The Mormon Myth of a Bloody Moon is, Well, Bloody Stupid . . .
In a previous post, headlined/redlined, "And the Moon Shall Turn To Blood," RfM contributor "Eddie Jr" asks:
"Anyone remember this piece of propaganda trash?
"This was used to instill fear in me of the 'latter days' when god is going to kill everyone except those who never fondle themselves.
"When is this supposed to happen? What will happen to the Quakers on the moon? What circle of Hell is Joe Smith residing in?"
("And the Moon Shall Turn To Blood," posted by "Eddie Jr" in related thread, "Recovery from Mormonism" discussion board, 5 June 2013, at:
http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,915012)
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--Joseph Smith's Officially-Mormon-Church-Endorsed Blood-Moon Myth
To put this matter in larger historical context, let's start by quoting Joseph Smith's "Bloody Moon" prophesy (as will be shown, Jump-the-Moon Joe wasn't the only loony bird on this):
"There will be wars and rumors of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, the sun turned into darkness and the moon to blood, earthquakes in divers places, the seas heaving themselves beyond their bounds; then will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world do? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc. But the Son of Man will come as the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning cometh out of the east."
(Joseph Smith, 6 April 1843, as recorded by Willard Richards, cited in "History of the Church," vol. 5, p. 337; see also, D&C 29:14 and Matthew 1:26).
For the record, Smith's 19th-century "prophesy" of Jesus's imminent return turned out to be false--as did his prediction that the moon would get all bloody as a heads-up sign of Jesus's Second Coming. That bungled prophesy from 27 December 1832 was, in fact, published in D&C 88:87 and reads as follows:
"For not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light; and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig-tree."
Still waiting for the moon to be swathed in blood, for the sun to quit emitting light and for the stars to be blacked-out and fall from the heavens. C'mon, Joe, timing is everything.
The failure of Smith's "Blood Moon Rising" myth to materialize hasn't kept the LDS Church from officially continuing to teach it (and thereby to shamelessly terrorize its members), going so far as to back it up with a slew of cited canonized scripture.
In its own correlated and Church-published teaching manual, "Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith," Chapter 21, "The Second Coming and the Millenium," the Mormon Church quotes Smith on his moon-turning-to-blood doctrine:
“We shall . . . do well to discern the signs of the times as we pass along, that the day of the Lord may not ‘overtake us as a thief in the night.’ [See D&C 106:4–5.]”
“I will prophesy that the signs of the coming of the Son of Man are already commenced. One pestilence will desolate after another. We shall soon have war and bloodshed. The moon will be turned into blood. I testify of these things, and that the coming of the Son of Man is nigh, even at your doors. If our souls and our bodies are not looking forth for the coming of the Son of Man; and after we are dead, if we are not looking forth, we shall be among those who are calling for the rocks to fall upon them [see Revelation 6:15–17].”
“Dearly and beloved brethren, we see that perilous times have come, as was testified of [see 2 Timothy 3:1]. We may look, then, with most perfect assurance, for the fulfillment of all those things that have been written, and with more confidence than ever before, lift up our eyes to the luminary of day, and say in our hearts, Soon thou wilt veil thy blushing face. He that said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light [see Genesis 1:3], hath spoken this word. And again,
"Thou moon, thou dimmer light, thou luminary of night, shalt turn to blood.
“We see that everything is being fulfilled; and that the time shall soon come when the Son of Man shall descend in the clouds of heaven.”6
“The earth will soon be reaped--that is, the wicked must soon be destroyed from off the face of the earth, for the Lord hath spoken it, and who can stay the hand of the Lord, or who is there that can measure arms with the Almighty, for at his commands the heavens and the earth must pass away. The day is fast hastening on when the restoration of all things shall be fulfilled, which all the holy prophets have prophesied of, even unto the gathering in of the house of Israel. Then shall come to pass that the lion shall lie down with the lamb, etc.
“But, brethren, be not discouraged when we tell you of perilous times, for they must shortly come, for the sword, famine, and pestilence are approaching. There shall be great destructions upon the face of this land, for ye need not suppose that one jot or tittle of the prophecies of all the holy prophets shall fail, and there are many that remain to be fulfilled yet. The Lord hath said that a short work will he make of it, and the righteous shall be saved if it be as by fire [see Romans 9:28; 1 Nephi 22:17].”
“The scripture is ready to be fulfilled when great wars, famines, pestilence, great distress, judgments, etc., are ready to be poured out on the inhabitants of the earth.”
“We see that perilous times have truly come, and the things which we have so long expected have at last begun to usher in; but when you see the fig tree begin to put forth its leaves, you may know that the summer is nigh at hand [see Matthew 24:32–33]. There will be a short work on the earth. It has now commenced. I suppose there will soon be perplexity all over the earth. Do not let our hearts faint when these things come upon us, for they must come, or the word cannot be fulfilled.”
“I have asked of the Lord concerning His coming; and while asking the Lord, He gave a sign and said, ‘In the days of Noah I set a bow in the heavens as a sign and token that in any year that the bow should be seen the Lord would not come; but there should be seed time and harvest during that year: but whenever you see the bow withdrawn, it shall be a token that there shall be famine, pestilence, and great distress among the nations, and that the coming of the Messiah is not far distant.’" . . .
"There will be wars and rumors of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, the sun turned into darkness and the moon to blood, earthquakes in divers places, the seas heaving beyond their bounds; then will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven.
"But what will the world do? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc. But the Son of Man will come as the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning cometh out of the east [see Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:26].”
“[I] explained concerning the coming of the Son of Man; also that it is a false idea that the Saints will escape all the judgments, whilst the wicked suffer; for all flesh is subject to suffer, and ‘the righteous shall hardly escape’ [see D&C 63:34]; still many of the Saints will escape, for the just shall live by faith [see Habakkuk 2:4]; yet many of the righteous shall fall a prey to disease, to pestilence, etc., by reason of the weakness of the flesh, and yet be saved in the Kingdom of God. So that it is an unhallowed principle to say that such and such have transgressed because they have been preyed upon by disease or death, for all flesh is subject to death; and the Savior has said, ‘Judge not, lest ye be judged.’ [See Matthew 7:1.]” . . .
"Regarding a man who claimed to have seen the sign of the Son of Man, the Prophet Joseph Smith said: 'He has not seen the sign of the Son of Man, as foretold by Jesus; neither has any man, nor will any man, until after the sun shall have been darkened and the moon bathed in blood; for the Lord hath not shown me any such sign; and as the prophet saith, so it must be—‘Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets.’ (See Amos 3:7.) Therefore hear this, O earth: The Lord will not come to reign over the righteous, in this world, in 1843, nor until everything for the Bridegroom is ready.'"
("Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith," Chapter 21. "The Second Coming and the Millennium"(2007), pp. 248–60, as quoted on the LDS church's official website under "Teachings of Joseph Smith: The Signs of the Savior’s Coming are Being Fulfilled; the Faithful Will Recognize These Signs and Have Peace in Perilous Times, 2007, pp. 248-60, at:
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=8cc720596a845110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=da135f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD)
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--A Moon Made Out of Blood is a Relic of Primitive Religious Belief
The notion of a blood-red moon originates in religious dim-wit lit, premised on the ignorant idea that a red moon is a sign of God's judgment.
From an article entitled, "The Moon Turned to Blood," brought to you by an outfit calling itself the "Institute for Biblical and Scientific Studies":
"Joel 2:10 says, [T]he sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine' and in verse 31, 'The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and dreadful day of the Lord' (NIV; Isaiah 13:10). This verse is quoted in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24:29 and on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:20.
"Does this mean the moon actually turned to blood? Lunar rocks brought back from the moon do not show blood. This may refer to a lunar eclipse where the moon turns a blood red color, but a lunar and solar eclipse can not happen at the same time.
"It seems there is a combination of heavenly signs.
"Dark clouds covering the whole sky might be another explanation, but clouds dark enough to block the sun would completely block out the moon.
"There is an interesting passage in Pliny’s 'Natural History' (Book II, X. 57) which states, 'For the eclipse of both sun and moon within 15 days of each other has occurred even in our time, in the year of the third consulship of the elder Emperor Vespasian' which is the year 71 AD (LCL pp. 330, 207).
"When the moon rises just above the horizon, it may appear reddish-orange in color because of the thick atmosphere. In the ancient world the color of the moon when it rises was an important omen as seen from Ugaritic.
"Ugaritic Literature
"In 1978 a badly damaged text was discovered at Ras Ibn Hani near Ras Shamra. It contains several Lunar omens which say:
"'If the moon, when it rises, is red, there will be prosperity [during] (that month). [If] the moon, when it rises, is yellow-green, the cattle will perish' (COS 1997, p. 290; KTU 1, p. 91).
"Akkadian Literature
"Mesopotamian Omen 16 says, 'If there is an eclipse of the moon in Nisannu and it is red—prosperity for the people' (COs, p. 424).
"It seems that a red moon . . . in the Bible it is associated with judgment."
("The Moon Turned to Blood," by "Institute for Biblical & Scientific Studies," at:
http://www.bibleandscience.com/bible/books/genesis/genesis1_moon.htm)
A believer who sincerely endorses the idea that the lunar-blood model is a divinely-designed astronomical reality passionately writes:
"[Let's look] at Acts 2:20 in the Holy Bible and [see] how it coincides with the scientific timeline presented to us via past, present, and predicted events. . . .
"Revelation 3:10--God tells us he will 'keep us' from the 'hour of temptation' that is to come upon all the world to try those who dwell on earth.
"Matthew 24--All of chapter 24 is important for the times we face. NASA confirmed the moon looked 'blood red' in 2010. Acts 2:20 says the moon will turn 'blood red' before the great and glorious day of the Lord's return. The last time there was a TOTAL Lunar Eclipse which causes the moon to look red happened in 1638. The most recent time the moon turned 'blood red' was in 2010. The next time the moon will turn 'blood red' is not until 2094."
(anonymous commentary posted under video entitled, "2012! NASA, Science, Blood Moon, Lunar Eclipse,Mayan, Hopi, Acts 2:20," at:
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/9406872/video/81868196-2012-nasa-science-blood-moon-lunar-eclipse-mayan-hopi-acts-2-20)
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--Not Seeing Red, Some Rapture Enthusiasts Don't Buy the Bloody-Moon Baloney
Here's how (even for semi-conscious Rapture devotees) Joseph Smith's moon-to-blood "prophesy" falls apart. Noting in an article headlined, "My View on the Blood Moon Rapture Theory," a Rapture fan skeptically observes:
"The Blood Moon theory posits that the Second Coming of Christ is likely going to occur in 2014 or 2015 when there will be four consecutive, rare lunar eclipses or a tetrad. These rare lunar eclipses will coincide with two major holidays on the Jewish calendar in 2014 and 2015: Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles. Supporters of this theory believe the Rapture is likely going to take place on one of the days which will have a rare lunar eclipse.
"There are a few verses in the Bible that describe the moon turning red or into blood just prior to the Rapture.
"Joel 2:30 'And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.'
"Joel 2:31 'The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.'
"Rev 6:12 'And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood.'
"Rev 6:13 'And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.'
"The Blood Moon theory attracts a lot of proponents because these rare lunar eclipses are capable of turning the moon into the color of blood (hence the term /blood moon'). In addition, the fact that these rare lunar eclipses will occur on important Jewish holidays makes people wonder if something really important is going on."
("My View on the Blood Moon Rapture Theory," by "Wayne" [with no last name], 25 May 2010, at:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=moon%20tunr%20to%20blood%20false%20prophesy&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fprophecyproof.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fmy-view-on-blood-moon-rapture-theory.html&ei=cLyvUYqbBtGp4AOok4DQAg&usg=AFQjCNH2corW8HGXyqq53FUK3eubcSY2aw)
In a follow-up by the same writer:
". . . The Blood Moon Rapture theory (or Red Moon Rapture theory) posits that the Second Coming of Christ is likely going to occur in 2014 or 2015 when there will be four consecutive, total lunar eclipses or a tetrad. These total lunar eclipses will coincide with two major holidays on the Jewish calendar in 2014 and 2015: Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkoth). Here are the major dates below:
"The Next Set of Total Lunar Eclipses that Coincide With Jewish Holiday Periods
"April 15, 2014: Nisan 15 (Passover)
"October 8, 2014: Tishri 14
"April 4, 2015: Nisan 15 (Passover)
"September 28, 2015: Tishri 15: (Sukkoth)
"Supporters of this theory believe the Rapture is likely going to take place on one of the days which will have a total lunar eclipse.
"There are a few verses in the Bible that describe the moon turning red or into blood just prior to the Rapture. . . .
"The Blood Moon theory attracts a lot of proponents because these total lunar eclipses are capable of turning the moon into the color of blood (hence the term “blood moon”). In addition, the fact that these total lunar eclipses will occur on important Jewish holidays makes people wonder if something really important is going on.
"In my previous critique I cited my Rapture viewpoint and my viewpoint on our proximity to the End Times as my reason why I did not believe in the theory. Today I want to critique the theory again, but in a far more analytical way using historical and scientific data for those who do not agree with my Rapture position and my viewpoint our proximity to the End Times.
"The idea that something could happen during a Jewish holiday period has some appeal since there can be some symbolism involved. However, it’s not unprecedented for a total lunar eclipse to occur during a Jewish holiday period. In fact, this coincidence has taken place several times in the past fifty years. Below is a list of total lunar eclipses that have taken place during Jewish Holiday periods over the past fifty years.
"Recent Total Lunar Eclipses that Coincided With Jewish Holiday Periods
"April 24, 1967: Nisan 14
"October 18, 1967: Tishri 14
"April 13, 1968: Nisan 15 (Passover)
"October 6, 1968: Tishri 14
"April 24, 1986: Nisan 15 (Passover)
"October 17, 1986 Tishri 14
"April 4, 1996: Nisan 15 (Passover)
"September 27, 1996: Tishri 14
"The dates above suggest we are not guaranteed the Rapture when a total lunar eclipse occurs during a Jewish holiday period. This type of event has taken place several times in the past without anything Earth-shattering taking place.
"Some people might point out that some important events regarding Israel did take place in 1967, but those events did not take place when there was total lunar eclipse.
"Some people might point out that it’s going to be a long time before we have another total lunar eclipse coincide with a Jewish holiday after 2015.
"The rebuttal I have for that point is: Where in the Bible does it specifically say that the Rapture must take place at a time of a total lunar eclipse?' Sure the moon’s appearance changes, but a total lunar eclipse isn’t the only thing that can make the moon’s appearance change like that…
"Another issue that I have with the Blood Moon Rapture theory is that the upcoming total lunar eclipses are going to have limited visibility across the world. NASA’s maps of who will see these upcoming total lunar eclipse and who will not reveal that large segments of the world’s population will not see each of the upcoming total lunar eclipses during Jewish holiday periods. Here is a brief overview of who will not see the upcoming total lunar eclipses (when you click the links over the day a map should popup in another tab/window on your browser):
"April 15, 2014: Nisan 15 (Passover). The Middle East, most of Asia, eastern parts of Africa, and most of Europe will be unable to see the total lunar eclipse.
"October 8, 2014: Tishri 14. The Middle East, Europe, and Africa will be unable to see the total lunar eclipse.
"April 4, 2015: Nisan 15 (Passover). Europe, Africa, and nearly the entire Middle East will be unable to see the total lunar eclipse.
"September 28, 2015: Tishri 15: (Sukkoth). Most of Asia and all of Australia will be unable to see the total lunar eclipse
"NASA’s maps demonstrate that many people won’t see the moon turn 'blood red' as a result of a total lunar eclipse. This means that if you believe that the Rapture will take place at a time of a total lunar eclipse you must also accept the idea that there will be people who will be unable to see the moon turn into 'blood' at the time of the Rapture. This is a difficult idea for me to accept because Revelation 6:12-17 suggests that everyone on Earth at that time will see the events following the opening of the sixth seal take place:
"Rev 6:12 'And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood.'
"Rev 6:13 'And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.'
"Rev 6:14 'And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.'
"Rev 6:15 'And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains.'
"Rev 6:16 'And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.'
"Rev 6:17 'For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?'
"Consequently, I do not believe the change in the moon’s appearance is due to a total lunar eclipse. A total lunar eclipse is unlikely going to be the event that turns the moon’s appearance into 'blood' at the time of the sixth seal as billions of people won’t even notice that a total lunar eclipse is taking place…
"Three out of four of the upcoming total lunar eclipses during Jewish holiday periods won't even be visible to the Middle East. You'd think that people in the Middle East would see the moon turn into 'blood' during the since that's where much of the action is taking place."
("Another Critique of the Blood Moon Rapture Theory," by "Wayne" [with still no last name], 29 December 2010, at:
http://prophecyproof.blogspot.com/2010/12/another-critique-of-blood-moon-rapture.html)
OK, so according to the above Rapture believer, the Biblical-Judgement-End-Times Moon won't be turning bloody thanks to a total lunar eclipse because not all of the earth's inhabitants would be able to see it when it happens and thus wouldn't get fair warning of Jesus coming back to earth.
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--Other Bloody-Mooner Believers Say It's Just Scripturally Symbolic
Let's poke a bit deeper into what makes the moon look bloody red--at least as its explained by another Bible booster who is unfortunately hobbled by supernatural superstitions but who is still trying their best to make sense of it all from a religious perspective (good luck with that).
From an article entitled, "What Causes the Moon to Turn Red as Blood?':
"The scientific discovery of astronomy that have studied the behavior of the moon, declares that the atmosphere (which is the moral environment, the evil or divine presence that contains gases and emotional feelings) which surrounds and governs the earthly atmosphere in the Earth, seems to be affecting the appearance of the moon by turning the moon into a bloody red moon.
"When the sun rays that comes from the sun light goes through the atmosphere of the Earth, they seem to carry with them the environment of gases, air, carbon dioxide that people breath out, emotions, and the pollution of the earth into the atmosphere of the moon, and when it reaches the moon, then the appearance of the moon turns into blood (red moon).
"Joel 2:31 says: 'The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood.
"Revelation 6:12 says: ' . . . And the sun became black as a sack cloth of hair and the moon became like blood.'
"James 3:6 says: 'The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature' (the word 'nature' means the behavior and activities of men on earth that influences the physical universe, where the sun, moon stars and planets are).
"Leviticus 18:6-28 says because of sexual immorality, witchcraft, and evil customs that takes place on the Earth, that's why the land is defiled (releases gases that contains evil elements) and it vomits out its inhabitants.'
"In simple words this means that when human beings on Earth engage themselves into doing evil through the breaking of God's commandments, this corrupts the air and gases that are in the earthly realm, so that when the sun rays transports the environment (air, gases, scientific elements or atmosphere) of the Earth to the moon, then the moon turns into a red bloody moon
"Genesis 1:14 and Psalm 104:19 say that God appointed the moon for seasons, meaning that the moon was appointed by God and put into the universe to reveal the spiritual climate of the earth.
"When the moon turns red this also spiritually symbolizes that the earth has aborted or rejected God's purpose in that season when the moon turns red, just like a woman who has just had a miscarriage or aborted a baby from her womb, releases blood from her private parts, so it is with the moon, it also turns red like blood to reveal that; human beings on earth have rejected God's ways and commandments on Earth."
("What Causes the Moon to Turn Red as Blood?," at:
http://www.ngabo.org/prophetic/seasons/newmoon/moonred.htm____
--Leave It to a Mental-Midget Mormon to Insist that the Moon Will Really, Truly Turn to Blood
LDS goofball Anthony E. Larson authored a book several years ago entitled, "And the Moon Shall Turn to Blood."
A seriously-disturbed Mormon supporter of Larson's fatally-fictional notions has declared in no uncertain terms that the moon actually "turning to blood" is a prophesied element of the "Great Sign" of the Last Days:
"I’ve thought a lot about this great sign or grand sign referred to by Jesus and the prophet Joseph [Smith] and how we will perceive it when it happens. I think Joseph . . . nailed it. [The false and worldly explanation is that] [w]e will rely on our scientists to explain what is happening and take their word for it that it really is nothing unusual. Their explanations will be so logical that we would be foolish to doubt them. Or so they would have us believe.
"But those who have studied the signs of the times know better.
"Joseph gave us a little insight into the timing of the grand sign. It really is one of the last things to happen before the Lord returns. He said that no one will see 'the sign of the Son of Man . . . until after the sun shall have been darkened and the moon bathed in blood.' He also taught us that '[t]he devil knows many signs, but does not know the sign of the Son of Man, or Jesus.'"
"Even though both [Immanuel] Velikovsky and Anthony Larson present their books as theories--because the ideas are so radical--they are attacked by those who supposedly know, based on science, that such things could never be.
"If you are married to the idea that science has all the answers then you will find this book infuriating. If you are open to the possibility that what we currently accept as fact, even laws of the universe, may in fact also be theories, then you will gain much from this book."
("And the Moon Shall Turn to Blood," by "tmalonemcse," 18 January 2013, at:
http://latterdaycommentary.com/2013/01/18/and-the-moon-shall-turn-to-blood-2/The above Mormon blood=thumper appears to be some kind of hemoglobin-addicted Bela Lugosi who is so nutty that he unthinkingly invokes the uninspired ramblings of Gordon B. Hinckley per the horrific events of 9/11--in order to insist that the world is careening into fulfillemnt of Joseph Smith's prophesy of the moon turning into real, honest-to-godness blood:
"In October 2001, just after the destruction of the World Trade Centers [Note: there was only one World Trade Center, not 'Centers'], and the tragedy of the loss of all the lives of those who perished there, President Hinckley said this in his opening address of General Conference:
“'The era in which we live is the fulness of times spoken of in the scriptures, when God has brought together all of the elements of previous dispensations. From the day that He and His Beloved Son manifested themselves to the boy Joseph, there has been a tremendous cascade of enlightenment poured out upon the world. The hearts of men have turned to their fathers in fulfillment of the words of Malachi. The vision of Joel has been fulfilled wherein he declared:
“'"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call (Joel 2:28–32)."
Robotically responds the Bloody-Moon Mormon to Hinckley's nonsense:
"I have no doubt that President Hinckley was right when he said that the vision of Joel had been fulfilled. . . . As we were discussing some of the prophesied signs of the last days, a friend recently reminded me that President Hinckley specifically said that this prophecy was fulfilled. I had to think twice, especially about the part about the moon into blood.
"Does the burning of the World Trade Center towers qualify as ‘blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke’? How about the burning oil fields of Kuwait from the first gulf war? Do those qualify? Is it possible that Joel saw either or both of these events in his vision? Are these events the only occurrences of the prophecy being fulfilled or are there others for which we should continue to look? I’m especially interested in determining for myself how this fulfils the prophecy of the moon into blood.
"In fact, it is my personal opinion that we have not yet seen the fulfillment of the part about the moon into blood. Why? Because each occurrence of the moon looking red so far has been a localized event. I would expect that when we do see the moon appear as if it is blood red it will be something that can and will be seen from any vantage point on the earth. What if the moon were to become incandescent because it has no way to dissipate heat.
"Is that a crazy thought? Maybe not.
"It has been proposed by Velikovsky, Dave Talbott and Anthony Larson. But then their stuff has all been debunked as bogus science, hasn’t it? If you have Anthony Larson’s book, 'And the Moon Shall Turn to Blood,' read his comments on p. 68. It sure seems plausible to me, but then I’m not a scientist or astrophysicist to be able to say that such a thing could never happen. I’m just a common, ordinary member of the Church trying to understand this prophecy."
To bolster his sub-orbital ideas bordering on lunar lunacy, this commonly-deluded Mormon cites a Christian faith/Mormon cult mix of what he calls "Moon-to-Blood Scriptures":
"Joel 2:31 'The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.'
"Acts 2:20 has slightly different wording: 'that great and notable day.'
"Matt 24:29 'Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.'
"Rev 6:12 ' . . . [T]here was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood.'
"D&C 29:14 ' . . . [T]he sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall be turned into blood, and the stars shall fall from heaven.'
"D&C 88:87 'For not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light; and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig tree.'"
Contradicted by observable scientific fact, this blindly-obedient Mormon then does what his fellow LDS pew-sitters and prophet-pretenders always do:
He offers up wild imaginings--not based in any known reality--on how the Mormon God will turn the moon into real blood.
First, though, he explains how God won't do it:
"I don’t think we’re talking about an eclipse here. And I don’t think it’s because we’re looking at these celestial objects through earthly clouds, smoke, nuclear fallout, air pollution, volcanic ash or anything else in our atmosphere.
"This prophecy is about something strange and unusual, something that none of us has seen in our lifetime. It will be observable by everyone in the world.
"The moon will first be darkened, then will glow incandescent red with heat from an approaching celestial object. The moon has no atmosphere so it will glow."
Yes, you latter-day devoted dope. The moon turning into blood is "something strange and unusual." That is what fairy tales are made of. At least you admit that you're "just guessing."
As part of that god-squad guessing, he goes on to add:
". . . I’ve considered the idea that the earth and moon will eventually be taken back to where they were before the fall. But I believe that will not happen until after the Millennium. The Lord is clear that the sun being darkened and the moon being turned to blood occur before his coming, or at least that’s how I read the scriptures."
But, let's not digress.
What does this Mormonized fellow "guess" is the means by which God will someday bloody-up the moon for the return of his bloodied-up Son?
Our LDS-scripted scriptorian says it will take place through the collision of earth with another planet, which will cause the moon to turn to blood.
Seriously.
" . . . [W]e know that 'all people shall see it together' [meaning they will witness the 'Grand Sign' of Jesus's return, which includes the moon turning to blood]. OK, I think it’s obvious that it’s some sort of celestial manifestation. How else could everyone see it at the same time? I just can’t imagine it could be anything other than an approaching planet that looks like a comet just as Joseph said. I wonder what the world would be like if another planet came close to the earth. Could it happen?
"[It would mean] [w]orld-wide [d]estruction.
". . . [C]ould the earth survive such a close encounter? If two planets came that close together, they would have a tremendous destructive force upon each other. Besides the electromagnetic interaction between the two planets, the gravitational forces would cause the tectonic plates to shift with violent movements. Volcanic activity would explode wherever the plates met. Surely the last days will be a day of burning as smoke and fire cover the earth with tremendous heat.
"Think about what would happen if two large planets came close together. The rotation of the planets would change. The magnetic poles would align. The earthquake at such a movement would be tremendous. It would look like the stars were falling from the sky. The oceans would throw themselves beyond their normal bounds for miles and miles inland. Eventually they would race towards the other planet and stand up as if in a heap drawn by the magnetic embrace.
"Does all this sound familiar?:
"'The earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man . . . [T]he stars shall . . . cast themselves down . . . .'
"Or this:
"'For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven . . . .'
"And this:
"'The heavens shall shake and the earth shall tremble . . . . '
"My favorite:
"'He shall command the great deep and it shall be driven back into the north countries . . . .'
"[The] [b]eginning of the [e]nd . . . all starts with the approach of a large comet or a small planet with a tail.
"Of course, by the time you start hearing about all this, it will be too late. You’ve only got a few weeks or months left, depending on how soon it is discovered and announced. There is a lot that will happen before this great and dreadful day. That’s why I love prophecy. The Lord has given us so many signs.
"Call me crazy [Note: Very well, since you insist, you are crazy] for trying to marry what I know about science, astronomy and cosmology with what I believe from the scriptures about the Last Days. I am convinced that the Lord uses natural means to bring about his purposes. 'Miracles cannot be in contravention of natural law, but are wrought through the operation of laws not universally or commonly recognized (Talmage).'
"In other words, I think it’s plausible and beneficial to look for natural explanations for the signs of the last days, especially as they relate to the great and dreadful day. I’m thinking we’re going to be hearing and reading a lot more about this in the years to come. I know we’re not there yet but I for one intend to keep looking for those signs in the sky above and in the world around me.
"Anthony writes about each of these signs in his book. . . . [A]s we advance in the Lord’s agenda, it will become more and more obvious that there is no other explanation other than what we find in the scriptures. Yet I suppose until they actually see the Lord, some will continue to say it’s all due to natural causes:
"1. Plagues, pestilences and famines,
"2. Signs and wonders in heaven and earth,
"3. Disasters, earthquakes and tornados,
"4. Great hailstorm will destroy crops of earth,
5. Sun shall be darkened,
"6. Moon shall turn to blood,
"7. Earth shall reel to and fro,
"8. Trumps shall sound both long and loud,
"9. Great deep rolled back into north countries, 10. Great earthquake such as never before,
"11. Return of the lost ten tribes,
"12. Return of the City of Enoch,
"13. Earth will be cleansed by fire,
"14. New heaven and new earth/
"I don’t know about you but this stuff fascinates me. I want to know what to look for as the end of the world approaches. I am grateful the Lord has revealed it in advance. He loves us and has forewarned us.
"The adversary is doing all in his power to discredit the warnings, mainly through the opposition of the theories of science. Remember, scientific laws discovered by man are incomplete. There is so much we don’t understand about how God works through natural means. . . .
"I . . . am excited by Anthony’s book. . . . [I]t has made a profound difference in my life. It has changed my relationship with the Lord. It has strengthened my testimony of Joseph Smith as a prophet of God. . . .
"Besides being influenced by Velikovsky, Anthony subscribes, as do I, to the theories of the Electric Universe. . . . If you have not heard of the Saturn Myth, look it up. If you want to know how Anthony has applied it to LDS theology, continue to read the other works in [his] prophecy trilogy.
"Beyond the prophecy trilogy, Anthony has authored two additional books about the Last Days that, again, offer a unique perspective on revelation. One is a commentary on that very book entitled, 'The Plainest Book: Revelation.' The other is entitled, 'Parallel Histories: The Nephites and the Americans.' If you want to learn more about things happening in America today and things yet to happen in this great nation before the return of the Lord, read and ponder this wonderful book. . . .
"I love Anthony’s books. I have read them over and over. I have read every entry on his blog and every article he published in other sources. I have attended his seminars, both in person and over the Internet. There is no doubt that he is controversial. He is also extremely confident that what he shares is helpful, strengthening and uplifting to members of the LDS Church and others. . . .
"I feel so strongly about what I have learned from Anthony that I have committed to write a work of fiction based on what I have learned from him, from Velikovsky and from proponents of the Electric Universe. I have spent the last several years learning to write fiction. [Note: Of course you have; it's called writing about Mormon doctrine]. . . ."
Um, did I miss something, or where did this fellow bother to explain how a collision between the earth and a planet with a comet tail would manage to turn the moon into blood?
Oh, never mind.
In response to his theory, an equally bizarro Mormon shot back in capital letters (original spelling left intact for the entertainment value):
"I GUESS YOU ARE ONE WHO DOESN’T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE DAY OF THE LAMANITE, WITH WHAT IS EXPLODING IN MESO-AMERICA AND SOUTH AMERICA. IT IS IMPORTANT TO STICK WITH WHAT WE ARE HEARING FROM OUR PROPHET AND THE FIRST PRESIDENCY WHEN IT COMES TO THE L.D.S. CHURCH.
"ANYONE CAN GET OFF ON TANGENTS THAT ARE NOT DOCTRINE AND FALL ASTRAY FROM THE TRUTH. THAT’S WHY WE HAVE GENERAL CONFERENCE TWICE A YEAR TO KEEP US ON TRACT."
"On tract." Spoken like a true Mormon missionary.
The Mormon Moon-to-Blood Pusher replied:
". . . [Y]es, I do believe we are entering the day of the Lamanite, and have been for quite some time.
"By extension, the day of the Gentile is coming to an end.
"You share some good advice about heeding the words of our prophets and apostles. One of the things our prophets have counseled us to do is to read the scriptures so we can become familiar with the signs of the times and not be dismayed when they begin to come to pass as we read in Anthony’s books.
"Is there anything in [my] blog post you would like to identify as a tangent or false doctrine which may cause someone to fall away from the truth? General Conference is a good thing, but it is no substitute for keeping the commandment of the Lord to study the scriptures so we become familiar with the warnings the Lord has shared with us about the very last days.
"I quoted a number of those scriptures in the Doctrine and Covenants. One of the more prominent signs will be when the moon appears to be blood red. Won’t that be an amazing thing to see when it comes to pass? It will be accompanied by many other signs in the heavens."
("Has the Prophecy in Joel 2:31 Been Fulfilled?," "tmalonemcse; " see also, reader commentary for quoted response, 28 January 2008, at:
http://latterdaycommentary.com/2008/01/28/has-the-prophecy-in-joel-231-been-fulfilled/)
Sigh.
This is what twisted Mormonism does to twist the brain.
_____
--How One Really Gets to a Bloody-Red Moon (i.e., Science 101)
Enough of all the green-cheese, loony-moony silliness from the Land that Time Forgot.
Let's look at what the actual science says about the moon looking red.
From an article, "Lunar Eclipses? What Are They? When is the Next One?":
"Lunar eclipses occur when Earth's shadow blocks the sun’s light, which otherwise reflects off the moon. There are three types--total, partial and penumbral--with the most dramatic being a total lunar eclipse, in which Earth’s shadow completely covers the moon.
"The last lunar eclipse was on May 25, 2013. The next lunar eclipse is on Oct. 18, 2013. It will be a penumbral eclipse. Eastern Canada will see the entire event while the rest of Canada and the United States will see moonrise with the eclipse already in progress. Observers in Europe and Africa will also see the entire event, while eastern Asia will miss the end because of moonset.
"Throughout history, eclipses have inspired awe and even fear, especially when total lunar eclipses turned the moon blood-red, an effect that terrified people who had no understanding of what causes an eclipse and therefore blamed the events on this god or that. Below, you’ll find the science and history of lunar eclipses, learn how they work, and see a list of the next ones on tap.
"This montage of images taken by skywatcher Keith Burns shows the Dec. 20, 2010 total lunar eclipse. . . .
"What is a Lunar Eclipse?
"A lunar eclipse can occur only at full moon. A total lunar eclipse can happen only when the sun, Earth and moon are perfectly lined up--anything less than perfection creates a partial lunar eclipse or no eclipse at all. Some understanding of simple celestial mechanics explains how lunar eclipses work. [Infographic: Total Eclipse of the Moon]
"Because the moon’s orbit around Earth lies in a slightly different plane than Earth’s orbit around the sun, perfect alignment for an eclipse doesn’t occur at every full moon. A total lunar eclipse develops over time, typically a couple hours for the whole event. Here’s how it works: Earth casts two shadows that fall on the moon during a lunar eclipse: The umbra is a full, dark shadow. The penumbra is a partial outer shadow. The moon passes through these shadows in stages. The initial and final stages--when the moon is in the penumbral shadow--are not so noticeable, so the best part of an eclipse is during the middle of the event, when the moon is in the umbral shadow.
"Total eclipses are a freak of cosmic happenstance. Ever since the moon formed, about 4.5 billion years ago, it has been inching away from our planet (by about 1.6 inches, or 4 centimeters per year). The setup right now is perfect: the moon is at the perfect distance for Earth’s shadow to cover the moon totally, but just barely. Billions of years from now, that won’t be the case.
"Types of Lunar Eclipses
"Total lunar eclipse: Earth’s full (umbral) shadow falls on the moon. The moon won’t completely disappear, but it will be cast in an eerie darkness that makes it easy to miss if you were not looking for the eclipse. Some sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere is scattered and refracted, or bent, and refocused on the moon, giving it a dim glow even during totality. If you were standing on the moon, looking back at the sun, you’d see the black disk of Earth blocking the entire sun, but you’d also see a ring of reflected light glowing around the edges of Earth — that’s the light that falls on the moon during a total lunar eclipse.
"Partial lunar eclipse: Some eclipses are only partial. But even a total lunar eclipse goes through a partial phase on either side of totality. During the partial phase, the sun, Earth and moon are not quite perfectly aligned, and Earth’s shadow appears to take a bite out of the moon.
"Penumbral lunar eclipse: This is the least interesting type of eclipse, because the moon is in Earth’s faint outer (penumbral) shadow. Unless you’re a seasoned skywatcher, you likely won’t notice the effect.B
"The Blood-Red Moon
"The moon may turn red or coppery colored during the total portion of an eclipse. The red moon is possible because while the moon is in total shadow, some light from the sun passes through Earth's atmosphere and is bent toward the moon. While other colors in the spectrum are blocked and scattered by Earth’s atmosphere, red light tends to make it through easier. The effect is to cast all the planet's sunrises and sunsets on the moon.
"[Here is a stunning photograph of the] moon turned a blood red over the Sossusvlei Desert Lodge on NamibRand Nature Reserve in Namibia . . . taken by skywatcher George Tucker on June 15, 2011. . . .
"'The exact color that the moon appears depends on the amount of dust and clouds in the atmosphere," according to NASA scientists. "If there are extra particles in the atmosphere, from say a recent volcanic eruption, the moon will appear a darker shade of red.'
"Christopher Columbus leveraged a blood-red eclipse in 1504 to frighten natives on Jamaica into feeding him and his crew. It was on Columbus’ fourth and final voyage to the New World. An epidemic of shipworms ate holes in the ships of his fleet; Columbus' was forced to abandon two ships. He then beached his last two on Jamaica on June 25, 1503. The natives welcomed the castaways and fed them. But after six months, Columbus’ crew mutinied, and robbed and murdered some of the Jamaicans, who had grown weary of feeding the crew.
"Columbus had an almanac that foretold a lunar eclipse on Feb. 29, 1504. He met the local chief, and told him the Christian god was angry with his people for no longer supplying food. Columbus said to expect a sign of God’s displeasure three nights later, when He would make the full moon appear "inflamed with wrath." When the blood-red moon came to pass, the natives were terrified and “with great howling and lamentation came running from every direction to the ships laden with provisions,” according to an account from Columbus’ son.
"Just before the total phase of the eclipse was about to end, Columbus said God had pardoned the natives and would bring the moon back. The crew was well fed until help arrived in November and Columbus and his men sailed back to Spain.
"When is the next lunar eclipse?
"Here is a schedule of upcoming lunar eclipses:
"Oct. 18, 2013: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: Visible from the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia.
"April 15, 2014: Total Lunar Eclipse: Visible from the Americas, Australia and out in the Pacific Ocean.
"Oct. 8, 2014: Total Lunar Eclipse: Visible from the Americans, Asia, Australia and in the Pacific Ocean.
"[Here is a] photo of the Dec. 20 total lunar eclipse . . . show[ing] the blue edge to Earth's shadow set against the reddened moon. . . .
"Lunar eclipses are among the easiest skywatching events to observe. Simply go out, look up, and enjoy. You don’t need a telescope or any other special equipment. However, binoculars or a small telescope will bring out details in the lunar surface--moonwatching is as interesting during an eclipse as anytime. If the eclipse occurs during winter, bundle up if you plan to be out for the duration--an eclipse can take a couple hours to unfold. Bring warm drinks and blankets or chairs for comfort."
("Lunar Eclipses: What Are They? When is the Next One?," by Robert Roy Britt, with illustrative photographs, at:
http://www.space.com/15689-lunar-eclipses.html)
So, for the benefit of our space-cadet Mormon Moon Boy, what actually turns the moon "blood red" are (drum roll, please) . . . lunar eclipses.
Not blood.
And how do lunar eclipses accomplish that?
Not through the invocation of religious mumbo-jumbo magic but through the scientific observation of the natural mechanics of light transmission.
From an article, "Why Does the Moon Turn Red?":
"During a lunar eclipse, . . . the earth blocks light from the sun from reaching the moon. But some light still diffuses through the earth's atmosphere, which absorbs light on the blue side of the visible spectrum, thus leaving red light to reach the moon."
("Why Does the Moon Turn Red?," in "Planetary Science" category, at:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_does_the_moon_turn_red)
A recent lunar eclipse was described in an article entitled, "Lunar Eclipse Turns Moon Blood Red," as being "[t]he longest lunar eclipse in more than a decade" that, yes indeed, "turned the moon blood red . . . ." (The article presented a combination of 10 timed space photographs showing the process of the moon going from gray to red in color).
It went on to say:
"Often the moon turns brown in an eclipse but this time [in an observed 1011 lunar eclipse] it became a reddish, coppery color.
"Contrary to some Internet chatter, the moon's vivid red hue was not necessarily the result of ash from the erupting Puyehue volcano, high in Chile's Andes, according to Sydney Observatory astronomer Geoffrey Wyatt.
"'We can't say for sure,' he said. 'The red color is not caused by dust in the atmosphere. What dust does is extinguish color and make it look darker.'
"Around 130 people watched [this eclipse] at the Sydney Observatory, with one woman dressed as a vampire. . . .
"Professor Fred Watson, chief astronomer at the Australian Astronomical Observatory, said the best view would have been from the moon itself.
"'If you could watch the phenomena, you would see the Earth moving across the sun and it creating a brilliant red rim around the Earth,' he said. . . .
"The eclipse was widely seen across Pakistan and India, with crowds gathered at the Nehru planetarium in New Delhi, which organized a 'moon carnival,' setting up special viewing telescopes.
"But traditionalists were not as enthusiastic, with authorities at several Indian temples reportedly shutting their doors to ward off the supposed 'evil effects' of the eclipse.
"In the Afghan capital Kabul, mosques were packed, as crowds recited verses from the Koran and offered special prayers.
'In Afghanistan, people believe that the eclipse is a sign of the power of Allah,' said Mir Ahmad Joyenda, an Afghan analyst who commentates on culture and society.
"'People usually offer special prayers and shout Allah Akbar (God is great) at the time of the eclipse. Most of them are not aware how and why the eclipse takes place.'
"While the phenomenon could not be seen everywhere, including the United States, space lovers still got a chance to see it unfold as Google teamed up with Slooh.com."
("Lunar Eclipse Turns Moon Blood Red," 16 June 2011, at:
http://phys.org/news/2011-06-lunar-eclipse-moon-blood-red.html#jCp)
_____
--Fallback for the Faithful: OK, So the Moon Doesn't, Like, Turn to Blood but as Part of God's Divine Plan, He Makes It Look Like It Turns to Blood through a Heavenly-Orchestrated Combo of Dusty Weather Conditions and Lunar Eclipses
Yeah, that's the ticket--to the moon and beyond.
One apologist regards religious bloody-moon fantasies as ibe if those pesky "Bible difficulties" but in an article entitled, "Did the Sun Go Dark and the Moon Turn to Blood?," reassures believers that God only makes the moon, you know, look bloody:
"PENTECOST- Introduction
"In Peter’s sermon on Pentecost, he quoted a prophecy in Joel which said that the sun would become dark and the moon would turn to blood before the day of the Lord. Peter claimed that this prophecy had been fulfilled in his day and time. But when did these events really take place?
"PENTECOST- The Darkened Sun
"Matthew, Mark, and even Luke all mention that the sun became dark at Christ’s crucifixion [Matt. 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44-45]. This doesn’t mean that the sun ceased to give light. Nor did it refer to an eclipse of the sun by the moon. Rather, it was probably caused by a dust storm.
"PENTECOST- The Lunar Eclipse
"But the real question is, was Peter actually referring to this darkening of the sun when he quoted Joel? Interestingly enough, until recently the reference to the moon turning to blood seemed to indicate otherwise. However, now, beyond reasonable doubt, we know that the moon did 'turn to blood' and it was on the very day that Christ died.
"You see, in ancient idiom the 'moon turning to blood' was a reference to the moon turning blood-red during a lunar eclipse. And now scientists have discovered that a lunar eclipse occurred and was visible from Jerusalem on Friday, April 3, A.D. 33. Incidentally, this day was a Passover, and on independent examination it’s the most likely date of the Crucifixion.
"PENTECOST- Intensified by the Dust Storm
"Not only this, but a dust storm in the afternoon (especially one that would have obscured the sun’s light) would also have intensified the reddening effect of the lunar eclipse, making the blood-red coloring of the moon even more dramatic.
"PENTECOST- Fulfillment of OT Prophecy
"In and of themselves, a dust storm and a lunar eclipse are not overtly supernatural. However, the fact that they happened on the very same day--the day of Christ’s death — provides powerful evidence that Christ’s death was, as the Gospel writers clearly claimed, a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. For all these reasons and more, we can conclude that Peter was right in claiming that Joels’ prophecy had been fulfilled in his day.
"PENTECOST- Conclusion
"Interesting isn’t it? The more we learn the more we understand how incredibly reliable the Bible and Biblical prophecy really are. Well, did the Sun go dark and did the moon turn to blood in Peters’ day? The verdict is yes! . . . ."
("Pentecost: Did the Sun Go Dark and the Moon Turn to Blood?," by Hank Hanegraff, under "Bible Difficulties/Perspectives," at:
http://www.equip.org/perspectives/pentecost-did-the-sun-go-dark-and-the-moon-turn-to-blood/)
**********
So, folks, don't take all those superstitious accounts you find in scripture to be literally true.
You are not watching the moon turning into blood.
What you are watching are Mormon god-apologists (and other like-minded religious fundies) turning into pretzels as they scramble (aided by their sacredly-scarmbled brains) to figure a way to justify all their hilarious holy hooey. What a bloody good read. :)
And who says religious belief isn't a sign of craziness?