Hey, it’s been a while since we’ve had some nutty pareidolia, hasn’t it?
Lessee, we have Jesus in wood grain, an angel in a cloud, Mary the oilstain. It’ll be tough to get goofier than those.
But wait! Suddenly, a new contender enters the ring…
A man who sees Jesus in… wait for it… a meteorite!
Yes, rub your eyes and make that comical cartoon head shaking sound, a man thinks he sees Jesus in a chunk of rock that fell from the sky. I have to admit: it’s a good twist. And somehow appropriate.
First off, before you ask, the linked article says it has been confirmed as a meteorite. There is a picture on the site as well, and it looks real there, though that’s very hard to tell from a picture. Still, I have a Campo that looks just like that.
Second, it does seem from the article that the guy really thinks he is seeing Jesus, but the article is, um, not so well written. Or it was edited badly. Check this out:
[Meteorite owner] Cotton said he has seen the changes in his life. He is at peace, he said. He hopes the meteorite can be studied.
“I believe science needs to take a look at this and study it to see what it means,” Cotton said.
See what what means? The face, or the meteorite itself? If the latter, well, yeah. It’s a meteorite and should be studied. If the former, meh.
Then it goes on,
He had scientists from Hardin Simmons University look at the meteorite and confirm it is real.
Several people have offered to buy it for thousands of dollars, Cotton said.
Yes, but then again, almost any iron meteorite that size would go for thousands, especially with a witnessed fall. That makes them more valuable (I think simply because it’s cool). So the article makes it seem like his is worth more because it has a face, which is misleading.
Also, Jesus? Really? That’s the H.R. Giger version of Jesus, then. It looks like an alien. Or a skull. And criminy, it’s obviously screaming. I don’t remember that part of the Bible.
Anyway, y’all know the drill. What do you see in the Rock From Space?
Tip o’ the Whipple Shield to Fark, and the legion of BABloggees who sent me word of it as well. The Fark comments are killers.
December 17th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
I see a gargoyle wearing a clown mask.
December 17th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Reinhold Messner. Or Christopher Lee.
It would be funny if someone told this guy they wanted to buy it because they thought it was Lavey.
December 17th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
I see a badly aimed rock. >.< GG, space aliens, you missed him.
December 17th, 2007 at 9:03 pm
Holy Crap! I see a rock!
AMAZING!
December 17th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
I see my mother and my father wrestling… It looks like Dad is winning…
(yes. I had a very traumatic childhood.)
December 17th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Considering his imagination allowed him to see all those features, perhaps someone should also ask why he, at the same time, managed to ignore the BIG CRACK running right across the middle of everything?
December 17th, 2007 at 9:22 pm
It kinda reminds me of Brent Spiner in his Dr. Soong makeup from the TNG episode “Brothers” — Or a rock.
December 17th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Wait! Wait! I see another mediocre franchise in this! Jesus vs Predator vs Alien! Anybody? Anybody?
December 17th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
Which, BTW, is why Jesus is screaming. Even though no one can hear you scream in space!
Hmm, I’m still working on the byline folks…
December 17th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
You’d think that a lot more people would be critical about this claim considering that it apparently has to be labeled in order to make out the “face”.
December 17th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Looks more like a decapitated Uruk-hai to me.
December 17th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
It’s…it’s…the Grand Nagus! Surely, this is an example of iron-pressed latinum and has been molded into the likeness of the Ferengi leader — note the crooked nose, the wrap-around skull-cap thingy, the etched snarl of greed and, of course, the LOBES.
December 17th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
…
Skeletor. And barely, at that.
December 17th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
It looks like someone who just got punched in the family jewels.
December 17th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
I can sorta see a chimpanzee face, the upper lip being the part labeled “chin”.
I’ve got a Campo del Cielo fragment, too (about 300g, $50 at the ritzy rock shop downtown), and on one side, if you turn it to the light just right, it vaguely resembles a beaked head – protoceratops, maybe.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:01 pm
I see a mediocre blogger scouring the internet for religious kooks.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
I suppose if somebody hadn’t scribbled over the dang blamed photo, I just might be able to see what all this infernal fuss is all about.
Feh.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
Don’t see it. Although I made pancakes for breakfast and swore I saw an image of the Bad Astronomer in one. Unfortunately I ate it before I thought of taking a picture. I must say, since eating it, I;ve felt far more energetic… Hmmmmm?
December 17th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
I have a vivid imagination, really — but I’m not seeing anything there that even remotely resembles a face. Not even if I consider Van Gogh or Picasso (now that’s abstract); and I even tried squinting… hard. Nada.
I suppose one would see whatever one wants to see.
Sure, it might be a meteorite, but it looks more like something that was expelled from the hind end of a bull.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
…or a bunny rabbit.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
Dr. Plaitt, I’ve been an an longtime reader, and have a sense of your frustration with this kind of stuff. But why would you give any credence to this story by acknowledging it?
This is obviously a small-town story, and a writer taking a hook through the lip, willingly or otherwise, for the sake of a byline. I don’t think this story is going to sway any beliefs in any direction, and I don’t think it deserves the recognition you give it.
I’d much rather you continue to hammer away at the scientific cancers that folks such as RCH present.
You nitpicked this article much like the pseudoscientists nitpick real science; finding a small detail -in this case- a grammatical one in the Cotton quote.
Yes, this story is bologna (or baloney), but it’s not worth your time.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Looks like crap to me (literally and figuratively).
December 17th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
Speaking of crap…
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Y68oUTEKRi4
December 17th, 2007 at 11:32 pm
Reminds me of that movie Joe Dirt.
The magic space rock turned out to be frozen poo.
December 17th, 2007 at 11:37 pm
I fail. I don’t see anything in that rock. Not even any of the stuff Phil suggested.
December 17th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
I personally investigated an alleged Jesus chocolate stain in Idalou Texas a few years ago. As you may have guessed, it was just a chocolate stain.
The sad and appalling part though was that there was a line of people around the block waiting to see it, many using walkers or in wheelchairs, and one poor soul in an actual hospital bed being pushed along by faithful relatives.
December 17th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
What’s really weird to me is I’ve been in Abilene for a year and a half, and I know the astronomy professor at Hardin Simmons (he and I are the only ones in town currently) and this is the first that I’ve heard about it. Maybe he took it to the HSU geology department, but still, it ads fishyness to this story. I’m sure it’s possible for me to miss out on a local headline and all, but this should have been huge for anyone in town who knows anything about meteorites. The local TV station interviewed me about the demotion of Pluto and the transit of Mercury for Pete’s sake. This isn’t that big of a town.
December 17th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
Obviously, I’m only referring to a meteorite fall in Abilene less than a year ago, the pareidolia thing is just silly.
December 18th, 2007 at 12:12 am
Okay, I should have done some more digging first. I found a couple of local newspaper stories (links below) and it happened December 20, 2006, when I was off for Christmas break and less likely to hear about this sort of thing. Still, I’m surprised Patrick Miller (who teaches astronomy, despite being identified only as a math professor)never mentioned it to me since I would have been very interested. The articles are short, but better written with more detail than the article BA linked to:
http://www.reporternews.com/news/2007/jan/13/man-sees-angel-jesus-in-possible-fresh-fallen/
http://www.reporternews.com/news/2007/jan/26/abilenians-meteorite-valued-at-10000-15000/
I still don’t see a face, though.
December 18th, 2007 at 12:25 am
If you take the whole thing into perspective, it looks like a skewed ram’s head with its mouth open.
December 18th, 2007 at 1:55 am
Just out of interest, the meteorite didn’t happen to fall to earth with a big sword sticking out of where the mouth is claimed to be, did it?
If so…
Aaaaaaaaaaargh! The biblical prophecy has come true!!!
Revelation
1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
Y’see – his eyes were as a flame of fire. Meteors tend to glow a bit when doing their aerobraking manoevre. His hair white – well, they get a bit cold dropping through the lower atmosphere. It could have been frosty. Feet of brass. Well, brass, iron. What’s the difference, eh? It’s a metal, innit?
Run! Run for your lives! The end of the world is nigh!!!
December 18th, 2007 at 1:55 am
It’s a Carrionite, screaming because the Doctor has named it!
December 18th, 2007 at 2:18 am
I don’t see anything there but rock.
Still, although the Bible doesn’t SPECIFICALLY say Jesus screamed, I can imagine I’d probably groan a bit if someone shoved nails through my hands, even though I’m “well ‘ard” – and Jesus strikes me as a bit of a sissy.
December 18th, 2007 at 3:49 am
I see a kids show style dinosaur looking mortified.
December 18th, 2007 at 4:26 am
Guess that’s what happens if someone tries a bodily ascension without a protecting space suit.
December 18th, 2007 at 4:35 am
It’s very obviously a cyclops with a giant, bulbous nose.
December 18th, 2007 at 4:45 am
I don’t know what you guys are looking at. I see Abe Vigoda.
And Eddie, get your own blog. Then you can write about whatever you like.
December 18th, 2007 at 4:51 am
I really don’t see anything.
Oh wait, yes I do! It’s a chuck of debris that’s billions of years old!
Or wait! A piece of iron leftover from an ancient supernova!
What can I get for THOSE claims?
December 18th, 2007 at 5:08 am
I’m no Christian, but I remember that part of the Bible.
December 18th, 2007 at 5:15 am
Obviously, it’s W.C. Fields. Or at least his nose. I am frantically scouring my bible to find out what this means…
December 18th, 2007 at 5:47 am
That face looks like a troll or some other monster!
I KNEW IT!
December 18th, 2007 at 6:30 am
You know, if you have to point out all the features and I still don’t see it…
December 18th, 2007 at 6:47 am
Actually, first thing I thought of when I saw it was Psittacosaurus.
December 18th, 2007 at 7:01 am
Once I saw the open screaming mouth, it was obvious.
It’s Validus, one of the Fatal Five, arch enemies of the Legion of Super Heroes.
http://www.beaucoupkevin.com/validus/validus_intro.jpg
(The text in the particular panel has been added, as Validus does not speak.)
December 18th, 2007 at 7:17 am
To me it looks more like the old man in Monster House.
December 18th, 2007 at 7:25 am
Jesus? oh plz… it’s obviously demonic. How come nobody ever sees Satan? You think *he* wouldn’t put his face on a rock from outer space??? Yeah.
December 18th, 2007 at 7:29 am
I don’t see anything in this rock. However, after I took a dump this morning, I could have sworn that I saw the face of Jerry Falwell floating around in the bowl. Flushed him. Twice. One can never be sure enough.
December 18th, 2007 at 7:37 am
I see Ambassador G’kar of Narn from Babylon 5, pre-eyepatch.
December 18th, 2007 at 7:47 am
I have to agree with those saying it’s impossible to see anything in it, not least for the scribble on it. I’m also usually pretty good at overdrive pattern matching if I stare at mostly random formations, but this is a rare case where I just can’t see anything. I guess that’s a bit unusual, one of the few objects that looks so much like what it is that I can’t even spot anything else in it. But that wouldn’t make much of a news story perhaps.
December 18th, 2007 at 7:49 am
I see something out of Clive Barker. Or Stephen King. Or maybe both.
December 18th, 2007 at 7:59 am
Wait… now I see a dreidel.
December 18th, 2007 at 8:04 am
I see something, but it is certainly not Jesus. I don’t see eyes where they do, apparently.
December 18th, 2007 at 8:24 am
Now I see a Christmas stocking with candy canes coming out the top.
December 18th, 2007 at 8:56 am
Oh my god, it’s JOHN TRAVOLTA
December 18th, 2007 at 9:11 am
I see dead people.
December 18th, 2007 at 9:14 am
*sigh* another atheist circle jerk…
LOL!!1!!elevenses people of faith are teh stoopid!1!
December 18th, 2007 at 9:26 am
If one has to go through the work of pointing out the facial features, it is not very convincing.
December 18th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Hey now, I’m a deist, making this at least a more inclusive circle jerk than you imply. People of faith aren’t stupid…
…people who have their faith affirmed by patterns they imagine in rocks, and trees, and clouds, and toast, rather than the rocks, trees, clouds, and toast themselves, however, are probably not stupid so much as, perhaps, full of the will to believe and willing to subconsciously manufacture whatever evidence props them up. It’s silly, and I’d prefer an intentional stance (“I choose to see Jesus in the meteor because so on and so forth”), but it’s mostly harmless.
In any case, I reserve the right to parody.
> Oh my god, it’s JOHN TRAVOLTA
I see Xenu. Does that mean something?
December 18th, 2007 at 9:32 am
When I was in college I knew a girl who was convinced (had *been* convinced, I’m sure) that the Devil planted fossils in the ground to trick us into doubting the divine creation of the earth ~6K years ago.
If the Devil can do that, can’t he just as easily conjure up images in water stains, pasta dishes and meteorites?
Gotta be careful out there.
December 18th, 2007 at 9:38 am
I see someone making a quick buck on e-Bay.
December 18th, 2007 at 9:38 am
Clearly it’s the face of Jimmy Durante…
http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/MMPH/170709~Jimmy-Durante-Posters.jpg
December 18th, 2007 at 9:44 am
Wayne, thanks for pointing out those articles. Remarkably, both mention that meteorites are cold when they land! good for them!
As for others who say I am wasting my time, well, it’s my time to waste. Pareidolia is a perfect example of wish fulfillment, and it’s therefore fodder for skepticism. Plus, hello? I’m not allowed to have fun? On my own blog?
Feh.
December 18th, 2007 at 9:47 am
The old woman/witch who offers Snow White the poisoned apple. Or Abe Vigoda.
December 18th, 2007 at 9:53 am
> Plus, hello? I’m not allowed to have fun? On my own blog?
No.
Your life, as it has been, is over.
From this time forward, you will service… us.
December 18th, 2007 at 9:57 am
I see “Toxie” from the Toxic Avengers Movie , Classic Flick.
December 18th, 2007 at 10:09 am
gazza writes:
[[and Jesus strikes me as a bit of a sissy.]]
The man was a professional carpenter, who walked all over first-century Judaea for years. Chances are he was in better shape than you are.
December 18th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Either the face of Godzilla or possibly a velociraptor from the Jurrasic Park movies!
Rob
December 18th, 2007 at 11:02 am
Phil:
I just emailed you some great HTML pics my Bro sent me of extreme periedolia. Seems the plants of the world are in collusion with the DEBIL.
Snark!!!
Had to email them because I have no idea how to copy them from my email to the Bad site,,,
GAry 7
December 18th, 2007 at 11:04 am
,,,beside, they’re really NSFW but that shouldn’t be a problem for you,,,
oops, forgot about the Little Astronomer,,,
GAry 7
December 18th, 2007 at 11:43 am
My eyes hurt.
December 18th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
The bottom line: the owner can make more money if the meteorite gets publicity, and claiming to see Jesus in it will give it a wide audience from which buyers will emerge. The owner is not so dumb…
I see a lion face, but, then I sometimes see mounds on the moon where craters actually exist. My brain gets mixed up that way sometimes.
December 18th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
It looks like Edvard Munch’s scream face to me…
December 18th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Doesn’t anyone else see the dreidel? It’s pretty distinct.
December 18th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Did you see the schnoz on that thing? As a (secular) Jew, I am offended by the big nose stereotype. On behalf of Jesus, someone please alert the ADL!
December 18th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Actually the Jesus/carpenter thing comes form one quote in Mark. It does NOT say Jesus WAS a carpenter and the other gospels are not in agreement with this as a profession. The quote says that people took offense that a carpenter would be allowed to preach in the synagogue in place of a rabbi. The point being “behold he is in fact a rabbi, not a carpenter”. The gospel of Matthew describes Jesus as the SON of a carpenter, with Jesus preaching Judaism as a rabbi. Like 90% of what the general public thinks about our countries most popular religion, the “Jesus Carpenter” thing is modern cultural myth without a biblical source.
December 18th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
i see the skull of a chimp in the rock
December 18th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
The gospels as a historical source. History must be in trouble as a discipline.
December 18th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Where’s the beard? Didn’t Jesus have a beard?
December 18th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Here’s a photo of Jesus in a dog’s butt.
December 19th, 2007 at 2:42 am
It’s Cthulhu! Run for your lives! (Not that it’ll do you any good)
December 19th, 2007 at 6:47 am
Chthulhu? You almost beat me to it, but I was going to say NYARLATHOTEP! And it’s far too late to run…
Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn…
December 19th, 2007 at 8:29 am
Jeffersonian posts:
[[Actually the Jesus/carpenter thing comes form one quote in Mark. It does NOT say Jesus WAS a carpenter and the other gospels are not in agreement with this as a profession. ]]
His father was a carpenter. Sons followed fathers. Duh.
December 19th, 2007 at 8:32 am
James posts:
[[The gospels as a historical source. History must be in trouble as a discipline.]]
Really? Have you ever looked into the historicity of the gospels? Or any other ancient texts? Do you know the first thing about textual criticism?
A lot of things originally known only from the New Testament, and thus considered ahistorical by the Enlightenment philosophes, have been verified by mid-east archaeology — Quirinius being military governor of Syria, the portico with 5 columns at Bethsaida, how prisoners were crucified. The gospels are as good as any other ancient source even to an atheist historian — note the object — an atheist historian. As opposed to an atheist internet yahoo.
December 19th, 2007 at 9:12 am
To Barton: I thought His father was God?
BTW I agree with you about the Carpenter thing. Also, He could probably whip all our butts by the fact that He WALKED everywhere, and He did cover a lot of territory in His life. However, do allow a little levity. We are not mocking the many rational Deists, it is the fundamentalist nutbars that see Jesus in meteorites that we mock.
Now back to the hunk of rock. Hmmmmm. Ok. If I squint really hard, twist my head around 19.5 degrees… OMG! It’s Richard C. Hoagland!
December 19th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Clearl Jesus has been frozen in carbonite for failing to pay his debts to the Hutts.
December 19th, 2007 at 11:22 am
Four words: Han Solo in carbonite.
December 19th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Well it’s Mr. Pin. Returning as a -ing funny meteorite.
Serves him right, though. All that hot lead…
December 19th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
I really can’t make out Jesus, but I do see a large friendly dog with floppy ears.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:55 am
On second thought, it is Benny Hinn’s hair-do.
December 20th, 2007 at 5:30 am
[[Bartion Paul Levenson]]
The man was a professional carpenter, who walked all over first-century Judaea for years. Chances are he was in better shape than you are.
Maybe. But I definitely still reckon he’d bawl his sissy head off if someone nailed his hand to a plank. Most certainly not well ‘ard.
December 20th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
It looks like Marvel Comics’ The Thing in black, but I can see Mike Haubrich’s Abe Vigoda when I pull back about two feet from the screen. Jesus is looking scarier every day…
December 21st, 2007 at 8:03 am
I see Mohammed.
*ducks and RUNS*
December 22nd, 2007 at 5:27 am
gazza writes:
[[Maybe. But I definitely still reckon he’d bawl his sissy head off if someone nailed his hand to a plank. Most certainly not well ‘ard. ]]
And I reckon you’d bawl your sissy head off if you tried this crap with me in person instead of over the internet.