Those who hold the doctrines of uniformitarianism and evolution usually do so because of such things as the fossil record, or other supposed evidence for a very old earth. Those, moreover, who want to combine evangelical Christianity and uniformitarianism may argue that if the earth is not very old, God would be deceitful in making it appear so. It is maintained here, however, the God does not deceive men; it is much more likely that they deceive themselves. Moreover, the essence of deceitfulness lies in the intent. God, in creating the world as it is, did not make it thus for the purpose of deceiving men, but for very good reasons, which, of course, may or may not be apparent to men at the present.