Why do bible-followers believe the earth is so young?  You may see their estimates ranging from 6,000-10,000 years.  Regardless, these figures are laughable based on geology, paleontology, astronomy and nearly every other realm of science.  But, do you know the "reasoning" behind this young earth belief?  

It's important for everyone to understand the basis for their argument.  Otherwise, we're no better than they are because we ask them to read and understand science.  We must at least have a basic understanding of "young earth" beliefs to counter it.

The following presents a timeline for "young earth" believers.  The key is that it is based primarily on ages and lineages described in the Bible.  There are many variations in understanding of the Biblical details, but most timelines end up with Earth's age somewhere near 6,000-10,000 years.  (Please don't bother me with trivial age differences unless they result in an age of the Earth near it's true age of approximately 4.6 billion years.)  

The following provides a basic chronology for "young earth" believers.  It's provided here because it displays historical figures and ages in a table format^[1].  It may be important to some that this study resulted in a maximum age of Earth of 4,410 years.  But, if you're concerned, just double or triple it.  The fact is that these ages are laughable.  They are approximately 0.00013% of the age of the Earth as understood by scientists.

Adam to Jesus Generation	Adam to Jesus Descendancy	Adam to Jesus Descendancy Reference	Non-Descendancy Event	Non-Descendancy Reference	Descendancy / Non-Descendancy Chronology	Cumulative time in years
1	Adam created	Ge 1:23-27			5th. Day	0
2	Seth born	Ge 5:3			Adam aged <= 130	<= 130
3	Enos born	Ge 5:6			Seth aged <= 105	<= 235
4	Cainan born	Ge 5:9			Enos aged <= 90	<= 325
5	Mahalalheel born	Ge 5:12			Cainan aged <= 70	<= 395
6	Jared born	Ge 5:15			Mahalalheel aged <= 65	<= 460
7	Enoch born	Ge 5:18			Jared aged <= 162	<= 622
8	Methuselah born	Ge 5:21			Enoch aged <= 65	<= 687
9	Lamech born	Ge 5:25			Methuselah aged <= 187	<= 874
10	Noah born	Ge 5:28-29			Lamech aged <= 182	<= 1056
11	Shem born	Ge 5:32			Noah aged <= 500	<= 1556
12	Arphaxad born	Ge 11:10			Shem aged 100	<= 1656
13	Salah born	Ge 11:12			Arphaxad aged 35	<= 1691
14	Eber born	Ge 11:14			Salah aged 30	<= 1721
15	Peleg born	Ge 11:16			Eber aged 34	<= 1755
16	Reu born	Ge 11:18			Peleg aged 30	<= 1785
17	Serug born	Ge 11:20			Reu aged 32	<= 1817
18	Nahor born	Ge 11:22			Serug aged 30	<= 1847
19	Terah born	Ge 11:24			Nahor aged 29	<= 1876
20	Abraham born	Ge 11:32 &  Ge 12:1-4			Terah aged 130 because: Terah died at age 205 in Haran. Abraham left Haran at age 75. Therefore Abraham was born when Terah was aged 130	<= 2006
21	Isaac born	Ge 21:5			Abraham aged 100	<= 2106
22	Jacob born	Ge 25:26			Isaac aged 60	<= 2166
23	Judah born	Mt 1:2 &  Ge 29:35 &  Ge 47:28 & Ge 35:10	Levi (Judah’s elder brother)	Ge 47:28	Jacob <= 147	<= 2313
24	Pharez born	Mt 1:3 &  Ge 46:12	Kohath	Ex 6:16 & Ex 6:18	Levi <= 137	<= 2450
25	Esrom born	Mt 1:3	Amram	Ex 6:18	Kohath <= 133	<= 2583
26	Aram born	Mt 1:3	Moses	Ex 6:20 & De 34:7	Amram <= 137	<= 2720
27	Aminadab born	Mt 1:4	Moses speaks to Pharoah about the Exodus	Ex 7:7	At age 80	<= 2800
28	Naasson born	Mt 1:4	Exodus from Egypt led by Moses	Ex 12:43-51 & De 34:7	Moses <= 120	<= 2920
29	Salmon born	Mt 1:4
30	Booz born	Mt 1:5
31	Obed born	Mt 1:5
32	Jesse born	Mt 1:5
33	David born	Mt 1:6
34	Solomon born	Mt 1:6	Solomon builds house 480 years after the Exodus and in his 4th. Year of reign	1Ki 6:1	Exodus + 480	<= 3400
35	Roboam born	Mt 1:7	Solomon’s reign = 40 years	1Ki 11:42	40 – 4 = 36	<= 3436
36	Abia born	Mt 1:7	Rehoboam’s reign = 17 years	1Ki 14:21	17	<= 3453
37	Asa born	Mt 1:7	Abijam’s reign = 3 years	1Ki 14:31 & 1Ki 15:2	3	<= 3456
38	Josaphat born	Mt 1:8	Asa’s reign = 41 years	1Ki 15:8-10 & 2Ch 16:13	41	<= 3497
39	Joram born	Mt 1:8	Jeoshaphat reign = 25 years	2Ch 17:1 & 2Ch 20:31	25	<= 3522
40	Ozias born	Mt 1:8	Jehoram’s reign = 8 years	1Ki 22:50 & 2Ch 21:5 & 1Ki 9:24	8	<= 3530
41	Joatham born	Mt 1:9	Jehu’s reign = 28 years	2Ki 10:36	28	<= 3558
42	Achaz born	Mt 1:9	Jehoahaz’s reign = 17 years	2Ki 10:35 & 2Ki 13:1	17	<= 3575
43	Ezekias born	Mt 1:9	Jehoash’s reign = 16 years	2Ki 13:9-10	16	<= 3591
44	Manasses	Mt 1:10	Jeroboam II’s reign = 41 years	2Ki 14:16 & 2Ki 14:23	41	<= 3632
45	Amon born	Mt 1:10	Zachariah’s reign = 6 months	2Ki 14:29 & 2Ki 15:8	6 months	<= 3633
46	Josias born	Mt 1:10	Shallum’s reign = 1 month	2Ki 15:8-10 & 2Ki 15:13	1 month	<= 3633
47	Jechonias born	Mt 1:11	Menahem’s = 10 years	2Ki 15:14 & 2Ki 15:17	10	<= 3643
48	Salathiel born	Mt 1:12	Pekahiah’ reign = 2 years	2Ki 15:22-23	2	<= 3645
49	Zorobabel	Mt 1:12	Hoshea’s reign = 9 years	2Ki 15:30 & 2Ki 17:1	9	<= 3654
50	Abiud born	Mt 1:13	Hezekiah’s reign = 29 years	2Ki 18:1-2	29	<= 3683
51	Eliakim born	Mt 1:13	Manasseh’s reign = 55 years	2Ki 20-1 & 2Ki 21:1	55	<= 3738
52	Azor born	Mt 1:13	Amon’s reign = 2 years	2Ki 21:18-19	2	<= 3740
53	Sadoc born	Mt 1:14	Josiah’s reign = 31 years	2Ki 22:1	31	<= 3771
54	Achim born	Mt 1:14	Jehoahaz’s reign = 3 months	2Ki 23:29-30 & 2Ki 23:31	3 months	<= 3771
55	Eliud born	Mt 1:14	Jehoiakim’s reign = 11 years	2Ki 23:34 & 2Ki 23:36	11	<= 3782
56	Eleazar born	Mt 1:15	Jehoiachin’s reign = 3 months	2Ki 24:6 & 2Ki 24:8	3 months	<= 3783
57	Matthan born	Mt 1:15	Zedekiah’s reign = 11 years	2Ki 24:15 & 2Ki 24:17-18 & Jer 52:11	11	<= 3794
58	Jacob born	Mt 1:15	Nebuchadrezzar’s 18th. year of reign = 10th. Year of Zedekiah’s. Nebuchadrezzar lived 44 years.	Jer 32:1	See below	See below
59	Joseph born	Mt 1:16	Cyrus completes Jeremiah’s prophecy of 70 year servitude to Babylon starting from 1st. year of Nebuchadrezzar’s reign.	Jer 25:1-11 & Ezra 1:1 & 2Ch 36:21	70 – 19 (Nebuchadrezzar’s reign already accounted for in Zedekiah’s above) = 51	<= 3845
60	Jesus born	Mt 1:16	Nebuchadrezzar died in 565 BC	Non-Biblical records, monuments, tablets.	< 565 (as Cyrus accounted for above after Nebuchadrezzar had died)	<= 4410

Again, don't argue with me about whether the chronology provided above is correct.  Regardless of your biblical interpretation, you will end up with an age of the Earth between 6,000 and 10,000 years old.  This is far from 4.6 billion years old.