Biblical References
Creationist Perspectives
Geocentricity on the CreationWiki
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Geocentrism is the belief that the earth is
stationed inflexible at the center of the universe. Modern physicists
refer to the geocentric perspective as Machian, after the famous
physicist
Ernst Mach. The idea of geocentrism was thought abandoned when the
majority of scientists gave support for the
heliocentric model, which states that our planet is part of a
solar
system that is itself part of a larger
galaxy.
Geocentric theorists use the Biblical theme of an
earth-centered creation for substantiation, and Biblical references that
some believe imply the earth does not move. Some ardent geocentrists do
not believe the earth is orbiting the
sun, but instead
uphold a modified version of
Tycho
Brahe's model of the
solar
system where the sun is instead orbiting the earth. (see:
The Association for Biblical Astronomy)
Biblical References - Earth Does Not Move:
- 1 Chronicles 16:30: " Fear before him, all the
earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.
- Psalm 93:1 "The LORD reigneth, he is clothed
with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath
girded himself: the world also is established, that it cannot be moved.
- Psalm 96:10: Say among the heathen that the
LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be
moved: he shall judge the people righteously...."
-
Psalm 19: "He set the tabernacle for the sun, which is
as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man
to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his
circuit unto the ends of it."
Psalm 93: "Thou hast fixed the earth immovable and firm,
thy throne firm from of old."
Many
creationists, hold strong reservations about geocentricity, or to the
other extreme, simply class it as disproved or irrelevant.
A different interpretation of the related Biblical verses above may allow
for a heliocentric perspective. In each of the following references, the
word "moved" is translated from the Hebrew word spelt "Mem", "Waw/Vav",
"Tet" which is transliterated "MWT" or "mot", with a long "o"
as in "vote" (Strong's Ref. # 4131). According to Strong it means: "to
waver; by implication, to slip, shake, fall". Having properly defined the
word in use, it is clear the passages are simply saying that the earth's
place has been fixed or secured by God so it can not be altered.
It is important to note that many geocentrists believe in a non-orbiting
and non-moving earth,
not just a universe-centered earth. Several pieces of evidence have been
introduced to challenge this view.
- Foucault's pendulum demonstrates the rotation of the
earth; without
such rotation there is no reason for the pendulum to rotate its plane of
swing.
- A non-rotating earth would require the outer planets and the stars to
be moving at excessive (translight?) speeds. Measurements of relative
motion between the earth and the nearer planets indicate that the other
planets are not moving fast enough for the earth to be stationary.
- Differences in escape velocity at the poles vs the equator wouldn't
exist on a non-rotating planet. Similarly, satellites in geostationary
orbit would be motionless over a non-rotating planet, and would simply
fall down.
- The
Coriolis effect would not exist on a stationary earth.
-
Earthquakes, including those induced by placing explosives in
geological fault-lines, can produce measurable changes in the earth's
rotation. If the earth is in fact stationary, this would mean that events
on earth can instantaneously affect the motions of stars many many
light-years away.
- The orbit of the
earth around the sun
is used as a baseline for measuring distance to stars using the parallax
method - if the earth was stationary this ought not to be possible.
- The relative frequency of shooting stars before/after midnight
indicates that the earth is both rotating and moving through space.
- The red
shift measured in stars' spectra changes in an annual cycle; if the
earth is not circling the sun, then stars must be constantly
accelerating/decelerating in something akin to a 'Mexican wave'.
The
solar system creates necessary movement, which is required to make
day/night and seasonal patterns. While the
Earth is clearly
in motion around the Sun,
and our
solar system in movement within the Milky Way galaxy, simply put,
geocentrism is the belief in a universe-centered world. Evidence, such as
quantized redshift, offers strong support that the
Milky Way exists at the center of the
universe.
It is also important to remember that all observed movement can be
considered relative, as such this debate may be more philosophical and
metaphysical than scientific.
Geocentricity
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