DEElekgolo
April 9th, 2009, 07:33 PM
A community of people that believe the world is flat. (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=1324.0)
Many thanks to joffenz for his hard work on this FAQ..
Last update on 12/12/2008 by Jack.
Update History:
-Joffenz
-TheEngineer
Welcome to the Flat Earth Society!
Thanks for taking the time to go through this FAQ. It was created in light of the realization that for someone with a "round-Earth" (RE) background, the FE theory would appear at first glance to have some glaring holes.
Recently we have had many new members joining us and asking the same questions about these holes, so joffenz decided to make a FAQ. While the original version was mostly complete, it's a work-in-progress, and we occasionally do make corrections based on inconsistencies that are raised.
I'm just making a sticky out of it so that no one will have an excuse for starting a thread about a topic that's already been discussed and debated to death. It will be updated as necessary.
Disclaimer
The opinions and beliefs expressed in any posts do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of The Flat Earth Society Forums.
The Flat Earth Society Forums' goal is to promote the free discussion of The Flat Earth Theory as well as the free discussion of and debate of any topic of interest to our members that do not contradict Forum Rules.
The views of any individual or organization (including that of the old Flat Earth Society run by Charles K Johnson) are not necessarily shared in whole or in part by The Flat Earth Society Forums. The only person qualified to give the official position of the Forums (if required) is Daniel.
Also please remember that views of the Forum are not necessarily shared by the Forum Staff who come from both sides of The Flat/Sphere Debate and whose sole unifying purpose is to promote a smooth running forum so as to encourage the victory of truth thought free discussion and argument.
In addition, please note that the FAQ should be considered a starting point. It addresses many questions those new to FET have about the theory but in no way represents a comprehensive, all-encompassing view of the theory. It should also be noted that not all points in the FAQ are necessarily agreed on by all FE proponents.
All credit for this FAQ goes to joffenz, Erasmus, Robbyj, ﮎingulaЯiτy, and Trekky0623.
Important Links
If you are new to this website, it may be a good idea to introduce yourself first in General Discussion (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&board=1.0). After that, you may post a flat Earth-related thread with an academic and philosophical argument in Flat Earth Debate & Discussion (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&board=10.0). Your argument should address both sides of the issue and should not be bias (sample thread (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=27673.msg648733#msg648733)). This format highly recommended if you want to start a serious discussion. You may also introduce yourself and your argument in a single thread, but that is entirely up to you. Nonsensical threads will be moved/locked/deleted without notice.
If you have any questions or see anything wrong with this FAQ, you can talk about it in Flat Earth Questions & Clarification (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&board=12.0).
Samuel Rowbotham is the man who created the Flat Earth Society over a hundred and fifty years ago. Please see Earth: Not a Globe (http://www.sacred-texts.com/earth/za/index.htm) for his original work.
Terminology
FE (theory/model): Flat Earth (theory/model), a theory which states that the Earth is flat.
FE'er: Flat Earther, or someone who believes in the FE theory.
RE (theory/model): Round Earth (theory/model), a theory which states that the Earth is round.
RE'er: Round Earther, or someone who believes in the RE theory.
General / this forum
Q: "Is this site for real?"
A: This site is real. There are members who seriously believe the Earth is flat. However, there are also members who do not.
Q: "Why do you guys believe the Earth is flat?"
A: Well, it looks that way up close. In our local frame of reference, it appears to take a flat shape, ignoring obvious hills and valleys. Also, Samuel Rowbotham et al. performed a variety of experiments over a period of several years that show it must be flat. They are all explained in his book, which is linked at the top of this article.
Physics
Q: "What is the circumference and diameter of the Earth?"
Circumference: 78225 miles
Diameter: 24,900 miles
NOTE: These values are official regarding the Earth's circumference and diameter.
Q: "What about the stars, sun and moon and other planets? Are they flat too? What are they made of?"
A: The sun and moon, each 32 miles in diameter, circle Earth at a height of 3000 miles at its equator. They are located midway between the North Pole and the ice wall. Each functions similar to a "spotlight," with the sun radiating "hot light" and the moon "cold light." As they are spotlights, they only give light out over a certain are which explains why some parts of the Earth are dark when others are light. Their apparent rising and setting are caused by optical illusions.
The stars are about as far as San Francisco is from Boston. (3100 miles)
Q: "Please explain sunrises/sunsets."
A: It's a perspective effect. Really, the sun is just getting farther away; it looks like it's disappearing because everything gets smaller, and eventually disappears as it gets farther away.
[UPDATE: The Flat Earth Society no longer accepts the Electromagnetic Acceleration (AKA "bendy light") theory due to a consensus among the FEW members. However, this theory is currently being developed and reviewed by FES members. Once completed, the theory of Electromagnetic Acceleration will be used as an alternative in explaining sunsets and horizons. The explanations on perspective laws and vanishing points from E:NaG will still be the accurate representation of the FET.]
Q: "Why are other celestial bodies round but not the Earth?"
A: The Earth is not one of the other planets. The Earth is special and unlike the other bodies in numerous ways.
Q: "What about satellites? How do they orbit the Earth?"
A: Since sustained spaceflight is not possible, satellites can't orbit the Earth. The signals we supposedly receive from them are either broadcast from towers or any number of possible pseudolites. However, temporary space-flight is possible.
Q: "What's underneath the Earth?" aka "What's on the bottom?" aka "What's on the other side?"
A: This is unknown. Some believe it to be just rocks, while others believe the Earth rests on the back of four elephants and a turtle.
Q: "What about gravity?"
A: Dark Energy accelerates the Earth and all celestial bodies in the universe at 9.8m/s2. This is commonly known as Universal Acceleration, which produces the same effect as gravity. General relativity uses this concept to explain the equivalence between proper acceleration and gravity.
Q: "Isn't this version of gravity flawed? Wouldn't planes/helicopters/paragliders crash into the Earth as the Earth rises up to them?"
A: No. By the same argument, we could ask why planes/helicopters/paragliders don't crash into the Earth as they accelerate down towards them. The reason that planes do not crash is that their wings produce lift, which, when the rate of acceleration upwards equals that of gravity's pull downwards, causes them to remain at a constant altitude.
The same thing happens if the Earth is moving up. The plane is accelerating upwards at the same rate as the Earth, which means the distance between them does not change. Therefore, the plane stays at the same height and does not crash.
Q: "Doesn't this mean we'd be traveling faster than the speed of light, which is impossible?"
A: The equations of Special Relativity prevent an object from accelerating to the speed of light. Due to this restriction, these equations prove that an object can accelerate at a constant rate forever, and never reach the speed of light. For an in depth explanation: Click here. (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=3152.msg28574#msg28574)
Q: "If gravity does not exist, why do free-falling observers accelerate"?
A: According to General Relativity, free-fall is an inertial motion. Relative to a non-inertial observer, the free-falling person is accelerating.
Q: "If gravity does not exist, how does terminal velocity work"?
A: When the acceleration of the person is equal to the acceleration of the Earth, the person has reached terminal velocity (Diagram (http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r36/Persistenxe/FE_Terminal_Velocity.jpg)).
Q: "If the world was really flat, what would happen if you jump off the disc's edge?"
A: You would become directly affected by Dark Energy as the Earth is, creating the illusion that you are standing next to the Earth.
Q: "If the Earth was indeed a flat disc, wouldn't the whole planet crunch up into itself and eventually transform into a ball?"
A: If the Earth generated a gravitational field, it would eventually happen. Of course, it would take a billion years for the process to complete. FE assumes that the Earth does not generate a gravitational field. What we know as 'gravity' is provided by the acceleration of the earth.
Q: "Why does gravity vary with altitude?"
A: The moon and stars have a slight gravitational pull.
Q: Follow-up to previous question: "How is it that the Earth does not have a gravitational pull, but stars and the moon do?"
A: This argument is a non-sequitur. You might as well ask, "How is it that snakes do not have legs, but dogs and cats do?" Snakes are not dogs or cats. The Earth is not a star or the moon. It doesn't follow that each must have exactly the properties of the others, and no more.
Geography
Q: "Do you have a map?"
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r36/Persistenxe/Flat_earth-1.png
(Borrowed from Wikipedia)
A: See this one (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=1264&start=16), created by one of our members. There is also this map (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=3500) attributed to a person named Wilbur Voliva.
Also, there is Cosmas Indicopleustes' world picture, 6 th century in the Christian Topography (http://www.henry-davis.com/MAPS/EMwebpages/202.html).
Q: "Exactly what shape is the Earth if it's flat? Square or circle?"
A: Circle, like in the UN logo. However, the earth is NOT 2D; it is in the shape of a cylinder.
Q: "Why doesn't water run off the Earth?"
A: There is a vast ice wall that keeps the water where it is. The ice wall is roughly 150ft high. This also explains why you can find a vast plane of ice when you travel south.
Antarctica as a continent does not exist.
Q: "Wouldn't the atmosphere be diffused into space?"
A: There is a field created during the interaction between Dark Energy and the Earth. This is known as the Dark Energy Field, and it acts as a containment to prevent DE from affecting the objects on Earth. This explains why the atmosphere will not be diffused into space. Here (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=18105.msg323369#msg323369) is an explanation on the DEF's structure by one of our moderators.
Q: "How does global warming affect the ice wall?"
A1: The Ice Wall is really a mountain range. It just happens to be covered in ice and snow.
A2: Global Warming doesn't happen. It and its counter-theory (Global Cooling) are effects that cancel each other out. Remember, these "greenhouse gasses" can reflect heat back out into space as well as keep it on Earth. There are recorded rises in temperature, but the only records we have go back, at most, around 150 years. This is very likely an occurrence that happens every [x>150] years, and the Earth has survived before.
Q: "What about tides?"
A1: The tides exist due to a slight see-saw effect on the earth. As it goes back and forth, the water rushes to the side that is lower. Note, this is a very slight wobble. Remember, these wobbles are created by very minor earthquakes. They keep the tides in check. Notice that large earthquakes result in large tides or "tsunami".
A2: The gravitational pull of the stars provide tidal effects.
A3: The anti-moon is an object with a gravitational pull just like the moon, and is underneath the Earth. The moon causes the tides, and the anti-moon balances out the effect. These create predictable tides.
Q : "Why is the North pole colder than the equator?"
A: The sun circles over the equator, thus the poles don't receive the same intensity of light.
Q: "How do volcanic eruptions happen?"
A: The Earth is thick enough to have a core of molten lava. Once there's too much of it in too confined a space, it finds its way out, just like the water will come out of a full bottle if you squeeze it too hard.
Q: "What about time zones?"
A: The sun is a spotlight which shines light on a concentrated area, so not everywhere on Earth will be lit at once. Times zones exist so that everyone's clock will be at 12:00 around the time the sun is approximately directly overhead.
Q: "What about Lunar Eclipses and Moon Phases?"
A: An invisible celestial body, known as the Shadow Object, passes between the sun and moon during a Lunar Eclipse. This projects a shadow upon the moon.
Q: "How come the travel time by air from South America to New Zealand, via the polar route, is SHORTER than the travel time going North first and then South again?"
A: The airline pilots are guided by their GPS. Remember that satellites don't exist. The replacement data given from pseudolites deliberately throwing distorting all the paths to make it the flights take different times. The curvature of these paths can add or subtract great distances without the overall turning being obvious to someone traveling it.
Q: "How can a compass work on a Flat Earth?"
A: The magnetic field is generated in the same fashion as with the RE (Diagram (http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r36/Persistenxe/MAGNETIC_11.jpg)). Thus, the magnetic south pole is near the geographic north pole, just like on the RE. The magnetic north pole is on the underside of the Earth. The Ice Wall is not the south pole, but acts as it, as it is the furthest from the center of the earth that you can follow the magnetic field. The field is vertical in this area, accounting for the aurora australis.
Q: "When traveling in a straight direction, you will always reach the same point on the globe from where you started. How can this happen if the world is flat?"
A: You need to have evidence for this to be true. Also, define "straight." Remember, the northern point on the compass is, under most circumstances (unless near the center or deep in the ice wall), pointing toward the center of the Earth. If you follow your compass due east or due west, ending up at the same point you started from, you've just gone around the world in a circle. Thus, circumnavigation is possible on FE.
Q: "If you go directly south won't you eventually fall off the edge of the Earth?"
A: Yes, you will. In order to use this fact as proof you need to record a video of someone flying directly south around the world without falling off the edge. Furthermore you need to prove that your navigational equipment allows you to travel directly south without deviating.
Q: "How come when I flush my toilet in the northern hemisphere it goes counterclockwise but I have this friend in Australia and when he flushes it goes clockwise?"
You're mistaken. On a round Earth, the Coriolis effect adds at most one (counter)clockwise rotation per day; fewer as you get closer to the equator. The water in your toilet/sink/bathtub/funnel spins much faster than that (probably at least once per minute, or 1440 times per day), so the additional/lost rotation from the Coriolis effect wouldn't be noticed.
Q: "How do seasons work?"
The radius of the sun's orbit around the Earth's axis symmetry varies throughout the year, being smallest when summer is in the northern annulus and largest when it is summer in the southern annulus.
Here are some very good diagrams of seasons on the flat Earth. The first is by thedigitalnomad (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forums/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=3444):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/digital_nomad/Flat-Earth.png
and the second is by Erasmus (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forums/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=632):
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f287/PraiseOfFolly/Flat%20Earth%20Society/fe-seasons.png
Religion
Q: "Are most or all FE's Biblical literalists, who feel like their religious belief system would be threatened by a round (i.e. spherical) earth, or are there any atheists/agnostics who are FE's as well?"
A: Not all FE's are biblical literalists.
Space Exploration and Government
Q: "NASA and other world space agencies have pictures of the Earth from space, and in those pictures the Earth is clearly a globe; in this day and age, hasn't it been proven beyond any doubt that the Earth is round?"
A: NASA and the rest of the world's space agencies who claim to have been to space are involved in a Conspiracy to keep the shape of the Earth hidden. The pictures are faked using simple imaging software.
Q: "Are you saying NASA had Photoshop in the 1960s?"
A: Of course not. Back then the pictures taken were of far lower quality and were likely produced using analog means.
Q: "Why has no one taken a photo of the Earth that proves it is flat?"
A: Only those connected to the Conspiracy have access to heights from which the shape of the Earth can be discerned. Also, nobody has been to the edge of the Earth and lived; conditions on the Ice Wall get increasingly treacherous the further you get out, and navigation methods become unreliable that far south. It is also possible that the Conspiracy is guarding the edge to prevent people from getting too close to the truth.
Q: "How did NASA create these images with the computer technology available at the time?"
A: NASA did not send rockets into space; instead, they spent a fraction of their funding on developing increasingly advanced computers and imaging software to cover their lies.
PLEASE NOTE: This means that pictures confirming the roundness or flatness of the Earth DO NOT CONSTITUTE VALID PROOF.
Q: "What is the motive behind this Conspiracy?"
A: Although their main objective can only be speculated upon, the most favored theory is that of financial gain. In a nutshell, it would logically cost much less to fake a space program than to actually have one, so those in on the Conspiracy profit from the funding NASA and other space agencies receive from the government.
Q: "If you're not sure about the motive, why do you say there is a conspiracy?"
A: Well it's quite simple really; if the Earth is in fact flat, then the space agencies must be lying when they say it isn't.
Q: "No one could possibly pull off such a conspiracy successfully."
A: Actually, they could. (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=6308.0)
Q: "How are the world governments organized to carry out this conspiracy?"
A: Only those governments with space agencies that have actually been to space and produced round pictures of the Earth need be in on the Conspiracy. And even in those cases only a limited number of people within those governments need necessarily be involved. For the most part, even those in the highest positions of these governments are probably unaware of the Conspiracy.
Q: "Why has this site not been shut down by the government?"
A: Not enough people take this site seriously for it to be perceived as a threat by those involved in the Conspiracy. Shutting it down, however, might open them up to suspicion.
Q: "There's no way the government could possibly guard the entire Ice Wall! It would take too many men! Millions of men!"
A: Not really. You could do it with a few hundred men and some basic equipment. (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=2620.msg22714#msg22714) But even so there's no reason to assume the Ice Wall is guarded; the harsh conditions of the region make it very difficult to reach anyway.
Q: "Why is NASA's space shuttle runway curved?"
A: It was specially constructed by NASA to be so. After all, NASA is at the heart of the conspiracy.
They think there is an Ice Wall at the edge, and the government guards it, and that there is a large blanket covering it so we cant see it. They also think that the pictures of the Earth are made in 'Computer Programs' and that is where all the NASA money is going into.
Many thanks to joffenz for his hard work on this FAQ..
Last update on 12/12/2008 by Jack.
Update History:
-Joffenz
-TheEngineer
Welcome to the Flat Earth Society!
Thanks for taking the time to go through this FAQ. It was created in light of the realization that for someone with a "round-Earth" (RE) background, the FE theory would appear at first glance to have some glaring holes.
Recently we have had many new members joining us and asking the same questions about these holes, so joffenz decided to make a FAQ. While the original version was mostly complete, it's a work-in-progress, and we occasionally do make corrections based on inconsistencies that are raised.
I'm just making a sticky out of it so that no one will have an excuse for starting a thread about a topic that's already been discussed and debated to death. It will be updated as necessary.
Disclaimer
The opinions and beliefs expressed in any posts do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of The Flat Earth Society Forums.
The Flat Earth Society Forums' goal is to promote the free discussion of The Flat Earth Theory as well as the free discussion of and debate of any topic of interest to our members that do not contradict Forum Rules.
The views of any individual or organization (including that of the old Flat Earth Society run by Charles K Johnson) are not necessarily shared in whole or in part by The Flat Earth Society Forums. The only person qualified to give the official position of the Forums (if required) is Daniel.
Also please remember that views of the Forum are not necessarily shared by the Forum Staff who come from both sides of The Flat/Sphere Debate and whose sole unifying purpose is to promote a smooth running forum so as to encourage the victory of truth thought free discussion and argument.
In addition, please note that the FAQ should be considered a starting point. It addresses many questions those new to FET have about the theory but in no way represents a comprehensive, all-encompassing view of the theory. It should also be noted that not all points in the FAQ are necessarily agreed on by all FE proponents.
All credit for this FAQ goes to joffenz, Erasmus, Robbyj, ﮎingulaЯiτy, and Trekky0623.
Important Links
If you are new to this website, it may be a good idea to introduce yourself first in General Discussion (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&board=1.0). After that, you may post a flat Earth-related thread with an academic and philosophical argument in Flat Earth Debate & Discussion (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&board=10.0). Your argument should address both sides of the issue and should not be bias (sample thread (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=27673.msg648733#msg648733)). This format highly recommended if you want to start a serious discussion. You may also introduce yourself and your argument in a single thread, but that is entirely up to you. Nonsensical threads will be moved/locked/deleted without notice.
If you have any questions or see anything wrong with this FAQ, you can talk about it in Flat Earth Questions & Clarification (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&board=12.0).
Samuel Rowbotham is the man who created the Flat Earth Society over a hundred and fifty years ago. Please see Earth: Not a Globe (http://www.sacred-texts.com/earth/za/index.htm) for his original work.
Terminology
FE (theory/model): Flat Earth (theory/model), a theory which states that the Earth is flat.
FE'er: Flat Earther, or someone who believes in the FE theory.
RE (theory/model): Round Earth (theory/model), a theory which states that the Earth is round.
RE'er: Round Earther, or someone who believes in the RE theory.
General / this forum
Q: "Is this site for real?"
A: This site is real. There are members who seriously believe the Earth is flat. However, there are also members who do not.
Q: "Why do you guys believe the Earth is flat?"
A: Well, it looks that way up close. In our local frame of reference, it appears to take a flat shape, ignoring obvious hills and valleys. Also, Samuel Rowbotham et al. performed a variety of experiments over a period of several years that show it must be flat. They are all explained in his book, which is linked at the top of this article.
Physics
Q: "What is the circumference and diameter of the Earth?"
Circumference: 78225 miles
Diameter: 24,900 miles
NOTE: These values are official regarding the Earth's circumference and diameter.
Q: "What about the stars, sun and moon and other planets? Are they flat too? What are they made of?"
A: The sun and moon, each 32 miles in diameter, circle Earth at a height of 3000 miles at its equator. They are located midway between the North Pole and the ice wall. Each functions similar to a "spotlight," with the sun radiating "hot light" and the moon "cold light." As they are spotlights, they only give light out over a certain are which explains why some parts of the Earth are dark when others are light. Their apparent rising and setting are caused by optical illusions.
The stars are about as far as San Francisco is from Boston. (3100 miles)
Q: "Please explain sunrises/sunsets."
A: It's a perspective effect. Really, the sun is just getting farther away; it looks like it's disappearing because everything gets smaller, and eventually disappears as it gets farther away.
[UPDATE: The Flat Earth Society no longer accepts the Electromagnetic Acceleration (AKA "bendy light") theory due to a consensus among the FEW members. However, this theory is currently being developed and reviewed by FES members. Once completed, the theory of Electromagnetic Acceleration will be used as an alternative in explaining sunsets and horizons. The explanations on perspective laws and vanishing points from E:NaG will still be the accurate representation of the FET.]
Q: "Why are other celestial bodies round but not the Earth?"
A: The Earth is not one of the other planets. The Earth is special and unlike the other bodies in numerous ways.
Q: "What about satellites? How do they orbit the Earth?"
A: Since sustained spaceflight is not possible, satellites can't orbit the Earth. The signals we supposedly receive from them are either broadcast from towers or any number of possible pseudolites. However, temporary space-flight is possible.
Q: "What's underneath the Earth?" aka "What's on the bottom?" aka "What's on the other side?"
A: This is unknown. Some believe it to be just rocks, while others believe the Earth rests on the back of four elephants and a turtle.
Q: "What about gravity?"
A: Dark Energy accelerates the Earth and all celestial bodies in the universe at 9.8m/s2. This is commonly known as Universal Acceleration, which produces the same effect as gravity. General relativity uses this concept to explain the equivalence between proper acceleration and gravity.
Q: "Isn't this version of gravity flawed? Wouldn't planes/helicopters/paragliders crash into the Earth as the Earth rises up to them?"
A: No. By the same argument, we could ask why planes/helicopters/paragliders don't crash into the Earth as they accelerate down towards them. The reason that planes do not crash is that their wings produce lift, which, when the rate of acceleration upwards equals that of gravity's pull downwards, causes them to remain at a constant altitude.
The same thing happens if the Earth is moving up. The plane is accelerating upwards at the same rate as the Earth, which means the distance between them does not change. Therefore, the plane stays at the same height and does not crash.
Q: "Doesn't this mean we'd be traveling faster than the speed of light, which is impossible?"
A: The equations of Special Relativity prevent an object from accelerating to the speed of light. Due to this restriction, these equations prove that an object can accelerate at a constant rate forever, and never reach the speed of light. For an in depth explanation: Click here. (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=3152.msg28574#msg28574)
Q: "If gravity does not exist, why do free-falling observers accelerate"?
A: According to General Relativity, free-fall is an inertial motion. Relative to a non-inertial observer, the free-falling person is accelerating.
Q: "If gravity does not exist, how does terminal velocity work"?
A: When the acceleration of the person is equal to the acceleration of the Earth, the person has reached terminal velocity (Diagram (http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r36/Persistenxe/FE_Terminal_Velocity.jpg)).
Q: "If the world was really flat, what would happen if you jump off the disc's edge?"
A: You would become directly affected by Dark Energy as the Earth is, creating the illusion that you are standing next to the Earth.
Q: "If the Earth was indeed a flat disc, wouldn't the whole planet crunch up into itself and eventually transform into a ball?"
A: If the Earth generated a gravitational field, it would eventually happen. Of course, it would take a billion years for the process to complete. FE assumes that the Earth does not generate a gravitational field. What we know as 'gravity' is provided by the acceleration of the earth.
Q: "Why does gravity vary with altitude?"
A: The moon and stars have a slight gravitational pull.
Q: Follow-up to previous question: "How is it that the Earth does not have a gravitational pull, but stars and the moon do?"
A: This argument is a non-sequitur. You might as well ask, "How is it that snakes do not have legs, but dogs and cats do?" Snakes are not dogs or cats. The Earth is not a star or the moon. It doesn't follow that each must have exactly the properties of the others, and no more.
Geography
Q: "Do you have a map?"
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r36/Persistenxe/Flat_earth-1.png
(Borrowed from Wikipedia)
A: See this one (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=1264&start=16), created by one of our members. There is also this map (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=3500) attributed to a person named Wilbur Voliva.
Also, there is Cosmas Indicopleustes' world picture, 6 th century in the Christian Topography (http://www.henry-davis.com/MAPS/EMwebpages/202.html).
Q: "Exactly what shape is the Earth if it's flat? Square or circle?"
A: Circle, like in the UN logo. However, the earth is NOT 2D; it is in the shape of a cylinder.
Q: "Why doesn't water run off the Earth?"
A: There is a vast ice wall that keeps the water where it is. The ice wall is roughly 150ft high. This also explains why you can find a vast plane of ice when you travel south.
Antarctica as a continent does not exist.
Q: "Wouldn't the atmosphere be diffused into space?"
A: There is a field created during the interaction between Dark Energy and the Earth. This is known as the Dark Energy Field, and it acts as a containment to prevent DE from affecting the objects on Earth. This explains why the atmosphere will not be diffused into space. Here (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=18105.msg323369#msg323369) is an explanation on the DEF's structure by one of our moderators.
Q: "How does global warming affect the ice wall?"
A1: The Ice Wall is really a mountain range. It just happens to be covered in ice and snow.
A2: Global Warming doesn't happen. It and its counter-theory (Global Cooling) are effects that cancel each other out. Remember, these "greenhouse gasses" can reflect heat back out into space as well as keep it on Earth. There are recorded rises in temperature, but the only records we have go back, at most, around 150 years. This is very likely an occurrence that happens every [x>150] years, and the Earth has survived before.
Q: "What about tides?"
A1: The tides exist due to a slight see-saw effect on the earth. As it goes back and forth, the water rushes to the side that is lower. Note, this is a very slight wobble. Remember, these wobbles are created by very minor earthquakes. They keep the tides in check. Notice that large earthquakes result in large tides or "tsunami".
A2: The gravitational pull of the stars provide tidal effects.
A3: The anti-moon is an object with a gravitational pull just like the moon, and is underneath the Earth. The moon causes the tides, and the anti-moon balances out the effect. These create predictable tides.
Q : "Why is the North pole colder than the equator?"
A: The sun circles over the equator, thus the poles don't receive the same intensity of light.
Q: "How do volcanic eruptions happen?"
A: The Earth is thick enough to have a core of molten lava. Once there's too much of it in too confined a space, it finds its way out, just like the water will come out of a full bottle if you squeeze it too hard.
Q: "What about time zones?"
A: The sun is a spotlight which shines light on a concentrated area, so not everywhere on Earth will be lit at once. Times zones exist so that everyone's clock will be at 12:00 around the time the sun is approximately directly overhead.
Q: "What about Lunar Eclipses and Moon Phases?"
A: An invisible celestial body, known as the Shadow Object, passes between the sun and moon during a Lunar Eclipse. This projects a shadow upon the moon.
Q: "How come the travel time by air from South America to New Zealand, via the polar route, is SHORTER than the travel time going North first and then South again?"
A: The airline pilots are guided by their GPS. Remember that satellites don't exist. The replacement data given from pseudolites deliberately throwing distorting all the paths to make it the flights take different times. The curvature of these paths can add or subtract great distances without the overall turning being obvious to someone traveling it.
Q: "How can a compass work on a Flat Earth?"
A: The magnetic field is generated in the same fashion as with the RE (Diagram (http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r36/Persistenxe/MAGNETIC_11.jpg)). Thus, the magnetic south pole is near the geographic north pole, just like on the RE. The magnetic north pole is on the underside of the Earth. The Ice Wall is not the south pole, but acts as it, as it is the furthest from the center of the earth that you can follow the magnetic field. The field is vertical in this area, accounting for the aurora australis.
Q: "When traveling in a straight direction, you will always reach the same point on the globe from where you started. How can this happen if the world is flat?"
A: You need to have evidence for this to be true. Also, define "straight." Remember, the northern point on the compass is, under most circumstances (unless near the center or deep in the ice wall), pointing toward the center of the Earth. If you follow your compass due east or due west, ending up at the same point you started from, you've just gone around the world in a circle. Thus, circumnavigation is possible on FE.
Q: "If you go directly south won't you eventually fall off the edge of the Earth?"
A: Yes, you will. In order to use this fact as proof you need to record a video of someone flying directly south around the world without falling off the edge. Furthermore you need to prove that your navigational equipment allows you to travel directly south without deviating.
Q: "How come when I flush my toilet in the northern hemisphere it goes counterclockwise but I have this friend in Australia and when he flushes it goes clockwise?"
You're mistaken. On a round Earth, the Coriolis effect adds at most one (counter)clockwise rotation per day; fewer as you get closer to the equator. The water in your toilet/sink/bathtub/funnel spins much faster than that (probably at least once per minute, or 1440 times per day), so the additional/lost rotation from the Coriolis effect wouldn't be noticed.
Q: "How do seasons work?"
The radius of the sun's orbit around the Earth's axis symmetry varies throughout the year, being smallest when summer is in the northern annulus and largest when it is summer in the southern annulus.
Here are some very good diagrams of seasons on the flat Earth. The first is by thedigitalnomad (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forums/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=3444):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/digital_nomad/Flat-Earth.png
and the second is by Erasmus (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forums/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=632):
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f287/PraiseOfFolly/Flat%20Earth%20Society/fe-seasons.png
Religion
Q: "Are most or all FE's Biblical literalists, who feel like their religious belief system would be threatened by a round (i.e. spherical) earth, or are there any atheists/agnostics who are FE's as well?"
A: Not all FE's are biblical literalists.
Space Exploration and Government
Q: "NASA and other world space agencies have pictures of the Earth from space, and in those pictures the Earth is clearly a globe; in this day and age, hasn't it been proven beyond any doubt that the Earth is round?"
A: NASA and the rest of the world's space agencies who claim to have been to space are involved in a Conspiracy to keep the shape of the Earth hidden. The pictures are faked using simple imaging software.
Q: "Are you saying NASA had Photoshop in the 1960s?"
A: Of course not. Back then the pictures taken were of far lower quality and were likely produced using analog means.
Q: "Why has no one taken a photo of the Earth that proves it is flat?"
A: Only those connected to the Conspiracy have access to heights from which the shape of the Earth can be discerned. Also, nobody has been to the edge of the Earth and lived; conditions on the Ice Wall get increasingly treacherous the further you get out, and navigation methods become unreliable that far south. It is also possible that the Conspiracy is guarding the edge to prevent people from getting too close to the truth.
Q: "How did NASA create these images with the computer technology available at the time?"
A: NASA did not send rockets into space; instead, they spent a fraction of their funding on developing increasingly advanced computers and imaging software to cover their lies.
PLEASE NOTE: This means that pictures confirming the roundness or flatness of the Earth DO NOT CONSTITUTE VALID PROOF.
Q: "What is the motive behind this Conspiracy?"
A: Although their main objective can only be speculated upon, the most favored theory is that of financial gain. In a nutshell, it would logically cost much less to fake a space program than to actually have one, so those in on the Conspiracy profit from the funding NASA and other space agencies receive from the government.
Q: "If you're not sure about the motive, why do you say there is a conspiracy?"
A: Well it's quite simple really; if the Earth is in fact flat, then the space agencies must be lying when they say it isn't.
Q: "No one could possibly pull off such a conspiracy successfully."
A: Actually, they could. (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=6308.0)
Q: "How are the world governments organized to carry out this conspiracy?"
A: Only those governments with space agencies that have actually been to space and produced round pictures of the Earth need be in on the Conspiracy. And even in those cases only a limited number of people within those governments need necessarily be involved. For the most part, even those in the highest positions of these governments are probably unaware of the Conspiracy.
Q: "Why has this site not been shut down by the government?"
A: Not enough people take this site seriously for it to be perceived as a threat by those involved in the Conspiracy. Shutting it down, however, might open them up to suspicion.
Q: "There's no way the government could possibly guard the entire Ice Wall! It would take too many men! Millions of men!"
A: Not really. You could do it with a few hundred men and some basic equipment. (http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=6e98cfca9952d2d3c8fc2e8796943f d9&topic=2620.msg22714#msg22714) But even so there's no reason to assume the Ice Wall is guarded; the harsh conditions of the region make it very difficult to reach anyway.
Q: "Why is NASA's space shuttle runway curved?"
A: It was specially constructed by NASA to be so. After all, NASA is at the heart of the conspiracy.
They think there is an Ice Wall at the edge, and the government guards it, and that there is a large blanket covering it so we cant see it. They also think that the pictures of the Earth are made in 'Computer Programs' and that is where all the NASA money is going into.