Bible says earth is flat?

I'm sure this topic has been discussed before, but since I'm new here, I'd love to hear what some of you think about this issue.

There are numerous references in the bible that refer to the world as being flat or having four corners (I can provide some of these if needed). Nowhere is there a passage that indicates the world is in fact a sphere. If the authors of the bible were divinely inspired, why then would the inspirer (who presumably knows the world is spherical) not make this evident?

I asked this same question to one of the Franciscan fathers at my high school some years back and the answer he gave me was that the people at the time were not ready for such a revalation. His logic was that they could not handle such an idea and would have rejected the bible entirely. Considering some of the other radical and revolutionary ideas (for its time) in the bible, I found that answer insufficient. Can anyone else perhaps give an explanation that makes a bit more sense?

Thanks!

fixx

No, the Bible does not say the earth is flat. On the contrary.

Does that mean moronic people can't come up with that by reading the Bible? Of course not, moronic people can read anything out of everything! You, as well as I, can't understand it, so don't even try. It'll give you an headache to try and figure out stupidity! Trust me, sometimes I try and carry on conversations with the boss!

Couple of quotes:

"And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth ." -Isaiah 11:12

"And after these things I saw four angels standing on four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree." -Revelation 7:1

"He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved" -Psalm 104:5

"He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble" -Job 9:6

"Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea." -Job 11:9

"That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?" -Job 38:13

"I saw a tree of great height at the center of the world. It was large and strong, with its top touching the heavens, and it could be seen from the ends of the earth." -Daniel 4:7-8

"Once again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world [cosmos] in their glory." -Matthew 4:8

Seems to indicate flat.

fixx

Not in any lucid mind.

The only one that might give one that idea is the first, but just because there are for identified directions every 90 degrees doesn't mean the earth is flat. Foundation doesn't mean the earth is flat,neither do pillars or ends.

I'll bet petry gives you fits, doesn't it. Do figures of speech irk you? I wish I could introduce you to the people with whom I work; they say I'm too literal sometimes!

1 corner=90 degrees
You have 4 corners=N,S,E,W= 360 degrees=circle=round=not flat.

regards
seekerof

Four corners of Earth - that is how it comes up in translation.
Some translation say 'edges', some say 'parts' - it can mean north-south,east-west.. etc. Some words mutate over the years and lose their meaning.

Isaiah 40:22
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.

Circle of earth, this should indicate they meant earth is sphere.

4 corners, 90 degrees. Right. E W N S, correct. Not flat? Correct. Not flat.

You are beginning to worry me. Are you my boss at work?!?

circle = flat round surface

fixx

ok, so I didn't say spherical...sue me.....

Megaquad got my back though....

regards
seekerof

Originally posted by fixx
circle = flat round surface

fixx

How about being a little creative? By saying circle, writer of bible probably meant sphere.. it all mutated in translation.
All arguments saying bible says earth is flat mention 4 corners of earth - they mean earth is rectangular.

This is more likely:
circle = +round.
sphere = round.

lol

The earth is a globe, Mike, and we still use the ol E W N S thing.

Mike, stay in your office and away from the helicopters, ok? Let us trained techincians play with the high-tec stuff!

Originally posted by fixx
circle = flat round surface

Does the moon not appear as just a circle from our vantage?

Well, I agree this is matter of semantics AND translation. But I would also offer that no where have I heard or read that the men ordained with the task of writing down the Bible (which I believe divinely inspired) were given scientific knowledge ahead of their time.

Can you imagine the scene:

and God tells Daniel "Write down that part about you seeing that big tree coming out of the center of the earth and such."

Daniel reads out loud as he writes: " saw a tree of great height at the center of the world. It was large and strong, with its top touching the heavens, and it could be seen from the ends of the earth."

God interrupts: "Ahem, Daniel, that kind of makes the earth sound...well, flat."

Daniel: "Your point?"

God: "Uhhh, it's not, it's round...And not even really 'round' but an oblate spheriod."

Daniel: "What the heck is a 'old blate's fearoid'?"

God: "Well, like an orange, only squooshed a little at the navel. And spinning as a matter of fact."

Daniel: "You're kidding me???"

God: "No, that's how I made it."

Daniel: "Which way are we spinning?"

God: "West to east."

Daniel: "Poppycock! God, do you want me to finish this or not?"

God: "Daniel, have I lied to you yet?"

Daniel: "Well, how do we not fall off then?"

God: "Gravity."

Daniel: "Whativy"

God: "Gravity."

Daniel: "What the heck is that???"

God: "Well, you see, if you take a little mass...

Daniel: "What's a little mast got to do with it?"

God:"...oh piffle, Daniel, just finish up, ok?"

[Edited on 9-7-2003 by Valhall]

I don't think people were stupid at the time as we think.
Quite opposite I would say.

HAHAHAHA!!! How you know that didn't happen? Do you have proof that didn't happen? How do we know?

But with the tree? Heaven isn't in the sky, so no tree could touch it. Proving bible wrong for only thing in sky is clouds.

Kinda like the whole tower to heaven thing. Why did god knock it down? Because they were building it to heaven. But heaven isn't in the sky.

But yes, four corners. My table has four 90 degree corners, but is a square, not round. And the church killed people for saying earth wasn't flat, the church that was suppose to represent the bible and god said it was flat. The holy people made holy by other more powerful holy people all said it was flat. Of course, also said was center and killed you for disagreeing, and we know both were wrong. Also know earth older than 6,000 years, but some mega holy guy in the church said it wasn't, and probably got people killed for disagreeing. Well, should specify that the church means catholic. Other religons weren't to bad till they came to America to escape persecution from the church. Then they just dished out some punishment on the hethens.(Indians)

Anyways, remember, the Pebble People love you as long as you include socks to your laundry. No socks, no love.

Soooooooo, your basically saying that the earth is flat and needs to be sure that when washed it has the socks with it?!?

regards
seekerof

Originally posted by fixx
Couple of quotes:

"And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth ." -Isaiah 11:12

"And after these things I saw four angels standing on four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree." -Revelation 7:1

"He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved" -Psalm 104:5

"He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble" -Job 9:6

"Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea." -Job 11:9

"That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?" -Job 38:13

"I saw a tree of great height at the center of the world. It was large and strong, with its top touching the heavens, and it could be seen from the ends of the earth." -Daniel 4:7-8

"Once again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world [cosmos] in their glory." -Matthew 4:8

Seems to indicate flat.

fixx

You must consider the time in which and for whom this was written. Scientific formulae would not have the same instructional effect. You can understand the four directions of the compass??

Four corners..........N S E W

The foundation spoke of here relates to the setting of the Earth in its place in space, like all other objects.

The devil(Satan) took Jesus (we can only conjecture how this actually came about) to a high mountain and in a vision, showed him all of the present and future kingdoms of the world...........nothing to do with geology.

Wait everyone.....I can assure you that the earth is not flat. It is round. I know I have seen pictures from outerspace. It really is round. Hope this will settle any doubts.

Peace

Originally posted by MarkosOrrealus
Wait everyone.....I can assure you that the earth is not flat. It is round. I know I have seen pictures from outerspace. It really is round. Hope this will settle any doubts.

Pictures! Ha!
I've seen Star Wars - does that mean it happened?

My point is that you can interpret my post however you like but in the end your gonna believe what you know to be true.