Law and Order! Or a good place for a friendly argument

[Hans_Oddcraft]

I know, I’m not taking there side. Just stating what they think.

[Hans_Oddcraft]

Also, the way they explain seasons is they say that the sun’s orbit of the earth changes over the course of the year.

[Jacoby_Elderfun1]

I know,

Gets on knees, folds hands, and thanks God.

You don't know how relieved I am. I seriously thought you were thinking that was true.

See you guys. Hopefully you guys convince that girl with red hair.

[Iliara_Mustardtop]

Hey, guys. Can I just jump in here?
I know @Hanna_Brassheart and I have had our own debates about things that seemed important to us. And I’ll say that I do think the Flat Earth theory is completely wrong. But it’s been made abundantly clear that no one (me included) ever changes their mind over the internet. You really have to know someone if you hope to debate with them to change their mind.
While I’m ok with people posting theories about why flat earth works or why round earth works (or why neither work ), I think this is beginning (again) to be a circular discussion.

---

P.S. @Jacoby_Elderfun1 while I understand your reaction (and it was my internal reaction to an extent), it’s really only hurtful to say things like “That’s just ridiculous!” Or “I can’t believe you think that!” Sometimes an honest reaction is not the best reaction.

[Sierepica_Fuzzywalker]

@Hanna_Brassheart @Xonos_Darkgrate1 I believe that the world is round. I would like to present this 16th century voyage as proof. [https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/ferdinand-magellan] Historical evidence. Voila.

While plane evidence could be faked, there's very little arguing with dudes traveling around the world on a BOAT. Their soles of their feet did not leave this planet. Let us walk circumspectly, indeed. (That pun is beautiful.)

But considering the evidence provided by the opposition...

Behold, the Lord lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters its inhabitants.

This doesn't tell us that the earth is flat, merely that God will distort its surface, whatever that surface happens to be. The context of this passage is about God's judgement, not about the shape of the earth. See also:

The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away.

The earth can wither like a fruit...or a pizza...wait the fruit thing makes more sense...anyway.

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8 Again, the devil *took Him to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory;

I think @Xonos_Darkgrate1 covered this well. Satan has VillainVision (TM).

Tremble before Him, all the earth;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.

Okay, context alert - this is part of a song, most specifically a song of thanksgiving composed by David:

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name;
Bring an [h]offering, and come before Him;
Worship the Lord in [i]holy array.

30 Tremble before Him, all the earth;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.

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

It's pretty evident from the context that "moved" refers to the earth being destroyed outside of God's plan. The larger context is David praising God for the return of the ark to Jerusalem, so we are into poetic license - and clearly David is praising God for establishing the earth, not making a scientific comment on the earth's position.

---

So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,
Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies.

The only explanation for this is that this passage was written from the perspective of Joshua and the Isrealites. In fact, the context makes it clear that this was written of Joshua's limited scientific knowledge:

12 Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,

“O sun, stand still at Gibeon,
And O moon in the valley of Aijalon.”
13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,
Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies.

Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. 14 There was no day like that before it or after it, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.

This whole passage is written from Joshua's perspective. It even includes a line from Joshua himself in dialogue - he said for the sun to stand still, and from his perspective, that is exactly what happened.

But I see that sense has been ignored thus far, so whatever.

[Hans_Oddcraft]

@Miss_S, Flat Earther’s explain this away by saying that the North Pole is in the center of a disc, the South Pole around the outside of the disc, and the equator going around the middle of the disc. So this argument doesn’t work against them. I don’t agree with this of course, I am just stating that this argument dosn’t work against them.

[Cinnar_Ratchetloop]

@Hans_Oddcraft that's quite the interesting picture. So, if you were to travel to the border of Antarctica, you would be able to see miles and miles of space... well, since you can't do that, that's pretty much gone, and that's a huge stretch of land, considering how large the Earth is.

[May_Otterview]

I’m just here to say two tiny little sentences; are you asking if the earth is flat or if it’s round but should be called flat? Also, people have been into space and the earth is clearly circular.

please don’t take this wrong...

[Cinnar_Ratchetloop]

I'd like to make a break-through that the Earth is a bit more pear-shaped.
But that's entirely off-topic, and since we're not talking about pear-shaped Earth, I might as well throw in that if this dives even deeper, we might need to add some Copernicus stuff here...

[Nola_Applequill1]

What are some alternatives to OMG etc. etc.?

So, I completely agree with this entire discussion. One of my biggest phrases that I always rely on instead of saying the "OMG" phrase, is "oh my goodness", which, I believe, a few of us suggested. As far as "oh my gosh"... Eh, I don't fully agree on that one. I don't use that phrase, and I think it's way too close, but I don't think it's literally using God's name in vain like the original phrase.

Plus, plain ol' "oh my" isn't all that bad.

I'll edit in more as I find them.

If we're not using the prefix of "oh my...", I have a few interesting suggestions. For one, I use "what in the world?" all the time. Also, I use "flipping" sometimes as an alternative for a filler word.

Hope these suggestions help!

[Nola_Applequill1]

I know a good one! (Sorry for the double post.) "Goodness gracious" is something I use all the time. There is a Christian comedian named Tim Hawkins, and he has this hilarious segment on "Christian alternative cuss words". It was hilarious - if you need inspiration onto something to say, watch it or look at an image for it! He is hilarious!

[Sierepica_Fuzzywalker]

@Hans_Oddcraft That doesn't explain satellites either. Or volcanoes, which make the most sense under the tectonic plate theory. Or gravity.

Anyway, any insanity may be explained by more insanity. The Bible doesn't contradict science on this as far as I'm aware.

[Jacoby_Elderfun1]

“That’s just ridiculous!” Or “I can’t believe you think that!”

@Iliara_Mustardtop
Yes, I understand that, but in a case like this, there is room for those kind of comments.

[Cinnar_Ratchetloop]

Wait, do FE believers believe that the Earth doesn't move? If it didn't, we would feel the difference... just gravity itself would be chaotic and we would probably be floating out of our chairs. By the way, wonder why the Earth is so flat? I just want to add the fact that the two main support poles for the Golden Gate Bridge are an example of the curvature of the Earth. At the top of each pole is a 2 inch difference to fit the curvature of the Earth. And the reason you can't see a lot of a distance in the horizon is because of the fact that we're so tiny, and the Earth is curving. Once you get higher into the sky, you'll be able to see the curvature of the Earth. Wanna go skydiving?

[Sierepica_Fuzzywalker]

Gravity isn't caused by the Earth's rotation, it's caused by the fact that the Earth is much, much bigger than we are. However, a flat earth would have less mass, so the point stands anyway.

[Ariella_Newheart]

Goodness gracious

Oh yes, that's a good one. As a variation, I also like to say (in the words of [classified name of a character in my book]) GOOD GRACIOUS!!!

[Nola_Applequill1]

...in my book...

What do you mean by "in my book"? A published, real-life book or a story/fan-fiction?

[Taka_Merespinner1]

Does. It. Matter?! Does it matter if the earth is round or flat? I agree with @May_Otterview. This topic seems to be getting vicious. (I say this as a IFCB who is a round earth person standing on the sidelines.) So, personally, I think this is the silliest "discussion" ever (Sorry. Don't mean to be mean, but..... this is getting out of hand, I think).

I personally think that the Bible is the truth. And yeah, you're right, we should walk circumspectly. Which is exactly why I don't tend to believe just any theory that comes my way. "Bible-founded" or not, those theories were created/thought up by people. The Bible itself wasn't.

Agreed. Salutes and runs off to Darktan.

[Hans_Oddcraft]

Does. It. Matter?!

Yes, it does. The truth must be proven!

[Spector_Otterquill]

I agree.