mahoney@bach.DEC (Be verwy verwy quiet I am hunting wabbits) (10/21/85)
>Mahoney says that Galileo died without "major sin", even though >he recanted completely his knowledge about the solar >system, allowing people to be force-fed a superstitious view >of the universe that he knew was totally false and untrue. > >I wonder, now, just what sort of behavior is it to recant something >you KNOW to be true? Could you argue that the onus is on the Church >for threatening his life? I said according to the Church he died without major sin. I believe what the church did was wrong. But you also must take into account historical analysis when you look back at what a person or persons did. What the church did at the time was not considered wrong because many in the scientific community thought that Galileo and his kind were nuts. What they were spreading was nothing but Satanic claptrap. The Catholic Church learned its lesson and from then on stayed out of decreeing what should be believed scientifically. In fact many churchmen played significant roles in scientific discoveries. When dealing with history and looking back at events you must remove yourself from your present beliefs as possible. A originally was a history major and this was an important asset. Such as my belief in Jesus Christ. When I look at the Jesus and the Christian Church historically I try not to look at its history and beliefs as a Christian. I try as best I can to see it as I see any other religion I also try to do that with my political beliefs. To be a good historian you must remove yourself from yourself as much as possible. Now I ask others to also do this when bringing up past historical events. If you are to use history in your defense then I ask you not to abuse history. This is an important subject and when that is crunched to much by liberals and conservatives alike. Brian Mahoney "History the Defender of truth justice and the American Way."