[metmom]

Who is more likely to be afraid, the person whose pride is threatened or the person who looks objectively on the world? The earth is not the center of the solar system, man only became human when touched by God, and we are not alone in the universe—and it is pride that makes people fear such statements.

Who are you implying fears such statements? The scientist whose pride in his work tolerates no dissent?

[firebrand]

You cannot be a proper scientist if you fear dissent. Yes, that would be pride too. But science is a discipline, or a group of disciplines, in which you are not supposed to fear dissent. It's the essence of scientific inquiry to be objective.

I don't think God would like us to cling to our sense of importance, whether it's pride in self, pride in one's church, pride in one's central place in the order of things . . . anything that makes us feel more important.