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Flat-Earthers: A Lesson in How We Deceive Ourselves

Flat-Earthers: A Lesson in How We Deceive Ourselves

Today, here in 2020, there are people who believe that the earth is flat.

When I first came across this modern movement, I thought it was a joke. Surely, in the modern age of science, technology, satellites, space flights, and telescopes, no one would believe the earth is flat. Sadly, some do.

But I believe that examining this belief system can teach us something about the incredible capacity of the human mind to deny evidence and distort facts in order to cling to a false belief. So let’s examine the flat-earther’s belief system and identify the various mental tricks employed to deny reality – and how these same methods are used by billions of people around the world to cling to other false belief systems.

From the flat-earthers website, here are some of their key beliefs and explanations:

  • Their beliefs are not a joke. They want to be taken seriously.
  • Their beliefs are based primarily upon what a person can experience with their own unenhanced senses – e.g., no telescopes – just standing in a place on the earth and looking around. Thus, they restrict the evidence on which they base their belief to what they can experience directly.
    • This process is known as selection bias – limiting oneself to a restricted evidence base in order to minimize or eliminate data, facts, and evidence that would refute or contradict the core belief. This is also seen in:
    • Penal-legal theologians use the concept of sola Scriptura to enact this fallacy. They restrict the evidence they are willing to accept by rejecting science, nature, and real-life experiences – thus, they cling to a false view of God’s character and government.
    • Evolutionists who reject the Bible and restrict their evidence pool to only that which they can currently measure or test. Thus, they cling to a false view of reality.
       
  • While the Flat Earth Society is not tied to a religion, many of its Christian adherents take a literal view of Scripture.
    • This is literalism, concrete thinking, refusing to abstract, and refusing to understand symbols, metaphor, parables, figures of speech, etc.
    • Many Christians do this with a variety of beliefs: “The Bible said it, I believe it.” Examples include taking the parable of the rich man and Lazarus as literal. Or, reading statements of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart as literal – that is, God making Pharaoh into a rebel even though Pharaoh really wanted to repent and love God. Or, predestination, in which God chooses who is saved and lost.
  • They deny that humans have been to space and claim the various national space agencies have all faked spaceflight videos to create complex organizations from which to embezzle money.
    • This is the denial of reality to maintain a firmly held belief and is a classic primitive defense mechanism, one often seen in addicts when they deny that they have a problem or claims they can handle it. It is also seen in abusive relationships in which the victim makes excuses for the abuser, denying the problem is a lack of love in the abuser; the abuser also denies the problem is in their own heart/mind and instead blames the victim.
    • Religious groups that deny evidence exposing sacred beliefs as false, most important, the false belief that God’s law works like human law – imposed rules requiring God to punish.
    • Scientists do this when they deny evidence that refutes their no intelligent designer theories – such as the genetic evidence that refutes Darwin’s theory of mutation over millions of years, or how no naturalistic theory exists to explain from where the coded information found in our DNA came – which is required for all life.
       
  • They argue that photographic and video evidence from weather balloons, aircraft, and satellites can be easily doctored or altered. Therefore, such evidence is not to be accepted as reliable.
    • This is taking a fact and applying it falsely: take a truth – photographic evidence can be altered – and applying that fact to the photos in question without actually demonstrating that the photos or videos in question have been doctored. Thus, any evidence that refutes the position can be rejected out of hand because “photos can be altered.”
    • Christians do this in a variety of ways. Fact: We are to live by having faith in God. False application: Having faith means we don’t ask questions and don’t require evidence; we just believe.
    • Scientists do this via multiple false assumptions. Fact: Carbon-14 decays at a fixed rate. False application: Accurate carbon dating can be obtained by measuring carbon-14 levels – but this is predicated upon an unprovable assumption that carbon-14 in the atmosphere was the same thousands of years ago as it is today.
       
  • They believe that the earth is a flat disc with the arctic circle at the center and that the sun revolves around the earth. Around the edges of the disc is an ice wall that holds the oceans in. Government agencies have people at the ice wall to prevent anyone from climbing over and discovering the edge of the world.
     
  • They deny that the law of gravity exists and instead believe that what we call gravity is actually centrifugal forces from the earth constantly accelerating.
    • The result of employing these multiple mental gymnastics to deny and distort reality (selection bias, literalism, denial, distortion, false application of facts) is the unavoidable formation of beliefs that are out of harmony with reality; i.e. false beliefs and lies.
    • Christianity has many of these. God is the source of pain and suffering under the guise of “justice.” Human beings have immortal souls. God tortures humans in hell for all eternity. God killed Jesus on the cross in order to satisfy His wrath. God requires the blood of a human sacrifice in order to forgive us.
    • Science also has many of these. There is no God. Life came from non-living matter. Complexity and organization occur spontaneously, on their own, without any intelligent input.
       
  • When asked what about the other planets we can see that are spheres and not round discs – their answer is that they are not earth, and a flat earth doesn’t require the other planets to be flat.
    • Christians do this when questions or evidence doesn’t fit their model and they respond with: God’s ways are not our ways; we just take that on faith and don’t require it to make sense.

The Bible teaches how reality works – there is truth, and there are lies. Each of us is to be fully persuaded in our own minds (Romans 14:5). If we choose to reject the truth, the only thing left for the mind to rest upon is a lie, and with each subsequent rejection of truth, we go further and further from reality until we eventually become delusional. This is what the Bible teaches in 2 Thessalonians 2:9–11:

The rise of the deviant one will be accompanied by manifestation of Satan’s methods and power, counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and anything else that deceives and darkens the minds of those who are dying–those who did not develop minds that love the truth, and thereby did not partake of the Remedy. Because they reject the truth, God leaves them to their delusional world built on lies (The Remedy).

This is true regarding any subject matter. If on a clear day we look at the sky and tell someone that the sky is blue, using a meter that gives the exact wavelength of light being refracted, and then present that evidence to the person, they still have to choose to believe it or reject it. If they reject it, what is all that is left for their mind to rest upon? It doesn’t matter whether they choose red, pink, brown, or green – if it isn’t blue, it is a lie.

This is what happens to many people; they have never trained their minds to think through evidence or they restrict the evidences they are willing to include in the formation of their beliefs.

Our goal as human beings, created in the image of God, is to mature, develop, grow up, and become thinkers, capable of evaluating facts and evidences and coming to healthy conclusions. Thus, Hebrews tells us that the mature are those who have developed by practice the ability to discern right from wrong (5:14).

We at Come and Reason Ministries want people to become thinkers, to develop their God-given abilities to the highest capacity possible – and this requires that they exercise those faculties in godly ways. Thus, we must be lovers of the truth and resist the temptation to deny, distort, and restrict the evidences available to us.

When we do choose to value the evidence – to think, to reason – we must recognize that some evidence has more value than other evidence. Foundational to understanding reality is to identify God’s design laws, the laws upon which reality is built to operate. These are constants, they never change and, therefore, become reliable safeguards to forming our beliefs. In other words, we require our beliefs to harmonize with God’s design laws, not violate them.

So think, reason, examine the evidence, be a lover of the truth, and grow daily in the truth,  because God is the source of all truth – and as we grow in truth, we grow ever closer to our incredible Creator God of love.


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Testimony 34

I was introduced to Come and Reason Ministries by accident, via a passing comment made in a bible study class we were visiting. I checked this website out and my life was changed. The understanding of the truth of God’s character, and how we apply it, is so right. The tricky part is consistently applying which “lens” to look through. As I began to understand, I started sharing the basics of this understanding with a discussion group I was leading and, suddenly, a lot of things started to make sense that never used to. At the same time, I enjoyed an amazing opportunity. I was able to conduct a full bible study at WORK! What an amazing experience! It is such a joy to share the truth about God and to share how it all fits in the war between God and Satan. So many people benefit when we have a correct understanding about how God works and who He really is! Thank you for this transformational understanding. Keep up the good work! God Bless you!

Tony P., CA, USA

 

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I really enjoy with you the view of a gracious God. Thank you for sharing the work you are allowing the Lord to do in you.

L., Queensland, Australia

 

Testimony 32

The message [of Come And Reason Ministries is] for all Christians (and those who may become Christians) and not just Adventists or any other group. It is difficult to imagine why any [anyone] with intellectual and spiritual honesty could find fault with the way you explained the healing substitution concepts and the truth about God’s character, though I know some will reject and criticize. On behalf of those in our group near Tacoma, WA, thank you and your staff for all of the hard work and for sharing the Gospel in this manner. God’s message of healing love will be carried to the whole world and then Jesus will come – He promised it.

Terry U., Tacoma, WA, USA

 

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I have been really blessed reading your response to the various questions on your site.

K.C., OH, USA

 

Testimony 65

I have been tuning into your weekly study classes for a while now and wanted express my appreciation for the teachings that ha been a huge blessing in opening up the true message of the word. Viewing scripture under an imposed law theory always, without fail, raised more questions, concerns, and conflicting scripture interpretations that were discouraging at the very least. Looking at scripture through the design law lens has brought more truth to light for me personally and an understanding of our Heavenly Father that places Him “above all others,” where I am now more than thrilled to witness and serve Him.  I “stumbled” across this ministry a year or so ago and would only watch a few minutes at a time. But the more I listened and the longer I paid attention, the more my spiritual eyes were opened to the ever present truths of scripture. The comprehension of the great controversy and it’s origin by the lies perpetrated and perpetuated throughout the Bible on the attack of God’s character and government is truly priceless. Keep up the Good Work! Your servanthood is desperately needed in such a time as this!

Jeff D., Reading, MA, USA

 

Testimony 48

I just want to tell you how blessed I have been reading “The Remedy!” It has become a daily part of my devotional relationship with God. In it I have found a God of love and a God that loves me! The bible has come alive for me! It is the first time that I can say that I have felt hope fill my heart as I have read God’s word. This is good news I can share! Thank you, Dr Jennings! Thank you for your heart for others. I can’t put into words how this has set me free! It has strengthened my trust and love for God.

Jason H.

 

Testimony 39

[This ministry is the] biggest blessing I have ever received! Your DVDs and lessons could not have come at a better time in my life. I have experienced in the past year many difficulties that, if it wasn’t for this wonderful view of God that I have discovered through this ministry, I would not have been able to respond in love and forgiveness. My heart is being transformed everyday by the Calvary-looking God you teach. Hallelujah!! I have tears in my eyes as I write, because my life has taken a complete turn from where I was heading.

I am from Central America. Most of my family is scattered in different parts of the world and all have the same view of God that I had growing up; a distant, exacting, and ready-to-punish-us-with-tragedy type of God. So, I have been translating lessons for my family and, to my surprise, they have also been sharing them with others! I can already see the difference. My brother has often said, “Thank you for sharing, I have never heard it this way!” My other family members are taking an amazing turn from a message of “repent or burn” towards a loving God, pleading to us that we won’t reject him because he loves us eternally.

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Sofia S., Ashfield, MA, USA

 

Testimony 62

I would like to express my thanks to the C&R team for creating a platform from which people can learn to trust in God and grow. My life is a witness to the effectiveness of this ministry. Without believing the truth about God as you have shown, I don’t know what my life would be like. I had given up on God helping me with certain sins – it was all useless. Given that the scripture is clear and God is so good, how could I have betrayed him so many times? I was a yo-yo christian; spinning up and down. My faith and enthusiasm was driven by discoveries/threats that prophecy is about to be fulfilled. But when I watched your “Healing the Mind” seminar, it was like a light finally went on. I could see God had no plan to hurt me, the danger came from sin, and that He is working to protect me and strengthen me. Thank you for allowing God to use you. The message God gave C&R saved my life!

Antony N. – Hobart, Australia

 

Testimony 66

I am incredibly grateful for the transformative impact you’ve had on my life, and words cannot fully express my appreciation. Over the years, I have been an avid listener and follower of C&R and extend my heartfelt thanks for creating the C&R mobile app. It has allowed me to immerse myself in your lessons repeatedly, enabling me to grasp the profound significance about the Character of God, Design Law, the protocols for life, the reasons behind the current chaos, and Christ’s mission to restore everything. They have deeply touched me. Having studied with various churches, I came away with the perception that God is no different from the deities of ancient Greek or Roman mythology—demanding sacrifices and taking pleasure in bloodshed. Thanks to your transformative teachings, I have experienced a profound awakening to the true nature of God and the immense power of His love. It is truly a remarkable and liberating sensation to finally grasp the truth and embrace the empowering nature of God’s laws. My self-perception has become brighter and more infused with love. My journey of growth continues on a daily basis.

Chris P., Lake Mary, FL, USA

 

Testimony 8

Thank you for the ministry you are sharing with us, it is a real blessing to us and especially to my husband and myself! You are encouraging us to think for ourselves and not just to except everything, without thinking it through, with God’s word!

M.K., USA

 

Testimony 49

I came into the church at 21, but that is as far as it went. I was so confused about what love is. I couldn’t find it in the bible, because I am not a person that can read between the lines. I have no logic. I have read many, many books; trying to figure out the crux of the matter. They were helpful, but something was still missing. I have become very frustrated to the point of crying out to God, “Where can I go?”  I needed some basics.

I found two books, written by Timothy Jennings, MD, to be very helpful. God showed me that I had lived my whole life in fear. I didn’t even see it. Now, I do. God is so good.  I discovered the “The Remedy”  Dr. Jennings new book, “The God-Shaped Heart!” Oh, I was so excited, I purchased them right away.

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Jackie S.

 

Testimony 35

I am so pleased with the response your message is receiving at my church from the middle-aged to the young adults. I have given out 100 copies of the first two seminars and there are more request every week. One of my [class members] came to me after viewing the series, grateful and impressed with how easy the message was retained. He had been a Seventh-day Adventist in fear all his life, and felt like the scales were removed from his eyes after viewing the seminars. I am so impressed by the change I see in members who have received this message, we are in one accord. However, I am sadden by the negative response of the older people. I am verbally attacked anytime I talk about imposed laws, but I believe my mission is to enlightened everyone I can. I watch your Bible Study Class on YouTube every Friday night and I feel like I am apart of the class. All of you are in one accord and I am so blessed to have found you. I pray that all of you continue to spread this message and I am committed to doing my part.

Clara S., Westfield, MA, USA

 

Testimony 2

I continue to enjoy your lessons every week. The more that I research your conclusions, the more I am convinced that the Holy Spirit has lead you to distill out the essence of human redemption. Thank you for your courageous stand for the truth.

S. G., TX, USA

 

Testimony 5

We listen to your bible studies lessons in our class in Montana. You actually were the main reason I decided to get a laptop, so I can go to your site and listen, read, learn, and print the class notes. I am so grateful to learn the correct view of God and his character. Now, to just have others have an interest in knowing, so I can share it with them. Good thoughts your way.

R. N., MT, USA

 

Testimony 57

You have helped make sense of thirty two years of confusion. The material you freely provide reorganized so much of my life into such a beautiful pattern that has always been hinted at from within, but misguided with my training and what I was experiencing externally. My filipno parents, who were converted from Catholicism to SDA, were sincere and did their best to raise me the right way and I have deep respect for them. However, being immigrants and not understanding the language made for a difficult transition as I was growing up, which also applied to my spiritual growth as I learned the patterns of religion. I have been listening to as many bible study classes and reading blog posts as my time in a work truck will allow, searching for the practical applications of where spirituality and reality meet, and I thank you for helping me find that. You have helped me reach a point in which I can truly say that I love God, that I believe He loves me, and, like David, I delight in His law. God bless.

Emmanuel V., Calgary, AB Canada