why do people believe the earths flat

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Chris V++

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Maybe it was originally designed to be flat...and then tumultuous events, such as the fall, occurred...and then things got all jammed up with the plates and all...?
If we all work together we can end plate tectonics tomorrow!
 
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Dave-W

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The Flat Earth:


1200px-Moraine_Lake_17092005.jpg

Rockies

upload_2019-12-20_7-19-54.jpeg

Andes

Location-of-Himalayan.jpg

Himalayas

Matterhorn_from_Domh%C3%BCtte_-_2.jpg

Matterhorn in the Alps.
 
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JackRT

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If we examine our local universe/solar system there are a number of observations that must be consistently explained:

1. tidal effects on earth


2. moon's near side "locked' to earth

3. phases of the moon

4. retardation of the moon's 'rising'

5. seasons of the earth

6. seasonal 24 hour days and nights in the arctic and antarctic

7. coreolis effects on earth

8. Foucault's pendulum

9. precession of the earth's axis

10. apparent daily rotation of the "fixed stars" about the pole star

11. this rotation being in opposite directions at the two poles

12. motion of the "wandering stars" (planets) including retrograde motion

13. earth-moon centre of gravity orbits

14. eclipses of the sun, moon and planets

15. northern and southern lights

16. meteors, asteroids and comets

17. moons and/or rings around other planets

18. there are certainly other effects that I have missed

There is only one self consistent model/theory that explains all of these observations and that is the present cosmology of a heliocentric solar system. This does not explain why these objects behave as they do, it only provides a very refined model that accounts for all the observed effects.

Now add into this the experimentally verified non-relativistic laws of motion and of gravity, known as Newtonian or classical mechanics, and we now have the why that explains the model in a near perfect manner. It is so successful that it has enabled us to send people into earth and moon orbits, to the moon itself and return to earth. We have been able to navigate probes to all the planets and beyond. People have stood on our moon and observed our planet rotating in front of them in real time. Any other cosmology finds it necessary to suspend known laws of science, hypothesize supernatural intervention and invoke a conspiracy theory extending over centuries involving tens of millions of people a great many of whom are Christian.

In Old Testament times it is certainly true that they regarded the earth as flat in a three tiered universe --- flat with a sky-dome (the firmament) overhead. Just like the rapture theory and the trinity theory, the flat earth worldview is nowhere stated explicitly but it is alluded to in many places. There are also many old testament and even a few new testament stories that are only to be understood in a flat earth context. Generally this flat earth was regarded as circular but we are in places told that it has four corners and is supported by pillars and that there are storehouses for the snow and hail. Of course this seems very primitive to us today but we must remember that these scriptures come out of a far less sophisticated culture. A culture that was deeply suspicious of anything Gentile. It may well be that some of the educated elite were aware of the Greek notion of a spherical world but with an illiteracy rate of about 90% the common people certainly were not. The scriptures were most likely written with the naivety of the common people in mind and used language that would not stretch their credulity too far.

It is little wonder then that the flat earth notion persisted so long and that the bible was used to support it. After all the flat earth was the biblical worldview. Should it concern us that the bible supported this notion? Not at all! We do not need to rush to its defense and use weasel words to somehow prove to ourselves that the bible authors had the same worldview that we do. We must realize that these authors lived in a historical context and that the language and ideas that they used fit that context as well.
 
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Halbhh

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Is flat. Is good news. Is God is true, is man is liar. Is usual story.
If meant to be funny, not quite clear enough. People should of course never read just isolated verses without full passages(which is something a non-believer would be content with, just isolated verses to prove some point they prefer), and then think they know what it means because someone said so -- a person should always read the full book the verse is in before they imagine they understand a verse, but can start by the full chapter that verse is in fully (but a full book is just always better, and these books can be read most of them in an hour easily; there is a question to us: does one even believe? If they do, they should want to hear "Every word from the mouth of God" as Christ said. With a listening attitude, then it becomes much easier to get just what was meant, and have no trouble with the metaphors. But, let's find the verses and post the chapters, to aid people.
 
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If meant to be funny, not quite clear enough. People should of course never read just isolated verses without full passages(which is something a non-believer would be content with, just isolated verses to prove some point they prefer), and then think they know what it means because someone said so -- a person should always read the full book the verse is in before they imagine they understand a verse, but can start by reading a passage the verse is in or better a full chapter. With a listening attitude, then it becomes much easier to get just what was meant, and have no trouble with the metaphors.

So God's only true in context?
 
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Halbhh

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Verses that can be read OUT OF CONTEXT and asserted (falsely) to say the Earth is fixed and flat, even though reading the same chapter or book will show clearly the meaning was different:
15 Bible Verses about Flat Earth - Geological Scripture Quotes

Let's look at the first:

https://biblehub.com/1_chronicles/16-30.htm

Ok, so, does this mean the Earth is fixed in place, and unmoving?

Let's have a look; quickly we find this verse is from a song:

1They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God. 2After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. 3Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each Israelite man and woman.

4He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to extol, a thank, and praise the Lord, the God of Israel: 5Asaph was the chief, and next to him in rank were Zechariah, then Jaaziel, b Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

7That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise to the Lord in this manner:

8Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
9Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.

10Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
11Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.

12Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
13you his servants, the descendants of Israel,
his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.

14He is the Lord our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
15He remembers his covenant forever,
the promise he made, for a thousand generations,

16the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.

17He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:

18“To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion you will inherit.”

19When they were but few in number,
few indeed, and strangers in it,

20they wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.

21He allowed no one to oppress them;
for their sake he rebuked kings:
22“Do not touch my anointed ones;
do my prophets no harm.”

23Sing to the Lord, all the earth;
proclaim his salvation day after day.

24Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
25For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.

26For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
27Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy are in his dwelling place.

28Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
29Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come before him.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

30Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

31Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”

32Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!

33Let the trees of the forest sing,
let them sing for joy before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.

34Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
35Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior;
gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
and glory in your praise.”

36Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.

Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”

37David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister there regularly, according to each day’s requirements. 38He also left Obed-Edom and his sixty-eight associates to minister with them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah, were gatekeepers.

39David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon 40to present burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law of the Lord, which he had given Israel. 41With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord, “for his love endures forever.” 42Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.

43Then all the people left, each for their own home, and David returned home to bless his family.

1 Chronicles 16 NIV
 
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Redwingfan9

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its not flat
It's a good example of how internet charlatans can package the most absurd viewpoints and arguments in a slick manner and fool significant numbers of people. It's also a good example of the utter failure of government education to properly teach kids basic science and basic logic and rhetoric.

This dovetails into a broader problem with Biblical ignorance in the church. Because people are woefully ignorant of what scripture says, charlatan pastors with slick marketing gimmick sermons, rock bands and man pleasing entertainments rake in millions not actually preaching the gospel.
 
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