Don’t fly too high. Don’t drive too far. And whatever you do, don’t sail too many miles from home. If you do, you might run right off the side of Planet Earth.
“How is it possible to run off the side of a planet?” you might ask.
Come on . . . isn’t it obvious? It’s because the earth is flat!
Okay, just about everybody knows the world is a sphere. But there are actually a few people in the world who think we inhabit a flat planet. In fact, they held a Flat Earth Convention in North Carolina a while back.
BBC News sent a camera crew to the conference to learn about the people who believe our planet is shaped like a frisbee instead of a globe.
Show your students the following video [2:52].
Why do people still think the earth is flat? – BBC News
- Suppose you met a flat-earth believer. What evidence could you present to convince them that the earth is round? (Accept all reasonable answers, but try to keep the discussion from getting too silly.)
Let’s pretend for a minute that you’re the one who doubts the world is round. One of the best ways to overcome your doubt would be to do some research. What evidence is there for the belief you’re questioning? For example, are pictures of our planet taken from space? Yes—and they offer strong proof that we live on a globe, not a frisbee. Has anyone ever started out in an airplane in one city and flown completely around the globe only to end up in that same city? Yes, that happened for the first time back in 1924.
If time permits and your students are interested, let them check out the following websites:
28 iconic photos of the Earth from space that will make you feel puny and insignificant
https://www.businessinsider.com/best-photos-earth-moon-from-deep-space-2017-3
First Flight around the World
https://pioneersofflight.si.edu/content/first-flight-around-world
Of course, pictures can be faked. Are there any people who’ve seen this round planet with their own eyes? Sure, we call them “astronauts.” Talking to an astronaut, or watching an interview with one, may be even better proof that the world is round.
Share the following interview with an astronaut [1:11].
FLAT EARTH DEBUNKED – NASA Astronaut Terry Virts
People doubt many things—in fact, having doubts is part of being human. Some folks question everything from whether men really landed on the moon to whether God is real.
- What are some doubts that you have? They don’t need to be about space; they can be about anything. (Allow your students to voice doubts about various subjects—including God and faith—without comment. This is a good time to evaluate where your students stand spiritually. You may want to voice a doubt of your own just to get things rolling. Saying something like “Sometimes I doubt God is listening when I pray” can help students understand that your classroom is a safe place to share.)
Today, we’re going to talk about some questions that a great man of faith had about Jesus. Let’s see what Jesus did to help him overcome those doubts.
