but the Church has persecuted and executed scientists in the past
To which I took exception, and asked for names, dates and links. This is the subject on which you needed deprogramming. Fra Bruno was condemned, but not because he was a scientist or because of his support or defense of science, but because of his panteism:
Thus, his system of thought is an incoherent materialistic pantheism. God and the world are one; matter and spirit, body and soul, are two phases of the same substance; the universe is infinite; beyond the visible world there is an infinity of other worlds, each of which is inhabited; this terrestrial globe has a soul; in fact, each and every part of it, mineral as well as plant and animal, is animated; all matter is made up of the same elements (no distinction between terrestrial and celestial matter); all souls are akin (transmigration is, therefore, not impossible). This unitary point of view is Bruno's justification of "natural magic." No doubt, the attempt to establish a scientific continuity among all the phenomena of nature is an important manifestation of the modern spirit, and interesting, especially on account of its appearance at the moment when the medieval point of view was being abandoned. And one can readily understand how Bruno's effort to establish a unitary concept of nature commanded the admiration of such men as Spinoza, Jacobi, and Hegel. On the other hand, the exaggerations, the limitations, and the positive errors of his scientific system; his intolerance of even those who were working for the reforms to which he was devoted; the false analogies, fantastic allegories, and sophistical reasonings into which his emotional fervour often betrayed him have justified, in the eyes of many, Bayle's characterization of him as "the knight-errant of philosophy." His attitude of mind towards religious truth was that of a rationalist. Personally, he failed to feel any of the vital significance of Christianity as a religious system. It was not a Roman Inquisitor, but a Protestant divine, who said of him that he was "a man of great capacity, with infinite knowledge, but not a trace of religion."The inquisition is the subject of another day, but to claim the Church has executed scientists simply because they were acting in their capacity as scientists is beyond ridiculous.
He wouldn't be alone thinking that way, today. I cannot help but believe the Church hierarchy should have shown Christian mercy, defrocked him, and thrown him out of the Church rather than burn him alive. Ridicule is a much more powerful means at destroying a person's integrity and their ideas than killing them outright. Are you aware that astronomy books have been dedicated to Fra Bruno, a martyr for science? Surely that is not what the Church intended.
Western Civilization has set a blazing path in innovation because such men “think outside the box”. In comparison, Islam, so rigid in its theocratic constructs, forbids free will and has had to claim the inventions, creations, the scientific, mathematical, and architectural innovations of other mostly former Christian nations as Islamic cultural advances. (I've had my comments removed here at Free Republic for speaking that truth. Muslims claim I'm ‘racist’.) Muslims are frustrated by this situation but refuse to recognize that the problem is themselves.
Encouraging men and women of science benefits our civilization but a moderating institution, curbing the more flagrant forays into Pantheism, is necessary. I hope the Church continues to closely interact with scientific endeavors, observe and warn Christians when such activities spiral into pagan absurdities.