As a bishop in the Universal Life Church, I believe in skepticism. Here is the way science should proceed:
Smith, Gordon C. S., and Jill P. Pell. 2003. "Parachute Use to Prevent Death and Major Trauma Related to Gravitational Challenge: Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials. British Medical Journal, Vol. 327: No. 7249 (20 December): pp 1459-61. http://elucidation.free.fr/parachuteBMJ.pdf Gordon C.S. Smith, a University of Cambridge obstetrician, who wrote a classic paper in the in 2003 noting that he could find no randomized controlled trials testing whether parachutes prevent death and injuries in response to "gravitational challenge" -i.e., jumping out of aircraft.) On Mon, Jul 4, 2011 at 5:29 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > And Vatican 2 was written by a bunch of commies. > > That is still a current view. > > In fact, when a close friend went to Detroit a month ago for a Vatican 2 > gathering, fighting for a more democratic Catholic Church, the group was > vilified as heretical by the Archbishop: > http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/C4/20110612/NEWS05/110612013/Archbishop-blasts-Ferndale-priest-s-leading-liberal-Mass > > She is in the picture in the newspaper, prodding her to write a strong > letter to the Detroit Hissunah > > Oh, and July 4th, that must also be a Commie thing to the archenem,er, > bishop. . .have you read the declaration? > > Best, > Brian > Marxist, and Liberation theologist > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Jim Devine <[email protected]> > To: Pen-l <[email protected]> > Sent: Mon, Jul 4, 2011 8:10 pm > Subject: [Pen-l] new frontiers in science! > > www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-galileo-was-wrong-20110704,0,1142889.story > chicagotribune.com > > Some Catholics seek to counter Galileo > Splinter group says the Earth, not the sun, is, indeed, at the center > of the universe > > By Manya A. Brachear, Tribune reporter > July 4, 2011 > > Some people believe the world literally revolves around them. It's a > belief born not of selfishness but faith. > > A small group of conservative Roman Catholics is pointing to a dozen > biblical verses and the Church's original teaching as proof that the > Earth is the center of the universe, the view that prompted Galileo > Galilei's clash with the Church four centuries ago. > > The relatively obscure movement has gained a following among a few > Chicago-area Catholics who find comfort in knowing there are still > staunch defenders of original Church doctrine. > > "This subject is, as far as I can see, an embarrassment to the modern > church because the world more or less looks upon geocentrism or > someone who believes it in the same boat as the flat Earth," said > James Phillips, of Cicero. > > Phillips attends Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Church in Oak Park, a > parish run by the Society of St. Pius X, a group that rejects most of > the modernizing reforms the Vatican II council made from 1962 to 1965. > > But by challenging modern science, the proponents of a geocentric > universe are challenging the very church they seek to serve and > protect. > > "I have no idea who these people are. Are they sincere, or is this a > clever bit of theater?" said Brother Guy Consolmagno, the curator of > meteorites and spokesman for the Vatican Observatory. > > Indeed, those promoting geocentrism argue that heliocentrism, or the > centuries-old consensus among scientists that the Earth revolves > around the sun, is nothing more than a conspiracy theory to squelch > the church's influence. > > "Heliocentrism becomes 'dangerous' if it is being propped up as the > true system when, in fact, it is a false system," said Robert > Sungenis, leader of a budding movement to get scientists to > reconsider. "False information leads to false ideas, and false ideas > lead to illicit and immoral actions — thus the state of the world > today. … Prior to Galileo, the church was in full command of the > world; and governments and academia were subservient to her." > > Sungenis is no lone Don Quixote, as illustrated by the hundreds of > curiosity seekers, skeptics and supporters at a conference last fall > titled "Galileo Was Wrong. The Church Was Right" just off the > University of Notre Dame campus in South Bend, Ind. > > Astrophysicists at Notre Dame didn't appreciate the group hitching its > wagon to the prestige of America's flagship Catholic university and > resurrecting a concept that's extinct for a reason. > > "It's an idea whose time has come and gone," astrophysics professor > Peter Garnavich said. "There are some people who want to move the > world back to the 1950s when it seemed like a better time. These are > people who want to move the world back to the 1250s. I don't really > understand it at all." > > Garnavich said the theory of geocentrism violates what he believes > should be a strict separation of church and science. One answers why, > the other answers how, and never the twain should meet, he said. > > But supporters of the theory contend that there is scientific evidence > to support geocentrism, just as there is evidence to support the > six-day story of creation in Genesis. > > There is proof in Scripture that the Earth is the center of the > universe, Sungenis said. Among many verses, he cites Joshua 10:12-14 > as definitive proof: "And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, > while the nation took vengeance on its foe. … The sun halted in the > middle of the sky; not for a whole day did it resume its swift > course." > > But Ken Ham, founder of the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky., said > the Bible is silent on geocentrism. > > "There's a big difference between looking at the origin of the > planets, the solar system and the universe and looking at presently > how they move and how they are interrelated," Ham said. "The Bible is > neither geocentric or heliocentric. It does not give any specific > information about the structure of the solar system." > > Just as Ham challenges the foundation of natural history museums, > Sungenis challenges planetariums, most notably the Vatican > Observatory. > > Consolmagno said the very premise of going after Galileo illustrates > the theory's lack of scientific credibility. > > "Of course, we understand the universe in a far more nuanced way than > Galileo did 400 years ago," he said. "And I would hope that the next > 400 years would see just as much development." > > But Sungenis said the renewed interest in geocentrism is due, in part, > to the efforts of Christians entering the scientific domain previously > dominated by secularists. These Christian scientists, he said, showed > modern science is without scientific foundation or even good evidence. > > The issue has even sparked a debate between Art and Pat Jones, of > Lyons. Pat Jones, a conservative Catholic who often attends Mass at > Phillips' parish, said heliocentrism is part of a conspiracy. > > "Because of our fallen nature in Christian terms, we take the line of > least resistance — go with the flow," said Pat Jones. "But the means > of grace have to be intact." > > Her husband, Art, a self-described skeptical Protestant, says he is > still a "doubting Thomas" but wouldn't put it past the orthodox > science community to cook up a conspiracy. He accompanied his wife to > the South Bend conference to learn more and "keep peace in the > family." > > Meanwhile, the theory has brought others like Phillips closer to God. > > "I dropped my practice of faith," Phillips said. "When I came back, it > was a big wake-up call for me. … The world has its own dogmas." > > [email protected] > Copyright © 2011, Chicago Tribune > -- > Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own > way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante. > _______________________________________________ > pen-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l > > _______________________________________________ > pen-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l > > -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 530 898 5321 fax 530 898 5901 http://michaelperelman.wordpress.com _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
