.999~ IS NOT 1, but it is EQUAL to 1.
This is just a lexical ambiguity. When people say ".999 is 1," they almost always mean that they're equal. For comparison, your point can be rephrased in different numbers...
1/2 IS NOT .5, but it is EQUAL to .5.
...which isn't what we're talking about.
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Tebow to Jests?
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m19b15IB731qzdb47o1_400.png