What bible says about the centre of universe? Why Galileo?

Question

Why Galileo was punished by Christians ?
Is that because he refuted the idea of church which said that the centre of universe is earth?

Answer 1

as human beings evolve and science becomes further advanced, there will always be some aspects of science that are refuted simply because they make fundamentalists look stupid. As people who believe in science, we must put up with them, we have no choice

Answer 2

The bible doesn't really say anything about the center of the universe. Galileo was punished by the church in his day because his ideas conflicted with the accepted teachings of Aristotle and Ptolemy. Galileo was a supporter of Copernicus' teaching that the Sun...not the earth...was the center of the universe. Galileo also had some ideas about motion that conflicted with the accepted ideas in his time. Aristotlean physics taught that heavier objects fell faster...Galileo disagreed. Although Christians get a bad rap for persecuting Galileo, it should be pointed out that the vast majority of scholars in Galileo's time just happened to be Christians. Galileo's ideas were new and challenged long held philosophical beliefs. People in general don't seem to like to have things they have long held as "truths" challenged. For more modern examples look at some 20th century scholar's opposition to relativity and the quantum theory. Galileo had the misfortune of living in a more violent time in which new and strange ideas were greeted more harshly than they are nowdays.

Answer 3

the holy roman church had had a very bad century. first Martin Luthor (no relation of Lex!) had nailed his postulates to the Cathedral door in 1517 asserting that lay persons could interpret holy scripture. Then Canon Kupernicus from Kracow wrote 'De Revolutionibus Orbiis Coelestiis' which asserted that a heliocentric universe made astronomy simpler, but rather inconveniently expired in 1543 before he could be properly persecuted. Then in 1633 while the plague was raging through Italy (surely a judgement ex coeli!), that was the last straw- Galileo was summoned before the Holy Inquisition having previously been warned as far back as 1616 by cardial Barberini now Pope Urban VIII. The main debate centers on whether Galileo had received permission to print his book and whether he had exceeded his authority in asserting that the motion of the Earth was more than a mere computational device for the convenience of navigators, astrologers etc. The upshot was the 'Dialogue' was banned for the next 350 years and Galileo after being confined to house arrest , died peacefully in 1642. Perhaps the moral is 'Religion teaches us how to go to Heaven, Science teaches us how the Heavens go'

Answer 4

The Pope actually supported Galileo up until the point where Galileo insulted the Pope in a book he wrote. Then he fell out of favor and faced prosecution.

Galileo was a devout Christian, as well.

Answer 5

The Christians believe in lies that are in the bibel, rather than the truth of science.

Answer 6

The difference is science looks for truth, while religion demands blind faith.
Tammi Dee