No, the earth is not flat.

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GaryA

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Scripture is replete with examples of "spiritual" entities taking physical form.
I don't know. I do know that the spirit being Satan appeared in a physical form in Eden. Angels can also put on human form.
So - 'spiritual' smoke darkens the 'physical' sun and the 'physical' air...???
 

GaryA

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Revelation 9:

1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

key words: unto arose

sun and air darkened by smoke from bottomless pit

Seems to me to be talking about a pit in the earth.
I believe it is literal and physical.
 

GaryA

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We will find out one day. For now, it's conjecture and I'm not going down the rabbit hole any further.
It is not a rabbit hole. I am trying to point out that some people will make any excuse whatsoever to not believe and accept the simple straight-forward literal truth of scripture. There is a name/term for why this happens (most/very often the reason, not always) - 'cognitive dissonance'. It is helpful to learn how to recognize it...
 

ZNP

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It is not a rabbit hole.
Are you still talking about the bottomless pit? I'm glad we were able to eliminate rabbit holes. I think this is something that all Christian eschatologists can agree on.
 

GaryA

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Are you still talking about the bottomless pit? I'm glad we were able to eliminate rabbit holes. I think this is something that all Christian eschatologists can agree on.
If people would believe and accept the simple straight-forward literal truth of scripture, there would be no rabbit holes... ;)

And, there would be less/no argument - only [shared] knowledge and understanding about (in this context) the End Times Scenario. :cool:

:coffee:
 

GaryA

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Are you still talking about the bottomless pit? I'm glad we were able to eliminate rabbit holes. I think this is something that all Christian eschatologists can agree on.
Yes - I know - some rabbit holes certainly seem to be a bottomless pit... :D
 

Dino246

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It is not a rabbit hole. I am trying to point out that some people will make any excuse whatsoever to not believe and accept the simple straight-forward literal truth of scripture. There is a name/term for why this happens (most/very often the reason, not always) - 'cognitive dissonance'. It is helpful to learn how to recognize it...
While some of it certainly is, some of Scripture simply is not “simple straight-forward (sic) literal truth”. There are many kinds of figures of speech that defy such narrow classification… and interpretation.

As for cognitive dissonance, don’t make accusations that work against your position.
 

YWPMI

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This is in reply to the title: I did not read all the comments. I have a friend that actually believes the earth is flat! and nothing I say will change his mind. :( Sad, but true....

Isa 40: 22 It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in

Are you "flat earthers" saying that the Bible is lying? That Adonai did not create a circle? It is inconceivable to even THINK to believe that!!!

circle in hebrew: דּוּר translated A circle; a ball.

I.E. a ball is NOT flat, unless it's deflated. period.
 

Gideon300

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It is not a rabbit hole. I am trying to point out that some people will make any excuse whatsoever to not believe and accept the simple straight-forward literal truth of scripture. There is a name/term for why this happens (most/very often the reason, not always) - 'cognitive dissonance'. It is helpful to learn how to recognize it...
Sometimes scripture cannot be taken literally. Rivers do not clap their hands, the hills do not sing and the earth is not flat.
 

Susanna

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It is not a rabbit hole. I am trying to point out that some people will make any excuse whatsoever to not believe and accept the simple straight-forward literal truth of scripture. There is a name/term for why this happens (most/very often the reason, not always) - 'cognitive dissonance'. It is helpful to learn how to recognize it...
You seem like a fairly reasonable person, but why do you keep feeding this dead horse?
 

Magenta

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While some of it certainly is, some of Scripture simply is not “simple straight-forward (sic) literal truth”.
There are many kinds of figures of speech that defy such narrow classification… and interpretation.

As for cognitive dissonance, don’t make accusations that work against your position.
Gosh. How do some of these people type and read with their hands cut off and eyes gouged out??? .:oops:
 

Moses_Young

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Sep 15, 2019
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This is in reply to the title: I did not read all the comments. I have a friend that actually believes the earth is flat! and nothing I say will change his mind. :( Sad, but true....

Isa 40: 22 It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in

Are you "flat earthers" saying that the Bible is lying? That Adonai did not create a circle? It is inconceivable to even THINK to believe that!!!

circle in hebrew: דּוּר translated A circle; a ball.

I.E. a ball is NOT flat, unless it's deflated. period.
Incorrect. A circle if flat. The word for "ball" is used in Isaiah 20:18. Now I will ask you the same question. As a Heliocentrist, are you saying that the bible is lying, when the word used in Isaiah 40:22 is clearly for a circle (flat) rather than a ball (spherical)?
 

GaryA

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While some of it certainly is, some of Scripture simply is not “simple straight-forward (sic) literal truth”. There are many kinds of figures of speech that defy such narrow classification… and interpretation.
Sometimes scripture cannot be taken literally. Rivers do not clap their hands, the hills do not sing and the earth is not flat.
Of course. However, neither should you simply choose to not believe something is literal just because you do not think it aligns with something extra-biblical - for example, modern science. You should determine whether it is literal or not [strictly] from the 'grammar of the language' (which includes cultural and other aspects concerning the writer, the time it was written, etc.) - and, the rest will take care of itself. And, the first rule of discernment/interpretation is - if the 'grammar of the language' does not give you a reason why it is not literal - it is literal.

It helps greatly if you know how to discern whether something in a passage of scripture is literal or not. (And, it seems that there are relatively few.)

I would create a thread to teach others how to do this properly - but - I know how that would end up... :(

The only way I would do that is with an invite-only PM with certain others who I knew were serious about learning something from my experience.

As for cognitive dissonance, don’t make accusations that work against your position.
I do not see how that is; however, my intent is not so much to make any 'accusations' as it is to simply "tell it like I see it"...
 

Gideon300

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Of course. However, neither should you simply choose to not believe something is literal just because you do not think it aligns with something extra-biblical - for example, modern science. You should determine whether it is literal or not [strictly] from the 'grammar of the language' (which includes cultural and other aspects concerning the writer, the time it was written, etc.) - and, the rest will take care of itself. And, the first rule of discernment/interpretation is - if the 'grammar of the language' does not give you a reason why it is not literal - it is literal.

It helps greatly if you know how to discern whether something in a passage of scripture is literal or not. (And, it seems that there are relatively few.)

I would create a thread to teach others how to do this properly - but - I know how that would end up... :(

The only way I would do that is with an invite-only PM with certain others who I knew were serious about learning something from my experience.


I do not see how that is; however, my intent is not so much to make any 'accusations' as it is to simply "tell it like I see it"...
The trouble with FE is that its adherents do not tell it like they see it. It is easy to see that the earth is a globe. They look and look but refuse to see. Then some criticise and judge those who reject FE. I was told I'm going to hell because I state the obvious, that the earth is a globe. I'm glad to say that Jesus saves me, not my stand on the shape of the earth.