In a satirical commentary sent to GMWatch, a biologist points to parallels between pro-GM scientists' responses to the Seralini GMO study and the Inquisition's condemnation of Galileo 350 years ago.
Galileo was accused of heresy by the Inquisition over his championing of the (accurate) notion that the earth and planets revolve around the sun. Galileo was also attacked by influential members of the scientific establishment of his day (Isabelle Pantin (1999), New Philosophy and Old Prejudices: Aspects of the Reception of Copernicanism in a Divided Europe. Stud Hist Phil Sci 30:237–262).
GMWatch has slightly edited the commentary.
Seralini's study is available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691512005637
1. Seralini accused of heresy by the GMO Inquisitors (2012/13)
2. Galileo accused of heresy by the Cardinal Inquisitors (1663)
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1. Seralini accused of heresy by the GMO Inquisitors (2012/13)
We say, pronounce, sentence and declare that you, Seralini, by reason of the matters which you have published already and which have been detailed in many criticisms, have rendered yourself in the judgement of Conventional Scientists vehemently suspected of heresy, namely of having held and believed the doctrine, which is false and contrary to the extensive scientific literature, that GM crops are not substantially equivalent to their normal isogenic counterparts, and do cause health problems, and are the causes of chronic disorders; and that one may hold and defend as probable an opinion after it has been declared and defined as contrary to Conventional Dogma. Consequently, you have incurred all the censures and penalties enjoined and promulgated by the sacred Canons of Science and all particular and general laws against such delinquents. We are willing to absolve you from them provided that first, with a sincere heart and unfeigned faith, in our presence you abjure, curse and detest the said errors and heresies, and every other error and heresy contrary to the church of GMO Apostles in the manner and form we will prescribe to you.
Furthermore, so that this grievous and pernicious error and transgression of yours may not go altogether unpunished, and so that you will be more cautious in future, and an example to others to abstain from delinquencies of this sort, we order that the publication by Seralini et al (2012) be retracted.
We condemn you to formal intellectual imprisonment in Conventional Wisdom at our pleasure. As a salutary penance we impose on you to recite the penitential principles of gene transfer, once a week for the next three years. And we reserve to ourselves the power of moderating, commuting, or taking off, the whole or part of the said penalties and penances. This we say, pronounce, sentence, declare, order and reserve by this or any other better manner or form that we reasonably can or shall think of. So we the undersigned Scientists pronounce…
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2. Galileo accused of heresy by the Cardinal Inquisitors (1663)
(text from "Galileo's Daughter", Dava Sorel, 1999)
We say, pronounce, sentence and declare [that] you, Galileo, by reason of the matters which have been detailed in the trial and which you have confessed to already, have rendered yourself in the judgement of this Holy Office vehemently suspected of heresy, namely of having held and believed the doctrine which is false and contrary to the Sacred and Divine Scriptures, that the Sun is the centre of the world and does not move from east to west and that the Earth moves and is not the centre of the world; and that one may and defend as probable an opinion after it has been declared and defined as contrary to Holy Scripture. Consequently, you have incurred all the censures and penalties enjoined and promulgated by the sacred Canons and all particular and general laws against such delinquents. We are willing to absolve you from them provided that first, with a sincere heart and unfeigned faith, in our presence you abjure, curse and detest the said errors and heresies, and every other error and heresy contrary to the Catholic and Apostolic Church in the manner and form we will prescribe to you.
Furthermore, so that this grievous and pernicious error and transgression of yours may not go altogether unpunished, and so that you will be more cautious in future, and an example to others to abstain from delinquencies of this sort, we order that the book "Dialogue of Galileo Galilei" be prohibited by public edict.
We condemn you to formal imprisonment in His Holy Office at our pleasure. As a salutary penance we impose on you to recite the seven penitential psalms once a week for the next three years. And we reserve to ourselves the power of moderating, commuting, or taking off, the whole or part of the said penalties and penances. This we say, pronounce, sentence, declare, order and reserve by this or any other better manner or form that we reasonably can or shall think of. So we the undersigned Cardinals pronounce…