Comments on: The (bah) Star of (humbug) Bethlehem

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:25:34 +0000

You should probably do more research on this subject. All evidence points to the star having been a real event. I definitely recommend astronomy software called Starry Night where you can actually see if something astronomical happend back then using the software or you could go to bethlehemstar.net which will show you the truth about the star. Hope your not afraid of a little truth . Also it wasnt an actual star.

By: pat oakes (don't publish this)

pat oakes (don't publish this) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:55:31 +0000

don’t have time to read your stuff, so this might be covered.
wise men saw his star in the east…why did they go west?
Karlis Kaufmanis, deceased, prof emeritus of astronomy at gustavus adolphus wondered
anatole has two meanings: east and heliacal
in aramaic 2nd “east” is actually replaced by word with only one meaning: heliacal
genesis 1:14 says sun placed for “signs, etc.”
planet is in helical when reflects sun in early am
jewish stargazers were waiting for 2 specific planets (i think saturn and ??) for sign of Messiah
they would be found in pisces, ie the “house of jerusalem”
happened about half a dozen times 6 bc
last occurrence included mars in heliacal and all three planets were within 1 degree
we know that JESUS wasn’t born 1ad or 1bc because herod died 4bc
kaufmanis reviewed babylonian records
babylonians were going nuts reporting these findings
indicated great king and another thing i don’t remember now
last sighting as they followed it would have been seen over hills of bethlehem
kaufmanis says that this would happen as traveled out of jerusalem and earth turned on axis causing them to take right road
i’m not going to follow your string…just for your information

By: Andy eTX

Andy eTX — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 16:42:32 +0000

Take a “Chariots of the Gods” viewpoint, that humans (maybe life itself) are the product of alien intervention, and that Bible references to angels, etc are really descriptions of actual contacts made in those days. Jesus, virgin birth and all, as part of their plan.

Would it be possible for us to duplicate the Star of Bethlehem today? That is, navigate a spaceship (first seen in the east at nightfall) into an artificially maintained orbit a few hundred miles over Bethlehem (a true geosynchronous orbit is much higher over the equator). Then staying in that position for a few months, self-illuminated when in Earth-shadow so as to be visible both day and night? Then disappearing after the event?

The truth is out there, LOL.

By: The Star of Bethlehem | Irreligiosity

The Star of Bethlehem | Irreligiosity — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:20:25 +0000

[...] I’m always a fan of taking Biblical literalism down a peg or two. In honor of both the season and the grand tradition of trying to fight off the religious cancer of Biblical literalism that has been growing on the underbelly of more moderate religions in the few hundred years since the Protestant Reformation invited everyone to read and interpret the Bible as they saw fit, pause to read Phil Plaitt’s excellent debunking of the myth of the star of Bethlehem. [...]

By: The Star of Bethlehem, again | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine

The Star of Bethlehem, again | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:50:04 +0000

[...] year, I wrote a grinch-like article saying I don’t think the Star of Bethlehem is anything more than a legend. I still think [...]

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:09:07 +0000

Dear Bad Astronomy:

There really are no problems with the phrase ” we saw His star in the East”. The star (or planet) was very likely seen in the time right before sun rise. The travellers would have seen the star and began their journey from the East. With each passing day it rose earlier and earlier. For example, if the “star” were really Jupiter, it may have have first been seen in the pre-dawn skies of March or April. By December, the star (Jupiter) would have moved Westward across the ecliptic, slowly and methodically into the early evening sky.

At this point, it, like other planets, would undergo retrograde motion. The star (Jupiter) would literally do an about face and head “back” in an Easterly direction for a day or two. So, the star (Jupiter) would in reality stand over the spot in question on a certain day in time and appear to just hang there. After that day, it would continue Westward until it finally faded into the sunset behind the sun.

I hope this has been helpful.

By: Luke

Luke — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:08:15 +0000

To emphasize what Rick and Artifex said, specifically addressing “Following East”:

As the king planet (Jupiter) crowned the king star (Regulus), The two were in the constellation of the Lion. Judah’s association with the Lion led them to Judah, not to Bethlehem.

This means they never once had to “follow” the star to the east. They knew where it led before they began, but they had to ask for the final city once they reached Judah.

The central point of this article is one of the least scientific things I’ve seen in a while: “I’ve disproved that they followed east, that it was possible to follow east, therefore I’ve disproved the whole shebang.” Strawman city.

I also believe these men followed Daniel’s thought, and would be watching for this specific type of phenomena more than any other astronomers in the world.