Why did scientists such as Galileo incurr the wrath of the christian church?

Question

Why did scientists such as Galileo incurr the wrath of the christian church for teaching about their formation their ideas about the formation of the Earth & Universe

Answer 1

Heresy. He was told not to instruct others concerning his dicovery that the earth revolves around the sun. This fact contridicted with the church's teachings and was therefore heresy. A great deal was at stake for the church if Galileo was successful in convincing his peers and the general population about heliocentricity. Most importantly, the elaborate mythology of the church hinged upon the revolution of the sun about the earth. The church was, at that time, extremely psychotic and violent. Unreasonableness is probably the actual reason the church attacked the idea.

Answer 2

While the others have a measure of truth, I believe that the main reason was just plain old ignorance. There was a fear in that time that the old world which was seen as corrupt would again come to the fore and people would be led back into a way of life that the church felt would be bad. Just like a lot of things even today, people become afraid of change, and things that they do not understand, and want to do away with it. IF the church leaders had spent a bit more time seeking God for His answer to the issues of the scientists, they might have found that God did approve of their efforts to understand their world and that much good would come from it. Everything that man does has good, and bad ramifications. The transistor is a prime example. The 2 scientists that invented it wanted it to be used as an aid to man. Instead, it found, for many years, greater use to do evil to man. It all depends on how it is used, and to what end. The religious leaders of that point in time just did not have the maturity to understand.

Answer 3

Because the "church" had set up their own view of the world, based on what they thought Scripture said. To come up with something different was to expose their ignorance and supposed divine power.

Just one of dozens of examples is the belief among many Christians that the human race started 6,000 years before Christ. You will not find that in the Bible if you look for a million years. Added to this unscriptural position is -- 'Oh, a day is a 1,000 years with the Lord you know!' That idea only exists in the heads of some Christians and is not in the Bible, unless you ignore the full text.

The figure of 6,000 years (now 8,000) was put forward by Bishop Usher who arrived at the age of creation by estimating average life times, or given ages, and then multiplying by the number of names in the Biblical genealogies.

As "logical" as this might seem, there are really big problems with his idea. A lot of people, even today, buy into this idea. If I put out something contrary while Bishop Usher was alive I could cut into church attendance, question his education and make him look bad (whether I intended to do so or not) reduce his clout, etc., etc.

This is of course over simplified, but I trust you see one of the main problems that Galileo and others faced with the church. It was a threat to their control over people.

Answer 4

At the time of Galileo, people understood a great deal less about science than we do today. They believed in things like spontaneous generation and, since they didn't have any information about germs, they believed sickness came from demons, witches, or the wrath of God. For them the world was essentially a very scary place. When people began to do scientific studies that questioned the standard concept of the earth's position in the universe it added another level of fear. For those people the idea of being the center of everything gave them security.

Answer 5

For pretty much the same reason scientists and science-minded thinkers *today* incur the wrath of people of Faith -- he threatened the church's viewpoint and teachings about the heavens and the universe. Though he was a devout Catholic to the end, he dared to teach the earlier views of Copernicus -- that the earth and other planets revolve around the sun, and not the other way around. (It wasn't about the *formation* of the universe, as you say, but about the motions of observable celestial bodies relative to earth.)

Though he was correct, the Catholic church leaders cared more about what this awareness would do to the church, than about truth. I don't blame them. If I were passionately seeking to spread my belief about anything, facts-be-damned, I wouldn't want want my students or followers to see flaws in my teachings. If I'm wrong about x (a very BIG x) maybe I'm wrong about y & z, too.

In the church's defense, they did give Galileo a choice -- he could recant his teachings OR be tortured. No doubt they all prayed and burned incense, while blessing themselves for their dedication to truth and goodness.

Funny how this rings so familiar four centuries later, with that much more scientific discovery behind us. The church and its sheep treated Galileo's science with the same lack of respect that today's believer's treat the heavily-supported theory of evolution. (Others go even further, with the young earth stories and other bad science in the fields of cosmology, physics and anthropology, to name a few.)

Short of using physical torture--at least as far as I know--many religions have changed very little from this model of "indoctrination supersedes learning."

Like Kepler, Copernicus, and many others, Galileo bravely and painstakingly dedicated himself to the truth, even after publicly stating the sun revolves around the earth, due to church pressure, and living his final years under house arrest. For their vision, courage, integrity, and the knowledge they brought to the world, these men should be greatly admired.

Answer 6

I recommend that you read Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons". It will become very clear.
Some good answers appear ahead of me, particularly the one that tells that the Catholic Church wanted everyone to remain ignorant of reality and to simply accept the bible as THE source of all wisdom.
So many are ignorant of reality today, despite logic and reason - and scientific advances. The fantasy-world of religion, of whatever sort, is such an attractive concept that the gullible simply WANT it to be true. That want does not magically make it true.

All gods, current and previous, are figments of man's imagination but some people cannot recognise a lie when they hear one, preferring to accept a concept that gives them hope and comfort. False hope, as it happens. Fine, just don't force this BS into government policy or children's education. Keep such nonsense to yourself for fear of being ridiculed, as we generally ridicule GW Bush, a supposed BA Xtian. Just how more ignorant can one get?

Answer 7

Catholic church because strict readings of the bible conflict with the reality of the earth not being the center of the universe, There was a Protestant church and the church of England at the time (see Martin Luther and Anglican Church.

Answer 8

quite, geocentricism is in no way suggested in the Bible. there is no longer something that even comes close. additionally, mutually as Galileo replaced into imprisoned at one factor, his e book "The Assayer" replaced into committed to the recent pope, who replaced into very pleased with Galileo. And "The Assayer" replaced into written mutually as Galileo replaced into imprisoned. it is likewise believed that Galileo's later imprisonment had extra to do along with his insulting of the Jesuits than it did of his suggestions on the universe. besides, on on your question. I understand that at one time the Catholic church replaced into very plenty against technology. yet you extremely can no longer blame them. They weren't the only ones. What, do you extremely think of that theories like those of Copernicus and Galileo have been nicely-met by the blooming clinical community? of direction no longer! They challenged what scientists ahead of those situations theory they knew! it is significant to keep in mind that many of the scientists that contributed to the way we view the international now have been theists of a few type, if no longer Christian. and actually, modern-day technology has discounted numerous Darwin's theories. He had the the perfect option concept, yet he replaced into off on countless issues. I have not have been given any problem with evolution, and that i'm a Christian.

Answer 9

Scientists began to learn about the universe around them, and thus started man on a quest for knowledge, which the Catholic Church took as a threat to their hold on people. The Church was most powerful when people were ignorant. Scientists were giving people knowledge, but the Church wanted ignorance.

Answer 10

They challenged the core beliefs of the church. Therefore, the church felt threatened. If someone threatens to upset the apple cart like that, the apple cart owner is more than likely going to pull out all the stops to protect their turf.