# Fighting flat-Earth theory

**URL:** <https://discourse.peacefulscience.org/t/fighting-flat-earth-theory/12021>\
**Category:** Conversation\
**Tags:** Article\
**Created:** [October 3, 2020, 5:47pm UTC](https://discourse.peacefulscience.org/t/fighting-flat-earth-theory/12021 "2020-10-03T17:47:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 11

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**Author:** ![Tim](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.peacefulscience.org/tim/32/9381_2.png) [@Tim](https://discourse.peacefulscience.org/u/Tim)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 3:04am UTC](https://discourse.peacefulscience.org/t/fighting-flat-earth-theory/12021/11 "2020-10-05T03:04:10Z")

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> [@swamidass](#):
>
> That is not at all clear. Look at the data there:

**No @swamidass** – I would suggest _you_ need to take a closer look at this data.

It shows the three categories other than “very religious” have _considerably_ lower (2/3 to 1/2) levels for Flat earth than for the general population, but “very religious” is over two and a half times the general population level.

_That_ is a **clear** difference. And this data _clearly_ supports my contention that it “has _something_ to do with religion” (please note I only said “something”, not _everything_).

> [@swamidass](#):
>
> Notice that this age group is more likely to be a None.

Yes, but contrast this with the low (17%) “Not religious at all” level among Flat Earthers. This means we _cannot_ make the easy assumption that Flat Earthers are Millennial Nones.

Also, Millennials may be twice as likely (2%-\>4%) to be Flat Earth, but “very religious” are two _and a half_ times (20%-\>52%) likely – meaning that the religious effect is still more prominent than the youth effect.

I would further note that you _have not_ provided a citation for your **unsubstantiated** “most flat eartherism has nothing to do with the Bible” claim. I ask this because, although I have not found any demographic data on this point, I have come across considerable anecdotal reports of people citing the Bible in support of their Flat Earth beliefs.

Addendum:

> [@swamidass](#):
>
> There is good reason to think flat-earthism is associated with conspiratorial thinking and a general distrust of institutions.

I would tend to agree with this, but would suggest that this does not necessarilly disassociate Flat Earth from religious belief, as at least a significant minority of religious people may have similar thinking and distrust.

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_[View the full topic](https://discourse.peacefulscience.org/t/fighting-flat-earth-theory/12021)._
