Zealots

The image to the right started it all. Set me on another adventure down another useless rabbit hole. But then, lately Life has become a rabbit hole. How can anyone expect me to tell the difference between the rabbit holes of worth and the ones that end up, uh well, as just another rabbit hole to nowhere.

The caption that accompanied this cryptic Facebook image read:

"CANT WAIT TO HEAR YALLS BULLCRAP EXCUSE ON THIS ONE....."

"The Lake Pontchartrain bridge in Louisiana was constructed perfectly level across the 24 mile expanse. That should be 384 ft of downward curvature, but there is zero downward curvature."

Whenever I visit this local Texas Facebook page, I am often looking to reinforce my own normalcy by reading the lunacy of a bunch of real Texans exchanging political views. One thing is for sure, Texas is not just full of Right Wingin, Gun Totin, Bible Thumpin zealots. The state is big enough, populated enough, and loud enough to be home to a wide variety of views. Listening to them mix it up among themselves actually makes me feel warm and fuzzy; kinda. 

Texans don't shy away from political discourse. Texans are not polite, though many would like to try and hide behind that "southern charm" Bullshit. Real Texans let you know how they feel, and if you don't like it, they'd be more than happy to shove a Lone Star long neck up your ass. 

Their clarity of position suits me. And while I have yet to find a Lone Star shoved up my ass, I am guessing there would a line waiting for me if I ever re-visited this state from my younger days.

Sorry, off again on another tangent. I apologize.

I was curious about the image of a bridge I had crossed more than a few times while pounding the super slabs hauling goods of one kind or another. I had no idea what the Hell this was about. So I googled myself right into a 3 or 4 hour rabbit hole I feel compelled to share today.

This meme is the mastermind creation of one "JR", champion superstar Flat Earther and unapologetic Bible thumpin gun totin Righteous Wingin advocate.

His premise is that since the builders of the bridge claimed it was level throughout its 24 mile run, without the necessary 384 ft worth of curvature to compensate for the curvature of the planet, well that right there proved the earth was flat. After all, 384 ft or 0.003 % of downward curvature over 126,720 feet should be visible to the naked eye.

I mumbled, "Hmm."

JR's use of "downward curvature" to describe the kind of adjustment the bridge needed seemed bass-ackwards to me. If as many of us claim, the World is round, wouldn't the curvature correction be upwards, not down? Anyway, his argument made no sense to me so then ................

I made my biggest mistake. I commented on the meme.

As a rule I try not to argue with idiots. But yesterday, I stupidly mixed it up with them anyway. It turns out JR has 23,000 followers. ...... That's right, 23,000.

As he is also a Winger Gun and Bible Nut, the whole Flat Earth thing might just be an effort on his part to round out his Lunatic quiver and boost his credibility among his peers. 

JLC, of  California had JR's back. She was right there with back up and "proof" the Earth was flat. She even admonished me by pointing out "it is easy to Google" the proof if I chose to. I supposed that was a backhanded insult, so okay, I was crushed, beaten and humiliated. At least I figure in her mind I was.

So anyway, her proof came in a couple of images she must have found on the "Lunatic Fringe Christian Network". The one to the left I chose to illustrate her dedication to truth, the Bible, and God Almighty.

I knew immediately I was in a fight I could not win. I stayed a few rounds just for shits and giggles. Then I blessed her heart and came back here to lick my wounds.

Not sure why I engage folks like her and JR. Maybe it is my lifelong fascination with the fringes of our culture. I have to say living in their fantasy world is often more interesting than the one I currently live in.

Later ..................................

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Looking up "Flat earth music", I came across this debut tune from Fixation, a new Metal band from Norway. The boys are talented. Here is "Flat Earth".