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Post by Bill Thompson on Jan 27, 2007 18:27:48 GMT -4
Someone at work gave me a pamphlet they had gotten in the mail promoting a book on the theory that the Earth is at the center of the universe (no kidding) and the basis for the belief (why we all should believe this) was because of a number of biblical passages.
The pamphlet was well made and printed in full color. It cost some organization out of Kansas a lot of money to print up.
If I did not have been handed this thing and seen it with my own eyes, I would not have believed it myself. So I am going to have to scan it and put it somewhere on-line because I do not expect anyone else would believe it.
Let's see. If I knock a pen off my desk, does the pen fall to the ground or does the universe fall up to the pen? Can Geocentricity be argued in a relative motion argument like that? I don't think so. There are simple experiments using a pendulum -- one ongoing at the Smithsonian Museum's lobby in Washington D.C., I might add -- that proves and shows that the Earth is spinning. A free swinging pendulum moves independent from the rotation of the Earth. As the Earth rotates, the building (and the Earth it is built on) move separate from the pendulum and if its position relative to the building is recorded (like it is releasing sand, for example) the pendulum appears to shift position gradually. I wonder what those geocentrists would say to that. Probably that the devil made the pendulum shift location. That or the CIA.
{edited: I typed to fast and left out spaces and words. I added these to make this a better read}
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Post by nomuse on Jan 27, 2007 19:34:34 GMT -4
Some geocentrists are mildly clever. If you want to play with the better class of them, there's been a few off and on in the ATM section at the BAUT. The more annoying of the breed are close kin to Young Earth Creationists, tho, and not worth much effort.
The idea I'd like to see more of is that the Earth is hollow and the entire universe is contained inside. Some of this is remarkably easy to work with a few mathematical transforms. I'm afraid my cosmology -- particularly in areas like General Relativity -- is not enough to explore other aspects of this idea.
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Post by echnaton on Jan 28, 2007 0:26:53 GMT -4
I read a long thread on the old BABB about geocentrism, and actually learned the difference between solar and sidereal days from the guys that new something about real science. They (the geocentrist) will argue at length and always seem to fall back onto frames of reference in relativity as there proof, saying that you can pick and frame so all are valid so the sun is the center of the universe. Other posters who understand relativity pointed out that this interpretation is somewhat flawed. Most other threads I have seen were just a rehash with some different players.
They are an interesting lot and seem to be almost exclusively religiously motivated, although I can’t seem to see the need for them to get hung up on such an odd point as it is hard to imagine that they hold to most other medieval Catholics beliefs.
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Jason
Pluto
May all your hits be crits
Posts: 5,579
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Post by Jason on Jan 28, 2007 2:38:33 GMT -4
You don't have to go all the way to DC to see a Foucault pendulum. Try your local planetarium or children's musem. The planetarium in Salt Lake City has one, for instance.
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Post by Bill Thompson on Jan 28, 2007 4:47:59 GMT -4
I want to meet a geocentrist. The first thing I would do is to give him a polygraph test to see if he really believes this or if he is just pulling our chain.
If he really does believe this, then this is a discovery in itself.
Geocentricity is impossible for lots of other reasons. In fact, it is the most absurd thing I have ever heard of people buying into.
If the universe is spinning around us, that means objects that are millions of light years away are on one side of us -- and then move to the other side of us in just 12 hours. Nice way to break the speed of light.
Pigs and monkeys flying are more believeable. In fact, pick your own absurd story, it is more acceptable than geocentricity.
The forums and blogs and this pamphlet quotes biblica scripture as it major "proof" that geocentricity is real and urges us to believe in it "otherwise mankind has no meaning". It is interesting that people only seem to believe it for religious reasons.
I think our brains are made to believe and not to think. To think goes against our nature. But it is something we must force ourselves to do.
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Post by nomuse on Jan 28, 2007 4:55:57 GMT -4
Most geocentrists reject both Relativity and the Hubble Constant as being mechanisms by which the heliocentrists try to bolster their ridiculous notions. I don't know if it's the arguments I've been watching, but it looks to me that geocentrists and Einstein-haters often coincide. I am not sure the reason for this overlap in belief structures, except that both geocentrists and the anti-relativity folk often seem to share as well with the zionist world conspiracy folk. Apparently it's easier to hide the fact that the Earth is stationary in space if you have the Rotschilds behind you. (And that aspect of the belief structure I find not a little sickening.)
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Jason
Pluto
May all your hits be crits
Posts: 5,579
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Post by Jason on Jan 29, 2007 0:49:53 GMT -4
I'm not sure if there really are any authentic geocentrists. There are people who claim to be, but I notice these people are also invariably trying to sell you something or contribute to their movement. Either that or they are doing it for fun and putting you on.
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Post by Bill Thompson on Jan 29, 2007 19:50:14 GMT -4
The pamphlet says it will give you the book they are promoting free of charge. But I think we all know how that works.
I have been accused of not understanding human nature. I think my accusers might be right. I cannot figure out why anyone would believe this or pretend to.
Anyway, you have reminded me to take the pamphlet home where my personal fax ans scanner machine awaits.
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Post by Bill Thompson on Jan 29, 2007 22:13:41 GMT -4
Here is the free book that the pamphlet says it will send you online. I guess since it is offering to mail it to you for free, they decided they might as well post it. www.geocentricity.com/geocentricity/primer.pdfToo bad it is little on math and big on biblical scripture. The problem I would say to a geoccentists is that the scholars of the bible also thought the world was flat. Yes, flat. I know, I know, there is a passage where it mentions the world is round but the Hebrew word they use means round and flat like a coin not round like a ball. And don't tell me that they did not have a word for a sphere because, yes, they did use that word for a sphere elsewhere in a different passage. And that passage did not describe the Earth. They fail to mention that tid bit.
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Post by Bill Thompson on Jan 31, 2007 2:15:33 GMT -4
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Post by Apollo Gnomon on Jan 31, 2007 12:00:46 GMT -4
www.geocentricity.com/ From the Geocentricity Primer PDF on the site, pg 142 Well, all righty then! Shall I heliocentrically discuss how the apostles disposed of the body? Or would that spoil your lunch?
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Post by Bill Thompson on Jan 31, 2007 17:28:01 GMT -4
www.geocentricity.com/ From the Geocentricity Primer PDF on the site, pg 142 Well, all righty then! Shall I heliocentrically discuss how the apostles disposed of the body? Or would that spoil your lunch? You don't mean what I think you mean, do you? This gives Holy Communion a new meaning or maybe I have always been in the dark.
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Post by gwen on Jan 31, 2007 17:42:34 GMT -4
Yeah and that "Ph.D." after the author's name is a big docking laff. I know several people with PhDs and none of them ever tack that title onto their names, so 19th century.
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Post by gillianren on Jan 31, 2007 19:31:03 GMT -4
If I had one, I would.
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Post by Apollo Gnomon on Jan 31, 2007 20:30:14 GMT -4
Have you ever read "Stranger In A Strange Land"? I don't think I'm the only person with my idea.
I don't really have time to go through the Bible right now putting together the verses, maybe I'll do that for easter.
Also, I wouldn't wanna jack your thread on Geocentrism. It's too weird to let pass without further discussion.
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