Sunday, July 3, 2022

Satan's folly

It is not widely known that Buzz Aldrin took communion during the Apollo 11 moon mission and read John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  The ritual and scripture reading were not broadcast nor publicized because of a woman named Madalyn Murray O'Hair.  In 1971, she filed a lawsuit challenging the open readings of the Bible by US astronauts (who are federal employees) during their spaceflights - spurred by the reading from the book of Genesis by the crew of Apollo 8.  A very vocal atheist, she spent a lot of time bringing about lawsuits involving religion.  Her son William J. Murray became a Christian in 1980 and later a Baptist minister, publishing a memoir in 1982 about his spiritual journey.  His acceptance of Christ as his savior incensed his mother to the point where she made this public announcement: "One could call this a postnatal abortion on the part of the mother, I guess.  I repudiate him entirely and completely for now and all times...he is beyond human forgiveness."  In 1995, Madalyn Murray O'Hair was brutally murdered and dismembered along with another son and a granddaughter - the victims of a kidnapping and extortion plot.

4 comments:

--jim said...

For almost 50 years I have tried to not be - an 'O'Hair'

While I always have considered myself an 'atheist/agnostic' the benchmark was to NOT be a Capital 'A' ~ 'A-hole' atheist in the manner of the O'Hairs

I remember their demise and while I was not surprised - it was sad. I could not ascribe it to 'karma' without acknowledging a religion they would not recognize, but it is also not without notice that folks who adhere to those beliefs in an apparent violent and oppressive manner - seem to attract violent outcomes...

The Apollo 8 mission will forever - at least as long as we can keep this civilization together - be a landmark of human achievement and a statement of the guidance of our goals

Thank you for the reminder on this holy week of independence

--jim

remmij said...

a twisted, demented tale… but not surprising… with a Netflix ending
WorldCat
an auction, 1999

remmij said...

addendum-
Buzz account
the moon

pamit said...

Goodness gracious. It almost sounds like you fellows think Ms. O'Hair deserved her brutal end, because she repudiated the child who went against her life's work.

That's the thing about Christianity - if you believe the New Testament: forgiveness, salvation, what have you - is offered to ALL humans, not those that act like good mothers or obedient citizens. Practice what your God preaches.