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The view of the earth by Christians

Discussion in '2005 Archive' started by gb93433, Jun 11, 2005.

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  1. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    1. Do you believe the earth was viewed by early Christians as flat or round?

    2. Do you believe the early Chrisitians viewed Genesis as saying the world was flat or round?

    3. Do you believe Genesis teaches the earth is flat or round?
     
    #1 gb93433, Jun 11, 2005
  2. exscentric

    exscentric Well-Known Member
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    The more important question, is Is the earth round?

    [​IMG]

    Do you have a particular portion in Genesis in mind?
     
    #2 exscentric, Jun 11, 2005
  3. Joseph_Botwinick

    Joseph_Botwinick <img src=/532.jpg>Banned

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    I don't think it matters. But my answer to all three questions would be flat.

    Joseph Botwinick
     
    #3 Joseph_Botwinick, Jun 11, 2005
  4. Magnetic Poles

    Magnetic Poles New Member

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    I agree with the esteemed Mr. Botwinick. From the perspective of people living then, the world was indeed flat. They just didn't have the big picture. Doesn't really matter one way or the other.
     
    #4 Magnetic Poles, Jun 11, 2005
  5. west

    west New Member

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    I wonder what circle in this verse means?

    It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in
    Isaiah 40:22
     
    #5 west, Jun 11, 2005
  6. Magnetic Poles

    Magnetic Poles New Member

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    West,

    I would not say this is a sphere, but rather the compass...N S E W. If you look around you on a flat prairie, it looks like you are at the center of an immense disk, or circle if you will, with the sky spread out over it. Hard to have a tent over a ball. A circle is not a sphere.

    This is how I interpret it. Your mileage may vary.
     
    #6 Magnetic Poles, Jun 11, 2005
  7. exscentric

    exscentric Well-Known Member
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    Isa. 11.12 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.
     
    #7 exscentric, Jun 11, 2005
  8. Rachel

    Rachel New Member

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    I was going to post this verse too thinking if the early Christian's read that, then they would know the earth wasn't flat? mmmmm :confused:
     
    #8 Rachel, Jun 12, 2005
  9. Artimaeus

    Artimaeus Active Member

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    Maybe it was a square circle. [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
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    [​IMG]
    Genesis does not teach that the earth is flat [​IMG]
     
    #9 Artimaeus, Jun 12, 2005
  10. StefanM

    StefanM Well-Known Member
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    I was going to post this verse too thinking if the early Christian's read that, then they would know the earth wasn't flat? mmmmm :confused: </font>[/QUOTE]Or....they would see it as figurative.
     
    #10 StefanM, Jun 12, 2005
  11. StefanM

    StefanM Well-Known Member
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    1. Probably flat.

    2. Probably flat.

    3. Neither. The shape of the earth is not a concern of the author. I do, however, believe that the author/compiler of Genesis believed the earth was flat.
     
    #11 StefanM, Jun 12, 2005
  12. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    I agree with Stefan.

    Does the Bible teach that the earth is the center of the cosmos?

    Rob
     
    #12 Deacon, Jun 12, 2005
  13. PastorGreg

    PastorGreg Member
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    Why assume that Moses and early Christians were idiots? I don't think the book of Genesis says anything about the shape of the earth, but if it did, it would be correct. Isaiah 40:22 clearly teaches a round earth, as does Psalm 103:12. "East from west" versus "north from south" is significant only on a sphere like our earth.
     
    #13 PastorGreg, Jun 12, 2005
  14. StefanM

    StefanM Well-Known Member
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    They weren't idiots. They just didn't know better. Did the fact that they did not know about DNA make them idiots, too?
     
    #14 StefanM, Jun 12, 2005
  15. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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    1. Do you believe the earth was viewed by early Christians as flat or round?

    Depends on which Christians at which time. There is good evidence that many of the church fathers recognized that the earth was round (which had come into vogue among the Greeks before the birth of Christ.) Among other Christians, it probably depended on their backgrounds and education.

    2. Do you believe the early Christians viewed Genesis as saying the world was flat or round?

    More or less in line with the above response. Old Testament language was malleable enough, and symbolis enough, to admit an interpretation of a round earth.

    3. Do you believe Genesis teaches the earth is flat or round?

    The phraseology seems to indicate a flat earth, but some places can be interpreted otherwise if you cock your head and squint an eye. The shape of the earth seems to be of little concern of the writers of the OT, all in all.
     
    #15 rsr, Jun 12, 2005
  16. PastorGreg

    PastorGreg Member
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    No. Not knowing about something is not the same as believing errantly.
     
    #16 PastorGreg, Jun 12, 2005
  17. Magnetic Poles

    Magnetic Poles New Member

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    No. Not knowing about something is not the same as believing errantly. </font>[/QUOTE]Correct, but not knowing can lead to incorrect conclusions based upon limited data.
     
    #17 Magnetic Poles, Jun 12, 2005
  18. Gold Dragon

    Gold Dragon Well-Known Member

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    No. Not knowing about something is not the same as believing errantly. </font>[/QUOTE]God never promised his people that they would be inerrant.
     
    #18 Gold Dragon, Jun 13, 2005
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