A biogeographic and taxonomic challenge to Young-Earth Creationist models.
The "Opie Paradox" is a focused reductio ad absurdum demonstrating that Young-Earth Creationism (YEC) cannot coherently account for the modern North American opossum (Didelphis virginiana) within its own stated framework. By granting all core YEC assumptions – including a recent global Flood, an Ark-based origin for all extant land animals, and even miraculous post-Flood dispersal – one arrives at a trilemma: no matter where the modern opossum is placed immediately after the Flood, the YEC model contradicts itself either through its Flood geology, its baraminological taxonomy, or its anti-macroevolution stance.
The paradox does not depend on radiometric dating, standard geological chronology, or evolutionary naturalism; it arises solely from internal tensions within YEC's own claims.
Under YEC, the fossil record must reflect post-Flood biogeographic reality for mammals — yet it must NOT reflect that reality whenever it contradicts YEC expectations. The opossum lineage reveals that no single interpretation of fossil order can satisfy both YEC biology and YEC geology. YEC must treat the very same fossil sequence as both valid evidence for post-Flood dispersal AND as invalid evidence for post-Flood dispersal. This is the Opie Paradox.
This is an internal critique of mainstream AiG-style YEC, using only their own assumptions.
Feedback welcome.