Re:Why Catholics Built Astronomical Features into Churches
by dotancohen on Thursday November 17, 2016 @02:50PM
(#12980811)
I came to post this. There is another important detail: Galileo did not contradict scripture (religion), rather he contradicted Aristotle (science). The Catholic church was actually rather interested in science at the time, and were far from the anti-intellectuals that the common narrative makes them seem.
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Re:Why Catholics Built Astronomical Features into Churches
by toyg on Thursday November 17, 2016 @03:01PM
(#12980900)
Aristotle is not just "science" - it's long been at the center of Christian theology, carrying the main argument that could reconcile Christian faith with the empirical world. Until very recently (and certainly by Galileo's times), contradicting Aristotle meant doing away with the entire building of Christian theology.
Re:Why Catholics Built Astronomical Features into Churches
by michaelsbradley on Thursday November 17, 2016 @03:54PM
(#12981450)
Well, in Western Christianity the thought of Aristotle has been important since about A.D. 1,100. Not so much in Eastern Christianity, which has favored the thought of Plato for nearly 2,000 years.
Re:Why Catholics Built Astronomical Features into Churches
by r00fus on Thursday November 17, 2016 @07:05PM
(#12983083)
Galileo's push for heliocentrism were in direct opposition to doctrine (Ptolemaic/geocentrism) and most interpretations of scripture.
If the Catholic Church didn't take that as a threat to their legitimacy I'd be surprised.
Similar shit happens today where people who question the efficacy of e.g. capitalism are effectively silenced (media control and subtlety allows voices to be silenced without imprisoning or killing people these days)