For decades now, biblical creationists have had to contend with mockery and derision from those with differing world views, and it’s not uncommon for a belief in creation to be compared to the belief in a flat Earth. Evolutionists use this comparison as a way of showing just how ludicrous they consider biblical creation to be.

But, as unbelievable as it may seem, flat Earth ideas have actually seen a resurgence in the last couple of years, and many people seem to be quite sincere in their acceptance of it. Not only is this resulting in a lot of confusion, since some flat-Earth arguments can sound very compelling at face
value, but it’s also creating uncomfortable situations for people encountering this idea for the first time. Many people simply take the spherical shape Earth for granted and so are unprepared to defend that belief or answer Flat-Earthers’ questions.

Here at the Creation Experience Museum, we are now encountering flat-Earth ideas on a regular basis, among both Christians and non-Christians alike, and several of our guests have asked for advice on how to answer the questions and challenges of those who believe in a flat-Earth.

Now, while there are indeed numerous scientific experiments and evidences supporting a spherical Earth, those evidences are not the focus of this article, for two primary reasons:

No amount of scientific evidence, no matter how well-researched or grounded in observable facts, seems to make a difference. Perhaps the flimsy arguments of the flat-Earth movement have actually convinced some people of their truth. Or, perhaps the appeal of a conspiracy or of being in the “rebel minority” is just too strong to resist. Regardless, this means that countering flat-Earth ideas with scientific evidence rarely produces the desired effect.

So how, then, do we respond when confronted with flat-Earth theory, if actual scientific evidence makes no difference to its proponents?

While there is, unfortunately, no one-size-fits-all solution, we believe that the best option is to try to get to the heart of the issue, and to stay focused on what really matters.

In Genesis chapter 3, we see Satan luring Eve away from the truth with the lure of hidden, secret knowledge and wisdom (Genesis 3:5-6).

Even the very first humans were not immune to the appeal of a conspiracy!

This should serve as a very serious warning to all of us, and a reminder not to be led astray by the desire for hidden, secret wisdom or conspiracies (of any kind, not just flat-Earth). Furthermore, the Bible clearly and repeatedly states that true wisdom comes from the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7, 9:10; James 1:5-6), and that hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Colossians 2:3). If we truly desire wisdom and understanding, we should seek them by growing deeper in our relationship with Christ, by seeking His will in our lives, by obeying His commands, and by storing His word in our hearts—not by seeking out conspiracy theories.

Another (and even more alarming) trend we have noticed among Christians who subscribe to flat-Earth theory is that many of them seem determined to pull every conversation back to a discussion of their flat-Earth ideas, even when there is no relevant connection to the topic. It is as though it has become an all-consuming fixation, distracting them from more important issues and making it very difficult to communicate truth to them.

Some good questions to ask such people are:

1. Why does it matter so much?
2. Does the shape of our planet effect whether or not the Bible is true?
3. Does the Bible’s relevance increase or decrease based on the shape of Earth?

4. Does the shape of Earth change the fact that we have sinned, and that Jesus died to redeem us?

Of course, the answer to these questions is “No”.

The Bible shows us that Satan is very busy trying to deceive, confuse, and distract people from focusing on the truth of God (2 Corinthians 4:4, 11:3; Ephesians 6:11; 1 Peter 5:8). This is how he managed to lead humanity to rebel against God in the Garden of Eden at the very beginning (Genesis 3:1-5). Later, in the New Testament, we see the case of Martha, who let her focus become fastened upon the inconsequential and distract her from sitting at the feet of Jesus to learn from Him (Luke 10:38-42). The more fixated we become upon an inconsequential hot topic or conspiracy theory, the more at-risk we are of being led astray like Adam and Eve, or distracted from spending time with Jesus, like Martha.

Lastly, the Apostle Paul refers to the importance of Christ being our primary focus in 2 Corinthians 4:5, when he says “You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake.” This is a beautifully clear reminder that our mission is not about us, but about Christ. It’s not about our own ideas, but about the gospel.

If we allow personal, inconsequential conspiracy theories to consume our minds and dominate our conversations to the exclusion of all else, we are neglecting the Great Commission that Christ has given us to preach the gospel to every nation. As Christians, our desire should be just the opposite: to keep Christ at the center of our focus, and to declare His gospel above everything else.

Recommended reading: 

• https://answersingenesis.org/search/?refinement=&language=en&q=flat+earth 
• https://www.livescience.com/60544-ways-to-prove-earth-is-round.html 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spherical_Earth 
• https://www.icr.org/article/earth-really-round 
• https://www.thecreationguys.com/ 
• https://www.history.com/news/christopher-columbus-never-set-out-to-prove-the-earth-was-round
• https://strangenotions.com/did-the-church-teach-the-earth-was-flat/
• https://answersingenesis.org/astronomy/earth/reflections-flat-earth-movement/ 

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_Level_experiment (Accessed 5/3/2019)