Evidence of Early Continents Washed Away

[Aeson]

The "expanse" was given a name - Heaven - not atmosphere.

It was the separation between sea and clouds. The heavens (stars/moon/night sky) are above that upper water, as clearly observable when clouds roll in and start dumping water. Of course they didn't know what an atmosphere actually was. They didn't know what air was. All the more reason to doubt that this millenia old telling of a story that was told and retold for centuries or millenia before it was written down is not a scientifically valid description of how the earth formed.

The Sun was already in existence, it only enters the story after the Earth was given a new "sky", before that the world was covered by water and darkness. That means either the Sun did not exist or it was further away. So where in our solar system would we find ample water and a darker world? The asteroid belt... And researchers are discovering water found in asteroids "matches" our water, which is why they're inventing theories to bring asteroids to the Earth (rather than bringing the Earth to the asteroids). The problem with those theories is the window for importing asteroids is getting smaller as our oceans get older.

There is light in the asteroid belt. Earth also isn't there, and there's no evidence to suggest it was there. You also won't find liquid water there. You're taking what was at least psuedo-scientific argument (crystals formed in the presence of water) and turning it into wild conjectures to try to mold the creation of the earth to a story that doesn't fit at all.

The oldest "rock" we have formed in water, that is compelling evidence of water covering the planet.

No, the oldest rock we have may have formed in the presence of water. And thankfully, water can exist without covering the entire globe. Jumping from "this rock shows signs that it may have formed in the presence of liquid water ... though there are other possible explanations as well" to "water covered the entire globe until God made the continents and this myth (which doesn't fit anything else we know) must be true" is a huge leap to take.

[Berzerker]

It was the separation between sea and clouds. The heavens (stars/moon/night sky) are above that upper water, as clearly observable when clouds roll in and start dumping water. Of course they didn't know what an atmosphere actually was. They didn't know what air was. All the more reason to doubt that this millenia old telling of a story that was told and retold for centuries or millenia before it was written down is not a scientifically valid description of how the earth formed.

Heaven (firmament) divided - was placed amidst - the waters, the atmosphere is not above Heaven.

6 And God saith, `Let an expanse be in the midst of the waters, and let it be separating between waters and waters.' 7 And God maketh the expanse, and it separateth between the waters which [are] under the expanse, and the waters which [are] above the expanse: and it is so. 8 And God calleth to the expanse `Heavens;' and there is an evening, and there is a morning -- day second.

9 And God saith, `Let the waters under the heavens be collected unto one place, and let the dry land be seen:' and it is so. 10 And God calleth to the dry land `Earth,' and to the collection of the waters He hath called `Seas;' and God seeth that [it is] good.

Notice how "Earth" refers to the dry land and not the planet and its oceans?

There is light in the asteroid belt. Earth also isn't there, and there's no evidence to suggest it was there. You also won't find liquid water there. You're taking what was at least psuedo-scientific argument (crystals formed in the presence of water) and turning it into wild conjectures to try to mold the creation of the earth to a story that doesn't fit at all.

Aint much light that far away, and even less back when the Sun was young and surrounded by dust. There is evidence the Earth formed at the asteroid belt, the water signature is a match. The world did not form here with its water, volatile gases were removed from this region and blown out to the asteroid belt where they solidified. Thats why astronomers are trying different theories designed to import Earth's water via asteroids. They originally tried comets but as the age of our oceans gets older and older the window for delivering the water closes. Its the same problem for asteroids though, the world had surface water long before the late heavy bombardment when Earth was pummeled by something(s). This planet formed in the presence of water, it formed between Mars and Jupiter.

No, the oldest rock we have may have formed in the presence of water. And thankfully, water can exist without covering the entire globe. Jumping from "this rock shows signs that it may have formed in the presence of liquid water ... though there are other possible explanations as well" to "water covered the entire globe until God made the continents and this myth (which doesn't fit anything else we know) must be true" is a huge leap to take.

If thats the case, why dont we find rock that didn't form in the presence of water? Life and "dry land" appear together after the world was covered in darkness and water. Thats the same sequence we find starting with Gen 1:2

[Aeson]

The absence of evidence against your claim isn't evidence for the claim. 20 years ago we didn't know about these rocks you're talking about either. We do however know a lot about other things ... such as surface water needing light and an atmosphere. Having the oceans before light and an atmosphere just isn't going to work.

Also, you're reading way more into the rocks than is supportable. We can safely say that these rocks may have formed in the presence of water. There are other possible explanations though. There certainly is no way to prove a world-spanning ocean with these rocks.

As for the earth forming in the asteroid belt ... there's light there. There isn't liquid water there. It's far easier to import water to the Earth, than to import the Earth from the asteroid belt. The first has mechanisms which we do understand have brought water to the Earth. The other is speculation (likely about some planet we can't see). But even ignoring all of that, in no case does the Earth forming in the asteroid belt necessitate that there would have been a world-spanning ocean.