S.Hawking: John Paul II Weighed in on beginning of Universe

[katty]

cont'd: http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/06/15/D8I8LFT80.html

Hawking: John Paul Weighed in on Universe
Jun 15 8:51 AM US/Eastern
By MIN LEE

Associated Press Writer
HONG KONG

World-renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking said Thursday that the late Pope John Paul II once told scientists they should not study the beginning of the universe because it was the work of God.

Hawking, author of the best-seller "A Brief History of Time," said John Paul made the comments at a cosmology conference at the Vatican. He did not say when the meeting was held.

Hawking quoted the pope as saying, "It's OK to study the universe and where it began. But we should not inquire into the beginning itself because that was the moment of creation and the work of God."

The scientist then joked that he was glad John Paul did not realize that he had presented a paper at the conference suggesting how the universe began.

"I didn't fancy the thought of being handed over to the Inquisition like Galileo," Hawking said during a sold-out audience at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

The church condemned Galileo in the 17th century for supporting Nicholas Copernicus' discovery that the Earth revolved around the sun. Church teaching at the time placed Earth at the center of the universe.

But in 1992, Pope John Paul II issued a declaration saying the church's denunciation of Galileo was an error resulting from "tragic mutual incomprehension."

[shain from kane]

1. "tragic mutual incomprehension." Quite an admission from someone

that claimed to be another in the line of the self-proclaimed infallible priesthood.


Edit - changed one word

[katty]

2. just like the Neocons AFTER the damage,,,oopsey! just a mistake

moving on...to even bigger screwups

[Sparkman]

3. True prophets don't make big mistakes on the record. Has the pope yet?

Because until he does, damning the messenger prior to the false message is unfair. tstl

[roguevalley]

4. what an ass. don't look! don't check! good lord.

The church stuck it to Galileo and they are embarrassed now that they were that stupid. nothing miscomprehended there.

[RethugAssKicker]

5. Catholic chruch is at least 300 years behind the rest of the world!