Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!dciem!mmt From: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor) Newsgroups: net.religion,net.misc Subject: Re: Earth Centered Universe Message-ID: <249@dciem.UUCP> Date: Sun, 17-Jul-83 16:50:44 EDT Article-I.D.: dciem.249 Posted: Sun Jul 17 16:50:44 1983 Date-Received: Sun, 17-Jul-83 20:52:53 EDT References: cvl.493 Lines: 11 What could a "stationary earth" mean in relativistic terms? To have a "stationary earth" means that there must be an absolute frame of reference with respect to which the earth is stationary. Sure the earth is stationary with respect to me (when I am pursuing my favourite pastime). The rest of the universe isn't moving faster than the speed of light with respect to me, though. It is moving faster than the speed of light with respect to some mythical Newtonian absolute frame of reference connected to me, but who cares? The objects in that universe do not change their motions relative to one another or with respect to potential other observers just because I happen to take myself as a reference observer for now, and the earth is stationary in my frame.