2006-07-23 11:08:27 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Remember that in the Middle-Ages/Early Renaissance the Church had a lot of power in all the ways that mattered: economically, politically, socially, militarily. They did that by claiming that their teachings were the one and only truth. So, if some guys showed up claiming that he's got a better idea than the Church, he would erode their power base. Galileo is pretty lucky he didn't end up burnt at the stake, or a victim of one of those "damned if you do, damned if you don't" ordeals.
2006-07-23 13:12:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Galileo supported Copernicus' theory that the earth revovled around the sun. The Church asserted that the sun revolved around the earth. Eventually, he published a book on the subject and portrayed the pope as a none-to-bright character named "Simplicio", i.e. simple.
2006-07-23 18:14:53 · answer #2 · answered by Perfectly Said 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
he wasn't "killed" ... he was confined to his own house for the rest of his life for mocking the pope in a book he wrote
he was also a great mathematician ... maybe the greatest of his day (almost certainly in Italy)
2006-07-23 18:16:37 · answer #3 · answered by atheistforthebirthofjesus 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
for the same reason the fundamentalists are trying to get evolution removed from school cariculum. it didn't fit in with their preconceived ideas.
2006-07-23 18:12:19 · answer #4 · answered by judy_r8 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would have usurped their power.
2006-07-23 18:10:57 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋