"Falling Flat" by Danny Faulkner: A Cover-to-Cover Review

Straw-manning Flat Earth is not a good look for Faulkner and Answers in Genesis

When I checked my mail recently, it felt like Christmas again. Why? Because Danny Faulkner’s book had finally arrived. I’ve been waiting months to get my hands on a copy. It is hard to justify FE expenses when my husband holds to a globe. I even tried an interlibrary loan — but that was a dead end. Thankfully, I can dedicate some of my writing income to invest in much-needed tools. So, THANK YOU to those who support my work. 

Faulkner’s Falling Flat: A Refutation of Flat Earth Claims was high on my list after my latest article about TFE.

For the record, I have seen evidence that makes me question if TFE happened in Antarctica. Therefore, I will not be doing a follow-up to my original post as promised. I don’t understand WHY they would need to fake it since Joe Hanvey supplied a valid model for the 24-hour sun in Antarctica. There is much confusion in the FE Camp right now. So, that means back to the basics for me. Stick with what I KNOW to be accurate and hold tight to the Bible. It’s refreshing and humbling to admit that there are things about God’s creation that I may not understand. For example, the Bible repeatedly speaks of the four corners of the earth. How does that fit on the Gleason Map?

Here is a link to my initial thoughts about TFE. Whether faked or not, the conclusions remain: The earth is demonstrably level. 

I sent the TFE article to Faulkner as promised. Surprisingly, he responded. I’ll share that conversation in a moment.

First, I want to quickly introduce Danny Faulkner for those who have never heard the name.

Faulkner is the lead spokesman against Flat Earth at the Christian creation ministry called Answers in Genesis (AIG), led by Ken Ham. Conservative Christians holding to a literal, six-day creation highly respect AIG. The ministry has a Creation Museum and a Noah’s Ark Encounter in Kentucky.

You can read Faulkner’s official bio here.

Faulkner Conversation on FB Messenger

Here’s my conversation with Faulkner after my TFE article went live.

Me: Hi Danny, my husband wanted me to share this with you. I hope you take it to heart: https://flatouthope.substack.com/p/does-the-final-experiment-settle

Danny Faulkner: Thank you for sending your essay to me. I'm working my way through reading it. However, one thing caught my attention. Commenting on a video clip, you wrote, "In case you’re not able to watch the video, Faulkner admits to using occult and Freemasonic symbols with the intent to deceive Flat Earthers into thinking he is a Freemason." I did not admit any such thing. Perhaps that is your understanding or spin on what I said, but I did not, in your words, admit such a thing. What you wrote is a misrepresentation of what I said.

Me: I will allow the readers to decide that, which is why I included the clip. Thank you though for responding. You call them little Easter Eggs I believe. I will, however, do a follow up and state your objections.

Faulkner: Thank you, but I think that you need to go further. You said in your essay that I misrepresented the flat-earth position. You can't accuse me of that while misrepresenting what I said. Many people will not bother to listen to what I actually said and simply assume that you correctly represented what I said. If you can't recognize this, then we are at an impasse.

Me: I said that I would offer your view on the topic. Since what you seem to say on that video is what I represent, can you please clarify what you meant to say? In other words, I do not feel that I misrepresented you. However, if you’d like to clarify your position, I’m open to listening and presenting that view alongside mine. Since you are also misrepresenting the Flat Earth - or Biblical Cosmology - people will have to weigh the evidence and draw their own conclusions.

Faulkner: I don't feel that I misrepresented the flat-earth position.

Me: You may not feel that way, but I can demonstrably prove it. Which makes you unqualified to be a spokesman against it. And if you’re open to learning the true position then that’s another topic.

Faulkner: Let's hear your proof.

Me: I’ve shared enough proof in my article.

After this point, Faulkner stopped responding to me. I followed up by letting him know that I purchased his book. Plus, I sent him a video of David Weiss sharing that he and others have presented their side of FE with Faulkner, yet he continues to misrepresent their position. You can watch that here in this video about Faulkner and Justin Peters.

Cover-to-Cover Review

This post will be a cover-to-cover review of Falling Flat without ever opening the book. Later, I will review the book chapter by chapter, digging into the meat. I expect to learn some things and expose some things. I suspect I will even be surprised by some of the material.

Truth does not fear investigation. Instead, investigation corrects, strengthens, and clarifies one's position. My heart is to deal faithfully with Faulkner's material, unlike what I see him do with Flat Earth material.

I hope that faithful men and pastors (even if they do not believe in the Flat Earth) — will reach out to Faulkner and ask him to stop using fallacious arguments when attempting to debunk Flat Earth. This plea is also for Ken Ham and Answers in Genesis. The integrity of their ministry and Christian witness demands honesty in every sphere, including defending the globe.

So, let's dig into the cover of Falling Flat to examine its claims.

Straw Man Image of Flat Earth

Why?

I mentioned this in my previous article. Since Faulkner has testified to attending many FE conferences and others have testified that they have presented Faulkner with the actual FE position — why would Faulkner put a false image on the cover of his book? 

The shill organization, the Flat Earth Society (FES), might own an image like the one above. However, the authentic Flat Earth movement does not accept or believe what the FES teaches about the earth. Perhaps Faulkner has consulted with FES members. I hope to learn more in the book. 

Yet, I KNOW Faulkner has spent time talking to big names in the FE movement, such as David Weiss, who would tell you this is a straw man. This image is NOT what we believe about the shape of the earth. 

We are NOT living on a flat disc, flying through space with edges where we could fall off. Here are some additional straw men images of the Flat Earth for those unaware. 

The image in the top right resembles what Faulkner chose for his book cover. 

BTW: This also is NOT Flat Earth:

And here is one more straw man argument for a good chuckle.

Chuckles aside, the Flat Earth is not a disc floating in space. Whether Flat or Sphere, it would be impossible for the earth to exist in space at all because the alleged vacuum of space would suck all our atmosphere until it reached equilibrium. Just a pesky little fundamental principle of physics based on the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. 

Here are a few facts about the True Earth:

• God fashioned the earth to be inhabited (Isaiah 45:18).

• God placed a solid firmament over his creation to protect it (Job 37:18).

• There are waters above the firmament (Genesis 1:7; Psalm 148:4; 1 Samuel 2:8).

• The earth has foundations and pillars (Job 9:6; Job 38:4; Proverbs 8:29).

• Our realm was founded upon waters (Genesis 1:6-10; Psalm 136:6; 2 Peter 3:5).

• The earth is stable and immovable (1 Chronicles 16:30; Psalm 96:10; Psalm 104:5).

• The sun, moon, and stars are lights that move within the firmament of heaven (Genesis 1:14-19; Psalm 19:4-6; Habakkuk 3:11).

The above items are God’s testimony about His creation. Inspired Scripture. And it is how the ancient Hebrews understood the world in which they lived.

News Flash: Faulkner knows full well that this is what the ancient Hebrews believed, and he also knows full well that the image on his cover is a straw man image of Biblical Cosmology and Flat Earth — and I can prove it.

Here is an image I pulled off the Answers in Genesis website. ¹

I'm unsure how long this image has been on AIG's website, but I bookmarked it nearly two years ago. I had forgotten about it but stumbled upon it when writing this post. God providentially steered my hand to click the link so it would pop up. 

If, for some reason, Faulkner responds that he didn’t know about this image or the Ancient Hebrew conception of the universe, then he is not qualified to speak for or against the topic of Flat Earth — because he doesn’t understand it. 

Also, if Faulkner responds by saying that the Ancient Hebrews weren’t smart enough to know the truth about God’s creation, but now we have NASA and space exploration — then he contradicts the testimony of Scripture. The same is true if Faulkner says the Bible merely uses poetic, figurative, or phenomenological language when discussing the nature of the earth. 

Here’s what we know for sure: God testified in His word that the Ancient Hebrews understood the truth about His creation from the beginning. 

Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

God’s creation matters to Him exceedingly. If you don’t believe that to be the case, please read the following discussion, proving from Scripture that Biblical Cosmology is a moral issue.

Is the Flat Earth a Moral Issue?

Besides creating a safe space for humans to thrive, take dominion, make families, and build culture, God also created the earth to declare His invisible attributes, even His godhead. And He didn’t want to hide it from His children. He wanted them to understand it.

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

Creation is man's first encounter with a creator, General Revelation. The truth of a creator can be ascertained and understood by what He made, even His eternal attributes. This reality is why NASA strives to suppress this truth in unrighteousness — so that men will think they are insignificant without a creator. Oh, men are still accountable to the creator, and the wrath of God remains against those who suppress God's True Creation. Some are ignorant, others intentional. 

Creating a straw man about Biblical Cosmology/Flat Earth is NOT a good look for Danny Faulkner or Answers in Genesis. 

What else can we discover on the cover?

The Purpose of the Book

The subtitle of Falling Flat presents Faulkner's purpose for writing the book. He wants to refute Flat Earth claims. He says it like this, "A Refutation of Flat Earth Claims."

I will take Faulkner at his word. Surely, he will refute the claims of those in the Flat Earth camp, and I trust he will accurately present our best arguments and refute those.

Okay…back up just a bit.

I sincerely want to believe that's what he will do in his book. I haven't even peaked inside the cover, nor will I peak until I have published this essay. I want to give Faulkner a fair shake and make myself a tad vulnerable. I have no idea what I'm getting myself into by digging into Faulkner's material. I'm awed by the fact I'm excited about the prospect. Usually, such tasks make me cringe. I suspect the Lord is prodding me along.

I've prayed for some time that God would use someone to deal with Faulkner's claims. I did not want it to be me. Yet, here I am. Ready to go.

For full disclosure: I have heard a rumor that Faulkner never addresses the globe math, which Flat Earthers and Biblical Cosmologists rely upon so heavily to refute the globe. I hope that is a false rumor. But time will tell. 

A strong-man argument builds and refutes the best case for the opponent's position. A straw-man argument creates a weak or false argument and refutes that. 

I’m excited to see which approach Faulkner takes. So, I will put his book to the test of the subtitle: Does Faulkner refute and answer the best Flat Earth claims, or does he refute straw-man claims about Flat Earth? 

There's not much more to deal with on the front cover except the title and a small praise. 

What Should We Make of the Title?

The main title, Falling Flat, assumes that the claims of Flat Earth proponents don't hold up to evidence, science, or the sniff test.

We will also test these things to see if the claims of Flat Earth fall flat — or if, instead, the book falls flat on its face.

Again, I don't know what evidence Faulkner provides. So perhaps I'll get schooled on the globe. 

Here’s my promise: I will investigate all of Faulkner’s claims and present the good, the bad, and the ugly — with the Bible and truth as my anchor. 

My ask of you: If God leads you, would you pray that I can present the material with excellence, integrity, gentleness, and humility?

Small Praise for the Front Cover

I will credit Faulkner for including stars on the cover of his book (front and back). This inclusion is something that globers often don't get right. Many pictures in space are sans stars. And even the first astronauts to allegedly walk on the moon were unsure or couldn't agree if they saw any stars at all. That’s awkward!

You can watch the Apollo 11 Press Conference here.

Okay, stars on the front and back cover provide the perfect segue to see what’s happening on the other side of the cover.

Flat Earth? Flat Wrong!

We are off with a bang: Another claim that Flat Earth is false. We will have fun digging into Faulkner's evidence, where he (allegedly) dismantles (refutes) the claims of Flat Earthers. See also the front cover discussion. 

Let's move on. 

Distorting Truth, Refuting Claims, and Science

I could have said more in that title, but I want to keep things clean. Instead, I will quote and evaluate both paragraphs in white print. 

There are people in the world today who believe the world is flat. And they are working very hard to convince everyone else that it is flat — even if it means distorting the truth to do it.

In this book, you will learn how to refute flat earth claims and conspiracy theories with sound historical, scientific, and biblical arguments.

Whoa! That's a mouthful, Danny — lots of claims to consider.

Here is where I agree:

• Some people believe the world is flat (pick me!).

• Among those, some work hard to convince everyone else it is flat (pick me again!).

• I'm gonna stretch a little here to find agreement: I agree it is wrong to distort the truth (which Faulkner implies), and I think we should use sound history, science, and the Bible to refute false claims (also implied).

Here's where I partially agree:

• Some (but not all) Flat Earth proponents distort the truth to prove their version of Flat Earth.

• Some historical, scientific, and biblical ideas may seem to refute a flat earth. But that doesn't make the claims necessarily accurate. We will evaluate these things.

• Sound evidence is desirable. I like the idea but don't trust Faulkner can deliver. Yet, I am open to being corrected.

Here's where I strongly disagree:

• Not everyone in the Flat Earth camp distorts the truth to prove FE. Some may not have all the facts. Others, may be misinformed. I could be misinformed on elements of the FE myself. I don't believe I am, but I don't know everything. I must be open to correction.

• Many people in the Flat Earth camp are intent on truth and abhor distorting it. This quest for truth is my intention 100%. I am not alone. So, not all FE people are distorting facts. Yet, is this a case of the pot calling the kettle black? Does Faulkner distort the facts? It seems so to me, but I will let you decide. And I may discover something new in the book.

• Faulkner claims that his book will provide solid evidence to refute Flat Earth. I don't believe it will.

Here’s a difference between me and those who want to refute Flat Earth — I’m not interested in refuting anything for the sake of refuting. I only want the truth. That’s why I stepped into this fray in the first place. “Show me the truth, Lord.” That’s all I wanted. It’s still all I want. 

IF — God made this realm a spinning, wobbly, space ball — I’d want to know that too. That’s just not where the evidence has led me.

I’ll mention one additional phrase from the above paragraphs: Conspiracy Theories. Undoubtedly, the learned reader knows that this is a CIA-created phrase to make truth seekers seem like kooks so people don’t question the mainstream narrative. 

Back Paragraph in Yellow and Beyond

Again, reading these claims makes my jaw drop.

“Unfortunately, as flat-earth websites proliferated on the internet, thousands of people soon joined the movement. It’s ironic that more people in the West today may believe the earth is flat that have in two millennia.” — Danny Faulkner

Enjoy a fascinating look at discoveries, science, and the Church throughout history as it faces down and disproves over and over again flat earth fallacies.

Those are some big boasts, to be sure. 

The actual reason people are jumping on the Flat Earth train is because it makes sense mathematically, scientifically, historically, theologically, logically, and biblically.

I’m not sure about his claim that more people in the West today believe the earth is flat than they have for two millennia. It will be interesting to see what evidence Faulkner provides to support that claim.

Sadly, due to heavy censorship and rewriting history, it’s hard to know what people have believed in the past.

No doubt it will be fascinating to see how Faulkner lays out his refutation of Flat Earth claims using discoveries, science, and Church history that disprove Flat Earth fallacies over and over again. 

Audacious claim.

Challenge accepted! 

EAN and Publisher

The EAN number on the book places Falling Flat under the label of RELIGION: Religion & Science and RELIGION: Christian Theology and Apologetics. Sadly, the publishing group, Master Books, has a large section of Christian homeschool material, which means Falling Flat is marketed to young minds and the teachers of young minds. See the listing here.

We will see how Faulkner represents cosmology, Christianity, and science to young and impressionable children of God.

Thankfully, one person left a rebuke in the review section. And even though I have not yet cracked open my book, I saw the table of contents listed on the page. I noticed the Bedford Level Experiment in Chapter Two, a topic I have investigated thoroughly.

The Bedford Level Wager and Flat Earth

I also made a fun rap music video explaining the whole ordeal in five minutes. David Weiss even featured it on his Flat Earth Clock.

Now that I’ve evaluated the cover front to back, I’m ready to dig into the front matter.

You can access Part Two here: Top Twelve Flat Earth Claims to Hold Faulkner's Feet to the Fire: Keeping "Falling Flat" accountable to its book cover claims.

If you appreciate my work and want to bless me, please help me with a financial gift of any amount. Thank you!

1. Here is the web address where I pulled this image. https://assets.answersingenesis.org/img/articles/arj/v13/firmament/logos-ancient-hebrew-conception-universe.png

Here’s a screenshot to prove I took it from their website in case they take it down.