Varves, Confirmation Bias, or Lying for Jesus?

 
https://barryhisblog.blogspot.com/p/varves-confirmation-bias-or-lying-for.html

Varve deposits from Lake Suigetsu, Japan

In a Facebook group frequented by young-earth creationists (YECs) who are fans of James Ussher who, in 1650, claimed that the world began on the 22nd October 4004 BC, about tea-time, they were presented with some evidence of much greater ages.

That evidence consisted of the dendrochronological record, carbon isotope ratios, varve counts, and the way in which they correspond, or correlate. 

The dendrochronological record is the record of tree-rings, which show distinctive thickness variations over years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrochronology

Carbon isotope ratios in organic samples vary with the length of time carbon-14 has had to decay since it was first created. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiocarbon_dating

Varves are yearly deposits in the beds of lakes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varve

The clincher for these three lines of evidence being reliable is that they are independent of one another, yet they correlate. This means that, over a large range of dates, any given date will be the same for each dating method (with minor and well understood variations). 

This would not be the case if any of the methods were faulty, or based on mistaken assumptions.

Now one YEC, presented with this evidence and reasoning, looked up "Varve" in Wikipedia", which is a little strange, because these people commonly poo-poo Wikipedia as a reference, despite it having been favourably reviewed in comparison with the Encyclopaedia Britannica, and despite its entries having extensive reference sections and despite the fact that it is fiercely checked and corrected by an army of Wikipedians. 

So we come, at last, to the point. He found the Wikipedia page on varves, and posted this from it.

- "although varves were considered likely to give similar information to dendrochronology, they were considered "too uncertain" for use on a long-term timescale."

I replied, "I find it fascinating, (name withheld), how people are selectively conscious only of the things that confirm what they want to believe. The full paragraph is as follows."

"In 2008, although varves were considered likely to give similar information to dendrochronology, they were considered "too uncertain" for use on a long-term timescale. However, by 2012, “missing” varves in the Lake Suigetsu sequence were identified in the Lake Suigetsu 2006 Project by overlapping multiple cores and improved varve counting techniques, extending the timescale to 52,800 years.

"It is either confirmation bias on your part, or a deliberate attempt to mislead our readers. If the latter, do you think Jesus is pleased with you lying for him?"

I have been struggling for years to understand the mentality of these people.