What do you think of flat earth theory?

[ken_sylvania]

It really is saddening to see so many people falling for this nonsense. It really says volumes about their world view, and trust, and life experiences. I hope our churches do not use these people as school teachers.

What about geocentrists based on biblical literalism? I had some teachers who were there.

Do you have any opinions about what is the center of the universe?

[Robert]

How about wrapping your mind around it? Maybe the intellect can be more flexible than something more physically tangible.

I heard a flat earther said they have supporters all around the globe.

[RZehr]

It really is saddening to see so many people falling for this nonsense. It really says volumes about their world view, and trust, and life experiences. I hope our churches do not use these people as school teachers.

What about geocentrists based on biblical literalism? I had some teachers who were there.

That would be an issue for me. I would not want a geocentrist teaching at my school. Even though I don't have the same distaste for it as flat earth, because I see them originating from different sources. Geocentric is based out of a desire to completely believe the Bible and accepting by faith what they understand it to teach. And I try to respect that approach.
Flat Earth is not. I'm curious how much overlap between adherents there is though. My guess is that there is a lot. And I think they find each other and find affirmation in each other.

[Wade]

I don't think many of you realize that by your disgust and condescending comments over this topic could very well push many people seeking God away.

I grew up in a world where it was believed books, secular science, medicine and news on TV could be trusted. As an atheist I too thought flat earthers were ridiculous, likewise any alternative medicine and anything to do with creation.

Thank God that all came crashing down in my experience of finding out I could not trust in these things.
Some of us even have to open our mind to the thought that what the world is teaching might not be all true to come to terms with believing in God.

So please be nice and don't ridicule with disdain people asking questions and looking for truth.

I'm not advocating a flat earth theory but rather talking about the facts about the subject will do much more than the ridicule and attacking of character, please.

[silentreader]

How about wrapping your mind around it? Maybe the intellect can be more flexible than something more physically tangible.

I heard a flat earther said they have supporters all around the globe.

[Ken]

Strictly speaking, the earth is not a perfect sphere, but is slightly pear shaped and oblong.

This is due to the centripetal force of the earth's rotation. Remember that the earth is largely molten with a thin solid crust. So as it spins on its axis, it bulges at the equator and compresses at the poles. As would say...a water balloon that is spinning through the air. As a result, the earth's circumference actually measures 41 miles further around the equator than from pole to pole.

In addition, because there is MUCH more continental land mass in the northern hemisphere than southern hemisphere (which is mostly ocean) the earth bulges out more in the northern hemisphere than in the southern hemisphere due to centripetal force. This makes it slightly pear shaped (or an upside down pear if you are looking at it north-up).

In any event, we have known that the earth is spherical in shape since 240 BC when the Greek/Egyptian scientist Eratosthenes measured the circumference of the earth by measuring the angles of shadows cast at noon in two different towns in Egypt and calculating what percentage of a circle their distances apart would represent. I'm not sure why any of this is remotely controversial. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/this ... nce-earth/

[joshuabgood]

I don't think many of you realize that by your disgust and condescending comments over this topic could very well push many people seeking God away.

I grew up in a world where it was believed books, secular science, medicine and news on TV could be trusted. As an atheist I too thought flat earthers were ridiculous, likewise any alternative medicine and anything to do with creation.

Thank God that all came crashing down in my experience of finding out I could not trust in these things.
Some of us even have to open our mind to the thought that what the world is teaching might not be all true to come to terms with believing in God.

So please be nice and don't ridicule with disdain people asking questions and looking for truth.

I'm not advocating a flat earth theory but rather talking about the facts about the subject will do much more than the ridicule and attacking of character, please.

In some cases, ridiculous ideas should be ridiculed.

Particularly when they are proposed by people who live in a day and time where they can actually easily discover truth. The flat earth hoax is ridiculous. 5 days ago I drove 11 hours due west. From one end of the EST to the other. Surprise suprise, I noticed that it got dark an hour later and got light an hour later a days drive to the west...than what it did at home. When I drove home a few days later...presto - it was back to normal. I have repeated this experiment many times and it always happens. Further, the fact that I can't see the Southern Cross from PA is clear evidence of a globe....but I can from the southern hemisphere, and I can see it really low in the horizon from south FL, is also irrefutable evidence.

A well-known teacher once told me, and I agree, that the belief in flat earth is like mental pornography. Its adherents have a mental need/addiction to belong to some "insider" knowledge a a secret club of enlightened people that have "taken off the blinders" the rest of us wear. It'slike they seen themselves in the Matrix. No amount of reason will ever convince them...

[Ken]

It really is saddening to see so many people falling for this nonsense. It really says volumes about their world view, and trust, and life experiences. I hope our churches do not use these people as school teachers.

What about geocentrists based on biblical literalism? I had some teachers who were there.

Can you point to an actual biblical case for geocentrism? I mean something actually modern and not the Catholic Inquisition's trial and conviction of Galileo in 1633?

I would be curious to read an actual modern day biblical argument for geocentrism.

[appleman2006]

I don't think many of you realize that by your disgust and condescending comments over this topic could very well push many people seeking God away.

I grew up in a world where it was believed books, secular science, medicine and news on TV could be trusted. As an atheist I too thought flat earthers were ridiculous, likewise any alternative medicine and anything to do with creation.

Thank God that all came crashing down in my experience of finding out I could not trust in these things.
Some of us even have to open our mind to the thought that what the world is teaching might not be all true to come to terms with believing in God.

So please be nice and don't ridicule with disdain people asking questions and looking for truth.

I'm not advocating a flat earth theory but rather talking about the facts about the subject will do much more than the ridicule and attacking of character, please.

Wade I appreciate what you are saying and I especially appreciate it coming from from one who has had to give up many things and ideas that he had taken for granted in his former life in order to believe truth.

However there is another very serious side to this. There are in fact people that literally classify all Christians with those that have put their minds into neutral and will believe any wives fable that comes along providing it is not mainstream. I do not think it brings glory to God when Christians become associated with obvious foolish and scientifically proven garbage beliefs and ideologies. Certainly we do believe things that the world considers to be foolish but we are wise to pick our battles carefully and not get sucked into the pseudo science that is out there.

edited to add that I posted this before I noticed Ken's and Joshua's responses and was not simply trying to pile it on. I apologize if it felt like that.

[ohio jones]

So please be nice and don't ridicule with disdain people asking questions and looking for truth.

I'm not advocating a flat earth theory but rather talking about the facts about the subject will do much more than the ridicule and attacking of character, please.

I try to have a lot of patience with someone who is asking questions and looking for truth. I think that's very important.

The flat earthers I've run across, though, generally act like they have found the truth, have no questions, don't want to be bothered with facts, and are out to convert everyone to their point of view. It's much more difficult to refrain from returning ridicule for ridicule in those cases. I agree we should try, though.