Why did the church arrest Galileo Galilei?

Question

An obvious answer, posing a threat to what was considered divine truth. It did have reason behind it. The sun from Earth looks small, and appears to circle us every day. Now he could come up with all the evidence he wanted but a true man of faith holds firmly that the word of God is truth, plus it was seemingly obviously contrary to popular knowledge, so he went to jail. Now nearly 500 years later anyone who agrees with the church from that time is obviously wrong no matter what looks true and is either ill informed or a stubbornly ignorant person. Religion was obviously a knowledge suppressor at this point and bigotted peoples views so they couldn't even consider hard evidence. Does this sound similar to a current arguemeant about creation and the origin of species (hint)? Doesn't it seem just a matter of time until another outdated theory is shot down no matter how much false reason it has? If you disagree still then I just ask you to keep an open mind, I don't want to convert you.

Obviously his heliocentric theory was incorrect and orbits are imperfect elipses but that is besides the point and only adds to the analogy. His theory was imperfect but was a LOT closer to the truth than what the church held to be truth.

Again, this is food for thought, don't get all worked up, I'm encouraging an open minded philosophy here.

nsahbti are you confused with Da vinci? And the details sum up the real question, that is just an attention grabber.

kepha31, heliocentricism was originally by Copernicus and wasn't "accepted" at the time. And Galileo was a loud mouth because he had the right to be so and the church was still wrong in this. By the way he was loud mouthed for freedom from oppressive authorities mainly, which is another big reason the church didn't like him. And just the fact that they tortured him at all completely makes then the bad guys and a$$es.

Answer 1

Here is a list of the Bible quotes used against Copernicus

http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/quotes/bilecopr.htm

From the perspective of this agnostic, me, whose asked people about this, the answer that made the most sense was that the Church was misinterpreting those quotes, and that it means that the Earth is the center of God's universe and not the physical universe.

My response to this is if its the word of God it would be so plainly God that we would all read and interpret it the same, since we don't, my feeling is, its not the word of God.

Answer 2

At that time the Catholic church wanted to control everything and here was a man that told the truth that was different than what they taught. He was considered a heretic and was very close to being killed by the church. They do not consider anyone capable of truth without them and they have it all. Sorry to say, it will happen again and those that follow the true day of worship will be hunted down and the death decree put on them. Not far into the future either. Check the facts, the Catholic church boasts the power to change Gods law and did change the day of worship from God's Seventh day to the Pope's first day of the week, the venerable day of the sun and then they boast about it and how the proof of that power is that most of the protestant world follows their teaching over the bible. Very true indeed. Other churches are already joining hands with the Catholic church and soon they will have most of the protestants back with them and there goes any freedom to think and choose your own beliefs.

Answer 3

There is a lot of false propaganda about Galileo. He was a scientist at a CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY, and he was telling the Church that the Bible was false because of his "science."
Heliocentricism has been accepted by scientists long before Galileo showed up.
He was a trouble maker and had a big mouth. His "arrest" meant house arrest, meaning the Church would not pay his travel expenses so he could not run around calling the bible false.

He still could do his work with his maids and servants. He just had to stay home (at the Catholic University that paid his salary) He was not tortured because the letters to and from his friend, King Ferdinand, show no sign of it.

The Church is not anti-scientific. It has supported scientific endeavors for centuries. During Galileo’s time, the Jesuits had a highly respected group of astronomers and scientists in Rome. In addition, many notable scientists received encouragement and funding from the Church and from individual Church officials. Many of the scientific advances during this period were made either by clerics or as a result of Church funding.

See http://www.catholic.com/library/Galileo_Controversy.asp

If you want to know just who is anti-science, you should read this:

http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2004/07/early-protestant-hostility-towards.html

Answer 4

anything that he might have said or done would make them look down on him as a heretic. Galileo was Agnostic, and that alone made him a target of the church!

"They know that it is human nature to take up causes whereby a man may oppress his neighbor, no matter how unjustly. ... Hence they have had no trouble in finding men who would preach the damnability and heresy of the new doctrine from the very pulpit."-Galileo Galilei, Italian astronomer

Answer 5

Because he sought the truth beyond what the church told the flock to believe. No greater sin can someone commit.
I for one find it endlessly amusing that his finger is preserved. His middle finger. And guess where the students of his university aim it? Yep, the vatican.
As it should be.

Answer 6

He dared disagree with their doctrine that Earth was the center of the universe. He was burned at the stake, but the pope has recently apologized to him so it is OK now.

Answer 7

i fact the church agreed and changed thier opinion but it was the civil government that had him under house arrest till his death. if there is an apology you want Pope John Paul II apolopized in 1980 i think.

Answer 8

The church ran everything back then. I don't see how his theory was a threat to them though.

Answer 9

He knew that Jesus married Mary Magdalen and was intending for her to be the one who will keep his gospel