There are a few truths in this world. The Earth is round. Gravity is a wonderful thing. Space is a vast void of craziness that we have yet to understand, just like the depths of the ocean. Yet, some people still doubt the reality of that first truth I mentioned. The flat earth revolution is driven by a strong-willed group of people who doubt mainstream science. They question the things that have been taught in schools for centuries.
Some claim to believe in a flat Earth for biblical reasons. They cite verses such as Psalms 104:5 “Thou didst fix the earth on its foundation so that it can never be shaken.” However, one crucial detail they may be overlooking is the fact that the “earth” in question has a lowercase e. This indicates that the passage is referring to the ground or nature itself and not the planet. In other words, the verse merely states that God created the world and all things that live on it to be a strong force that cannot be easily moved.
Now, there’s no way to prove that the interpretation of the passage is correct. However, here is a piece of science and history to soothe you: The Old Testament of the Bible was first believed to have been written in 6th century B.C.E. Conversely, a report by LiveScience.com suggests that it may have been written centuries prior. Thus, the “discovery” or acceptance of the idea of a round Earth wasn’t until the 6th century B.C.E.; long after the old testament was written. This seems to discount the whole Biblical perspective because the idea of a flat Earth would have still been the most common ideology.
A survey by YouGov has shown that nine percent of Americans either believe the Earth is flat or are unsure on the topic. That’s about 29 million people. That’s a lot of people. Way more than it should be. So why do so many people follow this conspiracy? Why believe in a conspiracy at all?
There’s something powerful and inspiring about a flat earth revolution. There’s something interesting about refusing to believe or follow the rules of the masses. It can almost be freeing to refuse to listen to the rest of society.
According to Karen Douglas, a professor at the University of Kent, “In some ways, it is quite adaptive to be suspicious of other groups for your own personal safety.” We’ve been hardwired to be doubtful and to question the things we thought we knew. That’s how discoveries are made, but sometimes it’s like beating a dead horse. Sometimes, we go a bit too far in our doubts.
It’s been proven for a long time that the Earth is round. I understand that it might be a wonderful feeling to think that you know something the rest of the world doesn’t. It might be exhilarating to think that the government wants to hide this “truth” from you, but they aren’t. The government isn’t trying to trick you. Neither am I. But I guess that’s for you to decide.
This article written by Theresa Hermann Staff Wrtier, originally published at Western Herald.
