Posted on 12/21/2001 5:11:00 AM PST by blam
Early Christians hid the origins of the Bethlehem star
13:15 21 December 01
Marcus Chown
A US astronomer claims he has found the first mention of the star of Bethlehem outside the Bible. The reference is in a 4th-century manuscript written by a Roman astrologer and Christian convert called Firmicus Maternus.
Photo: Bridgeman Art Library
Michael Molnar, formerly of Rutgers University in New Jersey, is the originator of the idea that the star of Bethlehem was not a spectacular astronomical event such as a supernova or a comet but an obscure astrological one.
The event would nevertheless have been of great significance to ancient Roman astrologers. After studying the symbolism on Roman coins, he concluded that the "star" was in fact a double eclipse of Jupiter in a rare astrological conjunction that occurred in Aries on 20 March, 6 BC, and again on 17 April, 6 BC (New Scientist magazine, 23 December 1995).
Molnar believed that Roman astrologers would have interpreted such an event as signifying the birth of a divine king in Judea. But he lacked proof. Now he says he has found it, in the Mathesis, a book written by Maternus in AD 334. Maternus described an astrological event involving an eclipse of Jupiter by the Moon in Aries, and said that it signified the birth of a divine king.
No names
"Maternus did not mention Jesus's name," says Molnar. "But Roman astrology was a popular craze at the time and everyone reading the book would have known the reference was to Jesus and that the astrological event was the star of Bethlehem."
So why did Maternus not mention Jesus by name? According to Molnar, early Christians hated pagan beliefs and did not want to justify the Biblical story with astrological mumbo-jumbo. The idea that the stars govern our fate flew in the face of belief in a Christian God as the controlling force in the Universe.
"Being a pagan who had converted to Christianity during his lifetime, Firmicus was torn," says Molnar. "Hence his use of astrology to support the Christian story, but in a veiled way."
According to Molnar, it was essential to early Christians that the true nature of the star be hidden, otherwise theologians would be mired in debate about celestial influences that were not part of Christianity. So they buried the knowledge of the star's astrological roots and in time it was forgotten.
"I take Molnar's work quite seriously," says Owen Gingerich, a historian of astronomy at Harvard University. "Anything he comes up with along these lines has to be considered as being very likely correct."
13:15 21 December 01
By the way, my mom heard on the tv that Barbara Olson's book is number one on the NY Times best seller list. Apparently, Ted Olson was on tv today, Friday.
I'll leave THIS one alone. It's MUCH more fun getting Xman all tangled up in his apologetics for Harry!
That theory is out of date. They have found fragments of both gospels and epistles dating prior to that. And most scholars point out that the later writings of early church fathers quote the scriptural books: some of them died in the early 100's.
The "theory" that the New Testament was written 100-140 years after Jesus' death comes from 19th century scholars, who made up that figure by guessing how long the story of Jesus would turn into complicated dogma. It's an open secret that that guessing was non scientific, but it's PC and hard to change in the PC religious schools.
Having esp does not make me a witch.
I took a morning nap at my family's home when I was in Jr. College because my classes were in the afternoon. I had a terrible nightmare during my morning nap. Before I left for school, I told my mom I had a horrible dream that someone had died. Then I left for Jr. College. When I came home from school in the evening, my mom told me an elderly friend of the family had drowned that afternoon at the bottom of a motel swimming pool. It's been like that ever since and I don't try to do this. I accept that it is a part of my being. I have also seen the grim reaper one time which I didn't enjoy at all. Things went downhill from there - I lost my dad and a young friend. I kept praying and my faith grew even stronger.
My mom whom I care for and I were at Goodwill a few weeks ago. There was a scrabble piece lying upside down in the parking lot. My mom bent over to pick it up. Before she had picked it up, I said it would be a "4". It was an F "4".
It doesn't matter if you question my faith because that's between God and myself. He knows my heart and I thank him every day for blessings that my family and I receive.
Maybe someday, you will pray for an answer and an angel will come to you and tell you "do not be afraid". God loves you and he loves me too. I am simply using all of the resources that God gave me.
By the way Merry Christmas and this is the last religious thread I will ever post on. God and all the people I help know my heart.
Thanks... I thought it was just me.
Actually, didn't Herod send the Magi after he consulted with the Sanhedrin (or at least a portion thereof) and determined from them where it was recorded that the Christ would be born?
Then I think he told the Magi to report back to him Jesus location so that he himself could worship.
So.... what really was the star's purpose? After two years or so, it seems Herod was the only one who found a use for the star phenomenon. -a bad use-
Who would want to locate Jesus through use of astrologers or, "observers of signs"... these, "diviners from the east" ?
God? Why? After the Magi learned of Herod's trick, they departed another way.
So who besides these pawns of Herod benefited from the star?
Who is REALLY behind the star's appearance?
That said, the fact is that the Romans tended to tolerate local religions and customs as long as the subjects kept quiet and paid their taxes.
And the groundhog saw his shadow. This means six more years of Clinton attempting to repair his reputation.
What about the gold? Did you trade it for the myrrh?
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