Geocentricity

Geocentricity: ... a belief held that the Earth is the center of the universe and does not move.

Geocentricity has descended from the ancient notion of geocentrism, or the belief that the earth is at the center of the universe. 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 Refs. - 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."

However, a closer look at the related Biblical versus above illustrates a different meaning. In each of the following references, the word "moved" is translated from the Hebrew word "mote". [ 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.

Geocentrism is from the belief that the earth is stationed inflexible at the center of the universe. The idea was thought abandoned when modern science established that our planet was part of a solar system which was itself part of a larger galaxy. However, no piece of evidence, experiment, observation or phenomenon can demonstrate that the earth is moving. Nothing can show that the earth is stationary either. Relative motion exists between the earth and the other bodies in the universe, and that is all that any measurement can ever prove. The measurements will remain the same whether the universe turns around the earth, or the earth rotates and orbits around the sun. All motion is relative and trying to say which is really moving, is pointless. Copernicus simply chose a different coordinate system.

Even if the earth is orbiting the sun (heliocentricity), geocentricity is not necessarily contradicted by this fact. The solar system creates necessary movement, which is required to make day/night and seasonal patterns, but such motion does not imply we are not at the relative center of the universe. The stars and galaxies appears to move outward away from us in all directions. Modern physicists refers to this geocentric perspective as Machian, after the famous physicist Ernst Mach. Our knowledge of the universe is insufficient to rule-our a geocentric positioning within, and if the universe was created to be viewed from earth, it would seem highly illogical to believe it is not at the relative center. Truly, geocentrism or a universe-centered world may need to be considered from a modern creation science perspective.

Geocentricity from Creationists

• Geocentric Universe resource site
• Geocentricity Official Geocentricity Website by Gerardus D.Bouw
  • The Biblical Astronomer Journal (Geocentricism)
  • Heliocentricity: A Fable for Educated Man? Gerardus D. Bouw, Ph.D.
  • What is Geocentricity? by Gerardus D.Bouw
• Geocentrics
• Geocentricity and Creation Impact #253, by Dr. Gerald Aardsma.
• Geocentricity Critiques by TalkOrigins (AntiCreation)
• Geocentricity Question: article by James Jordan from _ContraMundum_ vol. 7 1993. 26k
• Geocentrism FAQs - is the earth at the center of the universe? by Answers in Genesis
  • Geocentric gobbledegook by Danny Faulkner - A review of The Earth is not Moving, by Marshall Hall, TJ 15(2):36–372001
  • Geocentrism and Creation by Danny Faulkner TJ 15(2):110–121, 2001
  • Is the Earth at the Center of the Universe? by Astronomy and the Bible by Donald DeYoung
  • Moving with the Planets by David Malcolm, M.E.
  • Our galaxy--at the center of the universe after all!
  • Our Galaxy is the Centre of the Universe, 'quantized' redshifts show by D. Russell Humphreys TJ Vol 16(2) 2002 (PDF file)
  • Sunspots, Galileo and heliocentrism by Jonathan Sarfati
  • The Galileo Affair- history or heroic hagiography PDF by T. Schirrmacher. CEN Tech. J. 14(1):91–100, 2000
  • The Galileo ‘twist’ by Russell Grigg, M.Sc.(Hons) Creation Ex Nihilo 19(4):30-32
• Luther and Science by Donald H. Kobe. The attitude of Luther and his followers to Copernicus.
• Spiritual vs. Physical Geocentricity: Is the Earth at the Center of the Universe? by Lift Up Your Eyes
• The Earth Is Not Moving Book and resource site by Marshal Hall
• The Geocentricity Question - James B. Jordan.
• What were Galileo's Scientific and Biblical Conflicts with the Church? -ChristianAnswers.Net

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