Guess that makes me a prick, or at least a "dick".

In a hospital waiting room I shared with another waiting patient that I was an amateur astronomer. The other man, a softspoken elderly retired dentist, said that he had found that astronomy was part of his proof of faith. He talked a little about astronomy and scouting, and it was clear that he was LDS.

(Note that I had not said ANYTHING about religion up till now)

He said that the existence of the North Star gave a guide to mankind and served as a concept for a moral compass as well as a natural one.

I mentioned to him that Polaris was not visible from below the Equator, but there was a southern circumpolar constellation called "The Southern Cross".

He was taken aback, thought for a few seconds, said, "Well, I guess that wasn't a miracle after all. Not if half the earth couldn't see it."

I made not comment, but wondered if he thought that Elohim could not use a cross-shaped constellation to guide the peoples of the south.

...so they weren't worthy of a guiding star.

A couple of points. Though LDS, this elderly man seems to have been open to the truth -- at least in this instance. One point for him. You were merely a prick, since a dick is much, much worse. One point to you.

One to one. Let's call it a draw.

Not a minute after I had read your message, they played a tango called "The Southern Cross" in the radio! So there! Tell me that ain't a muhracle.

http://www.johnpratt.com/items/docs/lds/meridian/2004/chronos.html

An oldie but a goodie.

Please restrain all flatulance until you have finished the article.

<<<Secondly, Chronos was the name of the Greek god of time, which leads to all of our words like chronology, chronometer, and chronic.>>>

He's definitely been smoking some chronic...

...which in this case stands for Piled High and Deep.

It doesn't matter what planet you're on...there's gonna be a star somewhere near the axis of rotation. Polaris isn't exactly on Earth's axis anyway...simply close enough to be useful.

Every planet in the solar system has a pole that points at a different part of the sky.

Now if all planets in the solar system had exactly the same axial tilt, I *might* be considering Intelligent Design...

You weren't a prick or a dick. You simply stated facts that a theist was unaware of and used that ignorance as a misguided confirmation of his faith.

Knowledge is power!