#How does Mormonism view astronomy?

[trberman]

Gods on Other Planets: Addressing Criticisms of Kolob and LDS Beliefs

A Recently Discovered Exoplanet that is astonishing similar to earth Critiques of Latter-day Saint doctrines, particularly those centered on Kolob and the concept of “gods on other planets,” often rely on misunderstandings or oversimplifications of profound theological principles. Michelle Grim’s recent commentary and the ongoing scrutiny from Life After Ministry echo common misconceptions, but…

[cosmiccalliope]

I have a lot of Hard Feelings when it comes to Christianity.

(Prior note, if I say anything offensive in this stream of consciousness musing on why I don't like Christianity, tell me. Everything that follows this is based on my personal experiences and thoughts that come from the 16 years of Baptist education I've been through.)

Let me start this off by outright saying that the feelings aren't towards Christians, but the Church and its History. I don't think a lot of Christians have an Ass To Shit With when it comes to their faith in general, don't care for it, don't care against it. They've just kind of always had it and never known anything else.

Christianity, as a system, has caused Global Scale problems, in my perspective. It started off as a branch of Judaism, one where the promised coming of a Christ figure happened, and the old ways could be completely done away with. As you can imagine, this wasn't super popular. You try telling people that everything they've always been doing can be done away with, cast aside, because now this New Thing is to be done.

You get a lot of angry people when you do that.

But then it became seen as a brilliant tool for control by Rome. It's simple, only having 1(3) God with a Captial G, and the rules can be read in a way where the Church becomes to absolute center of Everything. If the Church becomes the center of the Roman Empire, and if they control who knows what about the faith itself, that gives them the power to do whatever they want. They make the tithe mandatory and monetary, and now that's money coming in from everywhere under their empire. They call X a Sin, and can prosecute you accordingly.

And so, Christianity spread like a Plague upon the world, a scourge against all other Pantheons it touched. Gods died, for all intents and purposes, when Christianity came knocking. Systems these people had been engaging with for centuries, integral parts of their cultures and heritages, wrenched away in the name of the One True God of Christianity.

Nobody likes when you come in and tell them that they're doing everything wrong.

So what's at the front of the Bible? What is the central focus of Christianity? For all reason, who is that book about?

Jerusalem, Israel, and the Jewish people. The Old Testament is just a translation of the Tanakh. All the important Figures and stories? All Jewish tales about how the Israelites suffered and overcame struggles. So who becomes the focus of blame, who becomes a strong target to attack when people inevitably get upset that this strange foreign faith has just waltzed in and told them they're all wrong, despite not deserving any of the flack it gets?

Christianity, as a System, is inherently Anti-Jewish. On a fundamental level it paints the Jewish people as Outdated, still following practices and systems that the Christ has already fulfilled and nullified.

The Jewish people don't deserve it, they never have. It's not their fault Christianity exists, or did what it did, or became what it did. They aren't responsible for Christianity. Just as the Greeks are at the center of the original Greek Religion, and as the Maya are at the center of the original Maya Religion, so ar the Jewish people at the center of the Jewish Religion, and because Not-Jewish people were spreading it like wildfire, the attention and ire got shifted from the ones spreading it, to the ones at the center of the faith being spread.

And then, Christianity became the primary lens through which we viewed all other faiths, including Judiasm. Judaism, in and of itself, is nothing more than any other religion. It's a set of stories and beliefs that gives a culture their morals, gives them hope, explains the universe, and generally provides an identity for a group of people. It's history and cosmology from before history and astronomy. Religion is a set of stories that can be related to that imparts some message. If Christianity never mutated off of Judaism and then tore across Europe like a plague, I sincerely doubt the same issues of Anti-Semitism would be present nowadays. But because of Christianity, Judaism became a popular target and thing to rag on, despite the fact that it has done nothing wrong. The only people saying that the Jewish people are up to some shit are asshole nazis that want all Jews dead.

I do not know enough about Islam to comfortably say that it is to Asia, what Christianity is to Europe. But with my admittedly limited knowledge, I will say exactly that. Churches and Mosques are common in their respective reigns, predominantly so in different places. Temples to all other deities, all other stories and myths and legends, all of them have been destroyed, more or less. We know of the gods, but not how to worship and venerate them.

Because of this predominantly Christian lens, the only Faiths we typically see as Religions, are just Judiasm and Islam. Satanism is just Bastardized Christianity, which itself is Bastardized Judaism, making Satanism into Double Bastardized Judaism. Mormonism and the Jehova's Witness –alongside most Door Knocker sects– are genuine cults that are seen as legitimate because they're Christian In Origin. Hinduism and Buddhism are easily seen as these vaguely Asian Mysticisms, and entities from Native American Religions have become American Cryptids and widely used by people who have no right to use them (S**nw**k*rs and W*nd**o, censored heavily because I'm not part of those groups, are Navajo, and Non Navajo aren't even supposed to really know or definitely talk about them, which should not be hard to respect, just stop talking about the damned things if you aren't Navajo, come on. I think those are both Navajo, anyways, I know that if you're not part of the group that they belong to, you're supposed to shut the fuck up about them because they aren't yours to begin with).

Christianity killed many, many religions and many, many, many more people. It killed Religions and stories and cultures and histories, and superimposed itself wherever it went. It destroyed the identities of whoever it found to not be them. Religions change, pantheons definitely so, but that happens organically as their people do. Christianity's spread is artificial and forced. New gods entered the Greek pantheon somewhat regularly, for example, with Aphorodite being theorized to originally be Ishtar of Sumerian origin.

Because of Christianity, all other religions have an almost negative connotation to them, and the word Relgion generally ends up being used anonymously with Christianity specifically. Every Pagan/Non Christian Faith? Wrong and Bad and Witchcraft and Evil and Satan is in their hearts and "we must preach the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to them so they might be saved from the evils of their ways."

After 16 years of Baptist education and indoctrination from the schools I've been in, my only feelings towards Christianity are just that the faith has done some unforgivably shitty shit and has been used as a tool for Colonization and Genocide since basically its inception. I can't look at Christianity without seeing Everything It Has Caused, all the hate and blood and war and genocide, the fact that war and crusades are the single common thread through history for this so called "Religion of Love and Peace" where if you question any of it, that means Satan is infecting your heart.

Oh, but Christianity allows and encourages you to mock and ridicule all other religions, as it is "the One True Faith, and all others are sinful devil worship". Their are no other gods, after all, but the Christian god, Muslims and Jews are to be treated a little nicer, because they're just misguided, following the functional same God, just in the "Wrong Way".

If you can't tell, I don't like how Christianity does things, and as someone who has gone through 16 years of Baptist centric education in total, I think I'm qualified enough to complain about Christianity. Are all Christian Chruches this way? No, but it is undeniable that mine were not outliers, given the history of Proselytizing and Missionary work and Violent Crusades that is so present in Christian History that it Can Not Be Ignored.

[vacationsoup]

New Post has been published on https://vacationsoup.com/things-to-do-in-utah/

20 Fab Things to Do in Utah - A helpful Video Guide

Utah may not be the first state to come to your mind when you think about holidays and vacations, but one trip to this state may knock your favorite travel destination off the top of your list.

Utah, the 45th state admitted to the U.S.A, is located in the western part of America and has a population of more than three million. It is popular for its natural diversity and it houses a range of terrains from arid deserts with astounding sand dunes to thriving pine forests in plateaus and mountain valleys.

When visiting this state, guests will find a handful of spectacular national parks, state parks, monuments, mountains , landmarks, lakes, and other natural areas to discover and explore. Utah’s towns and cities have arts and museums, home cooking and culinary surprises, charming wedding venues, drive-in theaters, and universities to see.

Free Things to See in Utah

1.Arches National Park

Arches National Park is located in the northern part of Moab in Utah. This national park is bordered by the Colorado River in the southeast. It is known as the site of more than two thousand natural sandstone arches, like the huge red colored Delicate Arch that lies in the eastern part of the site. Long and thin Landscape Arch is located in Devils Garden to the North. Other natural geological formations include Balanced Rock that towers over the desert landscape in the middle of the national park. This is one of the most famous and iconic natural structures that made Utah a top destination for hikers.

USE THIS GREAT HIKING APP FOR UTAH

A RECOMMENDED HIKE IN KANAB

Educational Things to See and Do in Utah

2. Natural History Museum of Utah

The Natural History Museum of Utah houses over than 1.5 million artifacts and relics. In the paleontology area, visitors can see exhibits with an emphasis on the Intermountain West, while the anthropology section is a home to specimens dating back to 11,500 BC. The vertebrate zoology section presents mammal, amphibian, bird, and reptile samples, while in the botany section, visitors can see frozen swatches preserved for DNA research.

Furthermore, the malacology area holds specimens from the six classes of marine mollusks, while the minerology department presents stunning minerals from all over the globe. Aside from exhibits, the Natural History Museum of Utah holds educational and recreational events for all ages.

Unique Things to See in Utah

3. Hill Aerospace Museum

The Hill Aerospace Museum's one-of-a-kind layout is shaped like an aircraft, which is fitting for a structure that operates as a field museum for the United States Air Force. Hill Aerospace Museum houses more than four thousand historical objects and artifacts from five eras, though at any given time only about twenty percent of the collection is on display.

The exhibit includes artworks, most of which is situated in the Lindquist Art Gallery, and the museum also conducts a Plane Talk lecture series, where speakers cover topics related to aerospace and defense. The iconic Utah Aviation Hall of Fame is also on site.

Adorable Things to See in Utah

4. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

The country’s biggest no-kill center, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary  houses an estimated 1,700 animals up for adoption. Stray animals like dogs and cats, bunnies and birds, horses and barn animals are sent here from all over America. Best Friends is likewise home to recovering wildlife and special needs animals.

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary shelters animals in groups (Dogtown, Cat World, Horse Haven, Bunny House, Marshall’s Piggy Paradise, and Parrot Garden) to encourage exercise and socialization among the same species. In the visitors center, visitors can sign up for tours, learn more about the animals, and join in unique events such as bunny yoga, Paint Your Pet’s Portrait, and Thanksgiving dinner.

WHERE TO STAY IN SOUTHERN UTAH

Things to See and Do with Kids in Utah

5. Bean Life Science Museum

Situated on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum focuses in the science behind life forms on our planet. Presentations cover subjects such as how Earth's characteristics give life and how all life is interlinked, the factors on underlying extinction, the conceptual view that humanity is the planet's steward, and the predator-prey connection.

The Bean Life Science Museum also has a play station for toddlers, and two galleries, one with a collection of more than 100 bird species and one with astonishing wildlife art. Bean Life Science Museum’s schedule includes popular attractions such as in-house live shows (animal or reptile), Night at the Museum events, and lectures.

Stellar Things to See in Utah

6. Clark Planetarium

Clark Planetarium now is a far cry from the light and space shows of yesteryears and while the planetarium does hold cosmic light shows in the evenings from Thursday to Saturday, they utilize the latest technology. The planetarium’s Hansen Dome Theatre is similarly of the moment, taking advantage of 3D computer animations and digital projection to provide a 360-degree interactive experience.

The IMAX theatre shows 3D films on a humongous, five-story screen together with 14,000 watts of digital sound. Clark Planetarium also provides community programs to the public and conducts free astronomy presentations with models of the solar system and authentic NASA equipment as well as interactive elements.

Historic Things to See in Utah

7. Bluff Fort Historic Site

The Bluff Fort Historic Site gives guests the opportunity to learn about both the fort itself and the perilous Hole-in-the-Rock adventure. Cabins were constructed with their windows and doors facing inwards toward the fort’s square to provide protection from invading forces.

The Bluff City meeting house worked for all communal purposes and was once a school, church, and public meeting place, while the Bluff co-op vended food and staple supplies to residents. The fort was disassembled in 1883, but the entire community continued and switched from farming to ranching. In the 1890s, residents built Victorian-style houses, which have been renovated together with the fort. The site also includes a visitors’ center and a gift shop.

Musical Things to Do in Utah

8. Listen to Utah Symphony

The Utah Symphony is a huge internationally acclaimed American symphony and an essential part of the American West’s cultural identity. The symphony promotes and provides educational programming and holds tours all throughout the region to support the arts, especially music.

Along with stellar performances at Abravanel Hall, the Utah Symphony conducts summer concerts at Park City’s Deer Valley Music Festival. Utah Symphony records intensively and has been nominated for Grammy Awards a lot of times. Most of their concerts start at 8:00 pm, while pre-concert lectures for MasterWorks performances begin at 6:45 pm. Utah Symphony concerts run for 90 to 120 minutes.

Cultural Things to See in Utah

9. Gifford Homestead

The Gifford Homestead is situated right in the heart of the Fruita Valley and allows visitors to experience a Mormon community as it existed in the valley at the start of the 20th century. The homestead presents rock walls and includes a farmhouse as well as a smokehouse, garden, barn, and even a pasture.

The farmhouse is a simulation of the favored rugged austere design and has a front room where the kitchen is situated as well as two small bedrooms on the ground floor, while the two bedrooms in the upper floor are only accessible by an outdoor ladder. The homestead has a sales outlet, too, where guests can buy locally made goodies and replica pioneer artifacts.

Things to See on a Rainy Day in Utah

10. Beehive House

The Beehive House in Utah was once the home of the early Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints leader Brigham Young. The home’s overall design accommodated the large Young family, with Brigham’s wife, Mary Ann, choosing to live in the property’s White House while Lucy Ann, the first wife, acted as hostess in the Beehive House, where she also lived alongside her nine children. A suite of rooms in the Lion House, where Brigham Young’s offices and bedroom were situated, was connected to the Beehive House. The property likewise includes the Brigham Young Historic Park. The building underwent renovation between 1959 and 1960 and now operates as a museum and provides 30-minute tours.

Relaxing Things to See in Utah

11. Red Butte Garden and Arboretum

Utah's Red Butte Garden welcomes visitors all year round and provides different plants and events for each season. While summer and spring are the crowd’s favorite times to see the garden to enjoy flowers and trees blooming to life in a tapestry of vivid colors, autumn offers dazzling fall foliage and winter presents red buds against a sheer white background, ideal for hiking or snowshoeing. In the summer, the garden conducts performances and shows in the amphitheater.

Red Butte Garden includes themed gardens and private or group tours are available. The garden also has quiet resting areas and guests can use the chairs, tables, and umbrellas available in the Four Seasons Courtyard.

Things to See and Do with the Family in Utah

12. Utah's Hogle Zoo

Hogle Zoo covers an estimated 42 acres and houses more than 800 animals. The zoo’s animal residents represent different animal life from all over the globe and include species from every ecosphere on  Earth. As a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Hogle Zoo guarantees that animals have a species survival plan to uphold genetic diversity.

Guests can buy one-on-one animal encounter tours with a personal tour guide, and group tours are also available. Groups can opt from feedings (birds, rhinos, or tortoises), orangutan training sessions, bringing daily food to apes, or having an up-close and personal meeting with a giraffe through the VIP observation deck.

VISIT THE ZOO'S WEBSITE HERE

Luxurious Things to Do in Utah

13. Ski at Deer Valley Resort

A luxurious activity in Utah is definitely a posh skiing experience in Deer Valley. It is renowned for catering to wealthy customers, with premium services like ski valets as well as parking valets at no cost, and fine dining and designer shopping boutiques on site.

Apart from conducting International Ski Federation competitions and FIS World Cup events regularly, Deer Valley Resort was a 2002 Winter Olympics host for freestyle aerial, mogul, and alpine slalom events. Moreover, it has consistently ranked in the top three ski resorts in North America and also held the top spot every year from 2007 through 2011.

Things to Do with Marine Lovers in Utah

14. Loveland Living Planet Aquarium

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Utah has various wildlife species from all over the world situated in its 136,000 square feet, including areas on the Antarctic, Utah, the ocean, South America, birds, fish, invertebrates, and mammals. Visitors get to have an eye-to-eye contact with different sharks in the aquarium’s forty-foot underwater shark tunnel, see rainforest animals in the two-story rainforest gallery, or get to touch aquatic life in one of the aquarium’s two touch pools.

Apart from seeing marine animals during an aquarium visit, Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is likewise available for corporate as well as private events. The facility can also hold both formal and informal functions, with a max of 450 guests for seated dinners and even up to a thousand guests for receptions.

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium website

Adventurous Things to Do in Utah

15. Monument Valley Safari

Monument Valley has safari adventures of 1.5 to 7 hours in length throughout different sections of Monument Valley. Both Lower Monument Valley and Mystery Valley safaris are dubbed scenic and cultural, while the company’s award-winning combo safaris offer visitors a chance to explore two areas in just one tour: Lower Monument Valley (three hours)/Mystery Valley (three hours) or Tear Drop Arch (two hours)/Mystery Valley (four hours).

Monument Valley’s specialty tours contain a seven-hour Sunset Photography Tour of Hunts Mesa (ideal for adventurers looking for an off-the-grid experience) and the three-hour Starlight or Full Moon tours of Monument Valley. There are also private tours available.

Things to See and Do with the Locals in Utah

16. Park Silly Sunday Market

Park Silly Sunday Market in Utah is an eco-friendly open air market in Park City, Utah, held for fourteen Sundays every year between early June and mid-September. The market, which was initially founded in 2006, is free for all to attend, drawing nearly 200,000 yearly guests and approximately 2,000 vendor booths all throughout the season.

Visitors can explore farmer's market stalls and choose from a variety of delectable pantry goods or browse antique and regional arts and crafts vendors for rare finds. A range of regional food trucks and vendors are on site for local dining choices. Live music performances are also presented throughout the season, together with strolling performers such as magicians, balloon artists, and stilt walkers.

Historic Things to See in Utah

17. Park City Museum

Park City Museum features the colorful history of Park City and its significant role in developing the West. In addition to exhibits in the Tozer Gallery, the Park City Museum also provides lectures, historical walking tours, and other living history presentations and events. There are also guided tours, exhibits, and historical presentations available on a reservation-only basis.

Walking tours are held Monday to Friday from Memorial Day through Labor Day (ages 13+). The yearly Historic Home Tour allows visitors explore a highlighted historic home, while the Hal Compton Research Library is utilized as an additional resource of knowledge about Park City’s history and its role in the city’s regional industry.

MORE DETAILS HERE

One-of-a-Kind Things to See in Utah

18. Utah Field House of Natural History State Park

The Utah Field House offers interactive exhibits and attractions mainly about prehistoric geological objects. Recent exhibits include the Uinta Fossil Journey, presenting a ninety-foot diplodocus skeleton and the Stories in Stone film. Meanwhile, at the Morrison Dig Site and Fossil Lab, visitors can uncover whether an article is an authentic fossil or just a debris on a simulated dig site before fully exploring the lab.

The Jurassic Hall exhibit presents three skeletons from 145 million years ago, shile the Eocene Gallery features objects and relics from that era, and the Rocks Revealed exhibit covers the four major eras in the planet’s history through fossils. Utah Field House also conducts programming and contains a children’s lab to entertain young guests, and a dinosaur garden with models.

Things to Do with Literature Fans in Utah

19. Utah Shakespeare Festival

Utah Shakespeare Festival is held annually at the Beverly Center for the Arts, from June 29 to October 21. The plays and events vary per season, but this season features nine plays as well as multiple events. Festival-goers can review about the performances in play seminars, which are always held in the morning.

Repertory Magic, where guests can ask questions, however, happens during Mondays and Fridays. Guests can also enjoy other privileges like backstage tours to see the props and other elements used in the amazing plays. Utah Shakespeare Festival also conducts free events: one of the three free Greenshows are conducted every night from June 29th to September, while costumes, props, and actor seminars are held on different days of the week.

FULL PROGRAMME DETAILS HERE

Historical Things to See in Utah

20. Cove Fort

Cove Fort Historic Site in Utah is the only remaining fortress constructed in the 1800s by the Latter-Day Saints and was built to provide water, food, and shelter to Latter-Day Saints traversing between Idaho and California. Cove Fort tours allow visitors to experience fort life in the 1800s.

In this site guests can see the kitchen or “big room”, where visitors were often fed and residents conducted religious services and meetings; the washing and weaving room, where all washing and bathing was done; and family and guest rooms, as well as the telegraph office, which also served as an overflow eating hall. Guests can likewise tour the stage and post office, prairie wagon, bunkhouse, blacksmith shop, and replica barn.

Eventhough Utah is not the top destination for holidays and vacations, the Beehive State certainly doesn’t disappoint and doesn’t fall short with millions of postcard-worthy things to explore there. From museums, to art centers, to natural wonders, Utah will have you coming back for more as it is nearly impossible to enjoy all the marvels it offers in just a few days of vacation.