Weirdly, they’re right in a way.
All bodies in space orbit each other. Of course, the Heliocentric (or, in galatic terms, the Great Attractor-centric) model is the only one which makes sense to the human mind, and for good reason. All others require ridiculously complex motions, as I understand it.
Of course, it doesn’t stop them from being foolish. And of course, it appears they don’t even understand the actualy precepts of the faith they claim to promote.
I realize that laughing at the Google ads was so December '05, but right now, I’m seeing an ad for “Humor Writing Classes.”
Er, hang on. I went and checked the site, assuming they were saying “You must prove that the Earth doesn’t revolve around the Sun” - an impossible task, as it does.
But that’s not what they’re saying…they’re challenging people to prove the Sun does revolve around the Earth. And it does, all bodies orbit each other, albeit incredibly slowly and over insanely small (respectively) distances. So, uhm…we can prove that?
Today I had a thought that tools like these need to be barred from use of the fruits of scientific enquiry. No fundy TV or radio, certainly no satellite distribution, etc. etc. You want to push your silly assed dogma, hire a town crier to spread the word.
The CAI are loons. Here is a review by another Catholic outfit, Catholic Culture, (free registration required), (neither group is an official (as in church sponsored) Catholic organization):
[ bolding mine ]
I am not sure how Sungenis has successfully kept his wager up for 3+ years unless no one has bothered to challenge him or unless he has simply chosen to ignore (or refused to accept) the parallaxes of 61 Cygni and Alpha Centauri that the Church has accepted as evidence since their discoveries in 1838 and 1839.
It’s not a joke. There are some (really really crazy) traditionalist Catholics who not only don’t accept evolution, they don’t accept heliocentrism. I don’t think any of them have argued for a flat earth, but I can’t be sure. They give those of us supporting the legitimate traditionalist movement a bad name.
From the linked site:
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
They’re right. The sun, and the rest of the known universe, revolves around the earth, or (more specifically), a very small approx. 75 lb. autonomous body that sits in the southeastern United States known as “my daughter.”
I wonder what could be proved to them using the scientific method?
I hope nothing. I want them to cling to and promote the most assinine beliefs around, so that they attract fewer members.
This is called the barycenter. And technically speaking, all bodies of the solar system orbit about a common barycenter that inscribes an erratic path that stays within Sol’s photosphere. For all practical purposes, the Earth and the other planets, does rotate about the Sun. The Earth-Luna system, or more dramatically, Pluto and Charon, can be reasonably said to orbit about a definitive barycenter.
Yes and no. We don’t really understand the orientable property–the rotational invaraince–that generates the Coriolis component but it isn’t true to say that the Foucault pendulum doesn’t demonstrate proper rotational motion with respect to the system center of mass. This is the case in every observed condition down to our ability to measure and accounting for the effects of general relativity when you get to the extremes of mass and velocity. One can argue that we don’t know why time only goes inexorably in one direction, but that doesn’t invalidate the laws of thermodynamics.
The alleged erratic behavior of Foulcault pendulums can be excused by a combination of effects, including the small amount of force measured, influences of the Earth-Luna rotation, radial asymmetry of the Earth, the orientation of the planet with respect to the ecliptic plane, et cetera. Foulcault pendulums do give a result which is sufficiently close to the anticipated theoretical dynamic response that for all intents and purposes they confirm the theory. But the real proof is in our ability to use Keplerian laws to deliver spacecraft to interplanetary locales. If indeed Sol orbited Earth, the resulting transformations would have the Voyagers and other probes flying off in massively incorrect paths.
Of course, you could take up the argument that all these programs were faked, but then you’d be in tin-foil hat/bad O.J. Simpson conspiracy movie land.
Stranger
Yes, the Catholic Church has accepted most modern science really. The Church, despite all its faults (and as a practicing Catholic I do think Catholic leaders in the past have definitely made some bad calls) has in general been able to learn from past mistakes. Where once we condemned Galileo now we embrace him. The Church long ago abandoned the Earth as the center of the universe crap. The church is also accepting of the Big Bang and evolution. Although evolution is more of a mixed bag, as there are seom Catholics and Catholic leaders who sort of accept it in a twisted manner.
I’ll give a thousand bucks to anyone who can prove that Antarctica exists to my satisfaction 
You’re not supposed to list a credential until you’ve earned it …Ph.D. (cand.)…that’s as lame as the A.B.D., but at least in an ABD the claimant has passed all the comps…as for the topic bit, who knows?
As for these loons wnating direct observation … astronmony never uses direct observation, the merit of the heliocentric theory prevailed on the emergent laws of gravity and calculus, as well as the predictive power of the theory.
If the terracentric people want to prevail, they’ll have to prove their theory…shooting holes in heliocentrism would merely open the door for an alternate model, it would not elevate terracentric theory to the top of the heap.
I’m wondering if these people really understand gravity, and how it really does compel the lessly-massed things to orbit the morely-massed things…
I don’t see how gravity can be consistent with terracentrism, unless the sun is waaaaaaaaaaaay lighter, or some such nonsense.
Come live in Melbourne when an icey sou’westerly guster blows in the middle of winter, and you’ll just KNOW that Antarctica exists. Oh yeah. No doubt about it.
[Monty Python]All brontosauruses are thin at one end, much thicker in the middle and then thin again at the far end. [/MP]
You’d need a hell of a long lens…
Yep, you’re right. Pope Pius XII outlined the RCC’s position on evolution in the encyclical Humani generis:
Or, worded in a more direct way, generally accepted evolutionary theory and the RCC’s teachings are not at odds, so long as the theory does not assert that this system necessarily negates the existence of God, his use of evolution to serve his purposes (one of which was to create humans), and his overall spiritual plan for us, his children. These are positions on which a scientist, in that role, should have no opinion, I think reasonable people would agree. Regardless, evolution is largely a theological non-issue for Catholics.
But, just as important for whackos like those cited in the OP, the RCC does not demand a belief in evolution (or any other scientific theory). That’s not its province. These scientific facts are, of course, taught every day in Catholic schools; as noted, they are not in any way inconsistent with RCC teachings. But students (and whacko “apologists”) are within their rights as Catholics to reject these scientific positions.
Nah. There’s just somewhere cold to the South of you. Doesn’t prove there’s a continent…
I’ll go ya one better:
I will pay $100,000 dollars to anyone who can prove I’m not the center of the universe.
NO purchase necessary. $50.00 entry fee. No time limit, No deadline. You may enter as many times as you wish. You may enter as often as you wish. (Preference may be given to entrants who enter frequently and consistently.) Entry fee must accompany each entry. Only U. S. currency in the form of cash accepted. Entries must be sent in a plain brown envelope. DO NOT USE the U. S. Mail system. Contact me for details on where to send the cash. Entries will not be judged on any merit or any standard frame of refernce except the one I will choose to invent on the day of Judgement. Judging will take place in the event of a third full blue moon in the month of June in the third decacentury following the rapture (or when ever I get a round tuit). Entry fees are not refundable. Not valid in the state of confusion. (UT) Must be able to prove you are older than 2 yrs of age at the time of award. All other standard legal disclaimers that will prevent you from filing lawsuits or charges against me apply.
Lucy