Paganistan: Notes from the Secret Commonwealth
In Which One Midwest Man-in-Black Confers, Converses & Otherwise Hob-Nobs with his Fellow Hob-Men (& -Women) Concerning the Sundry Ways of the Famed but Ill-Starred Tribe of Witches.
NASA Confirms Gift of Moon Rock to Minneapolis Pagan Temple
AP: Houston
NASA confirmed today that the US space agency has agreed to donate one of its Moon rocks to a pagan temple in Minneapolis.
"To some, these rocks hold profound spiritual, as well as scientific, significance," said a NASA representative who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Moon worship is one of humanity's oldest religions, and we are proud to make this gift."
Founded in 1980, the Temple of the Moon, the designated recipient of the Moon rock, is the oldest continuously-operating pagan temple in the Twin Cities area, commonly known as "Paganistan" because of its large pagan population.
According to Steven Posch, the temple's priest-in-residence, "Without the Moon's influence on Earth's tides, life literally would not exist on this planet. Small wonder that our ancestors revered the Moon, as we still do today. Now this relic of our goddess can be properly reverenced, as it so richly deserves."
The rock in question, a brescia from the Mare Fecundatatis, was gathered during the Apollo 13 expedition to the Moon in 1970.
Questions about the legality of the transfer were raised in the Senate on the grounds that it might straddle the hedge of separation between covenstead and state, but were ultimately dismissed when senator Al Franken (D, Minnesota) pointed out that NASA had already donated a Moon rock to the National Episcopal Cathedral in Washington, DC, where it is currently on display as part of a stained glass window.
President Ronald Rump was reportedly infuriated by the proposed gift.
"These people are wackos," he tweeted on Monday. "If they like the Moon so much, let them go live there."
Comments
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Monday, 20 February 2017
Thanks, DD, I agree.
I sent a link both to NASA and to Senator Franken.
Who knows? -
Monday, 20 February 2017Rootin' for ya!
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Friday, 24 February 2017
Apollo 13 never landed on the moon. How could they have gathered any moon rocks?
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Friday, 24 February 2017
The Soviet Luna 16 probe brought back some samples from Mare Fecunditatis in 1970, but I don't see how NASA would have ended up with them.
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Friday, 24 February 2017
You're right on both counts, Jon, and kudos for your close reading.
Alas, "fake" news doesn't have to be true, only believable. -
Friday, 24 February 2017
More's the pity. I'm a huge fan and supporter of space exploration. Good on you for the verisimilitude.
What I wouldn't give for a genuine moon rock! -
Saturday, 25 February 2017
Maybe it's time for a Paganistan Aeronautics and Space Administration.
PASA, anyone? -
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HAHA is it sad that I could totally believe this as real?
Well, sad about the protests and Rump's tweet. It'd be awesome if your temple /could/ have a moon rock.