Posted by:
Dave the Atheist
(
)
Date: June 19, 2011 01:26PM
I wonder if this was added to wikipedia by a member of a competing religion ?
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KolobStar or planet?
The Book of Abraham is unclear about whether Kolob was a star or a planet, of course being neither, since Smith just made it all up[2] and Mormon writings have taken positions on either side of this issue. One part of the Book of Abraham states that Abraham "saw the stars...and that one of them was nearest unto the throne of God;...and the name of the great one is Kolob." Of course, there is no "Book of Abraham", just as there is nor ever was any Urim and Thummim, both being a fantasy of Joseph Smith, who was hung for being a horse thief. [5] Thus, Kolob is referred to as a "star". However, the "book" defines the word Kokaubeam (a transliteration(read: made up word, but possible referring to coffee) of the Hebrew "כּוֹכָבִים" [c.f., Gen. 15:5]) as meaning "all the great lights, which were in the firmament of heaven".[13] This would appear to include planets as among the "stars",[14] and apparently, the earth itself as considered to be among these "stars".[15] In addition, the Book of Abraham text appear to classify Kolob as among a hierarchy of "planets".[16] On the other hand, in Joseph Smith's Egyptian Alphabet and Grammar, he classifies Kolob as one of twelve "fixed stars", in distinction with fifteen "moving planets", thus further proving his complete and utter ignorance of astronomy, as well as most everything else.[17] The term fixed star generally refers to an astronomical object that does not seem to move across the sky, but may have a slow proper motion as discovered in 1718 by Edmund Halley. Though "fixed", according to Smith, Kolob moves "swifter than the rest of the twelve fixed stars, or is just showing off".[18] Moreover, in the Book of Abraham, Smith refers to "fixed planets or stars",[19] implying that some planets may be "fixed". He also refers to the sun as a "governing planet",although the Sun, when asked, refered to Smith as a "crack pot"[20] further complicating the terminology. Therefore, there is no consensus on whether Joseph Smith knew Kolob to be a planet or a star as those terms are used in modern astronomy.
Writers in the Latter Day Saint movement have taken positions on both sides of the issue of whether Kolob is a star or a planet. Brigham Young, second President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke of Kolob as a planet.[21] Likewise, LDS Apostles John Taylor,[22] Orson Pratt (a mathematician with an interest in astronomy,and also in the secret language of cats),[23] Orson F. Whitney,[24] and Alvin R. Dyer[25] referred to Kolob as a planet. Other Mormon theologians have also viewed Kolob as a planet.[26] Several other Mormon writers have referred to Kolob as a star, including B. H. Roberts[27] and President David O. McKay[28]