I had never heard that particular quote but do agree with you in your conclusion on Galileo. I learned a lot of similar things growing up in school that was wrong as well. Even in church I was misinformed on some of the most well known 'bible stories'. The biggest one probably being that Jonah ran away from Nineveh because he was afraid when really it was because he hated them and didn't want God to save them from destruction.
Good point. It is important to read the original documents for ourselves, as adults. Even when we have to rely upon translations, we can often discern truth. Jonah is a good example. I also realized as an adult that every command in the Old Testament serves to make things better for humans - God is not a narcissist, and he is not capricious. Even when he told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, that journey benefited Abraham and Isaac. Prior to it, Abraham likely was afraid that his love for Isaac was idolatrous, which would have made him hold back. After the journey, he had proven to himself that his priorities were appropriate, allowing him to love Isaac without restraint.