I always assumed that when they say the earth has stopped they mean orbiting around the sun rather than spinning on it's axis. If the earth stopped in it's orbit you could still have sunrise & sunset, you just wouldn't have the normal seasons and the stars wouldn't move each day as they do (rising approximately 4 minutes earlier each day if I recall correctly).
The first (rotate on axis - day and night) one takes what should be 6 year old's understanding of astronomy where as the latter (revolve in orbit around the sun - the seasons) takes what should be an 8 year old's understanding of astronomy. So either misconception by reasonably intelligent adults is sad. :roll:
PS: for any "believers"... the sun is rising at the expected time (unless you think the clocks are being tampered with by the gov) and the stars are in the expected location as per my 1996 star program (The Sky IV).
