Flat Earth Society still going strong

[UM-Bot]

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/images/newsitems/flatearth.jpg

Formed in 1884 the Flat Earth Society might seem out of place in today's modern world but still continues to attract followers. A more recent iteration of the society founded internationally in 1956 has over 3000 registered followers, despite modern advances such as satellites and images of the Earth from space there is still concern amongst some of its members that taking a plane trip too far in one direction will result in them falling off the face of the planet.

"Daniel Shenton should be the most irrational man in the world. As the new president of the Flat Earth Society, you'd ­imagine he would also think that evolution is a scam and ­global warming a myth. He should ­argue that smoking does not cause ­cancer and HIV does not lead to Aids."

View: Full Article | Source: Guardian Unlimited

[Paramys]

*forehead + hand = slap* this gave me a good chuckle. what is he thinking, there is always one well over 3000 lol there is extremely heavy evidence against a flat earth but he still believes it haha funny. i can understand the rest but a flat earth and flying a plane far enough it will fall off earth and antarctica being a ring of snowy mountains around the flat earth hoookay whatever lolz.

[SAmbag]

I can get behind this

how long would the antarctic coast be in their model?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Earth_Society

Edited February 28, 2010 by SAmbag

[Mattshark]

*forehead + hand = slap* this gave me a good chuckle. what is he thinking, there is always one well over 3000 lol there is extremely heavy evidence against a flat earth but he still believes it haha funny. i can understand the rest but a flat earth and flying a plane far enough it will fall off earth and antarctica being a ring of snowy mountains around the flat earth hoookay whatever lolz.

Amazingly embarrassing for the human race isn't it. It is a whole new level of ignorance.

[jholland]

Skepticism at it's best. Not even being faced with truth and evidence will convince them otherwise.

[ShadowSot]

Skepticism at it's best. Not even being faced with truth and evidence will convince them otherwise.

No.

Skepticisim is waiting for evidence to prove otherwise.

THis would be more believer than skeptic.

[Mr.Steve]

This really makes you wonder what others people beliefs really are! Oh well, each to his own I guess

[The Big Boss]

In the end, we can only blame ourselves. We let idiots try to think and have opinions.

[Michelle]

The International Flat Earth Society was formally founded in 1956. Shenton resurrected the society and claimed its presidency last year, ­following years of inaction after the death of former ­president Charles Johnson in 2001, who had some 3,000 registered followers. He has so far recruited 60 members through the society's website, which boasts about 9,000 visitors to its discussion forums.

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Wow, 60 members....ignorance is rampant.

[J Gab]

"As the new president of the Flat Earth Society, you'd imagine he would also think that evolution is a scam and ­global warming a myth."

...uh, whoever wrote that article apparently isn't so up-to-date on what a lot of people think. Evolution is not true to creationists, and I for one don't believe in global warming (at least not man-made global warming). Really bad examples there for such foolish people.

I wonder what they say to people who have traveled the world and back. Do they just say "You're lying." and then assume that for everyone? Do they assume everyone is lying that has gone somewhere? Satellite photos are a giant conspiracy theory? And even then, if the world was flat, gravity would still keep us on the ground and we wouldn't fall off of anything in a plane. Boats though, they would have a rough transition from one side to the next.

[ShadowSot]

So the whole "boat gradually disapearing due to the curve of the Earth" as it leaves the harbor, is just a optical illusion, then.

[SAmbag]

The International Flat Earth Society was formally founded in 1956. Shenton resurrected the society and claimed its presidency last year, ­following years of inaction after the death of former ­president Charles Johnson in 2001, who had some 3,000 registered followers. He has so far recruited 60 members through the society's website, which boasts about 9,000 visitors to its discussion forums.

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Wow, 60 members....ignorance is rampant.

you know, that actually gives me some faith in the internet. I guess it makes sense though as the majority of their "registered users" might not have access to anything but a mortar and pestle (I quote because I kind've wanna just join for a card I can put in my wallet. so long as it's free.)

[War Eagle]

Must some awesome green grass on their side of the fence...

[Michelle]

you know, that actually gives me some faith in the internet. I guess it makes sense though as the majority of their "registered users" might not have access to anything but a mortar and pestle (I quote because I kind've wanna just join for a card I can put in my wallet. so long as it's free.)

Nothing is free...LOL

Welcome to UM by the way.

[Left-Field]

I find it hard to believe any of these people truly believe the Earth is flat. Maybe a small handful of them, probably people who aren't even part of the "society", but the level of ignorance needed to believe the Earth is flat is so immense that it's impossible to truly believe it to be so.

Some less educated people of the world may really not know any better, but for anyone that simply takes part in a discussion about it, it would be impossible not to realize the Earth is round - unless perhaps you have some sort of mental deficiency.

[ShadowSot]

I find it hard to believe any of these people truly believe the Earth is flat. Maybe a small handful of them, probably people who aren't even part of the "society", but the level of ignorance needed to believe the Earth is flat is so immense that it's impossible to truly believe it to be so.

Some less educated people of the world may really not know any better, but for anyone that simply takes part in a discussion about it, it would be impossible not to realize the Earth is round - unless perhaps you have some sort of mental deficiency.

Heh, I wouldn't be surprised if they do actually believe it. There are crazier things people believe in.

However, it's entirely possible that they do this for fun, or even to encourage people to think critically about societal norms.

After all, if it's so simple, how do you prove it.

I had a teacher like that in High School, only his stance was in regards to the moon landing.

Edited February 28, 2010 by ShadowSot

[War Eagle]

These ppl actually re-wrote/interpreted (in their own image i assume) the bible... Flat Earth Bible

Believe!...or thou shalt be barbecued like a chicken kebab...medium rare-well done.

What a crazy mixed up (flat) world we live on

[Ashtarel]

According to the article, the scientific evidence that there are no such things as ghosts is equal to the scientific evidence that Man is the main cause of what we call "global warming" and that Darwin was what we call "right."

I've heard of no scientific evidence that ghosts exist. But scientific evidence that ghosts DON'T exist? WOW! I've been living under a rock not knowing that!

[Paramys]

i bet over 3000 of these are like the armish or isolationists and probly still think the PC coloured slave trade is still going strong and people still communicate by letter only and other thngs or most are just members for a laugh or just because there lonely.

[War Eagle]

i bet over 3000 of these are like the armish or isolationists and probly still think the PC coloured slave trade is still going strong and people still communicate by letter only and other thngs or most are just members for a laugh or just because there lonely.

Also an easy way to collect the disability (mental) pension, permanently.(?)

[Ashtarel]

i bet over 3000 of these are like the armish or isolationists and probly still think the PC coloured slave trade is still going strong and people still communicate by letter only and other thngs or most are just members for a laugh or just because there lonely.

I was 14 when my daddy (a Mensan -- is that how you say it?) told me of the "Flat Earth Society." That was 1964. My daddy seemed to be saying this club is strictly for fun and lighthearted protest against necessarily believing what you hear without experiencing it yourself, or deciding for yourself, or whatever. Every time I've heard something I don't believe outright, something everyone else seems to believe just because it's the accepted thing to say you believe, the breezy thought of joining the Flat Earth Society has come back to me. Now, I know I never will, because now, it's officially become a cartoon symbol for the epitome of blind stupidity. Even the "leader" is a disappointment at best. The membership, I'd bet anything, is a fraction of what it was even 10 years ago. Is that because we're getting so much smarter? I don't accept that we are, AT ALL.

Edited February 28, 2010 by Ashtarel

[the rebirth]

i am starting my own society: we believe that UM is not really an internet based forum website. its all just a collection of .jpgs depicting ficticious comments made by imaginary users, created as an evil plot by one man; known only as 'saruman.' who wants to join the club?

[Jim50BMG]

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/images/newsitems/flatearth.jpg

Formed in 1884 the Flat Earth Society might seem out of place in today's modern world but still continues to attract followers. A more recent iteration of the society founded internationally in 1956 has over 3000 registered followers, despite modern advances such as satellites and images of the Earth from space there is still concern amongst some of its members that taking a plane trip too far in one direction will result in them falling off the face of the planet.

"Daniel Shenton should be the most irrational man in the world. As the new president of the Flat Earth Society, you'd ­imagine he would also think that evolution is a scam and ­global warming a myth. He should ­argue that smoking does not cause ­cancer and HIV does not lead to Aids."

View: Full Article | Source: Guardian Unlimited

It is hard for me to believe that there is a moron to this magnitude! Somebody help them they probably cannot find their parked cars or maybe better they are afraid of automobiles ? I hope God helps them, because they quite honestly cannot help themselves!!!!

[Barnacle Battlefront]

Pfft. Everyone knows that the Earth is a flat disc blanced on the back of 4 elephants, which are standing on a giant turtle

[Kugelblitz]

According to the article, the scientific evidence that there are no such things as ghosts is equal to the scientific evidence that Man is the main cause of what we call "global warming" and that Darwin was what we call "right."

I've heard of no scientific evidence that ghosts exist. But scientific evidence that ghosts DON'T exist? WOW! I've been living under a rock not knowing that!

".......I don't believe in man-made climate change...." previous post

Sure, there are all those rednecks running around with their night vision camera's and their EM detectors that "prove" ghosts exist. Why wouldn't you believe in a flat earth with the "logic" you just betrayed? In fact, why wouldn't most people who reply to this website's forums believe in a flat earth? Is it so much more fanciful than ghostly encounters, alien abductions, or communing with Bigfoot? Why would any of you think that a few satellite photo's are proof when you think the moon landing photo's are either faked or doctored? For that matter, despite Air Force details regarding Roswell, you all seem to think that the whole thing is a "cover-up", more fabricated evidence. How easy would it be to fake a spherical earth?

Perhaps all the space shuttle missions are done in Hollywood, or no, better yet, the same Area 51 set that the moon landings were staged. I bet the International Space Station is just one big set in a secret location in West Hollywood! Is it so inconceivable that every meteorologist, astronomer, geologist,etc. on the planet is a co-conspirator in the round earth hoax but somehow the notion that all the university studies, all the private institutions, and government institutions like the NOAA, USGS, NASA, and all the various international governmental counterparts amounting to the 1000's that have released climate change data to verify the existence of such phenomena are part of an elaborate hoax? It would have been easier to fake the moon landings and convince all the sub-contractors, primary contractors, the army of office support staff with all the various vendors, and of course the astronauts themselves and their friends and family than the collective agents involved in climate research who submit a man-made thesis behind climate change. That number would far eclipse those involved with the moon landings.

All the Flat Earth society people demonstrate is the same engine behind the "beliefs" that people have on this entire Unexplained Mysteries website. That engine is simple to define; a lack of sufficient, contrary evidence to the satisfaction of the para-normal enthusiast or a lack of knowledge in a certain area is adequate space for a flight of fancy. It is no more difficult to sit here and confabulate 'reasons' that the earth is truly flat and all provided evidence to the contrary is hoaxed or errant than it is to show that evidence or at least empirical data disproving long held, beloved, "acceptable" paranormal beliefs are equally faked or fabricated and that UFO's, Monsters, Ghosts, Life after Death, etc. are in fact true.

We live in a society where more people believe that mankind was made out of mud in the space of a day than evolution. There, to my knowledge, has never been one biological science discovery made on the notion that man is a seperate and distinct entity from the universe, or at least the biosphere that we inhabit as creationism would imply. The simple similarity in the internal mechanisms of biological entities on this planet would seem to dispel any notions of man being made seperate and distinct from nature. But guess what? There are "creationist" study groups and even a museum. There is also a UFO museum and there are multiple study groups regarding that fanciful phenomona as well. Both groups have cultivated equal amounts of "evidence" to support their "theories". To date, none.

What I am ever amazed at, is the lack of reason, or at least logic that some elements in society uphold and I think this is a sad testament to our poor educational system. Hiding behind the mantra that people like myself, so-called skeptics are just "closed minded", many people hold on to absurd and embarrasing ideas. There is a certain logical philosophy called the scientific method which involves a theory, an experiment, and findings that either support the endeavoring theory or not. It is the basis of the modern world from jet planes to ipods. If one thinks about it, there is really no room for the Bigfoot and a gorilla to coexist in the same reality. In both instances, reports of the creature stimulated an organized, methodical search and in the case of the gorilla, the target was found using 18th century technology. In the case of Bigfoot (or any other paranormal fancy you wish to insert here) we can't even detect the proposed with 21st century technology. Despite what must amount to 10's of thousands of wildlife tracking camera's in the deep woods, no pictures of Bigfoot ever turn up (or at least one's that don't look like a guy in a poor quality ape suit). And yet, there are those determined Loren Coleman's of the world that have a perfectly "reasonable" answer as to how this could be.

There is nothing more comical than watching the absurd, criticize the notions of fellow absurdees.