A few Catholics still insist Galileo was wrong
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Brother Guy Consolmagno of the Vatican Observatory takes a modern view of Earth's place in the universe.
Some people believe the world revolves around them — and their belief is born not of selfishness but of faith.
A few conservative Roman Catholics are pointing to a dozen Bible verses and the church’s original teachings as proof that Earth is the center of the universe, the view that was at the heart of the church’s clash with Galileo Galilei four centuries ago.
The relatively obscure movement has gained a following among those who find comfort in knowing there are still staunch defenders of early church doctrine.
“This subject is, as far as I can see, an embarrassment to the modern church because the world more or less looks upon geocentrism, or someone who believes it, in the same boat as the flat Earth,” said James Phillips ofCicero, Ill.
Phillips attends Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Church in Oak Park, Ill., a parish run by the Society of St. Pius X, which rejects most of the modernizing reforms made by the Vatican II council from 1962 to 1965.
But by challenging modern science, proponents of a geocentric universe are challenging the very church they seek to serve and protect.
“I have no idea who these people are,” said Brother Guy Consolmagno, curator of meteorites and spokesman for the Vatican Observatory. “Are they sincere, or is this a clever bit of theater?”
Those promoting geocentrism argue that heliocentrism, or the centuries-old consensus among scientists that Earth revolves around the sun, is a conspiracy to squelch the church’s influence.
“Heliocentrism becomes dangerous if it is being propped up as the true system when, in fact, it is a false system,” said Robert Sungenis, leader of a budding movement to get scientists to reconsider. “False information leads to false ideas, and false ideas lead to illicit and immoral actions — thus the state of the world today.… Prior to Galileo, the church was in full command of the world, and governments and academia were subservient to her.” [more]
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5 Comments
This dark legend about Galileo used against Catholics will never die. Galileo’s theory that the earth revolved around the sun eventually proved to be correct. But at the time, Galileo was challenged because he declared a THEORY to be a fact and argued with the Church about the genuine meaning of the Bible.
However it’s hardly a surprise that Galileo’s Catholic judges had difficulty accepting his view, especially when they saw themselves as defending scientific orthodoxy and were supported in this by the scientific establishment. Galileo got into trouble because he maintained new discoveries seemed to contradict scripture.
The problem is that he abandoned science and started talking theology; had he left theology out of his writings and discussions, he would probably never have had problems. Though Galileo remain a faithful and devout Catholic to the end of his life, it was he, rather than the Church, who refused to allow the wound over this matter to heal.
Take-home message: educate yourself about this complex issue. Don’t be like “the world” that wants so desperately to believe lies, most especially when they involve the Catholic Church and can be used to dishonor it.
And the earth if flat and the Sun moves around the earth – and never, never understimate the basic ignorance of the Human Being.
It’s a good thing we have the Resurrection; otherwise, Jesus would be rolling over in his grave!
As my friend Tony reminded me many years ago: “God wants spiritual fruits, not religious nuts!”
Can you imagine how they feel about lay participation, married clergy or, God forbid, women priests? There are a lot of things wrong with modern society but blaming it on Galileo is more than a far stretch!
Hopefully, sooner than later I hope, that Catholic Chruch will realise how little it really knows about human sexuality in general and homosexulity in particular.