50 years ago on Christmas Eve, Apollo 8 reads opening verses of Genesis to the people of Earth

On Dec 21st 50 years ago, the U.S. launched Apollo 8, designed to loop around the moon.

It marked the first time any human had escaped the Earth's gravity "well."

On Christmas Eve, 1968, as the Apollo capsule emerged from behind the moon and the three-man crew saw the blue Earth appear over the horizon of the moon, they sent a message to the people of Earth.

Before launch the crew had discussed what words might be most appropriate for such a historic occasion.

They decided on the opening verses of the Bible--the book of Genesis:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  And the earth wa without form, and void.  And darkness was opon the face of the deep.  

And the sprit of God moved upon the face of the waters.  And God said, "Let there be light."  

And there was light.

Now a question for you all:  If Apollo 8 had flown during the reign of our former emperor, Obama, would the astronauts have dared to read the words of Genesis?  Recall that under the emperor the administrator of NASA said his agency's "perhaps foremost" goal was "outreach to Muslims."



Which, when you think about it, explains a LOT.