Old Earth Vs. Young Earth

Few topics cause more of a rise in passion and discussion in our household than the topic of young earth or old earth.  Is Genesis 1 literal?  Or figurative?  If its literal, how do we reconcile it with scientific data?  If its figurative, by what criteria do we label it figurative (lest we start labeling the parts of scripture that are inconvenient for us as figurative). 

However, "Get Fuzzy", one of our favorite comic strips, has provided a powerfully reconciliative answer.  I hope you find as much meaning and closure in this as I have.