Tea party-backed Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) says that he’s not sure people will ever know if the Earth was created by God in just seven days because “it’s one of the great mysteries.”

In an interview published in the December issue of GQ magazine, Michael Hainey asked the potential 2016 presidential candidate how old he thought the Earth was.

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“I’m not a scientist, man,” Rubio replied. “I can tell you what recorded history says, I can tell you what the Bible says, but I think that’s a dispute amongst theologians and I think it has nothing to do with the gross domestic product or economic growth of the United States.”

“I’m not a scientist. I don’t think I’m qualified to answer a question like that. At the end of the day, I think there are multiple theories out there on how the universe was created and I think this is a country where people should have the opportunity to teach them all. I think parents should be able to teach their kids what their faith says, what science says.”

He added: “Whether the Earth was created in 7 days, or 7 actual eras, I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to answer that. It’s one of the great mysteries.”

Rubio also told GQ that with the exception of his wife, Republican South Carolina Sen. Jim Demint was his best friend in the world.

“He’s a great source of wisdom as a person who’s had to make decisions that have made him unpopular in his own party,” Rubio explained. “Jeb Bush is another guy I admire for his ability to analyze issues and call them for what they are.”

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DeMint, who sits on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, has called for creationism to be taught in schools and has argued that God put Christians in charge of “this vineyard we call America.”

[Photo credit: Gage Skidmore]

(h/t: Talking Points Memo)