In fact, all our technology we use here and that has been helpful to us is totally unrelated to the knowledge of the heliocentricity of the solar system. Assuming the sun orbits the earth would not impeded the development of medicine, chemistry, or airplanes nor American liberty.
As far as any real benefit to mankind, it seems the knowledge of heliocentricity is useless.
 
        
        32 comments 
        
            
                
                from strictly practical standpoint, he could be correct. apart from space missions in far space (asteroids, other planets, voyager 1&2, etc.) calculations may be made more easily with the assumption of standing earth. chemistry or biology doesn't depend upon the orbit of Neptune or Pluto.
however, scientific theory doesn't need to be useful for it to be correct. the important thing is to raise the human knowledge and understanding of the universe. there is no benefit to mankind from denial of proven facts.
 
        
            
        
            
        
            
                
                Except, you know, that it is one more nail in coffin of biblical literalism.
If the sun orbited the earth, then god stopping the sun in its course to allow Joshua's battle to finish wouldn't be as  catastrophic if he had to stop the earth from rotating. 
 
        
            
                
                I'm pretty sure that satellites would work rather differently in a geocentric universe. There goes a lot of communication, tv broadcasts, GPS, etc...
 
        
            
        
            
                
                Well, there is a relation that theologians in America don't ever admit to.
American liberty wasn't born in a vacuum and owes it's values to secular laws developed by casting aside religious claims. The development of those other sciences owes nothing to religion either, especially the likes of Baptists. There's also this pesky Elephant in the room trumpeting "the Bible got it wrong!"
What I hate about them belittleing our cosmic understanding is beneath it there's this con their playing. I've watched a lot of creationist debates and seen tons of claims here that tries to tie todays useful progressive technology and sciences of agriculture, medical treatment and social sciences to their religions. 
They avoid historical consensus though as it shows they were against much of it. They claim this cosmic understanding is pointless for the same reason they stood against much progress or free idealisms, competition.
Knowledge adds up and the churches would really prefer most are kept stupid. In the Bible Belt they actually succeed with posts like this,  they literally are telling people not to believe everything or anyone else. 
 
        
            
        
            
        
            
                
                Indirect WTF.
Indirect, because he does not say heliocentricity is wrong. Still WTF, because the direction he's aimed at is obvious, and it's not towards progress.
 
        
            
                
                @Aaron
As far as any real benefit to mankind, it seems the knowledge of heliocentricity is useless. 
As said  your fellow member InTheLight, it serves for " satellites. Cell phones, 24 hour TV news, GPS, defense of the US, weather forecasting," which, as anybody could se, was totally useless for mankind.
 
        
            
        
            
                
                As far as any real benefit to mankind, it seems the knowledge of heliocentricity is useless. 
Except for astronomy, space travel, and adding to the scientific knowledge of mankind.
 
        
            
                
                "Assuming the sun orbits the earth would not impeded the development of medicine, chemistry, or airplanes nor American liberty . "
What has American liberty to do with technology?
And GPS satellites need stable orbits, which are influenced, however slightly by the place of the sun.
 
        
            
        
            
        
            
        
            
                
                Well, other than its benefits in understanding motion, gravity, astronomy... oh, and that whole "leaving this damned rock one day" thing. 
What has geocentricity* done for you?
 
        
            
        
            
                
                "In fact, all our technology we use here and that has been helpful to us is totally unrelated to the knowledge of the heliocentricity of the solar system."
Yes.  But that doesn't make it less true.
Ok.  Knowing "how many M&Ms can I shove up my nose?" is also completely useless to advancing humanity, but that doesn't mean that there is not an actual answer.
I also find myself questioning the reason that you are opposed to people gaining knowledge.  Why do you hate the idea of someone learning about the universe, even if you think it's useless?  No one said you have to do anything with that knowledge.
Yes, but the sad thing is that this person is not even arguing against heliocentrism.  He's arguing against knowledge itself.
 
        
            
                
                image 
The Conservative Christian  Dr. Buzz Aldrin would like a word with you. 
Second man on the Moon. Wore an Omega Speedmaster there. Met Optimus Prime.
The Trifecta of Awesomeness . 
As far as any real benefit to mankind, it seems Aaron is useless . 
 
        
            
                
                "As far as any real benefit to mankind, it seems the knowledge of heliocentricity is useless."  
... apart from:
 
        
            
        
            
                
                Why does it have to have a use? I mean, it might come in pretty handy if we ever get around to exploring the rest of our solar system.
But knowing something doesn't need to be useful at all. Nor does knowledge being useless make it untrue. 
 
        
            
        
            
        
            
                
                all our technology we use here ... American liberty. 
I've never heard American liberty refered to as a technology before.
And why do these people always assume Americans are the only ones who have liberty?
 
        
            
        
            
                
                The Michelson-Morley experiment involved measuring the speed of light at different times in the Earths movement round the sun. This showed that the speed of light was constant and independent of the Earth's movement.
So no,, geocentricity would have had a very negative effect on the science of the last 100 years
 
        
            
        
            
        
        
            
                
                “In fact, all our technology we use here and that has been helpful to us is totally unrelated to the knowledge of the heliocentricity of the solar system.”
 
            
        
     
    
    
    
        Confused? 
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
To post a comment, you'll need to Sign in  or Register . Making an account also allows you to claim credit for submitting quotes, and to vote on quotes and comments. You don't even need to give us your email address.