Magus55

Since when does 4 corners of the earth mean flat? We use that kind of language today. "I would follow you to the ends of the earth" sound familiar? That in absolutely no way means flat.

keyser_soze

If there were very few problems in the text overall, it contained any scientifically valid theories or observations....if it was even 10% correct we could look at the parts that don't jive and agree that it's "not literal", but the book is full of flawed observation, theory, and lies...why should we give it the benefit of the doubt, when it has not earned it? Respect is earned, not given without merit, and this work of fiction has given no reason to date to give it said respect, and thusly benefit of the doubt. Try selling your snake oil a little harder, maybe someone won't think before they try it once in a while and you can feel better about your mythology. If it helps, the greeks and romans, hell EVERY culture in the past has believed in their gods to the same degree that you believe in yours, and had just as much foundation to base that belief on. So why again is yours better? It's certainly not more rational, and it definately has no better support...it must be...well, you tell us, because I just don't get it.

Icky

Yeah, right. But we both know that if the so-called dream was about a spherical earth that ships couldn't sail off of, it would be proof positive of the Bible's divine origin.

conkermaniac

What about when Satan takes Jesus to a high mountain from which they can see all the kingdoms of the earth?

Magus55

Do you have the verse on hand? I don't have the Bible memorized yet.

lpetrich

Matthew 4:8:

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. (NIV)

Now where was this mountain?

Mageth

On the moon, obviously, and they were there for a full rotation of the earth so that they could see the Chinese civilization as well as the Meso-American civilizations. They had a really good telescope to make out the detail of the splendor, and Satan arranged it so that clouds didn't obscure the kingdoms.

Or maybe Satan had a book, video, or slide presentation that showed all the kingdoms of the earth?

Anything can be explained away with a little creative apologetics and "reading in context".

Rational BAC

One thing is a little troubling about the intelligence of our ancestors whether theist or non-theist.

Obviously the Earth must be round or ships would not disappear beneath the horizon about 8 miles out.

Not only should it have been very obvious to any seafaring nation of antiquity with any scientists of any merit that the Earth was round. ---------It should also have been easily proven mathematically from that 8 mile horizon exactly what the circumference of the globe was.

So why were so many scientists and certainly Columbus so screwed up about the actual circumference of the globe?---------thought it was much smaller than it is.

Am I missing something here? Was everyone all that stupid, even those who thought the Earth was round?

Or is it much more difficult than it seems to figure from the distance to a horizon what the circumference of a globe is?

No mathematician I-----------So if I am missing something, please tell me.

Sci_Fidelity

Posted by Magus:


Well I don't know why I bother since Magus never answers any of my questions, but here goes:

Why, then, does the flat earth society base their beliefs on a literal reading of the bible?

Magus55

Because they are doing exactly what you are doing and reading a verse, having no clue of the meaning, and saying it must mean flat, when there is no indication that it does.