Where Did Earth's Moon Come From? (According To Mormons)

[ERayR]

(

 

All of which sits nicely inside of their compartmentalized minds. The

attempted "fit" inside of my own skull is too tight for comfort.

 

UD

 

I wish you wouldn't because I just can not resist.

 

What are you saying here?  Are you admitting to being a pinhead?       

[CA Steve]

You know full well what source to consult. Please stop your tired and juvenile efforts of mocking our religion. 

I won't pretend to speak for others as to what constitutes "our" religion or the mocking thereof, but as far as I am concerned, UD is one of the most interesting and well informed posters on this board regarding all aspects of Mormonism who I hope continues to pose such interesting and well researched questions such as this one.

[Robert F. Smith]

I've been browsing through H. L. Andrus' book, entitled

God, Man and the Universe, and thus have a question.

........................................................................   

If Luna was already here (in our planetary system) under what scenario

(compatible with accepted astrophysics), did it begin to orbit the earth?

And how long ago did that happen?

........................................  

A good source for the answer to your questions would be http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_the_Moon .

 

As for Hyrum Andrus, his books do not represent LDS doctrine.  Indeed, some of his ideas proved to be at least as hokey as some of yours, with the result that he was not allowed to continue at BYU.

 

What goes around comes around, Dale.

[ALarson]

You know full well what source to consult. Please stop your tired and juvenile efforts of mocking our religion. 

Uncle Dale has every right to post here and I actually really enjoy reading what he writes.  I don't always agree with him, but they do make me think.  His website is a valuable resource too.

[Ahab]

I've been browsing through H. L. Andrus' book, entitled

God, Man and the Universe, and thus have a question.

I'll first of all quote part of a short summary of one of his

chapters, as given by an LDS commentator:

>The earth was created near Kolob, which is the governing

>planet and which has a day equal in length to one thousand

>of our years. The length of each of the seven creation periods

>was therefore one thousand years, as the earth was then

>governed by the time reckoning of Kolob....

>

>it actually took seven thousand years to do the creative work.

>Since it has now been about six thousand years since life was

>placed upon the earth, it was thirteen thousand years ago that

>the creation was begun.

>

>While the earth was associated with Kolob it did not get its light

>from the sun but from God. Later it was "hurled into space" and

>took its place in the plantetary system and the sun became its

>light. It also changed its reckoning of time to that of the present.

Assuming that the above summary is an accurate communication

of Dr. Andrus' teachings (and that Andrus himself has accurately

presented official LDS doctrine) -- what else can be stated, regarding

the earth's entry into the solar system?

Is there any astronomical evidence for this strange sounding occurrence?

And -- if it is factual truth -- where did earth's moon (Luna) come from?

Was it "hurled" into Sol's planetary system, along with our planet. Or,

was it already in the solar system when the earth arrived?

The official lds.org star map is a little vague

If Luna was already here (in our planetary system) under what scenario

(compatible with accepted astrophysics), did it begin to orbit the earth?

And how long ago did that happen?

UD

Oh come on now. Isn't it obvious to you?

If the Earth did not have a moon when the Earth was created, with the moon positioned in just the right spot of the Earth's orbit, then the waves in the seas on the Earth would not move as they should on a regular basis so instead we would have still waters or typhoon type waves and that wouldn't be good. But it was good in the beginning of the Earth's creation, so the moon must have been in proper orbit around it. So obviously the moon was also "hurled" into space along with the Earth when they were assigned to a Telestial orbit in our galaxy.

[Ahab]

Uncle Dale has every right to post here and I actually really enjoy reading what he writes. I don't always agree with him, but they do make me think. His website is a valuable resource too.

I concur.

Live long and prosper, Uncle Dale.

[Flyonthewall]

Religiously or doctrinally speaking, God created the moon. The how is never specified beyond that. That is all I have heard as a stance of the church.

Beyond that is conjecture, which everyone can have their own opinion.

Perhaps you can read a variety of opinions and hook your wagon to one of them.

To me, the origin of the moon is not really relevant to my religious belief, but I suppose it is to yours... thus the question.

[KevinG]

There is a little game my Deacon's class in Sunday School used to play.  They took everything meant to be literal as figurative, and everything meant to be figurative as literal.  It provided giggles, grins, and entertaining moments.  Then I would roll my eyes, they would stop giggling, and we would proceed with the lesson.

 

Outside of a few isolated puns, most of them outgrew the game by the time they were college or mission bound Priests.

 

This thread reminds me of that game.

[mfbukowski]

I grew up and spent most of my life with Pluto as a planet. Now it isn't( probably) . Some scientists are saying that our moon is not really a moon but a planet, something about the way it orbits the sun. Then there are other moons around the earth. One thing I have learned about cosmology, if one waits a while, the rules and definitions and suppositions will change, occasionally 180 degrees. As of now it is assumed that the earth and the moon were formed at about the same time out of the materials of a larger globe which underwent the cosmologists favorite scenario, an impact. None of the scientific stories about the formation of the earth and moon have been verified by observation of other systems. Until they are, Andrus' postulations are no more fanciful than any other.

I have no problem with that.

Andrus is talking about spiritual ways of seeing the world- science sees it from a different perspective, that's all.  Fundamental literalists drive me nuts.  It's the old blind men and the elephant all arguing if the elephant is a snake or a wall and not even fathoming that it could be both from different points of view. It's all the quest to see things "as they are" which is impossible! 

 

Very frustrating, or not depending on how much I let it get to me.  It's the exact same problem with historicity.  We can never know what "really happened"- just what our paltry observations and prejudices reveal to us.

 

I just need to let it go I guess.

 

Astronomy is an interesting example which epitomizes the problem of science in general in a very graphic way.  What astronomers observe is all in a "time machine", as we know.  We could be debating details about solar systems the stars of which went supernova a hundred years ago.  They don't exist anymore and yet we are debating the "truth" of what they are might have once been from one point of view, maybe.

 

If we could fully get this concept, there would be no need for any historicity threads,and no need for any science vs religion threads. that's got to be 75% of the arguments on this board.  It's just really dumb to argue about these things.

 

Oh well.

[KevinG]

  It's just really dumb to argue about these things.

 

Oh well.

 

Dumb is such a subjective term.  I prefer "as useful as a fart in a windstorm".

[mfbukowski]

I won't pretend to speak for others as to what constitutes "our" religion or the mocking thereof, but as far as I am concerned, UD is one of the most interesting and well informed posters on this board regarding all aspects of Mormonism who I hope continues to pose such interesting and well researched questions such as this one.

History yes.

Mormon doctrine?  Not even close.  Caricatures of doctrine as believed 150 years ago?  Yes, in spades.  He could pass as an anti-Mormon from 100 years ago.

 

And yes, what we believe changes.  Newsflash.  This is called "continuing revelation".   This is called "process theology".  Revelation is an eternal river, constant in its change.  This is called "eternal progression".  Constant change is nothing new.    Nothing new at all.  Civilization has been doing that for 5000 years at least that we know of.

[UtahTexan]

Uncle Dale has every right to post here and I actually really enjoy reading what he writes.  I don't always agree with him, but they do make me think.  His website is a valuable resource too.

 

I agree  

 

Uncle Dale helped me greatly in my journey back to the LDS Church.  

[mfbukowski]

There is a little game my Deacon's class in Sunday School used to play.  They took everything meant to be literal as figurative, and everything meant to be figurative as literal.  It provided giggles, grins, and entertaining moments.  Then I would roll my eyes, they would stop giggling, and we would proceed with the lesson.

 

Outside of a few isolated puns, most of them outgrew the game by the time they were college or mission bound Priests.

 

This thread reminds me of that game.

I still want to find the birth certificate for the prodigal son.

 

I want to know his name and exactly how much money he inherited and the places he spent each shekel or denarius. There is not historical evidence he existed- do you all realize that??

 

The historicity of scripture depends on it. 

 

If there is a missed shekel in there somewhere, the gospel is clearly false.  God does not exist and you Mormons are all fools to believe any of it. 

 

And while you are at it- those guys in the field that worked different hours and all got paid the same?   Clearly somebody's got to get those guys unionized,  The fact that the gospel would endorse an unfair labor practice proves that it is imperialist propaganda.

 

 

{for the sarcasm impaired- this is an example}

Edited March 11, 2015 by mfbukowski

[JAHS]

 

 

Everyone knows it was Jimmy Stewart who gave us the moon.

 

Edited March 11, 2015 by JAHS

[mfbukowski]

I agree  

 

Uncle Dale helped me greatly in my journey back to the LDS Church.  

I love Uncle Dale.  He writes beautifully and is amazingly entertaining.  He is a fountain of great stories- a true storyteller.

 

I just don't take his arguments seriously, but in his defense, I don't think he does either.   

[Ahab]

I love Uncle Dale. He writes beautifully and is amazingly entertaining. He is a fountain of great stories- a true storyteller.

I just don't take his arguments seriously, but in his defense, I don't think he does either.

There you go.

If you read what he writes without getting a smile on your face then you're not reading him right.

[Uncle Dale]

I have no problem with that.

 

 

Oh well.

 

Registered Trademark, U.S. Pat. Of. No. 666

Licensing fees for "Oh well" are 1 cent per use,

minimum contract, one billion uses.

 

 

 

.

Oh Well Industries and Worldwide Conglomerate, Inc., Ltd, Etc.

Pay at once -- this will be your only warning.

[Uncle Dale]

...he was not allowed to continue at BYU...

It would be helpful, then, if that statement were

printed on the dust wrappers of his many books.

And if they were moved out of the history and

religion sections at GospelLink.

UD

Then again, maybe they have been moved,

or discontinued entirely - I'll have to look

[JLHPROF]

It would be helpful, then, if that statement were

printed on the dust wrappers of his many books.

And if they were moved out of the history and

religion sections at GospelLink.

UD

Then again, maybe they have been moved,

or discontinued entirely - I'll have to look

 

Why?  He's still entitled to his opinion regardless of where he works.  Who knows, he might be right.

[Uncle Dale]

Why?  He's still entitled to his opinion regardless of where he works.  Who knows, he might be right.

Hmmmmm...

Browsing the web, I cannot find a single instance

where a Living Prophet or a General Authority

has ever spoken one word against him, or any

warning not to take his teachings seriously.

Then again, he quotes those sorts of leaders

just about for every paragraph published in his

books, so they might be inclined to go easy on

the poor old (very old) senior citizen member.

UD

[theplains]

...so the moon must have been in proper orbit around it. So obviously the moon was also "hurled" into space along with the Earth when they were assigned to a Telestial orbit in our galaxy.

 

Why do you consider it a Telestial orbit?

 

Thanks,

Jim

[Ahab]

Why do you consider it a Telestial orbit?

Thanks,

Jim

I consider the outside region of galaxies to be the telestial regions, the next region inward as the terrestrial, and the center region as the celestial region. Look at a picture of any known galaxy and you'll see 3 different regions that appear red, white and blue. The telestial region of our galaxy is the region furthest from our Father, not counting outer darkness which is the area outside any galaxy, and the celestial region is where his home is.

Just FYI, for what it's worth.

[JLHPROF]

I consider the outside region of galaxies to be the telestial regions, the next region inward as the terrestrial, and the center region as the celestial region. Look at a picture of any known galaxy and you'll see 3 different regions that appear red, white and blue. The telestial region of our galaxy is the region furthest from our Father, not counting outer darkness which is the area outside any galaxy, and the celestial region is where his home is.

Just FYI, for what it's worth.

 

Kolob Theorem right?

[mfbukowski]

Pay at once -- this will be your only warning.

Well it looks like bankruptcy time, but at least not moral bankruptcy-- I hope.

[mfbukowski]

Oh come on now. Isn't it obvious to you?

If the Earth did not have a moon when the Earth was created, with the moon positioned in just the right spot of the Earth's orbit, then the waves in the seas on the Earth would not move as they should on a regular basis so instead we would have still waters or typhoon type waves and that wouldn't be good. But it was good in the beginning of the Earth's creation, so the moon must have been in proper orbit around it. So obviously the moon was also "hurled" into space along with the Earth when they were assigned to a Telestial orbit in our galaxy.

Good point.  Indeed the moon's existence and its exact distance from the earth and many other crucial factors can easily be seen as part of a divine plan.

http://www.astrobio.net/topic/exploration/moon-to-mars/if-we-had-no-moon/

 

When you look at the craters alone, it has taken hundreds of thousands of hits that otherwise could have altered life on earth.  Others probably happened because the moon was there.  Unquestionably it has had profound effects on life as we know it

Edited March 12, 2015 by mfbukowski