Just how old is the earth, anyway?

Y'know, all through school I was taught that the earth is "billions of years old" and that dinosaurs lived "millions of years ago" and that we "evolved" from other creatures.

I just wanna say that I don't buy it, and it's not because I haven't looked at science. I actually have a Bachelor's degree in Physics from Southwestern College and I gotta say that every time I question the age of the earth in academic circles, I'm met with voilent opposition.

I mean, I'm accused of every nasty thing under the sun. All I do is say, what's your proof? and they respond with things like the "geologic column" which we use to prove that index fossils are correct, and then they provide proof like "index fossils" which we use to prove that the geologic column is correct...

... does this sound like a "chicken and the egg" thing to anyone besides me?

Hey, if someone wants to believe that the earth is that old, then go ahead. But quit acting like you were there when it was formed and know it for a fact.