It’s interesting. Rick DeLano has been out and about insisting that his new movie, The Principle, isn’t “really” about geocentrism. (My guess is that the audience is going to get an earful of that tonight on the Michael Voris show):
“The Principle”, as the title indicates, is not about geocentrism per se, but is instead an in-depth cinematic examination of the Copernican Principle itself- in its historical, cultural, religious, and remarkably unexpected modern observational aspects.
And when directly asked about his own views on geocentrism by the editor of Raw Story, “Delano said his own beliefs were irrelevant. Again, he was just a filmmaker asking questions” (link).
Just asking questions, eh? DeLano wants everyone to believe that he and his movie are “just…asking questions”. He and his colleagues are just honest truth seekers with no ax to grind, no firm conclusions reached. They merely want other people to join them on an open, truth-seeking journey. Is geocentrism true? Gosh, they wouldn’t dare say. And The Principle isn’t even about geocentrism anyway. Right?
Well, no, that’s not quite right.
DeLano’s personal blog, Magisterial Fundies, and his contributions in any number of venues across the Internet are replete with strident defenses of geocentrism, including his insistence that this is a matter of revealed truth:
I know that the universe is geocentric.
This I know not because of science, but because of theology.
You do not consider theology to be superior to science, and I do.
And he insists that it is an official teaching of the Catholic Church:
First, has the Catholic Church taught geocentrism as a doctrine of the Faith?
I answer here in the affirmative. I believe the case to be conclusive (link).
And with regard to his movie, on Facebook page for The Principle DeLano has admitted that,
Geocentrism is, of course, a profoundly important part of the story of “The Principle”, (link).
One wonders, then, why DeLano felt the need to be so coy in answering the question about his personal beliefs when queried. Why seek to distance The Principle from the topic of geocentrism? Why would Rick–certainly no shrinking violet–suddenly get shy about his personal adherence to something that, in other contexts, he insists is an official teaching of the Catholic Church?
Turning to Bob Sungenis, he is, of course, on record as the staunchest of geocentrists, going so far as to insist that, “anyone who would adopt heliocentrism would automatically open themselves up to the judgment of formal heresy, based on this 1633 sentence [against Galileo],” and “When the Church committed herself to condemning heliocentrism as ‘formally heretical’ at the 1633 trial of Galileo, there was no turning back. Geocentrism, because it directly reflected the inerrancy of Scripture, was now indirectly made a matter of salvation, for he who rejected the Church’s decree and the truth of Scripture was putting his salvation in jeopardy ” (GWW2, p. 209 and link).
And even in the trailer to The Principle itself, Sungenis (the executive producer and star of the documentary) ties the movie in to geocentrism, claiming:
You can go on some websites of NASA to see that they’ve started to take down stuff that might hint to a geocentric universe…
Even more directly, Sungenis stated in a December 2013 press release sent to his patrons:
Briefly, The Principle is unlike any movie you have ever seen or may ever see. It is the first of its kind, mainly because the information it presents has only been available within the last two decades, and very few people know about it. What is it?
Brace yourself!! Indisputable scientific findings show the Earth, among all other celestial bodies, occupies the most privileged and unique place in the universe, the very center!
So, if we’re to believe DeLano, geocentrism is an official “doctrine of the Faith” and also “a profoundly important part of the story of “The Principle”. According to Sungenis you’re at least a material heretic if you don’t believe in geocentrism and The Principle presents information demonstrating that, “the Earth is in the most privileged and unique place in the universe, the very center!”. But it’s not about geocentrism and don’t you dare say that it is about geocentrism, or Rick DeLano will make sure to let you know about it.
I suppose one can understand why the new geocentrists might not want their adherence to strict geocentrism–a motionless earth at the center of the entire universe–tied too tightly to their movie, nor that they hold this view first and foremost as a matter of faith, that they insist that it’s an official teaching of the Catholic Church, and that they believe there’s been a conspiracy among scientists to cover up the facts, “They Know It But They’re Hiding It” (the title of Sungenis’ presentation at his conference on geocentrism). Tactically, I suppose it makes sense to say their movie isn’t really about geocentrism, it’s just about the Copernican principle. After all, they actually want people to pay to watch their movie rather than dismissing it out of hand.
The problem is that they’ve previously gone on record admitting what their movie is really about. No matter how coy they may be now (depending on whom they’re talking to at the moment), this whole endeavor has always been about convincing everybody of the truth of geocentrism, as a matter of divine faith.
That is the end game. It always has been.
