The Flat Earth Society

One of my favorite smart-ass comments when someone says something that strikes me as old-fashioned is:

Yeah, yeah, yeah...and there was also a time when people thought the earth was flat...

Imagine my shock to discover that that time is NOW.

Okay, to begin at the beginning. I was watching a science program called Gallileo* and they were investigating conspiracy theories related to the Apollo Moon missions. Well, one thing led to another (as they do when one goes to Wikipedia to check a name, in this case Bill Kaysing), and before I knew it I was chest deep in Apollo Hoax theories. Fascinating. Not really my type, when it comes to conspiracy theories, but fascinating, nevertheless.

In any case, I soon found myself confronted with a group called The Flat Earth Society and after reading their Wikipedia entry and visiting their website, I felt my brain starting to melt. From a critical essay by Robert Schadewald, here's a sample of what they believe:

...the known world is as circular and as flat as a phonograph record. The North Pole is at the center. At the outer edge lies the southern ice, reputed to be a wall 150 feet high; no one has ever crossed it, and therefore what lies beyond is unknown.

The sun and moon, in the Johnson version, are only about 32 miles in diameter. They circle above the earth in the vicinity of the equator, and their apparent rising and setting are tricks of perspective, like railroad tracks that appear to meet in the distance. The moon shines by its own light and is not eclipsed by the earth. Rather, lunar eclipses are caused by an unseen dark body occasionally passing in front of the moon.
(Source: The Flat-out Truth)

"Johnson" in the above quote, refers to Charles K. Johnson. He was resident of the society until his death in 2001.**

Apparently, the United Nations also knows that the world is flat. Why else does their flag look like that? Oh and the whole thing, the society I mean, is based on a literal reading of the Bible.

"Sigh..."

_______
*Yes...I am that girl...
**Hmmmm.... Johnson died on March 19, 2001. Exactly 177 days before September 11. Add the numbers 1+7+7 and you get 15. Then add 1+5 and you get 6. That has to mean something, right?