questions

So I'm reading this article on Boing Boing where Richard Dawkins is talking about universities employing people who believe in Young Earth Creationism as scientists and geologists, etc. And at first I was feeling sort of as if he were being a bit harsh (as he is wont to do), but then I suddenly thought:

If you don't believe in a universe that is fourteen billion years old, why are you an astronomer?

Granted, it might be to find evidence of God, or to disprove that the universe is that old, etc.

But then why are you publishing research studies that conform to the concept a 14 billion year old universe? Pretending to everyone that you believe it? How can you live a lie?

I'm sincerely curious.