The world is flat

No, really...

What if you were from a community that believes in a flat world, would you believe it?

You've been told this every day of your life, with words or otherwise. They use the Bible to prove it, you can't see the globe if you aren't looking for signs, it requires abstract thinking capability to visualize it and ...these are nice people who mean well, right?

Except that they say those who think the world is round are liberals trying to seduce our children into their alternative viewpoint. All the studies and professional opinions are not given consideration, and all the effort to try and prove it is right just shows how guilty you are for believing something that you know is wrong. Thinking the world is round is unnatural and a result of an overprotective mother and distant father. Thinking the world is round is curable. All of the shipwrecks are proof that living a round world lifestyle is wrong. Thinking the world is round shouldn't be supported by our governments, our churches or schools or neighbors because it would redefine the definition of the world. If we give equal rights to people who think the world is round, gravity will stop working, time will stand still and it will only lead to equal rights for other deviant people who walk on their hands or live underground. Still, we must love our friends who choose to believe the world is round and pray for them, hurt for them and trust that they will be set free....

You get my point. Those are a few of the many messages used on me over the years by my family, my mother especially though not alone. They are like those used by many more families that demonize their children in the name of God and love. Many were killed before Columbus for observing the world is round. Many more were killed because they were born different... different race, gender, orientation. Laws have been enacted to protect "decent" people including the Jewish ghetto, apartheid, Japanese internment, Jim Crow laws and so called "defense of marriage" and sodomy laws. What is redeeming is that history wins out, thanks to the determined who did not give up when people called them crazy using the same kind of reason I just used about the flat vs round world. But no matter how far we come, the strong remain in power and use the abuse they create as evidence of why they should keep that power. Illogical right? That is the great challenge of an opponent who uses the very fact you are disagreeing with them as proof you deep down agree with them.

Thank you for reading my written processing, it was helpful. And thank you to those who did not give up hard truth for easy silence in the fight to prove the world is round.