBelleVie wrote:

Can someone who does not allow dinosaurs in her home explain the rationale?

For entertainment purposes, as mentioned above, Lubavitchers don't allow any non-Kosher animals. For educational purposes, a. Any educational material that discusses dinosaurs will have numbers of years that go against my belief. b. I'm not sure they actually existed. c. Since the issue is complicated, with several possible answers, I'd rather not bring it up until it comes up on its own.