[Aquinasfan]

Becasue, it shows that the Roman Church doesn't stand for freedom of speech.

Not per se, no. Why is unrestricted speech good?

Galileo insisted that the Church teach his theory. That's news -- suspicious news -- to me.

Question textbook orthodoxy.

[Copernicus'] great work, "De Revolutionibus orblure coelestium", was published at the earnest solicitation of two distinguished churchmen, Cardinal Schömberg and Tiedemann Giese, Bishop of Culm. It was dedicated by permission to Pope Paul III in order, as Copernicus explained, that it might be thus protected from the attacks which it was sure to encounter on the part of the "mathematicians" (i.e. philosophers) for its apparent contradiction of the evidence of our senses, and even of common sense.

Galileo Galilei

Bad ideas have caused untold damage in world history,

Altruism; the ethics of communism, facism, and socialism: for example?

I wouldn't lump "altruism" in with the others but otherwise, yes.

[thinktwice]

You wouldn't lump "altruism" in with the others?

Altruism IS the ethics of communism, facism, and socialism.

[thinktwice]

Why is unrestricted speech good?

When speech is "controlled," the controlling authority acts first to protect its self; thereby killing what could be good, necessary, innovative ideas and accomplishments -- along with (usually) the people generating those ideas and accomplishments.