Three stories. That’s what I have today, but I will keep them simple and short. If I can even do such a thing. All of these are true by the way, or at least, I have learned of them from historical references.
The first happened on this very day, June 22, 1535. England was the place, succinctly on Tower Hill, London. For some time earlier, there was a man named John Fisher, who was an English Catholic bishop and cardinal. He was a theologian, an academic, and eventually the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. He believed firmly in the doctrines of the Catholic Church as well as many other things, I’m sure. However, he did not believe that King Henry VIII was the supreme head of the Church of England. He said as much and wouldn’t give in to that notion.
So on this date, yes, back there on Tower Hill, he was beheaded for that opinion. And that was the end of John Fisher.
The next story also happened on this date too. But in the year 1611. This time, across the big pond in the northern part of America. It involved Henry Hudson, an English sea explorer, and navigator during the early 17th century. Henry made some trips to and fro. We know him best for his explorations of now-Canada and a bit of the now-United States. In fact, he discovered the Hudson Bay, Hudson River, and Hudson Strait. Hence, the catchy names.
Anyway, on his last trip over, their ship became trapped in the ice in James Bay, and the crew moved ashore for the winter. When things thawed, Henry wanted to continue with the mission. However, much of the crew did not. There was a mutiny. The mutineers, put Hudson, his teenage son John, and seven crewmen (loyal to Hudson) in a small, open boat, and sent them adrift. They were never heard from again.
The rest of the mutineering crew stayed on the main ship and went back to England. Another difference of ideas.
The last story occurred on this date as well. This time in the year 1633. It involves one of my favorite historical characters, Galileo Galilei. A scientist, we all know, an Italian astronomer, physicist, and engineer. We may as well call him the Big Daddy of Science because he’s been referred to as the “father of observational astronomy” — the “father of modern physics” — the “father of the scientific method” — and the “father of modern science” — which is a heck of a lot of fathering.
Anyway, this is about his involvement with Heliocentrism — which basically asserts that the Earth and planets revolve around the Sun at the center of the Solar System. That viewpoint was opposed by a lot of people back then, especially the Church. They believed that the Earth was the center of the Universe and all things revolved around us.
But that good old Galileo. He defended Heliocentrism based on his astronomical observations. And boy did he watch those skies. But, it was this date, when he was forced to disavow his Copernican views that the Earth orbits the Sun. The Church, the Pope in charge, made him. Mean Pope Paul V ordered him “to abandon completely … the opinion that the sun stands still at the center of the world and the Earth moves, and henceforth not to hold, teach, or defend it in any way whatever, either orally or in writing.”
There is a lot more about Galileo’s life, his time in captivity, defending his scientific knowledge. But hey, the Vatican finally admitted it was wrong about strong-arming Galileo. Yes, they officially recanted Pope Paul V’s order on October 31, 1992.
So, I tell these three stories together, because while they are very different in nature, their endings resulted poorly for one party or another, because of a difference of opinion. Yes, a disagreement. And in each case, the one with the most power snuffed out the little guy.
It is sad but true. Henry beheads. Mutineers seize ship. Pope crushes science guy. And throughout history, it seems to go that way. The one with the most power comes out ahead. Thank goodness, we say, for all the times that it was “our” side who had the most power in the end.
Sometimes, depending on where you stand, it seems alright. Other times, it does not.
The bottom line for me is this. Believe like hell in the things that are true to your heart. The things that you know are right and good. Support those values with love and kindness, with action, and with hope. Then, in the end, maybe the good guy will win. Virtue will prevail. Even if it takes until 1992 to get the nod from the man wearing a red beanie on his head.
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“It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.”
― Andre Gide, Autumn Leaves
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“Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.”
― William Shakespeare, All’s Well That Ends Well
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“Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold.”
― Zelda Fitzgerald
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