What would David have thought of his words one day being read while man was traveling to the moon and back?
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?” (Psalm 8:3-4 NASB).
More than five decades have passed since astronaut Buzz Aldrin read this Psalm aloud after also reading from John 15:5:
“As Jesus said: ‘I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, and I in Him, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me.’”[1]
Aldrin later recalled that after they landed on the moon, and before they stepped out of the lunar module to walk on its surface, they took communion. He recounted:
“In the radio blackout I opened the little plastic packages which contained bread and wine...I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine curled slowly and gracefully up the side of the cup. It was interesting to think that the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the first food eaten there, were communion elements."[2]
But sadly, much has apparently changed since the 1960s when even Democrat President JFK could ask, without fear of censure, that Americans join him in praying for “God's blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked.”[3]
This month when the Washington National Cathedral “blessed the official Bible for the new @SpaceForceDoD, which will be used to swear in all commanders of America's newest military branch,”[4]the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) was incensed, condemning:
“...in as full-throated a manner as is humanly possible, the shocking and repulsive display of only the most vile, exclusivist, fundamentalist Christian supremacy, dominance, triumphalism and exceptionalism…[which] tragically validates the villainy of unadulterated Christian privilege at DoD and its subordinate military branches.”[5]
How soon these atheist crusaders forget that this time-honored tradition traces back to George Washington who “swore his oath with his hand placed over Genesis chapters 49-50,”[6] declaring:
“...it would be peculiarly improper to omit in this first official Act, my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the Universe, who presides in the Councils of Nations, and whose providential aids can supply every human defect, that his benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the People of the United States...No People can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand, which conducts the Affairs of men more than the People of the United States.”[7]
Thankfully our nation’s current leaders have not neglected to honor the Creator of the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). Who “counts the number of the stars” and “gives names to all of them” (Psalm 147:4).
Remembering these truths will certainly propel the inaugural Space Force toward (borrowing the words of Buzz Aldrin) “one giant leap in the right direction.”[8]
“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16 NASB).
Foundations of Truth hereby waives all claim of copyright (economic and moral) in this work and immediately places it in the public domain; it may be used, published, edited, and distributed in any manner whatsoever without any attribution or notice to Foundations of Truth.
[1] Parke, C. (2019, July 18). Moon landing: Buzz Aldrin took Holy Communion, read this Bible verse on lunar surface. Retrieved from httpx [2] Parke, C. (2019, July 18). Moon landing: Buzz Aldrin took Holy Communion, read this Bible verse on lunar surface. Retrieved from httpx [3] Kennedy, J. F. (1962, September 12). Retrieved from https://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/ricetalk.htm [4]Washington National Cathedral. (2020, January 12). Retrieved from https://twitter.com/WNCathedral/status/1216418699898474502?s=20 [5] Parke, C. (2020, January 14). Group challenges Space Force's use of Bible in swearing-in ceremony. Retrieved from https://www.foxnews.com/us/bible-space-force-controversy [6]Parkinson, H. (2017, January 9). On exhibit: George Washington’s first inaugural address and Bible. Retrieved from https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2017/01/09/on-exhibit-george-washingtons-first-inaugural-address-and-bible/ [7]Washington, G. (1789, April 30). Washington’s inaugural address. Retrieved from https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/american_originals/inaugtxt.html [8] Aldrin, B. (2018, August 10). Retrieved from https://twitter.com/TheRealBuzz/status/1027928122778238976?s=20
