Why do people give Galileo credit for the round Earth. The globe was invented in 1492, Galileo was born 1564?

Question

I understand that there was church intimidation of Galileo saying that the sun goes around the Earth and referencing the Bible. Historically the Church reversed its position, and indeed the interpretation of those passages could be the Earth is the center of God's universe.

When I asked about the flat Earth someone said that Galileo was trying to prove the round Earth, this is just historically innaccurate.

Today I don't see really any church intimidating scientific discovery. I of course do see the desire to teach intelligent design in public school, but courts are not allowing this.

So really, what exactly are all of us atheists in such an uproar about in 2006?

Answer 1

Uproar? Me? No. Each to their own!

Answer 2

When did the church reverse its position on the earth being the centre of the universe (not in Galileo's time)?


Galileo's invention of the telescope gave support to the "theory" that the earth is not the centre of the universe. Of course this was only a theory and the church said it did not coincide with the bible so of course was wrong (get the similarity to evolution).


Why would creationism be taught in schools, there are NO supporting facts (the bible does NOT support the bible)?

Evolution is fact (it happens we can see it happen). There are NO logical arguments against the whole theory of evolution. It is true that we do not have a full understanding of all the mechanisms of micro and macro evolution but that is the beauty of science it is always adapting and "evolving" (hehe, I need to laugh or I will cry at the ignorance of some people).
Just because everything is not completely understood about evolution does not mean we should throw the whole thing out (FACTS and all) and go back to the dark ages. EVERYTHING is not understood about the universe, does that mean we should revert back to thinking that the earth is the flat centre of the universe.
Evolution should continue to be taught in schools (and no religious theories in science class). The basics of evolution stand up, complete understanding of the intricacies and testing of the theories should be left to higher learning institutes (universities). In grade school you did not learn about high level algebra and physics before you learned addition and multiplication. Expecting school children to understand all the intricacies of evolution is ridiculous (some adults can not even get past the “we evolved directly from apes” mentality).




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_and_the_Roman_Catholic_Church
****** Having learnt a lesson from the Galileo affair, the Church leaves the evaluation and endorsement of specific scientific theories to scientists.
The Church has always agreed with scientists on matters such as the age of the earth and the authenticity of the fossil record. Papal pronouncements, along with commentaries by cardinals, have accepted the findings of scientists on the gradual appearance of life. In fact, the International Theological Commission in a July 2004 statement endorsed by Cardinal Ratzinger, then president of the Commission and head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, now Pope Benedict XVI, includes this paragraph:

"According to the widely accepted scientific account, the universe erupted 15 billion years ago in an explosion called the 'Big Bang' and has been expanding and cooling ever since. Later there gradually emerged the conditions necessary for the formation of atoms, still later the condensation of galaxies and stars, and about 10 billion years later the formation of planets. In our own solar system and on earth (formed about 4.5 billion years ago), the conditions have been favorable to the emergence of life. While there is little consensus among scientists about how the origin of this first microscopic life is to be explained, there is general agreement among them that the first organism dwelt on this planet about 3.5 - 4 billion years ago. Since it has been demonstrated that all living organisms on earth are genetically related, it is virtually certain that all living organisms have descended from this first organism. Converging evidence from many studies in the physical and biological sciences furnishes mounting support for some theory of evolution to account for the development and diversification of life on earth, while controversy continues over the pace and mechanisms of evolution....

Answer 3

A) Because you're bored with other non-issues?

B) Because you just like stirring the pot?

C) Because a part of you is hoping for an answer that will allow you to keep your pride but return to God anyway?

D) Because it's Sunday and you've got nowhere to go?

E) All of the above.

And query of my own: who's giving Galileo credit for the round earth? He gets credit for heliocentricity. Ptolemy gets the credit for figuring out the earth was a globe.

Answer 4

Welcome back jim!! I don't think I understand your question completely, but I do believe the earth IS round (or more accurately, oval). The Holy Qur'an stated that the earth SEEMS flat to us, but it's oval:

Holy Qur'an, 79:30 "and the Earth, after that, He made it like a deheya"

Deheya in Arabic is a synonym for the word "oval". The verse in Arabic says that the earth looks like flat to us, although in reality it's oval. So no contradictions here!

Answer 5

Further, the ancient Greeks new the Earth was a globe and Eratosthenes 22 centuries ago measured her circumference with great closeness, less than 0.1% accuracy!

Answer 6

there's no uproar.

the ancients knew all that junk but it was lost in the dark ages.

also, Copernicus is the one who re-thought the round earth question, galileo just built on his theories.

but Copernicus was a chicken, he never said much of anything about it.......galileo was the one who shouted it from the rooftops and got his *SS excommunicated.

Answer 7

The book of Isaiah, was written in 742 B.C.,

This is what it says about the earth and the universe.

Isaiah 40:22
He sits enthroned above the "circle" of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

Answer 8

Because they watch too much blue collar comedy. Where I live the world must be flat cause when people leave here they never come back

Answer 9

so what you are saying is that the earth was flat and the atheists made it round in 1492?

Answer 10

The Greeks knew the Earth was round. You're an idiot.

Answer 11

because he produced the theory of relativity. But einstien invented it. But Galielo still gets the credit.