Rich, I agree wholeheartedly. Work kept me from attending, but even if it hadn't, I would not have attended a lecture on archeoastronomy. It not truly related to modern astronomy at all. In college, many of my friends were archeologists and anthropologists, so maybe I've been overexposed to the subject. They'd take me on death-marches just to see some spiral or ancient scribble scratched in a rock, or a pile of standing-stones in the middle of some god-forsaken place. I suppose it got the anthropologist's juices flowing, but it had no "wow" factor for me at all. In fact, in my mind's eye I could see the other members of that ancient culture ready to lynch that lazy "artist", who would rather draw and paint than hunt and gather. Lastly, as soon as a church, or an individual with a religious take, starts sponsoring science, one must examine the results VERY, VERY closely. Bravo, Rich. I applaud to your skepticism. Chuck --- Richard Tenney <retenney@yahoo.com> wrote:
First let me say that I appreciate club efforts to bring in guest speakers, and Dr. Pratt was kind enough to spend time with us.
That said however, I felt like the presentation was way off topic and inappropriate for an Astronomy club. It came across (to me anyway) as a lecture on highly speculative numerology. I felt like it was not only bad science (the little that there was), but bad theology (and I'm also active LDS). While it is tempting for some to draw conclusions that make us feel good about our religious beliefs, it's irresponsible science to ignore the great deal of evidence that commonly associates the Aztec diety Quetzalcoatl with brutal human sacrifice, hardly the kind of thing anyone would equate with Jesus Christ.
So while this kind of lecture MIGHT be speculative fun for an LDS study group, I felt it was way out of place last night.
My 2 cents, Rich
PS, I'm still hoping Dave Bernson does another one of his terrific "Deep Sky Wonders" presentations soon. :-)
--- RStmarie@aol.com wrote:
I'm just curious what anyone else might have thought of last nights presentation? I was interested in the material the speaker wanted to present but disappointed in the delivery (or lack there of). Bob St. Marie
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