CHAPTER ONE
THE HIDING PLACE
Long ago man formed a theory that the earth was flat because he
could not conceive of it as a ball suspended in space. It became a
dogma, such a fixed idea that when the first astronomer, in
attempting to explain the reason why darkness came over the sun in the
middle of the day, was denied an opportunity to present his findings
because his discovery called into question this sacred belief. Let us
imagine the first astronomer being granted an interview by the leading
authorities of his time to explain the cause of a solar eclipse.
“Dear gentlemen, I have come to you to explain my findings about the
shape of the earth. In order for you to understand the cause of the darkness
coming over the sun, it is first necessary to understand that the earth is not
flat.
“What’s that? Did we hear you correctly? Are you trying to tell us that
the earth is round which means it is floating in space?â€
“That is true, and my discovery lies locked behind the door marked the
earth is round.â€
“This is absurd! Who are you to come in here and tell us that we are
wrong? We are not interested in your theory because we say the earth is
flat, [and since we are wiser than you, more learned than you, more
educated than you, you must be wrong], so why discuss this matter further.
Besides, our chief medicine man chanted the incantation that caused the
darkness to vanish. Thank you very much for coming out to give us your
explanation but we are not interested in discussing this matter further
because we know, beyond a shadow of doubt, that the earth is flat.â€
This is the second half of the primary problem. The fact that a theory
such as the belief that the earth is flat can hermetically seal knowledge that
prevents our discovering the invariable laws of the solar system which, in
turn, prevents the knowledge necessary to land men on the moon. Children
were taught this by their parents who had received this knowledge from
their parents who were instructed by the medicine man who was considered
the wisest man of his time. Since there was no way the knowledge of the
medicine man could be proven false because no one knew any different, and
since he was considered the wisest man of his time, his conclusion that the
earth was flat brooked no opposition. Consequently, when those who were
judged inferior in wisdom or knowledge disagreed with the medicine man,
they were rejected. When an upstart scientist came along who concluded
that the earth was round after making certain observations, how was it
possible to get others to agree with him when they couldn’t follow his
reasoning which compelled them to compare him, not his knowledge, to the
medicine man, to the professors and teachers whose wisdom and knowledge
could not be impugned. To help you see how easy it is for a dogmatic
theory to prevent scientific investigation let us once again return, in
imagination, to the time when man knew nothing about the solar system,
and listen to a conversation.
“Say, Joshua; do you believe the earth is flat or do you go along with my
theory that it is round?â€
“Even though most of mankind agrees that it is flat, what difference does
it really make what I think?†said our philosophical friend. “The shape of
the earth is certainly not going to be affected or changed no matter what my
opinion is, right?â€
“That is true enough, but if the earth is really round isn’t it obvious that
just as long as we think otherwise we are prevented from discovering those
things that depend on this knowledge for their discovery, consequently, it
does make a difference. How much so we are not in the position to know
just yet but thousands of years hence, perhaps in the twentieth century,
there may be all kinds of scientific achievements attributed directly to
knowing the true shape of the earth, such as landing men on the moon
which may never be possible without first knowing the true shape of the
earth.â€
You may look back and smile at the unconscious ignorance of our
ancestors but pay close attention to what happened to me as I draw up a
perfect comparison with which you can identify. Because my discovery
was purely scientific, my attention was drawn to an article by Eric Johnson,
now deceased, who was once among other things the President of the
Motion Pictures Association. It appeared in the November 6, 1960 issue of
This Week Magazine of The Baltimore Sun.
“If there is one word which characterizes our world in this exciting last
half of the twentieth century, the word is change. “Change in political life;
change in economic life; change in social life; change in personal life;
change in the hallmark of our times. It’s not gradual, comfortable change.
It is sudden; rapid; often violent. It touches and often disrupts whole
cultures and hundreds of millions of people. Behind it all lies an explosive
growth in scientific knowledge and accomplishment. Some 90% of all the
scientists who ever lived are living today, and the total accumulation of
scientific knowledge is doubling every ten years. But this is reality. If we
remember that, then we will never flinch at change. We will adjust to it,
welcome it, meet it as a friend, and know it is God’s will.â€
Since my discovery would bring about the greatest change in all of
history, it appeared that this man would be willing to let me explain my
findings. By convincing him on the phone that it was now possible to put a
permanent end to all war as a result of my discovery he agreed to meet me
on a Sunday afternoon in Washington, D.C. Our conversation went as
follows: