what would you do? would you deny something you know is true?

What would you do?Would you deny something you know is

true?

Galileo’s motto might have been “follow knowledge wherever it leads us.”

• Biblical references Psalm 93:1, 96:10, and 1 Chronicles 16:30 include text stating that "the world is firmly established, it cannot be moved.“

• In the same manner, Psalm 104:5 says, "the Lord set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved."

• Further, Ecclesiastes 1:5 states that "And the sun rises and sets and returns to its place"

Christian Arguments for a Geocentric Universe

Christian view of a Geocentric Universe

“Galileo on Trial”

Copernicus’ Heliocentric Universe

Galileo’s response to the Inquisition:

• A VOICE FROM THE PAST• With sincere heart and unpretended faith I abjure,

curse, and detest the aforesaid errors and heresies (of Copernicus) and also every other error …contrary to the Holy Church, and I swear that in the future I will never again say or assert…anything that might cause a similar suspicion toward me.

• Galileo Galilei, quoted in The Discoverers

Assignment On a piece of paper you will write a “Talk Back” to Galileo. You will

have at least 3 paragraphs. 1. Tell Galileo what you think of the way he handled this situation. Do

you agree with him? Why or why not?2. Come up with at least 5 questions that you would have asked the

church OR Galileo about this trial. 3. Tell Galileo how you would have handled this situation. Answer the following questions:1. Can an Idea be dangerous?2. Does modern scientific knowledge seem mostly harmful or helpful?3. Galileo faced persecution for teaching new ideas. Could this happen

today? 4. Describe a situation in which you lied but you believed you were

doing it for the “right” reason.