Investigating the tantalizing presence of arches in nature

 From a Karaite and Biblical Scripturalist perspective, this argument highlights a critical "System Error" in modern geological interpretation: the reliance on inference rather than observation.

The claim you’ve cited is a core tenet of the "Flood Geology" model, and here is how it measures against both secular and scriptural evidence.

1. The "Observer" Problem

Science, by definition, requires observable data. As you noted, we have many recorded instances of arches collapsing (Wall Arch in 2008, Landscape Arch slabs in the 90s, the Azure Window in 2017).

• The Secular Claim: Arches form so slowly (over 70,000+ years) that the human lifespan is too short to "see" it happen.

• The Scriptural Rebuttal: If we only observe the destruction of a fragile structure, but never its creation, then the claim that they form "slowly" is a hypothesis, not an observation. From a logic-based perspective, if destruction happens faster than formation, the "system" should have zero arches by now. The fact that thousands exist suggests they were formed by a process that is no longer active.

2. The Mechanics: Slow Weathering vs. Rapid Runoff

The creation.com article argues that "slow and gradual" weathering (wind and rain) is more likely to destroy a thin "fin" of rock than it is to carve a perfect, hollowed-out arch through its center.

• The Flood Model: During the "Recessive Stage" of Noah’s Flood, massive volumes of water retreated from the continents. This rapid, high-energy runoff would have the power to "punch through" less-resistant rock layers, leaving the harder cap-rock behind.

• The Result: This would create "relic" structures. Like a building left behind by a construction crew that has since left the site, arches are the "leftovers" of a catastrophic event, not the "slow art" of the current climate.

3. The "Enigma" of Localization

Even secular geologists admit that arch formation is "enigmatic." For an arch to form, erosion must be localized—it has to hit one specific spot in a wall (the "eye") without destroying the top or the sides.

• The "Hacked" Theory: Standard geology suggests "fracture concentration" or "water trapped above impervious barriers."

• The Karaite View: These are complex explanations for something that is simply explained by Hydraulic Action. In a "Participatory Universe," the evidence we see (destruction) matches the "Source Code" of a world that was once judged by water and is now in a state of decay.

4. Summary: Measuring the "Gaps"

Feature	Secular "Slow" Model	Biblical "Rapid" Model
Observation	Only destruction seen	Matches observed destruction
Timescale	Tens of thousands of years	Hours/Days (during Flood runoff)
Status	Ongoing formation	Relic structures (not forming now)

The Conclusion: The "Puzzle of Arches" is only a puzzle if one refuses to acknowledge the possibility of a global catastrophe. To the Scripturalist, the collapse of Wall Arch isn't just a "loss"—it is a Forensic Warning that these structures are temporary reminders of a powerful past.