>the Church sent the message to everyone watching in return: don't challenge our authority, and we'll leave you alone. Galileo walking back his words and being

>the Church sent the message to everyone watching in return: don't challenge our authority, and we'll leave you alone. Galileo walking back his words and being under house arrest for the rest of his life would certainly send a message for other people to keep their heads down and mouths shut. Galileo was trying to save his own life, that fact that he was still punished, although mildly compared the worst case scenario doesn't really change anything. No one rally claimed differently either.