Admiral, would you please point me to evidence that ANYONE, prior to 1800, thought the earth was flat? Thank you. If you research that one, I think you will find it was the product of someone who was trying to denigrate Christians.
http://www.americanvision.org/articlear ... -08-04.asp
http://id-www.ucsb.edu/fscf/library/RUS ... Earth.html
Please stick to things you know about, Admiral sir.
And please be aware that those in power may hold the money, but they are not respositories of the truth. Neither is the majority. In fact, all too often if the majority agrees on something, it is false! There was a time, not too long ago, when professionals in the medical field laughed to scorn the idea that handwashing between patients, or even in general, would do anything to halt the spread of disease. There was a time when the majority of scientists believed rotten meat turned into flies and old rags piles up in a corner turned to rats. No matter how many believed this, it didn't make it true.
Truth truly is often stranger than fiction, and it behooves one to search it out and not simply accept what the majority say. The majority are often too lazy to check the facts anyway!