On this day in 1600 Giordano Bruno, philosopher and scientist was burned at the stake (upside down and naked!) He was charged with heresy by the Catholic church and later (after 7 years of confinement and trial) executed in the Campo de' Fiori which is a public square in Rome. It's worth looking back at the accusations made by these esteemed Cardinals (one of which went on to become Pope) to remind ourselves what happens when man-made religions are permitted to gain total power and subsequently rule over us based on parochial and unfalsifiable beliefs rather than common law, reason and rationality.
The charges were,
- Proposing that the stars are distant suns
- That these suns could have planets around them
- That these planets could harbor life
- That the communion can't possibly transform into the literal body and blood of Christ
- That the universe is infinite and has no "centre"
Thanks goodness we've moved forward since those days (only 400 years ago) and religions of all kinds are generally in retreat from the town halls of the world, long may that trend continue.
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