Geocentrism
The Claims
Modern Geocentrism is a belief mostly held by religious groups adhering to the Abrahamic tradition (Judaism, Islam, Christianity) that Earth is the center of the universe while the Sun and the rest of the solar-system fully revolve (as a static assembly) around it in one day. Geocentrics believe the stars are closer to us than current measurements indicate and that they are embedded in a rigid substrate called the aether. The aether with the stars is supposedly also rotating around the earth in a sidereal day.
The Evidence
Evidence for the geocentric worldview is said to be found in a literal interpretation of religious scripture. However, there are many natural phenomena such as the Coriolis effects (the way the air rotates in a low-pressure system exactly as it would given a rotating Earth) that can not be adequately explained while adhering to a strict geocentric worldview. Direct observations from space have also shown that as soon as we step off our planet to investigate a bigger part of the universe, geocentrism does not work as a model. Looking even further out, our galaxy has been shown to be rotating and is most likely centered around a black hole.
Much of physics, such as the theory of general relativity, would have to be discarded if we were to apply the geocentric model to the universe.
Conclusion
There is nothing in modern day astronomy to support a geocentric model of the universe. It is best interpreted as an artifact of humankind’s egocentric perspective (that the world revolves around us) when we take into account the extremely limited, provincial exposure and knowledge of the universe with which we began, dating from long before the benefits of science and technology were known.
“The Universe doesn’t care how strongly you believe in something. If it ain’t right, it ain’t right.
and geocentrism ain’t right. No matter how much spin you put on it.” (inspired by Phil Plait)
Links
Wikipedia Entry on Geocentrism
“Geocentrism? Seriously?” on Bad Astronomer
Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence 
When I was a kid Earth was orbiting the sun at 66,000 mph. Today it is moving 2,000,000 mph through the universe. Who knows how fast it will be moving tomorrow. The question I have is, “If Earth is moving 2,000,000 mph in a curved path, which law of physics exempts a sleeping chicken balanced on one foot from falling over?”
jtb
I meant “subjective piece…”
“Modern Geocentrism is a belief mostly held by religious groups adhering to the Abrahamic tradition (Judaism, Islam, Christianity)” the hell is “traditional”? You speak like a typical ignoramus atheist who doesn’t know anything about religion yet still argues against it. Learn first instead of playing kindergartener professor. And how is this tiny shit article going to refute a complex subject like geocentrism? And what’s this shit “There is nothing in modern day astronomy to support a geocentric model of the universe.”? Dumb atheist: did you ever google geocentrism? The apostle Paul: AVOID ARGUMENTS OF IGNORANCE. Learn to use a search engine before polluting the net. As for “Extraordinary claims…” THAT’S NOT SOME LAW OF PHYSICS YOU IDIOT, THAT’S A SUBJECT PIECE OF HYPOCRITICAL ATHEIST CRAP: SO BILDONS AND BILDONS OF DEARS AGO A MAGIC BOMB EXPLODED INTO A UNIVERSE AND MADE PEOPLE doesn’t apply? Blind, backwards IDIOT.
More info on our geocentric universe here:
http://christian-wilderness.forumvi.com/t39-stationary-earth
Steve,
You dissappoint yourself. Your interpretation is entirely incorrect. You’ve have made a grade school English error:
Adv. 1. mostly – in large part; mainly or chiefly .
The artice is entirely correct! The largest part of Modern Geocentrism believers are religious groups. NOT the largest part of religious groups believe in Modern Geocentrism.
The article makes no inaccurate asertion.
Please, spare us your two cents worth of drivel.
Steve, the only conference supporting geocentricism in recent memory was explicitly Christian in nature.
http://www.galileowaswrong.com/galileowaswrong/
So, while most Christians are not geocentrists, it seems that most geocentrists are Christian.
I’m not sure how “mostly held by religious groups adhering to the Abrahamic tradition” translates into “all Christians think the earth is at the centre of the universe”, but I suppose you’re free to interpret language however you want to…
And since modern geocentric apologists are attempting to square the scientific reality with the Biblical account, it’s not an unfair characterization.
I am a Christian, and I greatly enjoy reading opinions other than my own, for the purpose of stimulating dialogue. I am not in the least offended by reading these opinions, but several times now I’ve observed generalizations on this site that have disappointed me:
“Modern Geocentrism is a belief mostly held by religious groups adhering to the Abrahamic tradition (Judaism, Islam, Christianity) …”
Such a generalization is, for the most part, simply not true. In fact, I speculate that the fact that there may be people out there who believe in geocentrism (which I do not) may have little or no correlation to their religious beliefs. But whoever wrote this article wanted to make it seem that way, so they drew up a false – and wholly artificial – parallel between the two, in order to skew opinions in their favour. Furthermore – although it may not have been the writer’s intention – a quirk of grammar in the article makes it seem as though the intent of it was to state that the belief in Geocentrism is held by ALL persons adhering to the Judaic, Islamic, and Christian traditions. But logically, it’s very unlikely that you will ever find a group that adheres UNANIMOUSLY to ALL of the same beliefs. In other words, the writer has posed the following syllogism:
A: All Christians believe some of the same things – that is, they have certain beliefs in common.
B: Some Christians believe in geocentrism.
Therefore:
C: All Christians believe in geocentrism.
Such an assertion is not only false, it’s patently absurd.
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