MadSci Network: Astronomy
Query:

Subject: If the earth stopped rotating, would the sun still move in the sky for 8min

Date: Tue Apr 29 09:29:04 2003
Posted by kyle
Grade level: grad (non-science) School: Oklahoma Univeristy
City: Norman State/Province: OK Country: USA
Area of science: Astronomy
ID: 1051626544.As
Message:

Dear Sirs

Let me set up the context of the problem.

I am a PHD student in philosophy at Oklahoma University.  Yesterday I was with 
some colleges of mine in a Philosophy of Religion class.  An example came up:  

There is a miracle in the old testament where God “Stops the sun in the sky.”  
Since it takes the light from the sun 8 min to reach the earth –  God’s action 
would have had to cause the Sun to stop, 8 min before it appears too stop.  

Now I pointed out that if God were to really perform this miracle, he wouldn’t 
stop the sun – he would stop the earth rotating.

The reply I got was this:  “oh.. yeah that’s right….but that just means that 
God would have had to stop the earth’s rotation 8 min before the sun appeared 
to stand still.”  

However, it is clear to me that this is mistaken.  If God were to “stop the 
earths rotation (both on its axis and in orbit), it would instantly appear to 
us that the Sun stopped in the sky.  

My question is this: am I right?  If God stopped the earth’s rotation, would 
the sun appear to move for another 8 min, or not?

I am giving a presentation in class on May 7th.  I would love to start it out 
by addressing this issue!  Sorry to be so long winded. Thanks for your time.  

Kyle Johnson M.A.
Oklahoma University







Re: If the earth stopped rotating, would the sun still move in the sky for 8min

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