Flat Earth - It's NOT Ridiculous

[Man of Proverbs]

I have a buddy (who is pretty intelligent, but would never say that to his face lol) that started believing it. It started with conspiracy theories and how nothing is what we really think it is. Then he started getting into the flat earth stuff. At first I thought it was more to push my buttons because I work in the science field, but then soon realized he really believed it. We get into some arguments about how scientifically some of his claims are wrong, but then I get the, how do you know your science is right? ugh lol

 

[Silverback]

Flat Earth
It's NOT Ridiculous
___

Far too many people make assumptions about “Flat Earth”. Everything from the model to assuming the matter is closed for discussion. There was a reason Barack Obama once said, “we don't have time for a meeting of the Flat Earth Society”. While the obvious is that he was mocking those who deny human-caused climate change, he also highlighted the fact that determining Earth's shape would take more time than he cared to give .

Is the Earth flat? To determine the answer, it's necessary to consider why we believe the world is a sphere. Is it because boats disappear over the horizon? Because of a lunar eclipse? Because an experiment done long ago which few of us have repeated, says so? Perhaps it's because of NASA's Blue Marble or other similar images? Maybe it's because Americans went to the Moon? Perhaps you remember seeing the curve at a beach? On a commercial flight? Maybe you have a friend who's a pilot and he showed you high altitude footage? Because experts told you it was?? What's your reason or reasons for believing the world is a sphere?

If you have only one reason, how many other things are you this certain of, yet only have one reason to believe is true? For example, do you believe in Bigfoot? Space aliens? Psychic powers? Past life experiences? Near death experiences? Heaven? Hell? Angels? Demons? Giants? Ancient technology? Do people get abducted by space aliens? Is the government hiding space aliens? Ancient astronauts? What proof for any of this do you have?

Does Earth orbit the Sun or does the Sun orbit the Earth? Is the Earth solid with a molten core or is it hollow? Is there land on Earth, hidden from modern maps? Does Eden exist? Was Atlantis real? Was Jesus Christ resurrected from death? Is the Holy Grail real? Do Satanists or Luciferians rule the world? Are there world-wide elite pedophilia rings? Are chemtrails real? Is there a depopulation agenda?

I could go on listing things people believe in. However, I think you get the point. So… Why do you believe the world is a globe, orbiting the Sun? Can your reasons have other explanations than what you currently accept?
___

I'd like to clarify that this thread isn't intended to make or assert the validity of any claims. Instead, it's here to promote discussion, encourage people to question, and correct the incorrect assumption that "it's ridiculous to think the world is flat" or even to question if it is.

The fact is, people ARE questioning the shape of the world and they have good reasons to do so. While many will inevitably disagree, claiming this multitude of people are ALL poorly educated, (and maybe some, even many are), the fact remains that not ALL are. So... Let's look at why we believe what we do?

Mental illness

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

I think bringing in string theory is an unhelpful distraction.

Completely. Like comparing apples and hamsters
.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Mental illness

Some conspiracies seem to border on paranoia and to the degree that conspiracy is involved in Flat Earth, well, one has to winder.

 

[Zetetica]

It seems to be mostly related to a particular kind of literal interpretation of the Bible combined with conspiracy theory.

That exists, I'm not going to deny it. However, that's not the rule, only the few.

 

[SeventhFisherofMen]

Flat Earth
It's NOT Ridiculous
___

Far too many people make assumptions about “Flat Earth”. Everything from the model to assuming the matter is closed for discussion. There was a reason Barack Obama once said, “we don't have time for a meeting of the Flat Earth Society”. While the obvious is that he was mocking those who deny human-caused climate change, he also highlighted the fact that determining Earth's shape would take more time than he cared to give .

Is the Earth flat? To determine the answer, it's necessary to consider why we believe the world is a sphere. Is it because boats disappear over the horizon? Because of a lunar eclipse? Because an experiment done long ago which few of us have repeated, says so? Perhaps it's because of NASA's Blue Marble or other similar images? Maybe it's because Americans went to the Moon? Perhaps you remember seeing the curve at a beach? On a commercial flight? Maybe you have a friend who's a pilot and he showed you high altitude footage? Because experts told you it was?? What's your reason or reasons for believing the world is a sphere?

If you have only one reason, how many other things are you this certain of, yet only have one reason to believe is true? For example, do you believe in Bigfoot? Space aliens? Psychic powers? Past life experiences? Near death experiences? Heaven? Hell? Angels? Demons? Giants? Ancient technology? Do people get abducted by space aliens? Is the government hiding space aliens? Ancient astronauts? What proof for any of this do you have?

Does Earth orbit the Sun or does the Sun orbit the Earth? Is the Earth solid with a molten core or is it hollow? Is there land on Earth, hidden from modern maps? Does Eden exist? Was Atlantis real? Was Jesus Christ resurrected from death? Is the Holy Grail real? Do Satanists or Luciferians rule the world? Are there world-wide elite pedophilia rings? Are chemtrails real? Is there a depopulation agenda?

I could go on listing things people believe in. However, I think you get the point. So… Why do you believe the world is a globe, orbiting the Sun? Can your reasons have other explanations than what you currently accept?
___

I'd like to clarify that this thread isn't intended to make or assert the validity of any claims. Instead, it's here to promote discussion, encourage people to question, and correct the incorrect assumption that "it's ridiculous to think the world is flat" or even to question if it is.

The fact is, people ARE questioning the shape of the world and they have good reasons to do so. While many will inevitably disagree, claiming this multitude of people are ALL poorly educated, (and maybe some, even many are), the fact remains that not ALL are. So... Let's look at why we believe what we do?

Come on you can’t be serious, do you really believe the Earth is flat?

 

[Zetetica]

"Evidence" can be misinterpreted. Scientific evidence much less so. Have you heard of the video "Behind the Curve"? That was a video made of Flat Earthers. The maker was very polite to them and helped them with a proper scientific test that could confirm or refute the Flat Earth belief. All of the Flat Earthers involved thought that the tests were valid and that there was no way that they could fail. And the Flat Earthers did run the tests. Both tests ran falsified their claims.

Also there are spots on the Earth where the curve is visible. How do you deal with those?

Please tell me you're joking when you bring up "Behind the Curve"? It's a mockumentary though not as horrible as the one Logan Paul did, "Flat Earth - To The Edge and Back".

As for the "curve" being visible, as Mr. Tyson once said, "you have to be really high"... to see the curvature of the Earth; NASA echos that statement as well. Anything over 25+ thousand feet should be sufficient, though some suggest over 30+ thousand; others suggest 80+ thousand, and more yet advise on the height of the ISS. Can you see the curvature from ground level? No, that's ridiculous. Optically, from sea level, Earth is flat. Most scientists will agree on that.

 

[Zetetica]

I think bringing in string theory is an unhelpful distraction.

Perhaps but it served to make a point and to be fair, it's connected to the Heliocentric construct.

 

[Zetetica]

I have a buddy (who is pretty intelligent, but would never say that to his face lol) that started believing it. It started with conspiracy theories and how nothing is what we really think it is. Then he started getting into the flat earth stuff. At first I thought it was more to push my buttons because I work in the science field, but then soon realized he really believed it. We get into some arguments about how scientifically some of his claims are wrong, but then I get the, how do you know your science is right? ugh lol

Why wouldn't you tell your friend you think he's intelligent?

 

[Zetetica]

Come on you can’t be serious, do you really believe the Earth is flat?

I don't "believe" it's flat, I accept that it's flat. I'm entirely serious.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

Optically, from sea level, Earth is flat. Most scientists will agree on that.

So when you stand in a totally dark room you think world ceases to exist because optically it looks that way. I am sure most scientist would disagree.

 

[Zetetica]

So when you stand in a totally dark room you think world ceases to exist because optically it looks that way. I am sure most scientist would disagree.

No, I don't think such a thing. Furthermore, I wasn't arguing that the world is flat because "it looks that way from sea level". Again, most scientists will agree that from sea level (or below 23+ thousand feet) *give or take*, Earth is optically flat. Does that make it flat? No. That doesn't make it flat.

 

[Strong in Him]

The earth has been photographed many times from space by people who landed on the moon. We can see that it's round; I'm not sure why anyone would want to suggest otherwise.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

Earth is optically flat. Does that make it flat? No. That doesn't make it flat.

Correct. So why bring it up ?

 

[Subduction Zone]

Please tell me you're joking when you bring up "Behind the Curve"? It's a mockumentary though not as horrible as the one Logan Paul did, "Flat Earth - To The Edge and Back".

As for the "curve" being visible, as Mr. Tyson once said, "you have to be really high"... to see the curvature of the Earth; NASA echos that statement as well. Anything over 25+ thousand feet should be sufficient, though some suggest over 30+ thousand; others suggest 80+ thousand, and more yet advise on the height of the ISS. Can you see the curvature from ground level? No, that's ridiculous. Optically, from sea level, Earth is flat. Most scientists will agree on that.

When people have foolish ideas treating those ideas seriously tends to look like a mocumentary. Like it or not the experiment chosen by the flat Earthers demonstrated that they had foolish beliefs. And you are wrong. There are places in the Earth where one can see the curve. For example at Lake Pontchartrain a series of power lines allow the curvature to be seen.

Lake Pontchartrain Power Transmission Lines: Evidence of Earth’s Curvature

 

[Subduction Zone]

I don't "believe" it's flat, I accept that it's flat. I'm entirely serious.

No, you believe. All the scientific evidence tells us it is a sphere. One has to be willing to put one's money where one's mouth is to use the accept claim.

 

[Whyayeman]

The earth is either flat or , er, not flat. If it is flat, we must think of it as a disc. So it must have an edge, a rim, a boundary of some kind. So, Zetetica could provide evidence to support the flat earth theory by indicating the limit of the planet. Perhaps a photograph of earth from space, taken edge-on? Now that would be convincing! Or what about a view of earth from underneath? Their could a whole new world 'down under'!

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

That exists, I'm not going to deny it. However, that's not the rule, only the few.

Why do you think it is flat?

 

[tas8831]

However, for me it’s a Biblical matter at the moment.

If the Bible says it’s flat, it’s flat.

And FEs call US 'sheeple.'

I just need to discern if the Bible really does say such things, to be certain. (No, don’t argue and tell me it doesn’t). There is a very good case for it doing so.

Not really.

 

[Lost4words]

A flat earth is a likely as T-rex driving down the High street in a corvet!