August 29, 2011 | 9:36 am

A vain belief that the earth is the center of the universe

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

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While many Christians believe that evolution was part of God’s plan, many others believe that it was not and that Creation took place over seven literal days. It’s understandable why Christians would argue this point. But I can’t imagine why anyone will still hold onto the notion that Earth is the center of the universe.

Manya Brachear of the Chicago Tribune reports about a group of conservative Roman Catholics:

Those promoting geocentrism argue that heliocentrism, or the centuries-old consensus among scientists that Earth revolves around the sun, is a conspiracy to squelch the church’s influence.

“Heliocentrism becomes dangerous if it is being propped up as the true system when, in fact, it is a false system,” said Robert Sungenis, leader of a budding movement to get scientists to reconsider. “False information leads to false ideas, and false ideas lead to illicit and immoral actions — thus the state of the world today.… Prior to Galileo, the church was in full command of the world, and governments and academia were subservient to her.”

Sungenis is no Don Quixote. Hundreds of curiosity seekers, skeptics and supporters attended a conference last fall titled “Galileo Was Wrong. The Church Was Right” near the University of Notre Dame campus in South Bend, Ind.

Sungenis points to Joshua 10:12-14—“The Sun halted in the middle of the sky”—as proof that the universe revolves around the earth. But this passage is typically considered proof of a miracle, not geocentrism.

Read the rest here.