Flat Earther, anti-vaxxer Rob Skiba dies of Covid-19

A champion of the flat Earth movement has reportedly lost his battle with COVID-19.

Rob Skiba — said to have come home from a Christian-centric Take On The World conference in August not feeling well — was also a COVID vaccine skeptic, the Daily Beast reports. It was from that conference he allegedly posted a message on Facebook noting that “within I’d say 2 to 3 years or so” we’ll know whether vaccines were a solution or a problem.

“Truly, I take no joy in saying this, nor will I if I’m the one still standing,” he wrote.

CrooksAndLiars.com unearthed video of Skiba preaching opposition to flu vaccine mandates in 2012, referring to inoculations as “the mark of the beast.” He was referencing the Biblical book of Revelations. His sermon from nearly a decade ago portended right-wing ideology today.

“Gotta take the shot or else you can’t be a teacher in a school or you can’t work at CVS,” he complained.

The side effects of mandated vaccinations, according to a graphic displayed by Skiba in that video, included “counterfeit immortality” and being “cast alive into a sea of fire.”

A Facebook friend of Skiba’s reportedly wrote on social media in September that the popular contrarian had been hospitalized with low oxygen levels. Apparent acquaintances of his posted status updates in recent weeks, ending with the Oct. 13 announcement Skiba had died. A collection of social media postings collected by Daily Kos included wild conspiracy theories, shock and expressions of grief.

In addition to working as a speaker, Skiba was a filmmaker and writer. He was remembered by friends on social media for his “comical approach to very polarizing content.”

Skiba’s YouTube channel had 210,000 subscribers.