[bluejay]

> ... did not create the universe, or the world, out of nothing. That is more than a little preposterous. Instead, they organized the elements into the world that we know.

Huh? What elements existed in the Universe prior to the Creation (The Big Bang)?

[LukeSW]

You are assuming that the scientific theory of the Big Bang is correct. It is only a theory. And since God, by definition and scriptural reputation, obeys physical laws (although he probably has a lot of insights we haven't discovered yet), He very likely observes the laws of conservation of energy and matter.

Moreover, the other assumption the "creation out of nothing" crowd makes is that this world is the only creation. It is clearly not. Worlds without number have been created by God and His Christ. Therefore, God clearly would not have been creating a Universe out of nothing every time he created a new populated world. Instead, he organizes the elements to bring a new star into proper position with the requisite planetary objects.

Don't believe me? Then explain the creation of stars in the W5 nebula, in the constellation Casseopia, that were created at the same time, 7000 years ago, as our own earth was purportedly created. Those stars, contemporaries of our own system were not created out of nothing. QED.