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 Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell (left) shakes hands with the Rev. John Stott, NASA’s then-chaplain.
September 22nd, 2011
10:34 AM ET
Moon Bible goes on sale in auctionBy Richard Allen Greene, CNN (CNN) - A rare Bible that's been to the moon and back will have a new owner Thursday night - the complete King James version, framed in gold leaf, is under the hammer at an auction house in New Hampshire. But whoever takes it home won't be able to leaf through it. It's a piece of microfilm, with the text of 1,245 pages shrunken down to the size of a postage stamp. "It's the whole King James (Bible) on there. It's really cool," says Bobby Livingston, vice president of sales and marketing at RR Auction, which is handling the sale.
The Bible was taken into space three times before it reached the lunar surface, he said - first on Apollo 12, when it was stored in the wrong part of the spaceship and orbited the moon, but didn't land on it, then on the ill-fated Apollo 13, which had an explosion on board that forced it to turn back, and finally on Apollo 14. Lunar module pilot Edgar Mitchell brought 100 microfilmed copies of the Bible to the surface of the moon on February 5, 1971, Livingston said. "Most of them were given away when they came back, or were cut into pieces as presentation pieces for dignitaries from the U.S. and from other states," Livingston explained. At least a dozen complete versions still exist. Bringing a Bible to the moon had been a dream of a group of committed believers in the space program since the beginning of the Apollo mission efforts to reach the moon, said Carol Mersch, author of "The Apostles of Apollo." "Through the centuries, explorers have carried the Bible across countries to far off lands, pushing the boundaries of exploration. It was not unnatural then that NASA chaplain John Stout and a group called The Apollo Prayer League would undertake a quest to see it carried to another celestial body," she said. Apollo 1 astronaut Ed White wanted to bring the first Bible to the moon, but died in a fire on the launch pad, Mersch said. "After his death, fellow astronauts and The Apollo Prayer League took up White's quest, so that, as Apollo 15 astronaut Jim Irwin said, 'those who came after would know that we came from a world of believers,'" Mersch told CNN. The moon Bible now under the hammer went from Mitchell, the astronaut, to a "well-known space collector from Texas," Livingston said. He expects it to go for about $50,000 by the time the auction closes at 7 p.m. ET Thursday. At least one top Bible-collecting expert said he wasn't interested at that price. Scott Carroll, the director of the Green Collection, one of the world's largest collections of ancient texts, called the moon Bible an "oddity." "You could pick up a 13th-century Bible for that (price), so it's a tough call," he said. It wouldn't make a good piece for museum display, he said, because it's so small. "You gaze into it and say 'wow,' but you can't see anything," he said. But there will be some people who want to buy it, either as an investment or out of personal interest, Carroll said. "Of course people who may be people of faith that are interested in astronomy, in aerospace exploration, it would be of great interest," he said. Several of the Apollo astronauts were just such men, RR Auction's Livingston said. "What's really interesting about Mitchell is he said he had an epiphany looking out the window" of Apollo 14, Livingston said. "It's not just the death-defying part of it. They talk of the spirituality of the moment of being on the moon, the moment of standing on another planetary body." Apollo 17 commander Gene Cernan, one of the last men to walk on the moon, put it starkly, Livingston said. "He said to me, 'Bobby, I know infinity exists,'" Livingston recalls. The auctioneer asked how Cernan knew, and got a simple answer: "I've seen it."
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Really? When the bible was supposed to be written, people though the earth was flat, space travel impossible, and anyone who could create fire without rubbing two sticks together was a witch or possessed by the devil. It's abhorrent that a bible was brought to the moon after so many centuries of scientific persecution by the church. They should burn this copy of the bible. Religion cannot ride the coat tails of those illuminated by science when it is convenient.
This is nothing more than memorabilia, but if I can make a guess of what it will sell for from the posts here, it won't fetch much. hardly $50,000. But you can never tell, $200,000 for a bottle of whisky? There are some crazy people with more $$ than sense. Which begs the question, how did these crazy people get so much money? Especialy when we have wise sages that say: "A fool and his money soon part company."
"A fool and his money soon part company.""
Which is why the foreclosures have gone up in this country, the housing bubble burst, and the US is suffering the worse poverty ever. There are plenty of fools out there based on your pathetic logic. Without the rich using their buying power many more people would loose their jobs, there wouldn't be investments in new technology that keeps our economy going. Oh...that's right you're reading from a 2000 year old book.....
Bible went to a "well-known space collector from Texas." I bet it's Richard Garriott out of Austin, TX. Dude has enough money to create a slid n' slide from here to the Moon.
I need to go and get some new batteries for my special toy.
Militant atheists use science as an egocentric means of empowerment. Without science they are impotent.
Science created Viagra. You could be on to something there!
Science created the computer you are using and the manufacturing techniques and materials of almost everything you will use or touch today.
martinipaul,
Without science, you would quite likely be dead by now from small pox or polio. The Bible's only medical use is to whack ganglion cysts.
Militant christians use their book of myths as an egocentric means of empowerment. Without that book they are impotent.
"Militant atheists use science as an egocentric means of empowerment. Without science they are impotent."
Like you are using science to write that message on the internet using a computer that science created. Guess that makes you impotent then by your shallow logic.
OK, take your book carve every letter on the wall of a cave. You can sit in there till you die eating raw bugs and drinking pond water. The rest of the world will move forward (while trying to not let small minds like yourself hold it back) without you.
It appears that all one has to do in order to be called a "Militant" atheist is to admit that you are an atheist. Granted, this makes us very scary to those who would prefer we remain hidden and quiet, least more people get any 'ideas.'
It's clear atheists know everything except themselves.
"Without science they are impotent."
LOL, really?
What are you without god? You already are, you just ain't bright enough to recognize it.
====='@ God, 2:33 & 2:39 You are not a very good grammer or spelling student. Your theology is really crummy. Better bone up a bit. I know that I'm not perfect, but I'm human. ========
Ummm, god does not make mistakes, any grammar rules you perceive to have been broken were merely rewritten at that moment to reflect his perfection.
Its grammar idiot, if you are going insult someone on his or her spelling and grammar at least take the time to get it right. Otherwise, you look like a complete idiot.
"Your theology is really crummy. "
Generally, "really," "fairly," "pretty," and "absolutely" add no meaning to a sentence and should be deleted.
"Better bone up a bit. "
This is also known as a fragmented sentence. 😉
Step Children....step children! Please. We all know that 'Bo don't know diddly'... And Markin yes... yes... i do create the rules and Bo TRIES to live by them. Did i mention that i was God? But i did find the grammar (not grammer) lesson quit, quite, or quiet funny. Bo seriously... I endowed you all will a fairly decent brain... is this the best rebuttle? you ignore the points and attach the Grammar (again...not grammer)? Now i understand why the crusades happened... it was a distraction from your true short-comings...just like Bo's post. By! or is it Bye? Buy maybe? Bo? wanna chime in here? God needs your 'Grammer' help
rebuttle = rebuttal
@ psst ... DOH! Guess i better stick to my day job and continue pooping on new planets.
"attach" is suppose to be attack too. 😉
Who wants a King James Bible any way. King James rewrote half the bible. Like all English people they have to be on up.
King James was gay too. 😉
The moon landing was real...jesus was not.
if you are a true athiest, you believe in not preaching to others or trying to convince them to believe your beliefs or lack thereof.
Yeah, but if aliens find it on the moon they'll be like "cool story, bro" and then look for more fiction to read.
hey hey,
What are you talking about? Atheism is not a religion, there is only one rule:
We are ALL atheists, some of just believe in fewer god's than others. How we behave is totally up to the individual. Its not a club or an organization, its a state of being.
"you believe in not preaching to others or trying to convince them to believe your beliefs "
You're getting that mixed up since that is what Christians try to do not atheist, an atheist likes to point out the flaws in the logic of a 2000 year old book.
People like you your thoughts to your self! Maybe you came from a and Ape not me. If you would rather believe that go eat a banana.
Joe Black,
???????????
just because someone does not believe that Jesus was not real or was not the son of god....that does not automatically classify said person as an atheist...please use logic and move along if you are only able to see two facets of belief.
To some Christians there is no difference between an atheist and a believer of another religion. As an atheist, I am offended..
OK, not really. But I might have been! If I were easily offended by rampant silliness in a blog.
hey
Jews don't believe in Jesus being divine, but does that make them 'atheists?'
========@Reality====================== I would like to read your take on the "Dead Sea Scrolls". They are the oldest copies of the OT, written at least 400 years BCE. The whole OT is complete except the book of Eastar. After years of study and reading there has been only 57 minor errors found between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the modern transalations. Even secular history verifies that maticulate efferort was practiced in copying OT scripture. There was a very laborious way for checking for any errors, checking the copy several times looking for any mistakes. How many times the scriptures were copied nobody knows, but reliable historians all agree that there were never any mistakes in making copies.
The Dead Sea Scrolls are fake. The major difference between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the previos version of the scrolls is the introduction of the name YHWH. Any moron can see that the Dead Sea Scrolls are an attempt to get people to NOT believe in the Holy spirit. For if the Father's name is YHWH, then what would be the name of the Holy Spirit in Genesis (1:2) that hovered over the waters? The Lord Almighty is his name. Jesus, who is one with this Holy Spirit said, "You cannot get back to the Father but by me." And he taught us to pray, "holy is thy name".
Bo,
You should ask the authors of the "New Torah for Modern Minds":
origin: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20E1EFE35540C7A8CDDAA0894DA404482 NY Times
New Torah For Modern Minds
“The notion that the Bible is not literally true "is more or less settled and understood among most Conservative rabbis," observed David Wolpe, a rabbi at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles and a contributor to "Etz Hayim." But some congregants, he said, "may not like the stark airing of it." Last Passover, in a sermon to 2,200 congregants at his synagogue, Rabbi Wolpe frankly said that "virtually every modern archaeologist" agrees "that the way the Bible describes the Exodus is not the way that it happened, if it happened at all." The rabbi offered what he called a "LITANY OF DISILLUSION”' about the narrative, including contradictions, improbabilities, chronological lapses and the absence of corroborating evidence. In fact, he said, archaeologists digging in the Sinai have "found no trace of the tribes of Israel - not one shard of pottery."
You can contact Rabbi Wolpe at http://www.facebook.com/RabbiWolpe
Here we go again. Another puffed up scientific method maniac. I know the story you might tell about how man, from the beginning up until 60 years ago made up spirits to explain science. For thousands of years men spoke of spirits and souls because they didn't know, is what you might try to make us believe.
It is much more likely, statistically, that the men of the past 60 years cannot understand spirits and souls, and thus use something called science to explain why they don't exist.
If spirits don't exist, the good luck getting a beer at a place that sells spirits. It's part of our language for a reason.
Moron.
Hmmm, "I am the Truth..........." i.e. John 14:6. This passage is a single attestation found no where else in the NT making it historically unreliable i.e. this passage was not said by the historical Jesus but was wishful thinking and an embellishment by John to make Jesus more like the ancient and local gods of first century Palestine. http://wiki.faithfutures.org/index.php?ti-tle=210_Place_of_Life
See also Professor Gerd Ludemann's conclusions in his book, Jesus After 2000 Years, pp. 535-540.
they should have left it there.
Jesus could supposedly walk on water, turn water to wine and revive the dead, but he couldn't see to it that a universally believable book about him was written and distributed - with no mistranslation, no misunderstanding, no misinterpretation possible?!
And the omniscient "God" of the Old Testament spoke only ancient Hebrew?
That's why its' called blind faith, no logic allowed now.
The sheeplings are not interested in logic, only their 2,000 year old book of myths.
Jesus said what He said. People were the ones who were responsible for handing it down accurately. And no, He doesn't give you the teacher's edition of the book. You are expected to study it out the best you can, think about it, and then go to Him with your questions - because He is the teacher.
And don't be obtuse. God spoke to people who spoke ancient Hebrew in their own language. Please explain what language you think He should have used to speak to them. Chinese? Icelandic? Inuit?
"and then go to Him with your questions – because He is the teacher."
Hate to break it to you, he's dead and probably didn't even exist, so there is no going to him. Dead men can't speak.
Yes, "get real" stop being obtuse, you naughty triangle, you!!!
Lin, "Please explain what language you think He should have used to speak to them. Chinese? Icelandic? Inuit?"
Doh! I keep forgetting that the Hebrews were the "Chosen People"... and the only ones on Earth who were special enough to be spoken to!
(and I'm a-cute angle, thank you very much!)
To add to the religious artifacts in space, in 1969, Buzz Aldrin consumed communion bread and wine on the moon. Later, Cosmonaut Maksim Suraev brought some Orthodox items to the ISS, and astronaut Jeff Hoffman took a menorah and a dreidel into orbit and back. So, in perspective, this Bible isn't totally unique.
Did anyone take a rabbit's foot or a four-leaf clover? Lucky socks?
Oh, I'm sure he just lifted his helmet shield, tiped back the cup, and ate the bread. Do you want to explain how this is possible?
Oye.
ImAJew
Uh, ... they ate their meals in the lunar landers, which were on the moon!
@ImAJew: I'm sure what he meant to say is that he did that in the lunar lander, not while actually standing on the surface of the moon.
I wonder
Apollo 11 took a few pieces of the original Wright Flyer to the moon, but that had a undeniable tie in with the significance of the mission. As far as other items of pop cultural significance taken into space, which the choice of Bibles seems to be, a lightsaber prop used by Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi was taken up a few years back, I think. Most astronauts have taken something as mementos of their trip.
Free,
Great info - thank you!
I wonder
You're welcome! 🙂
I always thought it was funny that a civilization was advanced enough to step foot on another planetary body while
it still held beliefs in the supernatural.
Ironically, the Bible was taken up on one of the 'Apollo' missions!
Astronomy, and space exploration are perhaps the heaviest referencers to mythology in the modern world so, perhaps, this really is rather fitting? 😉
Free,
Yes, Apollo, who carried the Sun God, Helios, across the sky each day. Hail, Apollo! All bow to Helios! 🙂
We should've taken a letter of apology. We screwed up our beautiful world, and now off to screw up others.
In the future, should some alien race find the Bible that Scott left on the moon, it may go a long way in helping them understand why we went extinct.
The caption under the picture lists the NASA Chaplain as "John Stott" but the article calls him "John Stout." I think it's not John Stott, who was an English Anglican pastor and author, and who would have been 50 years old in the picture. Plus, the Wikipedia page makes no mention of John Stott being the NASA Chaplain.
Hey guys...just wanted to check in... was making my rounds across the Universe and then i remembered that i dropped a few piles of ooze on this planet a couple billion earth years ago. So just read the bible...yeah...umm Funny how man thinks they speak for me and in fact have brazenly called their words...my own. Odd really... the same thing happend on the last planet i just checked in on. So yeah... about that bible... yeah... not me... but as works of fiction go... pretty creative. Ahh you humans... maybe the next time i decide to randomly create life on one of my numerous worlds... I will put more effort into the reasoning portion of the brain. So yeah... not entirely sure why i stopped back here... oh well... plenty more worlds to experiment... TTFN
Haha, nice
Funny how a person posted this under the guise of God, and accused the Bible of being fiction. Ironic, too.
As for the Bible being "hate-filled garbage," anyone who has ever read the Bible thoroughly knows it's anything but. It is an amazing story from end to end of God's incredible love for His creation and the fulfillment of that love in the sacrificial death of His only Son, Jesus Christ. Hate is the last thing I think of when I read the Bible. Don't judge the Bible on what a very few non-Christians say in the supposed name of God. Try reading it sometime! (-:
And funny how you missed the message completely... God does not equal christianity... Christianity is made up... I'm not... the are in fact mutually exclusive of one another... dare i say exact opposites. Of course i dare to say it! I'm God!
I like the part where he loves his creations so much that he refuses to appear before them and annihilates most of them in a flood, despite the fact that an omnipotent being could have fixed their flawed beliefs with the snap of his fingers.
I know that when I get mad at my children, my first instinct is to kill them. Oh wait, not it's not. I try to teach them first.
Keep deluding yourself, though! It makes for great entertainment.
P.S. Outter space is awesome... perhaps one day you people will actually get out here and see that you are but a tiny spec in the vastness...a mere fudge smear in the drawers of the Universe... Created you in my image... HA! I create galaxies and stars... do you REALLY think you are like me?? HA! LMAO!
Anyone that has read the bible and fails to see it for a pile of evil garbage wrapped in sheep's clothing is in serious denial. Beyond the incredibly insipid writing, it reads like a reality TV show gone bad.
@Bret Walker: I couldn't have said it better myself, thanks!
"GOD" wrote: Created you in my image.
You idiot. The Bible reads "Let US make man in OUR image". You are in big trouble with The Lord (the Holy Spirit), mister. You wanna call yourself, "God". Good luck avoiding the wrath of The Lord (the Holy Spirit in the second verse of the Bible.) It is written, "I (the holy spirit) am the Way the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to God the Father, but by me."
It is WE who are laughing at YOU.
@ ImAJew ... yeah sorry that i misinterpreted the original misinterpretation... Try this logic: If i don't think that the bible is fact and if i do think that the bible was written by man for man's own selfish desires... does quoting the bible to me to prove a point, really proving your point? So please by all means laugh... I am sharing in the laugh as we speak.
I'm beginning to think that you are not just trolling, but rather actually think you are god. Don't you know that you were born of a woman. Every spirit you meet was born of a woman, unless you meet my Father or Adam. Or do you really not believe that you were concieved? If your mom concieved you, who concieved of the first tree, big shot?
if I had it, i'd pay a hell of a lot more than $50K for that, not cuz i'm a christian, just cuz it'd be tight to have something that was on the moon.... i hope when we're older we can go into space, i really want to one day
The reason we haven't yet is b/c the dumba$$ believers have continually held back society or at least that's part of the reason.
Whoever buys this thing should be hit in the face with something really hard. Not only is this a joke to people like me who don't believe the bible is much more then a group of agreed on made up stories, but as a Christian I would be insulted too.
Why is it worth so much? It would be different if it were the actual bible for auction. But a piece of microfilm you have to look at under a microscope? I'd pay $0.50
As a Christian, it is insulting to hear about a piece of paper the size of postage stamp going for 50K. The Bible should be free, many churches give them away.
Yes the bible should be free...of bs. Of course, then it would be reduced to 1,245 blank pages. That would be awesome!
Don't allow that hate filled garbage back into space. Is nothing more than a how to have and kill manual. Outer space doesn't deserve to be exposed to that garbage.
Don't let it get you down. Space is filled with stuff. Given that we're on Earth and Earth is in space, well, we're not talking about a status change, here. 🙂
From the moon missions we brought back several hundred pounds of rocks. I never quite understood why we needed so much. I'm sure people will laugh about this, but I've thought since the U.S. needs money some of these moon rocks should have been crushed into smaller stones suitable for rings, etc. and sold by the Government with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Last year I recall reading where a wealthy Arab in the UAE paid $5 million dollars for a vanity license plate, and another paid $3 million for a camel. I would bet to the "elite" who must have something unique, the Government could have made a few billion dollars on some of the rocks.
There is no way they reported even a fraction of what they discovered in space buddy. So yeah I would question the reason for all the rocks being taken.