A New Biblical & Scientific Refutation of a Flat Earth!

A New Biblical & Scientific Refutation of a Flat Earth!

The Bible Refutes a Flat Earth:

1. Sunset

The Bible talks about the sun setting (Genesis 28:11) (Mark 1:32). This is clearly something we can observe without our own two eyes. The sun sets on the horizon line from our perspective or vantage point. However, the Flat Earth Sun Model ignores the true setting of the sun.

Here is a Picture of an Overview Head View of a Flat Earth (with their version of the sun):



Here is a Video Simulation From Ground Level if The Earth Were Flat With the Sun Making a Circle (Skip to 1 Minute and 9 seconds within the following video to see this):


But is this Flat Earth Ground Simulation what we see in the Real World? No. We see a sunset. If the sun setted on a Flat Earth, it would go down below the edge of the Flat disk and underneath it and the whole world would be in darkness for a time.

2. Three Heavens.

The Bible describes three Heavens (Sky, Outer space, and Paradise). Yet, how does three heavens work with a Flat Earth model? Genesis talks about one Heaven (singular) in the beginning (Genesis 1:1), and concludes the creation account with talking about Heavens (plural) (Genesis 2:1). That is because the Bible starts out describing the creation of Earth and it's atmosphere (Genesis 1:1-13), and it concludes with the creation of the host of Heavens (i.e. the planets, and stars, etc.) (Genesis 1:14-19) (Genesis 2:1). Here is an explanation on the three Heavens:


3. The World Wide Flood.

The Flat Earth model does not work because the waters in a world wide flood would pour off the ends of the Earth. On top of that, the waters were supposed to be 22 feet and 6 inches higher than the tallest mountains. Here is a Video Illustrating the different Flat Earth Models and how they would not work during a World Wide Flood:


Key passage of study from the video:

19 "And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.
20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.
21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:
22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died"
(Genesis 7:19-22).


4. South is down according to the Bible (See Acts of the Apostles 8:26).

Is this just a coincidence that just so happens to match up with the reality of our spherical Earth? Maps show North as up and South as down on the map (Which also fits the reality of a spherical Earth). True North should be up and true South should be down. Granted, the Bible does use the words "down" or "up" in relation to elevation sometimes. But the context and map making should determine the use of that word.

5. The 9th commandment (Exodus 20:16 cf. Revelation 21:8).

You shall not bear false witness. Some of things I have heard by Flat Earthers sound more like lies or bearing false witness than they do facts. Can we imagine calling a Christian brother a liar who gave his testimony of going into space and said the Earth is round and he brought back photos showing that fact? No people can go to Antarctica? Yet, you can book your next vacation there and people have posted videos and photos of going there. Gunships prevent people from going to Antarctica? Planes do not have enough fuel capacity to fly far enough to reach the edge of the Earth? Yet, we can send rockets into space. Satellites are not true? The list of lies against many people goes on and on. It seeks to cause harm upon others that is not true and or believable. The Bible says we are to pray and to do good towards our enemies. We are not to spread lies or bear false witness against our fellow neighbor or brother based upon some kind of unbelievable set of conspiracy theories.


Science Refutes a Flat Earth:

1. Ships and Buildings go down into the distance as you get farther away from them.



Note: Flat Earth theorists object that these things reappear back into view with a high powered telescope or binoculars. This is clearly false. They are more than likely standing up or going to a high elevation to see the ship reappear. Stand up and you will see the sun set again. Note: see: Help with a debate about curvature and distance calculations. Also, there are underground miles long linear accelerators and the Lake Pontchartrain Power Lines which proves that the Earth is curved, as well. Check out the Spoiler:



2. Sunset.

The claims by the proponents of the flat earth model that what looks like a sunset is actually due to perspective from the sun moving farther away in its "orbit" above the flat earth. This can be shown with simple trigonometry to be completely false; in fact, the trigonometry shows you that in the flat earth model, the sun never gets close to the horizon, and thus viewing a sunset at all proves the flat earth claim false.

I have read debunks of the claim, but they focus more on the angular size changes of the Sun that would result from the flat earth model, but I've been surprised that I've yet to find a presentation of the actual trigonometry that shows a flat Earth sunset never happens.

I submit the following scenario, with diagram and calculation: Imagine standing on the equator at solar noon on the day of the equinox. In both the globe earth and the flat earth models, the sun will be directly above you. However, this is where the similarity ends. Six hours later, on the globe earth, the sun will have descended to the horizon at a position due West. On the flat earth, the sun will have gone one quarter around its "orbit" and will be seen to be 19.5 degrees above the horizon in a northwest direction.



Even when the sun is 12 hours around its orbit, it won't be lower than about 14 degrees (atan(3000/12000)), though magically it will be unobservable and your surroundings will be dark.

It is disingenuous to present the setting sun as a "perspective effect" when it is so easy to show how high up in the sky the sun should be as a function of time. This perspective effect only works with objects with a very small ratio of height above the ground to distance from the viewer.

This is sufficient to disprove the flat earth model presented above. The setting sun disproves the flat earth model. Source:Sunset on globe earth versus flat earth

3. You can see certain constellations only from certain parts of the Earth.

The Southern Cross Constellation cannot be seen in the higher part of the Northern Hemisphere. The North Star and the Big Dipper cannot be seen in the lower Southern Hemisphere, etc.



4. Solar and Lunar Eclipses also disprove a Flat Earth:

Click on the following Spoiler button if you want to see the difference between a Lunar and a Solar eclipse.


5. People live in the South Pole, and can provide 24 hours of video footage of daylight (Which is not possible on a Flat Earth because the Flat Earth sun goes around the crust of the pizza or what Flat Earthers believe is the South pole). Please see the very 1st image within this post. You will see the white outer edge of their flat disc is what they believe is the South pole. You will notice that the sun does not illuminate the entire outer white ring on their Flat Earth map. This is why do not believe the South pole can have 24 hours of daylight (Despite video footage and eye witness account proving otherwise).


Flat Earthers claim we cannot visit Antarctica, and yet, we can travel there: 3 Ways to Travel to Antarctica - wikiHow

6. We are able to go high above the atmosphere with rockets, weather balloons, satellites and take pictures and video footage of the Earth and see that it is round.



7. Shadows on the Earth.

Imagine the Sun's rays (represented by yellow lines) hitting two sticks (white lines) some distance apart. If the Earth were flat, the resulting shadows would be the same length, no matter how far apart you place the sticks. Check out the following Spoiler:


8. Stars can be seen in outer-space in low Earth orbit at night time with a camera on a weather balloon.


This proves that the stars are not embedded in the atmosphere as Flat Earthers claim. Also, no flat Earth sun was visibly shining like a spotlight up in Earth’s orbit, either. Why? Because the sun is on the other side of a spherical Earth.

9. Planes can Fly Long Distances (and would have no trouble reaching the Edges of a Flat Earth):

The flight from Dubai to New Zealand is 16 hours and 24 minutes of travel for 8,824 miles. This disproves the idea that planes do not have enough fuel capacity to travel the distance to the outer edge of the imaginary flat Earth drop off points. We also have space shuttles with airplanes on them. So crossing distances is not a problem. In fact, we sent rockets to outer space, too. There are also cargo planes that can hold massive trucks. Could we not take snow vehicles and drive through the snow to discover the edge, as well? Also, compasses sometimes fail. It would be odd that no pilot in human history has never accidentally ran into this outer drop off point of the Earth when their compass failed.


The problem with believing in a Flat Earth:

It adds an offense that can turn away a person from Christianity. The gospel is already an offense enough as it is. To add even more of an offense is a problem.

It is a belief that is set out to call other people liars without good reason or proof. It is not focused on loving your enemy as Christ commands us.

Flat Earth is also not founded upon any major evidence showing us that the Earth is flat like pictures or video footage of the drop off points of the Earth, either. It is based upon an unfounded web of conspiracy theories and unproven Fringe Science. It seeks to create outrageous theories so as to defend a theory that is denies basic Science.

Netgear said:

Nice post

Click to expand...

Thank you;
May God bless you this fine today.

I re-edited a few things in my post. One notable thing I added in #5 of my Biblical reasons in refuting a Flat Earth is the following:

I wanted to say that there are times in the Bible that the words "up" and "down" and it's related synonyms can refer to elevation sometimes (even when speaking of directions like North, South, East, West, etc.). However, in the instance in Acts of the Apostles 8:26, we see that going down South to Gaza from Jerusalem is indeed going downwards on a map. It would be true South. If one is going true South, then they are going down. So it could refer to both elevation of going down from the mountainous region of Jerusalem and going down the circumference of the Earth (true South). I do not believe there are coincidences; And I also believe verses can speak multiple truths.

As I pointed out in the other Flat Earth thread, if you believe in the popular Flat Earth model (with the sun moving like this):



Then this is what it would look like from the ground:




But that is not what we see.

If the sun set on a Flat Earth, it would look like this:



And there would be a period of darkness for the entire world until the sun came back up. But does the entire world experience darkness all at once like this? Is this what we observe? No. The reason why the sun can be seen on another part of the Earth is because it is a sphere.

Note: These images were taken from the video of my OP.

Science:

10. Solstices and Equinoxes Disprove a Flat Earth:


Above: diagrams of the fallacious flat earth with spotlight sun model—click image to enlarge.

Source:
A flat earth, and other nonsense - CMI Mobile

Flat Earth theorists believe our Earth and sun is sort of like a flashlight beam that makes a circle on a pizza. But this cannot work because we see the sun drop below the horizon with the entire world all becoming dark. The sun should be visible as making a circle pattern high up in the sky.

This is really a cool video.

It is 360 (you control the 360 angle) camera of going up into the stratosphere. As you can see, the Earth is curved and you can see the sun above the Earth. So cool. Just touch the little circle icon in the top left hand corner to control the camera angle.

pgp_protector said:

Going to have to try this on the PSP VR headset.

Click to expand...

Let me know how it works out.

Science:

11. Stars Spin in Direction Differently in the Far Northern Hemisphere than They Do in the Far Southern Hemisphere.



It is worth taking note that one can prove the Earth is a sphere by the fact that we can see the stars spinning in one direction on the Northern Hemisphere and yet we can see the stars spinning in the opposite direction on the Southern Hemisphere. You can contact people in these different hemispheres and get them to record footage for you (without letting them know your intentions to prove a round or flat Earth).

There is actually a more simpler way to check this without contacting a bunch of people if you like. Try spinning while you stand (either on ice or with your own two feet on the ground).



Take one of your hands and point to the direction of where you are going to spin while you are on your two feet.



Look up at the ceiling (as you spin).



and visualize an imaginary clock on the ceiling above you as you spin.



Keep your hand pointing in the direction of the spin as you do this. Do you notice the imaginary clock spinning clock wise or counter clock wise?

Make a mental note to yourself if you see that the direction of your spin matches the hands of an analog clock going forward or backwards.



Now, look down:



Keep your hand in the same direction pointing (where you kept the same spin of direction from before):



Now star spinning on your two feet again or spin while you ice skate:



Important Note: Please keep your hand towards the same direction you pointed from the previous spin.

Now, imagine an imaginary analog clock at your feet as you spin.



Does the hands of the clock move clock wise or counter clock wise as you spin in the same direction as when you looked up at the ceiling?

If you did the experiment correctly, you will notice that the hands of the imaginary clock in your mind on the ceiling would be different than when you looked down at your imaginary analog clock on the ground.

This is the same reason why stars spin in different directions when looking at them in the Northern hemisphere vs. the Southern hemisphere.

I hope this helps somebody today.

May God bless you all.

With loving kindness to you in Christ,

Sincerely,

~ BH.

Bible:

6. Compass Directions East & West and Psalm 103:12.

I am thankful for CF poster "Brad B" for this discovery. He said, I quote:


This is from Psalms 103, and it says,

It is true there are no points for an East or West. However, there are points for a North and South. They are called the North and South poles for a reason on our spherical Earth. But on a Flat Earth, South is outward in all directions on a Flat disk. On a Flat Earth: The South is an infinite circle (sort of like a pizza crust) and it does not have any one ending point exactly. Granted, while God's Word is not a Science book, we should see it line up with Scientific truths because God created the Science of our universe. So when the Bible talks about Scientific things like North, South, East, and West, we would expect to see the truth of God's Word support the physical real world we live on in light of the truth of God's Word; And in this case, Psalms 103:12 makes more sense with a spherical Earth than a Flat Earth.

Side Note:

Oh, and I am also not intending Psalms 103:12 to be the one and only verse that refutes a Flat Earth. I believe it is merely one link in a Scriptural chain of evidences (of which I hope glorifies Jesus Christ).

Bible:

7. Jerusalem (North) is Above According to Galatians Four.

25 "For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all."
(Galatians 4:25-26).

In Galatians 4, Sarai/Isaac is paralleled with Jerusalem (Representing Faith and Freedom) and Hagar/Ishmael is paralleled with Mt. Sinai (Representing Law and Bondage). Again, I believe Mt. Sinai is Mt. Jabal al Lawz in Saudi Arabia - Which lines up with Paul essentially sayng, Jerusalem is above Mount Sinai in Abrabia (i.e. Saudi Arabia)).

The phrase, “Jerusalem, which is above [Mount Sinai],” clarified that Jerusalem and Mount Sinai corresponded to the same line of longitude. “Above” is translated from the Greek ano, a word that can also mean “upward” or “on the top” (ibid., #507). It appears in the NT nine times. Of chief interest here is its specific geographical meaning of “on the north” or “northward.” The word was used in this manner by the notable Greek historian Herodotus (Liddell and Scott 1889, 83-84). Paul’s inclusion of ano defined Jerusalem as being north of Mount Sinai on his line of sustoicheo.With these observations in mind, the geographical concepts in Galatians 4:25-26 can be summarized as follows:


Plotting Paul’s location for Mount Sinai

The map in Figure 4 shows the 35-15’E longitude meridian that passes just east of the Old City of Jerusalem. Moving southward, the line crosses the mountains of western Jordan, the ancient place of Mount Seir. Long before the Exodus, this region was synonymous with Edom, land that had been divinely granted to Esau, the brother of Jacob (Israel). Several arguments exist for not placing Mount Sinai in Edom, among them the biblical injunction that Esau’s territory was not to be violated by the Israelites.



It must be taken under consideration that Jerusalem is not higher in elevation from Mt. Jabal al-Lawz in Saudi Arabia (i.e. Mt. Sinai).

So Flat Earthers cannot object and say that Jerusalem is above in relation to elevation here.

Note: If you never heard about Jabal al-Lawz in Saudi Arabia as being Mt. Sinai, then you need to check out the following video (within my post). For it reveals amazing discoveries made at Mt. Sinai. Such as Elijah's cave, certain artifacts, and the split rock (showing us that it is indeed Mt. Sinai).

In fact, today, people have witnessed the burned top of Mt. Sinai. A Mountain that is now called "Jabal al Lawz" in Saudi Arabia. A mountain that you can see that is burned at the top.







If you don't like the resolution of the video at YouTube, I do believe the DVD is still available on Amazon or other select sites.

Anyways, getting back on topic: Galatians 4:25-26 is telling us that Jerusalem (Which is North of Mt. Sinai) is above. On a Flat Earth, North is considered the center point of a pizza or flat disk. There is no true North on a Flat disk. Maps would look like one would be going up or above, but on a flat disk Earth, going in the direction of North would not be going "above" but it would be going to the center of the map. North would technically be a lie. Yet, God's Word using directions of North, South, East, and West many times.

Note: Here is an illustration of a false map (showing North) according to the Flat Earthers:

And here is an illustration of the real world we live on:

Source used:
http://ancientexodus.com/2013/04/11/mount-sinai-and-the-apostle-paul/

Bible:

8. The Orion and Pleiades Star Clusters:





The Orion star cluster has been set loose and the stars within this star cluster have been drifting away from each other. Whereas the Pleiades star cluster is gravitationally held together as a group. God asked Job thousands of years ago if he can bind the Pleiades and loose the bands of Orion. We did not truly confirm this until the Science of Astronomy discovered such a thing. However, Flat Earthers believe gravity is a lie and or not true. Yet, we can observe gravity take place all around us. It is how the rings of Saturn do not float away from Saturn. There is some kind of force keeping those rings there. We call this gravity because it is a force that connects certain objects like a apple from a tree hitting the head of a person. In this case, in Job 38, we learn of how of how gravity (or unseen pull on objects) can be loosened and or increased by God's power.

Bible:

9. God stretches out the North - Job 26:7

"God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing."
(Job 26:7 NLT).

Here is the Northern sky on spherical Earth:




So I can see God stretching the northern sky (Not the Northern hemisphere) over empty space on our spherical planet. This model works.

But how exactly does this work with a Flat Earth with an atmospheric dome (with magnetic North being the point or center of the map)?





On a spherical Earth, I can separate true North and true South by the equator. Water spins in one direction above the equator vs. below the equator. The same is true for storms and stars. Stuff like that does not make any lick of sense on a flat Earth that has an atmospheric dome.

Or even on this model of a flat Earth:



Where is the North sky that God has stretched out so as to hang the Earth upon nothing?

In other words, I guess what I am saying is why call it the North sky if it is not easy to point out or find? Especially seeing that this Northern sky is stretched out, too.

Update:

I changed my viewpoint on what all of the three heavens are.

I used to believe that the firmament (i.e. Heaven) in Genesis 1:8 was either referring to the sky or to both the sky and outer space. I currently believe now that this firmament (Heaven) in Genesis 1:8 is in reference to the core layer of the Earth that separates the ocean from the fountains of the deep. But how can the firmament be called Heaven if this is so? Well, the reason why it is called Heaven is because Abraham's Bosom is in the heart of the Earth, and or God intended to have His Kingdom on the Earth (of which we see in the New Earth). For it was God's plan to have Heaven on Earth since the beginning.

Now, Genesis 1:14 describes a different firmament. It is called the firmament of Heaven. On Day 4: This firmament of the Heaven includes the sun, moon, and stars being placed in it (Which would obviously be our vantage point or view of the sky - but technically they would be in outer space). This viewpoint explains Genesis 7:11 of the fountains of the deep breaking up. So the firmament (the Earth's core) in Genesis 1:8 is saying that the waters above is the oceans and the waters below this firmament would be the fountains of the deep.


This view makes sense because the apostle Paul would not know about outer space and think it was a secondary Heaven separate from the sky being the first Heaven. That would be our understanding but not his (Unless God revealed this truth to him).