FOSSIL FISH
Commentary by Roger Oakland
Understand The Times International: Roger Oakland Ministries
www.understandthetimes.org
1.800.689.1888
The skeletal remains of thousands of different varieties of fish are found preserved in the fossil record in every part of the world. In order to explain the existence of water dwelling organisms in regions where water does not exist today, geologists who believe in the uniformitarianism have proposed a theory.
They believe that over millions and millions of years landmasses gradually sunk below sea level and allowed the sea to flood the land. Following this process, again over millions of years, these same land masses are said to have risen above sea level – now with the remains of dead sea-creatures that have been buried in ocean sediments and fossilized.
This explanation for the process of fossilization leaves a number of questions. The delicate and intricate structures revealed by many of these fossilized marine organisms, indicate that the fossilization process must have been associated with short periods of time. In fact, billions of fossil fish worldwide reveal that death occurred in a split second of time.
For an example we could examine the numerous fossils in a location known as The Red Sandstone, an area covering half of Scotland. Observers have described this region as an aquatic graveyard with thousands of different localities disclosing the same scene of destruction. The red sandstone deposit, that covers and area of approximately 10,000 square miles and over 150 feet in thickness screams with the evidence of a wide-scale catastrophe. Fossilized fish are found there contorted into abnormal shapes. Others died suddenly in swimming positions.
The identical picture can be found in northern Italy. Evidence there would indicate vast quantities of fish also perished suddenly. Fossilized skeletons of fish are found by the thousands in slate. In most case the fossils are packed together. Many of the fossils have been preserved with traces of the color of their skin impregnated into the surrounding material indicting that deposition had occurred before decomposition of the tissues.
So what story do these fossils tell us? Obviously as it is not possible to interview a person who observed the process of fossilization that occurred, we must try to draw conclusions without the assistance of eyewitnesses. While evolutionary geologists insist their theory of gradualism adequately explains what happened, it is apparent to anyone with an open mind that this explanation needs to be revised.
It is obvious that something has happened in earth’s history that has brought about a massive destruction of life – not just fish and other marine organisms, but also land plants and animals as well. The Noahic Flood recorded in the Bible is one possible explanation. God states that He destroyed life all over the world in an event that involved the movement of water and there is plenty of confirming evidence that it happened.