Synopsis

Acclimation. The Passive. And Silent. Killer. My opinion is the mid 1950s through the early 1970s were a covert and designed Psychological Operation on We The People. The intent to separate..................... Patriotism. From. Citizenship. Then. Kill. Patriotism. All the while saturating We The People with Entertrainment, er, Entertainment as a significant means of distraction and passive/mindless programming. For. Another. Way. Of. Life. To own nothing but being owned wholly by the Slave Masters. Built. Dependency. Drugs. Sex. Rock 'n Roll. Hyper distraction and psychological programming. Tune In. Turn On. Drop Out. - Timothy Leary There has been much ado about dodo with Tulsi Gabbard. Hmmm............ Military Service. In Psychological Operations. OK. So WHERE, pray tell, is Tulsi Gabbard telling We The People the TRUTH about having been duped AND the PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS PROGRAMMING tools used to dupe We The People. Tulsi Gabbard is a NON starter. For Tulsi Gabbard to be a True The United States Of America PATRIOT AND Advocate For We The People..................... THEN................. She had BETTER TELL We The People the TRUTH about the Psychological Operations imposed on We The People AND the desired result. ANY Psychological Operations Officer will see AND know the tools deployed AND will, AS A TRUE PATRIOT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONSTITUTION, inform We The People about HOW AND WHY THEY WERE DUPED. To. Kill. Patriotism. Before. It. Is. Too. Late. The Baby Bummer, er, Boomer generation is potentially the MOST abused generation while ANY hope is sacrificed without the Baby Bummers, er, Boomers realizing their programming and changing/correcting course. Before. It. Is. Too. Late. Hey, I am a Baby Bummer, er, Boomer, too!!! So this is just as much toward me as to the willing to recognize the Psychological Warfare perpetrated on We The People. As noted earlier. Tulsi Gabbard. Is. A. Non. Starter. UNLESS, of course. Tulsi Gabbard. Is. Truthfully. Noting. The. Psycological. Warfare. Elements. Purpetrated. Past. AND. Present. ON. We The People. NO. EXCUSES.

Proverbs 25:26 New English Translation 26 Like a muddied[a] spring and a polluted[b] well, so is a righteous person who gives way[c] before the wicked. Read full chapter Footnotes Proverbs 25:26 tn The Niphal participle is from רָפַס (rafas), which means “to stamp; to tread; to foul by treading [or, by stamping].” BDB 952 s.v. defines it here as a “fountain befouled.” The picture is one of a spring of water where men and beasts gather and muddy it by their trampling in and out of it. Proverbs 25:26 tn The Hophal participle from שָׁחַת (shakhat, “to ruin; to destroy; to corrupt”) provides a general description—the well has been “ruined” or “corrupted” (so ASV) and is therefore unusable. Proverbs 25:26 tn The verb מָט(mat) means “to give way; to move.” This probably refers to the integrity of the righteous being lost—comparing it to moving [off course]. T. T. Perowne writes, “To see a righteous man moved from his steadfastness through fear or favour in the presence of the wicked is as disheartening as to find the stream turbid and defiled at which you were longing to quench your thirst” (Proverbs, 161). But the line may refer to the loss of social standing and position by the righteous due to the plots of the wicked—just as someone muddied the water, someone made the righteous slip from his place.

I read through all the quotes. So what? Point to where The True The United States Of America Patriot (now former) President Donald J. Trump ACTUALLY did something illegal or is in violation of The Constitution Of The United States Of America???!!! What SHOULD be concerning to YOU is FALSE allegations have been AND continue to be made against The True The United States Of America Patriot (now former) President Donald J. Trump. FALSE allegations that have been PROVED to date to be FALSE. Let me ask YOU this....................... Do YOU want to live in a POLICE state where POLICE decide YOUR guilt OR innocense based on THEIR political OR social stance???!!! The breaches of Due Process based on CREDIBLE evidence SHOULD concern YOU!!! It is OBVIOUS the 2020 Presidential Election results did NOT reflect the will of The American Citizens. Do YOU REALLY promote corrupt Presidential Elections that do NOT reflect the will of the American Citizen We The People???!!!

The quagmire coagulates!

https://www.catholic.com/qa/is-flat-earth-belief-biblical Question: Does the book of Genesis or some other book of the Bible say the Earth is flat? Answer: No, the Bible does not say that the Earth is flat. There are some common idioms the Bible uses that if taken literally might give the impression that it’s claiming the Earth to be flat, but idioms are not meant to be taken literally. After all, if you tell me something outrageous and I say, “You’re pulling my leg!”, am I accusing you of a physical assault or accusing you of telling a fib or a joke? One such example is the expression “the four corner of the Earth.” This idiom is used only when expressing how far something is to travel (Rev. 20:8) or to emphasize the vastness of something (Is. 11:12). This phrase is also used simply as an expression of north, south, east, and west (Rev. 7:1). Even in biblical times, people usually traveled with a flat map that had four corners. If you were to travel to the places designated by the four corners of the map, that would indicate you are traveling “all over” the map, but it is still not an attempt to state a fact about the shape of the Earth. Another common idiomatic biblical expression is “the ends of the earth.” But once again, it is an expression of great distance and not an attempt at a factual statement. The reality is that most ancient people knew the Earth was a sphere; the only question was how large of a sphere. The idea that the Bible teaches the Earth is flat gained traction only in the Fundamentalist movement in the nineteenth century.

Compelling "flat" Earth "proofs" we have ALL "witnessed" on display....

Hey, I'm NOT the only individual questioning the "flat" Earth "level" of "intelligence"!!!

Caution: The referenced "flat" Earth "instructor" uses foul language. For real.

Good textual evaluation is a solid foundation for sound Biblical understanding. A potential source of discontinuity between actual and misinterpretation is the text itself. Here is a commentary for a good start for textual evaluation of the Ole 1611 King Jimmy: Well worth the 4 minutes to watch. My opinion is the Ole 1611 King Jimmy is a translation while not the sole or most accurate translation into English by any stretch of translation for notable reasons. In spite of the acclaimed literary style of the Ole 1611 King Jimmy, there remain gaps in accuracy the "flat" Earth "enthusiasts" use as opportunities to distort reality as an absolute basis for errant Biblical "flat" Earth "mentality".

THE FLAT EARTH MOVEMENT March 5th, 2023 by Jeff Atchison IS IT “BIBLICAL COSMOLOGY”? A REASONED, BIBLICAL EXAMINATION Earthrise, taken on December 24, 1968, by Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders. Public Domain. INTRODUCTION 2 Timothy 2:23 • But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. BELIEVERS Answering the claims of the Flat Earth movement might seem like an arcane topic to waste time on—Surely no one really believes this stuff, you might think. But, according to research, 2% of Americans claim to believe the earth is flat. Further inquiry suggests only half actually believe this. The rest are “trolling,” finding perverse pleasure in stirring up controversy, or keeping up the revenue stream on their YouTube channel with a steady stream of outrageous “click bait” content to attract the gullible. But still, with roughly 1% truly believing in a flat earth, any large church will have a number of people who adhere to this, and because it can be so terribly divisive, the following is our response. TERMS We need to start by defining terms. Christian flat–earth believers insist their view be labeled “Biblical Cosmology,” rather than “Flat Earth.” This term, though, is pejorative and insulting to Bible–believing Christians who don’t agree with radical flat–earth views! Therefore, the term “Biblical Cosmology” won’t be used in this pamphlet for flat earth beliefs. The fact is, the Christian flat earth movement is a fringe group claiming exclusive truth and superiority over other Christians, just as the cults do. Therefore, it is most appropriate to call this movement, “Flat Earthism,” or abbreviated, F.E. THE PROBLEM Flat Earthism quickly leads to division in the church. Imagine, for example, a church attended by solid, biblical Christians who happen to work in the aerospace industry. F.E. claims the space industry is a money–making deception, and accuse these sincere Christians of perpetuating a fraud with their very livelihood. Some flat earthers might suggest, “Can’t we just agree that God could make the earth and sky any shape He wanted to?” The answer is: NO! There is a big difference between what God could have done and what He actually did. We must not accommodate absurdity for the sake of Christian fellowship—Biblical doctrine is based on truth, not fantasy. Be warned: flat earthers are passionate about their esoteric cosmology and will soon be warning fellow Christians of the “satanic deception” of the “spherical globe” model, and teaching this to the kids in Sunday School. F.E. is also a hindrance to evangelism. It claims NASA foisted the idea of a spherical earth and a vast universe on the public in order to promote atheism and evolution, so in order to win more souls, they say we must preach a flat earth and sky dome cosmology. But how many people would come to Christ if they were told they had to believe in a flat earth? Our evangelistic success in the world would quickly cease. This is obviously a massive stumbling block to the Gospel! The bottom line is F.E. causes consternation, insult, disunity, and a stumbling block to the Gospel. There is simply no room for it in a healthy Christian community. SCOPE In this pamphlet we will briefly summarize a few key flat earth beliefs, and why they aren’t supported biblically, rationally, or observationally. But this won’t cover every argument that F.E. presents, mainly because there are so many differing flat earth “models”–each contradicting the others. And with each refutation, they come up with a slew of “but what about…” objections. It is an endless and futile debate. WHAT FLAT–EARTHISM BELIEVES Though there are many different variations of F.E., here are some key tenants most agree with: THE ARCTIC–CENTRIC MAP F.E. says the UN Flag inadvertently reveals the “correct” earth model: the north pole is at the center of the earth, and the sun and moon rotate around an unknown force above the pole. The seasons occur as the sun moves closer or further from the artic pole, and the changing lengths of days is due to the changing speed of the sun’s circuit across the sky. Not seen on the UN map is what keeps the oceans from flowing over the edges of the earth: a massive ice wall, which we typically think of as “Antarctica.” Instead of a continent at the “bottom” of a globe, this land mass is actually spread out like a wall surrounding the world. There is no “south pole,” no one has ever explored the inner regions of Antarctica, and the nations of the world have conspired to keep it off limits, preventing people from discovering the truth. Anyone who claims to have sailed around Antarctica, proving it is round, is lying. Also, airlines flying “Great Circle” routes from Southern Africa, South America, or Australia intentionally fly longer routes and waste fuel in order to perpetuate the mythical “globe” model of the world. THE SOLID SKY DOME F.E. says the word “firmament” in Genesis 1 (KJV), refers to a firm, solid dome the stars are attached to. Even though this term only describes the shape of the stellar heavens above, the earth must be flat to support this architecture. F.E.’s bottom line is this: because the folks in the Bible believed they lived on a flat earth with sky dome, it must be correct. The altitude of the sky dome is a matter of much debate and conjecture by F.E., but it is typically suggested the dome is about 3100 miles above the earth at the north pole, but it descends down to meet the Antarctic ice wall, where it is attached to the earth. The solid dome rotates around the earth, accounting for the motion of the stars, but it is a mystery how this works. Another mystery is where the stars in the south go when they disappear below the horizon, and why the stars at the horizon don’t appear enormous when a person is near the “artic wall,” since they would be thousands of miles closer to the viewer! F.E. says the sun is a small light source that circles the earth on a flat plane below the sky dome, at about 3000 miles altitude. It never truly goes below the apparent “horizon,” but rather, recedes into the far–off distance, leaving regions in the dark until it returns. The mystery of why the sun isn’t visible 24–hours a day is explained by describing it like a spotlight which only shines directly below it. The best explanation of the force that keeps the sun circling the north pole is simply God’s supernatural power. F.E. says the moon is also a light source. It doesn’t reflect the Sun, but rather, creates its own light. The phases of the moon are caused by God supernaturally. The planets are actually stars and create their own light as well; they don’t reflect the sun’s light. They are “wanderers” because they change position on the face of the sky dome. How this occurs is a mystery, as is the explanation of why Mercury and Venus have phases but the outer planets do not. FIXED EARTH F.E. teaches that because the Bible says the earth has unshakable “foundations,” it must be fixed and unmovable. It doesn’t float through space or orbit the sun. There are various theories about what the earth sits on, or what is beyond the ice wall of the earth, but F.E. claims this is ultimately unknowable. NO GRAVITY F.E. says gravity is a myth. There is no gravitational mass attraction, so for example, if there were no atmosphere, and we existed in a vacuum, all the objects and beings on the earth would float away. Instead, F.E. offers two very different explanations to explain what keeps objects falling to the ground, (1) “buoyancy” or (2) “acceleration.” (1) Weight is determined by buoyancy, or in other words, an object’s density, meaning that heavy things sink in relation to air pressure, and lighter things rise. At higher altitudes, where the air is thinner, we are less buoyant, and therefore weigh more (even though the opposite is actually true: a simple scale shows you weigh less at higher elevations, since you are further from the earth’s mass). (2) Another explanation of weight is acceleration. The flat earth and dome sky is moving upward, creating acceleration, which we mistakenly attribute to “gravity.” Acceleration, of course, requires a constant rate of increasing speed, so after several thousand years, we’d have to be moving well past the speed of light to maintain “gravity.” So, this is a mystery as well. MOON LANDING DENIAL Famously, F.E. claims NASA (which was founded by anti–Christian Freemasons) has perpetuated a myth since the 1960s with space flight and the moon race. Pictures of a global earth from space is just clever photo editing trickery. You also can’t trust any testimony from astronauts who claim to have been in space; they are all lying in order to perpetuate NASA’s atheism. BIBLICAL REFUTATION Here we will unpack some of the scriptures F.E. uses to support the idea of a “flat, arctic–centric earth” and the “solid dome heavens.” THE FLAT EARTH Is the whole earth visible at once? Job 28:24 • for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. God doesn’t look at the earth from a single fixed vantage point. He exists outside of time and space and sees all places at once. To say this proves a flat earth is to say that God exists within our creation instead of outside of creation, limiting His deity and omnipresence! Can an extremely tall object be seen by everyone on earth? Daniel 4:10–11 • Behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth and its height was great. ‘The tree grew large and became strong And its height reached to the sky, And it was visible to the end of the whole earth. F.E. says this is a slam dunk to prove a flat earth. The problem is they take this completely out of context. First—this speaks of a dream the king was having, so it wasn’t a real visible tree. But the real issue is verses 20–22… Daniel 4:20–22 • ‘The tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged—it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth. So, the tree in the dream was only symbolic of the king’s mighty reputation, which was known across a vast empire. Can you see the whole earth from a tall mountain? 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. This view of the whole earth was supernatural. Even if the earth were flat, it would have been a miraculous thing to see the distant kingdoms. Therefore, this verse doesn’t prove a flat earth, or disprove a global earth. Does Jesus’ return prove a flat earth? Revelation 1:7 • BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him… This might seem like a “gotcha,” except not even on a flat earth would this be possible with the naked eye! Jesus, descending as a Man from Heaven, would be pretty difficult to see from thousands of miles away. God revealing His Son to the world in a supernatural vision visible to everyone seems more reasonable. Another explanation that makes sense is thinking about the futuristic setting of Jesus’ return. Technology makes it possible that any event is instantly visible through social media world–wide. When Jesus returns, with millions of cell phones capturing the moment, every eye will clearly see it. Is the horizon a fixed line? Proverbs 8:27 • I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep... Job 26:10 • He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters for a boundary between light and darkness. Flat earth folks quote these verses to say the horizon is the fixed boundary of the flat earth, where the seas meet the Antarctic ice wall. Yet, F.E. admits that you can’t see the distant islands over the ocean; their convoluted explanations involve optical distortions and thermal convections over the ocean. But even from the highest point on Hawaii, Mauna Kea, at 13,803 feet high, known for incredibly clear visibility at the summit, one cannot see mainland USA—not even with the most powerful telescope. This makes no sense on a flat earth. Where are the ends of the earth? Job 37:3 • He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. Isaiah 11:12 • He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth. Revelation 7:1 • After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. The terms “Four Corners” and “Ends” of the earth do not mean the earth is flat with an edge. Scripturally, Isaiah 11:12 says God gathers His tribes from the “four quarters of the earth” where they were scattered. The Bible tells us they were scattered to places like Assyria, Babylon, Asia Minor, Northern Africa, Spain, etc. These “quarters” are nowhere near the supposed ice–wall edge of the earth we call Antarctica! In fact, “four quarters” or “corners” is actually the four points of the compass, meaning, every direction. But also, most flat earth models show a round plate—so where are the “corners”? This is another example of clear contradictions within various F.E. theories. THE UNMOVING EARTH Some of the scriptures used by F.E. to say the earth doesn’t move through space are: 1 Chronicles 16:30 • Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Psalms 93:1 • The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure. When the Bible speaks of the earth’s permanence, it isn’t speaking in terms of movement through space; it is speaking of the stability of the earth beneath one’s feet, which illustrate how God is unchanging, faithful, and reliable. For the person standing on the surface of the earth, it doesn’t seem to move and mountains seem to stand there forever. These passages are making no reference to how the earth moves through space. Now consider: Psalm 46:2 • Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea... Job 9:5–6 • It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how, When He overturns them in His anger; Who shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble F.E. insists the earth doesn’t move at all, but according to these verses, the earth does move and change, and the mountains eventually crumble. Clearly, verses about the world being “firmly established” and that it “cannot be moved” are dramatic figures of speech, and they have nothing to do with the planet moving through space. FOUNDATIONS AND PILLARS Psalms 104:5 • He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. 1 Samuel 2:8 • …“For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world. Psalms 75:3 • When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. Are these passages meant to be read as literal, that the earth sits on actual pillars, or are these metaphors for God’s creative work, like an architect or carpenter building a home? Look at the larger context of the first passage: Psalms 104:1–5 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty, 2 Covering Yourself with light as with a cloak, Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain. 3 He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He walks upon the wings of the wind; 4 He makes the winds His messengers, Flaming fire His ministers. 5 He established the earth upon its foundations, So that it will not totter forever and ever. Clearly, this is metaphorically describing God like the builder of a grand structure. Light, stars, wind, rain, clouds, mountains—each has a simile in the house being made. The earth, then, is pictured sitting on a foundation because a home sits on a foundation. This doesn’t mean there is literally a mysterious structure that the flat earth sits upon. And, it is reasonable to approach similar passages speaking of pillars and foundation with the same interpretation. Also, consider how “pillars” and “foundations” are used in these verses: Job 26:11 • The pillars of heaven tremble And are amazed at His rebuke. 2 Samuel 22:8 • The foundations of heaven were trembling And were shaken According to these, the heavens are also set upon pillars and foundations! F.E. must take these verses literally as well, but there aren’t “pillars” of heaven in their various models of the heavens and the earth. THE FIRMAMENT Some of the scriptures F.E. uses to support a solid sky dome are: Genesis 1:6–8 • Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day. Isaiah 40:22 • He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. Is the firmament "firm"? “Firmament” doesn’t not mean “sky dome;” as in a solid, stone–like ceiling. The word “Firmament” in Genesis 1:7 is the Hebrew word “Raqia.” Because this word is associated with metal working, the flat–earther says the firmament is “firm.” This misunderstands the origin of the word. "Raqia" speaks of metal that is stretched out over something else: like a gold or bronze leaf on the tabernacle furnishings, so we understand the raqia as describing the “expanse” of the heavens, which God stretched out as a canopy. This is seen in Isaiah 40:22, which compares the heavens to a “curtain” or a “tent.” So, the word doesn’t mean a solid dome, but rather, that from our perspective, the stars are stretched out overhead like a canopy or tent, and have the glorious beauty of gold–leaf workmanship. "Raqia" is best explained by its root word raqa, which describes “stamping out, or stretching forth.” "Raqa" is used to denote God spreading out the earth (Isaiah 42:5, 44:24), stretching out the land above the water (Psalm 136:6), or stretching out the skies (Job 37:18). It also describes stamping one’s feet in Ezekiel 25:6 & 6:11. Why do the KJV and the NKJV use "firmament"? Most Bible versions render “raqia” as “expanse.” The KJV and NKJV use the word “firmament,” and the explanation involves some history. One hundred years after the Hebrew Old Testament was completed, it was translated into Greek near Alexandria. This is known as the Septuagint (LXX), and there is evidence it was widely used in the time of Christ, so it is highly regarded. Even so, the LXX is merely a translation and not the original Hebrew Bible. When the translators of the LXX were translating the Hebrew word raqia to speak of the stellar heavens into Greek, they used the word stereoma, which means “the heavens.” The trouble comes from Greek philosophy, which at the time had a theory of a “stone vault” of heaven, so stereoma took on this connotation. And so, when the Greek LXX was translated into Latin, the word firmamentum was used to translate stereoma. Next came the English translation: because the King James Bible used the Vulgate (the Latin Bible) as a primary source, it uses the word “firmament” for the Hebrew raqia. The Strong’s Concordance follows the KJV’s word choice, and has unfortunately caused needless confusion. So, to sum up: “Firmament” comes from the Greek translation of the OT text, and reflects Greek philosophical ideas, as well as the Latin Vulgate. “Firmament” does not well represent the original Hebrew text. Does the “firmament” hold up the “waters above”? There is a clue here to understanding the “waters above the firmament” in Psalm 104:3—He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He walks upon the wings of the wind. In this metaphor, God is building above the waters of the clouds! Here is how several conservative Bible commentaries explain the “waters above” in Genesis 1: Bible Knowledge Commentary: Genesis 1:6–8. On the second day God separated the atmospheric waters from the terrestrial waters by an arching expanse, the sky. This suggests that previously there had been a dense moisture enshrouding the earth. God’s work involves making divisions and distinctions. ESV Study Bible: Genesis 1:6­–8 waters. As light was separated from darkness, so waters are separated to form an expanse (vv. 6–7), which God calls Heaven (v. 8). As the ESV footnote illustrates by offering the alternative term “sky,” it is difficult to find a single English word that accurately conveys the precise sense of the Hebrew term shamayim, “heaven/heavens.” In this context, it refers to what humans see above them, i.e., the region that contains both celestial lights (vv. 14–17) and birds (v. 20). Christian Standard Bible Study Notes: Genesis 1:6 Based on a verb that can refer to covering something with a thin sheet of metal (Nm 16:39; Is 40:19), the noun expanse always refers to the vast spread of the open sky. Genesis 1:7 God’s second act of separation was to divide atmospheric water from terrestrial water. Thus he began the process of giving form to the material world. The clause it was so, found six times in this chapter, emphasizes God’s absolute power over creation. Genesis 1:8 Sky can refer to the earth’s atmospheric envelope (v. 20), outer space (v. 15), or “heaven,” the spiritual realm where God lives (Ps 11:4). What about Job 37:18, “the skies, hard as a mirror” Job 37:18 • ...can you join him in spreading out the skies, hard as a mirror of cast bronze? F.E. points to Job 37:18 as a reference to the solid dome heavens above. Actually, in this passage, Elihu is referring to wind, clouds, lightning, storms, ice, downpours of rain, south winds. So, this “hard, cast bronze sky” is referring to a heavy storm cloud, because the wind comes to clear it up in verse 21! This is not a reference to the “vault of heaven.” This is a great example of why context is so critical in Bible study! SCRIPTURES SHOWING A SPHERICAL EARTH Isaiah 40:2 • It is He who sits above the circle of the earth F.E. says this verse only speaks of the round, flat, pancake–shaped earth; that the Hebrew word here is the same as a draftsman’s compass inscribing a circle on a flat plane. This is incorrect! This same word speaks of the “vault” of heaven—Job 22:14 • And He walks on the vault of heaven. The heavens do appear vaulted from our vantage point (even though it isn’t an actual solid dome), so Job calls the sky the “vault” of heaven. This proves that in Isaiah 40, the term “circle” can mean spherical. Now, Isaiah might actually mean “horizon”—but this verse lines up with reality either way! Job 26:7 • He stretches out the north over empty space And hangs the earth on nothing. This verse clearly states that the stars are above empty space, not a solid dome, and the earth is suspended “on” or “over” nothing! There is no mention of pillars or foundations for the earth or for the heavens. To F.E., which typically reads scripture through extreme literalism, this verse is a conundrum! Mark 1:32 • When evening came, after the sun had set… According to scripture, the sun sets by going below the horizon. The Greek word for “set” is defined by the Strong’s dictionary as, “to go into, enter. 2 go under, be plunged into, sink in.” The sun doesn’t stay above the horizon and only appear to set as an optical illusion, as F.E. demands. Deuteronomy 30:4 • (CSV) Even if your exiles are at the farthest horizon [or “ends of the earth,” or “farthest parts under heaven”], he will gather you and bring you back from there. Isaiah 13:5 • They are coming from a far country, From the farthest horizons… The word for “horizon” here is the word for heavens, and it means where the sky visibly meets the earth. Notice these verses describe people appearing in the distance on the horizon; the horizon is not where the sky dome meets the ice wall at the edge of the earth. NATURE Flat earth folks enthusiastically engage in armchair physics, astronomy, and other “sciences” to prove their cosmology, yet the simplest observations can be made of God’s creation to prove a spherical earth, and, importantly, the absurdity of this whole debate. Romans 1:20 • For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made… Romans 1:20 tells us God has revealed His attributes through Creation, so we can know Him better by studying both scripture and His vast creation. F.E. diminishes the scope of the universe, and therefore, the scope of God’s creative work, diminishing His glory and greatness. SUNRISE, SUNSET We have beautiful sunsets over our ocean; the clouds explode into riotous colors of pink, lavenders, and blues. This only happens because the sun below the horizon is shining up onto the bottom of the clouds. Sunsets like the one below would be impossible if the sun were always 3100 miles above the clouds, as F.E. teaches. You can see it with your own eyes—the earth is clearly spherical! [Source: Marcus Dall Col, Unsplash.com] ALWAYS .5 DEGREES The sun and the moon both average about 1/2 of 1 degree in apparent size. Hold up your pinky finger at arm's length—that is probably about 1 degree in width, twice the width of the moon or sun. Whether directly overhead or at the horizon, the sun and the moon are still 1/2 of 1 degree in size. (The moon might appear ginormous as it rises on the horizon, but this is a trick of scale: measure the size of the moon with that pinky finger—it is the same at any placement in the sky.) Here's the point: the size of the moon and sun don't change as they move overhead, as the flat earth model requires! If F.E. was correct, the sun, being only 3000 miles away, would be twice as large overhead at noon than its apparent size at sunset. F.E. tries to explain it this way: The thicker atmosphere light passes through at the horizon makes things only appear larger, so you can’t trust your eyes about the sun's or moon’s size. This is an absurd explanation, and completely contrary to what we can clearly observe with our own eyes. But finally, even at higher altitudes, above the thick atmosphere, the sun and moon are still always 1/2 of 1 degrees. The fact that we have solar eclipses proves the point. Even though the sun is 400 times larger than the moon, it is 400 times further away, so they always appear to be just about the same size, which is why we can have total solar eclipses. F.E. can't explain this phenomena at all. SHADOWS ON THE MOON F.E. says the moon is an independent light source—a “lesser” light. It doesn’t reflect the light of the sun. Yet, a view through a telescope shows that the mountains and craters on the moon cast shadows on its surface, and these shadows change as the moon’s phases change. It isn’t creating its own light; it is reflecting the sun. [Photo by author] THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOON The moon is visible in all regions of the earth, so we clearly know it is a sphere, or else it would look like a flat disc when it is low on the horizon. But the moon only shows one face toward the planet, as it is tidally locked with the earth. But if the flat–earth model was correct, you’d be able to see the rest of the moon’s surface—the far side of the moon—depending on where on the planet you are viewing the moon. THE ISLANDS We live along the coast; the low–lying outer Channel Islands aren’t visible until you get a couple of thousand feet above sea level, from the hills surrounding Ventura. F.E. claims humidity on the surface of the ocean obscures distant objects on the ocean, which explains why things “disappear” below the horizon. Yet, take a look for yourself! Watch a large freighter ship leave the harbor and sink below the horizon. It is an easy observation to make! Below is a popular proof of the earth’s curve: the Thorntonbank Wind Farm, which is located about 28km offshore Belgium. You can clearly see the curvature of the earth in this photo... [Source: Wiki Media Commons] CONSPIRACY As Bible–believing Christians, our true focus is on what the Bible teaches, and what Nature reveals to us about God. Yet, because F.E. makes such a huge deal about it, we need to address the NASA conspiracy. Shaping one’s beliefs based on conspiratorial fear isn’t a healthy way to form a world–view or a life of faith. NASA Freemasons Flat Earthers point out that many of those in early NASA were practicing Freemasons, therefore they were clearly concocting a global deception. The answer is: “Partially yes.” It is true that many in the 1960’s were involved in Freemasonry, even some claiming to be Christians. This is unfortunate and we don’t condone involvement in this occult fraternal society. But consider this: there have been many sincere and Biblical followers of Jesus, including famous pastors and preachers, who foolishly accepted Freemasonry’s premise that it wasn’t a religion, but rather a helpful fraternal organization. Most believed Masonry simply emphasized good moral character, hard work, and social benevolence. Only the few who progressed to the “higher” levels were exposed to its truly cultic practices. It wasn’t until the internet age, when better information about Freemasonry’s beliefs and practices became available, that involvement in it by Christians dropped off. We can perhaps forgive believers in the 1960s for ignorantly participating in this; but not so much in the 2020s! Christians Regardless of their Freemasonry connections, NASA in the 1960s had many devoted Christians in the front lines of space exploration. Some of the most well–known include: • John Glenn (Glenn, a Mercury astronaut, was a Presbyterian elder and Sunday school teacher) • Gordon Cooper (His Mercury capsule recorded him praying aloud during his flight—asking God that his experience would make him a better Christian.) • Ed White (As he made the first US spacewalk, said he sensed God’s presence with him. He planned on taking a Bible to the moon, but died in the Apollo 1 fire.) • Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, Bill Anders (On Apollo 8, these three devoted Christians read from Genesis 1 to the listening world while orbiting the moon at Christmas.) • Buzz Aldrin (Buzz, a Presbyterian, celebrated communion before walking on the moon on Apollo 11.) • Jim Irwin (A marginal Christian in his early NASA career, Jim had an overwhelming sense of God’s presence while walking on the moon on Apollo 15, leading to a rebirth of faith, and saving his marriage. He famously searched for Noah’s Ark after NASA.) • Charlie Duke (Duke became a believer a few years after his Apollo 16 mission. He says his walk with Jesus was even more exciting than his walk on the moon.) It is incredibly arrogant to slander the character and reputation of these men, suggesting they were part of a fake moon landing conspiracy. They were bold and unashamed Christians, proclaiming their faith even while exploring space, risking their lives, and even losing their lives, believing in the value of space exploration and the importance of this project for the country. NASA’s Mission NASA’s mission in the 1960s was not to promote the Big Bang, evolution, or atheism, but rather, to help beat the atheistic, communist Soviet Union in the Cold War. Science was tacked on to later Apollo missions in an attempt to expand the role of the program and make it more beneficial and interesting for the American taxpayers. After Apollo, during the Space Shuttle era, science did become a key mission of NASA. But, to be clear, the primary goal of the original space missions was to take a huge technological leap in aeronautics and beat the “godless, atheist Soviets” to the moon, which was much preferable to a nuclear conflict. And consider this: NASA isn’t the only space program today. We have many nations and even private commercial companies sending astronauts into space. These are in competition—they aren’t all working together to promote a sixty–year old fraud. If they knew this was bogus, why would they be wasting time and money on it? CONCLUSION Very simply, let’s move past foolish speculations and spiritual elitism of esoteric worldviews and conspiratorial thinking, and let us focus on Christ alone; then we can share in the beautiful unity found in Him and the clear truth of God’s word. Unless notes, all images public domain via Wikimedia.org Posted in Jeff Atchison Tagged with Worldview, Apologetics https://calvaryoxnard.org/blog/2023/03/05/the-flat-earth-movement

A documentary for the "Behind The Curve" folks here at DinarVets!!! https://tubitv.com/movies/100000939/behind-the-curve Revealing........... Behind the Curve: The Science Fiction of Flat Earthers A new documentary offers a compassionate, objective glimpse of flat earthers. Posted February 26, 2019 Behind the Curve Movie Poster Photo (2018) Source: Michael Lloyd, used with permission Behind the Curve, a new documentary movie on the flat earther movement, was released at film festivals in 2018 and is now widely available(see this review at Newsweek). I'm briefly featured in the movie as an authority on anomalous belief and was recently interviewed by Jeff Berkwits for the June 2019 edition of Sci Fi magazine about the movie and about flat earthers in general. The full interview with Jeff Berkwits follows here (portions used in the published Sci Fi article are highlighted in bold italics ► As someone whose entire career and belief system is science-based, how do you explain the fact that there are people in today's world who believe that the Earth is flat? As a psychiatrist whose expertise is the workings of the brain and unusual beliefs in particular, I can tell you that normal human thinking is often irrational. Arriving at beliefs “scientifically,” through empiric evidence gathering and objective analysis is not how most of us typically form beliefs! We just as often form them through intuition or subjective experience and through the filters of wide-ranging cognitive biases. As a result, most of us hold some false beliefs and some of us hold onto them very tightly. We aren’t born thinking scientifically… I learned the scientific method in grade school, adopted a specific way of seeking truth through experimental inquiry in college at MIT, and developed a healthy skepticism of personal biases in my training and work in psychology and psychiatry. That gives me a particular kind of scientific perspective that — for better or worse — most people don’t share. That said, I wouldn’t say that my entire belief system is science-based! That wouldn’t be a very fun way to live. ► Why do you think that this idea of a flat earth has gained popularity now, and what do you think the future of the movement will be? I think we’re seeing a resurgence of flat earth beliefs (let’s not forget that it’s a very antiquated idea, not a new phenomenon!) because we live in a time of significant distrust of institutions — including both government and the scientific community. And also because the internet has democratized opinion and created a safe-haven for fringe beliefs that has resulted in the widespread propagation of misinformation and “the death of expertise.” As for the future of flat earthers, I think there’s likely to be a growing number of people who are attracted to the movement as rejecters of conventional wisdomin a general way. But as for the core belief in a flat earth itself, we’ll probably see more fracturing of doctrine within the movement as is typical for beliefs that are based more on faith than facts. I suspect this will contribute to its eventual disappearance as a fad. ► If Mark Sargent and/or Patricia Steere were standing in front of you, and you had only one opportunity to convince them the Earth is round, what would you tell them? I don’t think that meeting people who hold opposing beliefs strongly, with the goal of changing their minds, is a particularly fruitful endeavor. I would however love to talk to a die-hard Flat Earther after he or she returns from a trip to the stratosphere (or beyond) courtesy of a Space X flight. Even then though, I’m sure not all flat earthers would back down. Entrenched beliefs that make up our identity can be highly resistant to change. ► For those who haven't heard of Behind the Curve, how would you describe the documentary? Behind the Curve offers a glimpse of flat earthers through a fairly objective and compassionate lens. Although it focuses on two flat earthers in particular, and even “celebritizes” them, I especially like that it highlights the diversity of beliefs within the flat earth movement. For example, it reveals that some flat earthers think that Mark Sargent is a NASA mole! In retrospect that’s not surprising for a movement grounded in conspiracy theory, but it was eye-opening when I watched the film and helped to remind me that flat earth doctrine is not a monolith. ► How did you become involved in Behind the Curve, and prior to your involvement in the film, what did you know about flat earthers? The directors reached out after they’d read a piece from my Psych Unseenblog about NBA star Kyrie Irving declaring himself a flat earther. Since then, I’ve written several follow-up pieces that cover the Flat Earth phenomenon from a psychological perspective. Although my academic work as a psychiatrist studying psychotic disorders like schizophrenia has focused on unusual beliefs such as delusions, these days I’m just as interested in unusual beliefs held by normal people without mental illness. A central goal of my blog is to paint portraits of the “psychiatry or everyday life” — for example, revealing how we come to believe in things through cognitive biases that can cause difficulties in our personal lives or in our ability to function as a civil society. ► What do you hope people will walk away from the theater thinking and feeling right after they've seen the documentary? I hope that the average viewer will come away with a better understanding of flat earthers, instead of merely writing them off as kooks. Taking a broader view, I think the film helps us to see that people who embrace fringe beliefs are, for the most part, people like you and me. As I like to say, if you give me 10 minutes with you, I can probably uncover something that you believe that would raise eyebrows with your friends and neighbors. ► To what degree do you think that movies and TV, through its "bending" of scientific rules, has played a role in making ideas like the flat earth both popular and believable? What can be done—if anything—to alter those beliefs? With the current state of movie-making CGI, it’s certainly easier now for some to believe that NASA footage might be fake. The movie The Truman Show, which is referenced in Behind the Curve, also provided some fuel for flat earthers and probably for conspiracy theorists in general. But I don’t think science fiction is to blame for flat earthers. After all, flat earth theories are scientifically regressive, not progressive. I might feel differently if there were a rising tide of people who believe in the multiverse or the idea that we’re all living in a computer simulation. For the record, I think those possibilities are much more likely than the earth being flat, but I don’t waste a lot of time thinking about such things. That’s often the difference between fringe beliefs that cause us problems and those that don’t — problems usually arise from a lack of cognitive flexibility with high levels of unwarranted conviction and time spent preoccupied with an idea. Altering individual beliefs can be very challenging. My best advice is that all of us should spend more friendly time — not trying to argue who’s right or wrong — with people who hold beliefs different than our own. That can go a long way towards promoting cognitive flexibility. Conversely, spending all your time with like-minded individuals — especially on the internet — can create a very unhealthy echo chamber. On a larger level, correcting scientifically unsound beliefs requires bottom-up improvement of science education, top-down support of scientific education and research, and dedication from those of us in science to regain the public’s trust. ► Is there anything else that I didn't ask you about Behind the Curve, your background, or any other projects that you are working on that you would like readers to know? My only complaint about Behind the Curve is how much of my interview ended up on the cutting room floor! Thanks for the chance to talk more about flat earthers here. Readers interested in other kinds of conspiracy theories, fringe beliefs, and cognitive biases can check out my blog and follow Psych Unseenon Twitter and Facebook. About the Author Joseph M. Pierre, M.D., is a Health Sciences Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at University of California, San Francisco and the Unit Chief of the Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital Adult Inpatient Unit. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psych-unseen/201902/behind-the-curve-the-science-fiction-flat-earthers The documentary DOES properly note the Dunning-Kruger "effect" in relation to "flat" Earth "believers"....... Dunning-Kruger Effect Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which people wrongly overestimate their knowledge or ability in a specific area. This tends to occur because a lack of self-awareness prevents them from accurately assessing their own skills. Contents Understanding the Dunning-Kruger Effect Who Is Impacted How to Avoid It Understanding the Dunning-Kruger Effect The concept of the Dunning-Kruger effect is based on a 1999 paper by Cornell University psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger. The pair tested participants on their logic, grammar, and sense of humor, and found that those who performed in the bottom quartile rated their skills far above average. For example, those in the 12th percentile self-rated their expertise to be, on average, in the 62nd percentile. The researchers attributed the trend to a problem of metacognition—the ability to analyze one’s own thoughts or performance. “Those with limited knowledge in a domain suffer a dual burden: Not only do they reach mistaken conclusions and make regrettable errors, but their incompetence robs them of the ability to realize it,” they wrote. What causes the Dunning-Kruger effect? Confidence is so highly prized that many people would rather pretend to be smart or skilled than risk looking inadequate and losing face. Even smart people can be affected by the Dunning-Kruger effect because having intelligence isn’t the same thing as learning and developing a specific skill. Many individuals mistakenly believe that their experience and skills in one particular area are transferable to another. Why do people fail to recognize their own incompetence? Many people would describe themselves as above average in intelligence, humor, and a variety of skills. They can’t accurately judge their own competence, because they lack metacognition, or the ability to step back and examine oneself objectively. In fact, those who are the least skilled are also the most likely to overestimate their abilities. What is the double curse of the Dunning-Kruger effect? The Dunning-Kruger effect results in what’s known as a "double curse:" Not only do people perform poorly, but they are not self-aware enough to judge themselves accurately—and are thus unlikely to learn and grow. What is the opposite of the Dunning-Kruger effect? If the Dunning-Kruger effect is being overconfident in one’s knowledge or performance, its polar opposite is imposter syndrome or the feeling that one is undeserving of success. People who have imposter syndrome are plagued by self-doubts and constantly feel like frauds who will be unmasked any second. Who Is Impacted by the Dunning-Kruger Effect The Dunning-Kruger effect has been found in domains ranging from logical reasoning to emotional intelligence, financial knowledge, and firearm safety. And the effect isn't spotted only among incompetent individuals; most people have weak points where the bias can take hold. It also applies to people with a seemingly solid knowledge base: Individuals rating as high as the 80th percentile for a skill have still been found to overestimate their ability to some degree. This tendency may occur because gaining a small amount of knowledge in an area about which one was previously ignorant can make people feel as though they’re suddenly virtual experts. Only after continuing to explore a topic do they realize how extensive it is and how much they still have to master. Why do people think they know more than they do? One type of overconfidence, called overprecision, occurs when someone is exaggeratedly certain that their answers are correct. These individuals may seem highly competent and persuasive due to their apparent confidence. They are often driven by a desire for status and power and the need to appear smarter than the people around them. Why do people overestimate their competence? Overestimation, another kind of overconfidence, refers to the discrepancy between someone’s skills and their perception of those skills. People who overestimate themselves frequently engage in wishful thinking with harmful consequences. If someone overestimates their capabilities, they may take dangerous risks and overextend themselves beyond their limits, like an athlete pushing themselves to the point of injury. Why do some people believe they are better than others? Anytime someone believes they are more skilled or knowledgeable than others, they are engaging in overplacement. This form of overconfidencecan lead a person to take unnecessary risks (e.g., drive unsafely) because they believe they possess superior skills. Overplacement occurs most frequently in people with low abilities who lack the competence to judge their skill level accurately; it is associated with an egocentric perspective and narcissism. How to Avoid the Dunning-Kruger Effect To avoid falling prey to the Dunning-Kruger effect, people can honestly and routinely question their knowledge base and the conclusions they draw, rather than blindly accepting them. As David Dunning proposes, people can be their own devil’s advocates, by challenging themselves to probe how they might possibly be wrong. Individuals could also escape the trap by seeking others whose expertise can help cover their own blind spots, such as turning to a colleague or friend for advice or constructive criticism. Continuing to study a specific subject will also bring one’s capacity into a clearer focus. Do I have the Dunning-Kruger effect? Ask yourself: Have you ever heard similar criticisms from different people in your life and ignored or discounted them? You may have experienced the Dunning-Kruger effect. Take a look at those areas in your life where you feel 100 percent confident. Acknowledge the possibility that youmight not always be right, and you might need to acquire knowledge or practice more. How do you fix the Dunning-Kruger effect? Question what you know and pay attention to those who have different viewpoints. Seek feedback from people you can trust who you know are highly skilled in your area of interest. Be open to constructive criticismand resist the impulse to become defensive. Don’t pretend to know something you don’t. Make it a priority to continue learning and growing. Do smart people underestimate themselves? Yes. Paradoxically, for many people, the more domain expertise they acquire, the less confidence they have. Experts have greater metacognition on their particular subject (they know what they don't know, so to speak), and are able to see complexities that a person with only a little knowledge in that area would overlook. As a result, they tend to be more aware of any knowledge gaps or weaknesses they may have https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/dunning-kruger-effect

A distorted translation of the hebrew. Here is the New English Translation: Genesis 1:6-8 New English Translation 6 God said, “Let there be an expanse[a] in the midst of the waters and let it separate water[b] from water.” 7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it.[c] It was so.[d] 8 God called the expanse “sky.”[e]There was evening, and there was morning, a second day. Read full chapter Footnotes Genesis 1:6 tn The Hebrew word refers to an expanse of air pressure between the surface of the sea and the clouds, separating water below from water above. In v. 8 it is called “sky.”sn An expanse. In the poetic texts the writers envision, among other things, something rather strong and shiny, no doubt influencing the traditional translation “firmament” (cf. NRSV “dome”). Job 37:18 refers to the skies poured out like a molten mirror. Dan 12:3 and Ezek 1:22 portray it as shiny. The sky or atmosphere may have seemed like a glass dome. For a detailed study of the Hebrew conception of the heavens and sky, see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World (AnBib), 37-60. Genesis 1:6 tn Heb “the waters from the waters.” Genesis 1:7 tn Heb “the expanse.” Genesis 1:7 tn This statement indicates that it happened the way God designed it, underscoring the connection between word and event. Genesis 1:8 tn Though the Hebrew word can mean “heaven,” it refers in this context to “the sky.” https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1%3A6-8&version=NET Against the background of declining confidence in the elites—be they political, religious or scientific—the flat earth theory has lately been revived and promoted by a wave of fake news and misinformation that circulates on social media. Unfortunately, it has been noted that many Christians have become swept up in this trend, using shaky theology to argue their points. For Christians who claim that the Earth is flat, a single Bible verse is considered superior to any number of scientific arguments. The firmament In the cosmology of the flat Earth, the disk-shaped planet is covered by a dome whose edges stop just beyond the 45-meter-high ice wall of Antarctica, which surrounds the Earth. The stars are fixed on this dome, while the sun and moon, which are only about 50 kilometres in diameter, revolve about 5,000 kilometres above the Earth. The idea of this dome is born at the intersection of three arguments, Professor Younker explains: 1. raqia, the Hebrew word used for “sky” in Genesis 1 would somehow imply the need for a solid, metal-like material; 2. subsequent translations of the biblical term in the Greek (stereoma) and Latin (firmamentum) versions keep the idea of a solid material; 3. ancient Jews would have supported this cosmology like their Mesopotamian neighbours. Let’s look at the three arguments starting from the second one. Most likely, raqia was translated into Greek and from there into Latin so as to preserve the meaning of a solid object because this meaning suited the cosmology of the Greeks, the scientists of the time. We must not ignore who made these translations. The first versions of the Septuagint (the Old Testament in Greek) were ordered by Ptolemaeus II Philadelphus, the son of the founder of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, for the famous library in Alexandria. Starting in the 6th century BC the Greeks based their distances on the models of the disk-shaped planet and were evolving to the sphere model (not half spheres or domes). Therefore, the idea that the Earth was contained in one or more solid spheres was common in the academic environment in Alexandria when the Septuagint was translated “and is undoubtedly the main factor (rather than etymology) in translators choosing the word stereoma to translate raqia,” professor Younker says. Regarding the first argument, it must be mentioned that in Hebrew, the verb raqa, which is a derivative of the noun raqia, points to the actions of making something thin by stretching it and has no intrinsic meaning which would make someone think about a form or a material (for instance, metal). Raqa is used as a verb for objects like tent cloths and other fabrics for which the idea of stretching actually makes sense. Dr. Faulkner explains that this is why modern theologians have concluded that raqia must be translated “sky”—a vast expanse of space that includes not only the Sun and the Moon, but also the Earth’s atmosphere in which birds fly—since Genesis 1:14 and 1:20 both use the same word, raqia, to refer to the two different situations. The third argument, according to which ancient Jews would have had the same cosmology as their Mesopotamian neighbours, namely, that the Earth is flat and covered by a solid dome, is twice wrong. First of all this argument is wrong because Mesopotamians, although they supported the flat Earth theory, never talked about a dome. This incorrect idea was introduced in 1850 by Hormuzd Rasam and used by other historians who, at that time, were trying to sketch the landscape of ancient cosmologies. According to them, during their Babylonian exile Jews would have assimilated these ideas into their cosmology. However, in 1975—when specialist in Assyriology, W.G. Lambert tried to establish the origin of the idea that the Babylonians believed that the Earth was covered by a dome—Lambert did not find any historical proof until the works of Assyriology specialists in the second half of the 19th century, the first ones to translate the Babylonian word for sky as “celestial vault”. On the contrary, the Babylonians saw the cosmos as a series of objects, flat layers piled up one on top of the other and held together by ropes, with no mention of a tri-dimensional dome. “The reality is that there is no term to describe a celestial vault in ancient Mesopotamia,” Younker says. The second error is to assume, without valid historical arguments, that we know what kind of cosmology ancient Jews used. The oldest Jewish writings on this topic date from the medieval period and reflect the cosmology of that time, namely geocentrism, Faulkner says. Therefore, at the time the Greek translation of the Old Testament (Septuagint) was written we can, at most, only assume what the Hellenized Jews in the diaspora believed. Since many of them lived in Alexandria, Egypt, one of the educational and cultural centres of the Greek world, they most likely assimilated the translation raqia with stereoma—not, however, the meaning only introduced in the 1850s, of stereoma as a dome, but the meaning understood by the Greeks of that time: a spherical Earth contained in solid spheres. https://signsofthetimes.org.au/2021/05/flat-earth-theory-and-the-bible/

@caddieman, HOW, pray tell, can YOU, @caddieman, slap YOUR, @caddieman's, face when YOUR, @caddieman's, face is inextricably lodged in YOUR, @caddieman's, safe space???!!!

I get it. So do YOU, @caddieman, REALLY want to Make America Stupid Again???!!! Like those LOYAL to THEE CROWN OF ENGLAND. Let's review the ACTUAL Grievances noted in The Declaration Of Independence and observe in a Candid Manner how closely YOU, @caddieman, advocate reinstituting the Grievances along with YOUR, @caddieman, MASA MADD Snowflake and Buttercup Idiot Brigade Volunteer Forces Comrades!!! The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within. He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands. He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers. He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance. He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures. He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power. He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us: For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury: For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies: For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments: For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us. He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation. He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands. He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions. In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript Well, OBVIOUSLY, MASA MADD Snowflake and Buttercup Idiot Brigade Volunteer Forces Comrades ARE TYRANTS like PETULANT SPOILED BRATS!!! Saul Alinsky concisely termed the MASA MADD Snowflake and Buttercup Idiot Brigade Volunteer Forces Comrades as "useful" "idiots" of which YOU, @caddieman, are a Hyperactive Stolid PRACTITIONER!!! The noted Grievances accurately and undeniably note YOUR, @caddieman, intentions!!! Who b yo MASA, @caddieman???!!! YOUR, @caddieman, SLAVE mentality is morally reprehensible while True The United States Of America Patriots LOYAL To The Constitution Of The United States Of America TO INCLUDE THEE Ratified Bill Of Rights WITHOUT regard to ANY ETHNICITY OR RACE DEFY ANY SUBJUGATION TO ANY AUTHORITY OTHER THAN The Constitution Of The United States Of America!!!

Interesting. So, please explain how Make America Great Again is a deranged conspiracy theory of a network of people who want to Make America Great Again???!!! Conversely, are you REALLY promoting Make America Disintegrate Drastically???!!! MADD is a Snowflake and Buttercup Idiot Brigade Volunteer Forces common agitant self administrating and self activating WOKE tactic, common, and general practice of the MADD practitioners. Please explain how MADD is at all sustainable and aligning with Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness noted in the Declaration Of Independence that True Patriots Of The United States Of America have fought and died for???!!! Is your cognition really so inextricably lodged in your safe space as to be ignorant of the dire consequences of your stated alternate and otherwise counter intelligence???!!!

Yep. The Liberal Artificial Intelligence really MUST BE "regulated"!!! 1964. NOTHING has changed AND MUST!!!

@yota691 for President!!! After The True The United States Of America Patrtiot (now former) President Donald J Trump in 2024!!! Of course.

Thank You, @yota691, for your sanity in the sea of ignorance!!!

Again, a display of distortion of reality and plain language. Do you really pride yourself on being one of Saul Alinsky's "useful" "idiots" and likewise Stolid Member of the Snowflake AND Buttercup Idiot Brigade Volunteer Forces???!!! The information and comments you post entirely indicate as much eventhough I for one would like the (much) better for you and those in your "battle" "company". The whole purpose of undermining Personal Acknowledgement, Personal Responsibility, AND Personal Ownership is to own, control, AND (ultimately unfortunately) to destroy others by disrupting social orders through compliant self destructive means. Even you. Don't you see it???!!! The incredible and baseless malicious acts that have been and are being committed against the True Patriot (now former) President Of The United States Of America Donald J. Trump and Tucker Carlson should be a cause of great concern for all True Patriot The United States Of America Citizens. Who is next???!!! Where does it stop???!!! All to say when one divests themselves of principle, then they themselves will succumb to the adversaries of their once held enemies holding the very principles for one's and society's common guard. You'll be one of THEE............ JUST like YOU make out the True Patriot (now former) President Of The United States Of America Donald J. Trump and Tucker Carlson to be.

Intersting and sad to see such a distortion of reality as represented in these comments quoted here. My self constituted basis and value system stems from items I have articulated in other posts that indicate to me there are very troubling intentions that undermine basic exercise of personal responsibilities especially with regard to one's own affairs. As noted in other posts, there are three very basic and personal items that are necessary to function in a healthy and wholesome manner. These are: Personal Acknowledgement. Personal Responsibility. Personal Ownership. Personal Acknowledgement consists of two main facets which are Truth and Principle. Truth is the very nature of reality. The first and foremost being an individual was created by God The Son Jesus Christ where all the obligations are to HIM as HE has created each and every individual. HIS words are Truth and applicable in all manners of activity. Principle is the structuring and foundation of the Truth for application in every manner. Personal Responsibility is the active practice of Personal Acknowledgement in an every encompassing progression starting with the individual, then nuclear family, then extended family, then church, then community, then County, then State, and then Federal engagements. Personal Ownership is the individual's ownership of their body, soul, mind, will, emotions, thoughts, abilities, time, land, and possessions without restrictions and practiced by Personal Acknowledgement with Personal Responsibility. Any infringement with the intent to compromise Personal Acknowledgement, Personal Responsibility, and Personal Ownership is an undermining of the necessary tenants of a Free Society sought to usurp individual and collective means for self determination and, primarily, the Pursuit Of Life, Liberty, and Happiness. In this particular instance, The Patriotic (now former) President Of The United States Of America Donald J. Trump acted wholly in accord with the notations in The Constitution Of The United States Of America. Tucker Carlson exercised Personal Acknowledgement. I do not follow Tucker Carlson extensively. For the most part, when I do watch him, I would agree he is grounded in Personal Acknowledgement. So, the comments quoted above are not grounded in the format I have presented here and are REALLY, REALLY STUPID. Period.

Yep. Trans Vengence is a militarized division of the Snowflake and Buttercup Idiot Brigade Volunteer Forces. All in an attempt to destabilize the moral and social fabric of The United States Of America as "useful idiots" as termed by Saul Alinsky. Trans, as well as the LGBTQ+ - or whatever, in general has been heavily played and abused by a variety of influences - especially socially focused destabilizing forces - to practice such measures and become militant advocates of their "life" "style". I strongly favor means to be transformed from the LGBTQ+, or whatever, to normalcy and acceptance as productive members of a sustainable society in their transformation. I have no ill will to their human well being but in no way accepting their intent on acceptances and demands others allow and promote their ideals without being transformed.

I agree! Thank You, @yota691!!!

The point about caring about other’s welfare when they are being lied to and embrace the lie is really what matters. Especially in acute or chronic life or death issues. Eternity, of course, is paramount while addressing with truth temporal matters is essential to demonstrate authentic care and concern.

My opinion is the past cycle was needed to have all the Deep State actors show themselves. Much broader and deeper now when the Dragnet is deployed! Keep yer powder dry!!! NO tellin' what the Snowflake AND Buttercup Idiot Brigade Volunteer Forces will do!!!