Sunday, 6 April 2014

Australian Government Playing Silly Little Games over Life and Death Issues


I'm sick and tired of some Australian politicians wilfully ignoring Scientific and Economic facts in regard to Climate Change! (fyi. James Hanson )

I pose this question. Should these politicians who put their personal gain before people's quality of life be liable for prosecution for the rest of their natural lives, if people are endangered by sea level rises and extreme weather conditions e.g. droughts, bushfires, heatwaves, cyclones?

The behaviour of some politicians towards Climate Change Scientists reminds me of how Galileo was treated in the 16oo's by the Italian Inquisition. As the creator of modern scientific method, Galileo confirmed that the Sun was the centre of the solar system and not the earth.

Quotes from The Ascent of Man by J. Bronowski:

“Galileo thought that all he had to do was show that Copernicus was right, and everybody would listen. That was his first mistake: the mistake of being naïve about people’s motives which scientists make all the time.” (Page 205)

Galileo was forced to recant!

“Galileo seems to me to have been strangely innocent about the world of politics, and most innocent in thinking that he could outwit it because he was clever. For twenty years and more he moved along a path that led inevitably to his condemnation. It took a long time to undermine him; but there was never any doubt that Galileo would be silenced, because the division between him and those in authority was absolute. They believed that faith should dominate; and Galileo believed that truth should persuade.” (Ibid)

Yes the truth! That's it! Australian politicians should stick to the truth when it comes to Climate Change. Dammit! There is too much at stake, in the name of future generations, to play stupid little political games.


The Worker


Galileo's Recantation:

I, Galileo Galilei, son of the late Vincenzo Galilei, Florence aged seventy years, arraigned personally before this tribunal, and kneeling before you, most Eminent and Reverend Lord Cardinals, Inquisitors general against heretical depravity throughout the whole Christian Republic, having before my eyes and touching with my hands, the holy Gospels – swear that I have always believed, do now believe, and by God's help will for the future believe, all that is held, preached, and taught by the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Roman Church. But whereas – after an injunction had been judicially intimated to me by this Holy Office, to the effect that I must altogether abandon the false opinion that the sun is the centre of the world, and moves, and that I must not hold, defend, or teach in any way whatsoever, verbally or in writing, the said doctrine, and after it had notified to me that the said doctrine was contrary to Holy Scripture – I wrote and printed a book in which I discuss this doctrine already condemned, and adduce arguments of great cogency in its favour, without presenting any solution of these; and for this cause I have been pronounced by the Holy Office to be vehemently suspected of heresy, that is to say, of having held and believed that the sun is the centre of the world and immovable, and that the earth is not the centre and moves:
Therefore, desiring to remove from the minds of your Eminences, and of all faithful Christians, this strong suspicion, reasonably conceived against me,with sincere heart and unfeigned faith I abjure, curse, and detest the aforesaid errors and heresies, and generally every other error and sect whatsoever contrary to the said Holy Church; and I swear that in the future I will never again say or assert, verbally or in writing, anything that might furnish occasion for a similar suspicion regarding me; but that should I know any heretic, or person suspected of heresy, I will denounce him to this Holy Office, or to the Inquisitor and ordinary of the place where I may be. Further, I swear and promise to fulfil and observe in their integrity all penances that have been, or that shall be, imposed upon me by this Holy Office. And, in the event of my contravening, (which God forbid!) any of these my promises, protestations, and oaths, I submit myself to all the pains and penalties imposed and promulgated in the sacred canons and other constitutions, general and particular, against such delinquents. So help God, and these His holy Gospels, which I touch with my hands.

I, the said Galileo Galilei, have abjured, sworn promised, and bound myself as above; and in witness of the truth thereof I have my own hand subscribed the present document of my abjuration, and recited it word for word at Rome, in the Convent of Minerva, this twenty-second day of June, 1633.

I, Galileo Galilei, have abjured as above with my own hand.     

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