Did a meteorite save the Christianity?

[Argos]

In an article issued last month on the British magazine “Antiquity” the Italian archaeologist Roberto Santilli states that a meteor impact in the region of Abruzzo, Italy, in the Prati del Sirente valley, may have triggered the extintion of an ethnic group called the “superaequum”, and favored the expansion of the Christianity (and the end of the Roman Empire). According to a story, during a superaquum pagan orgy it was heard a “thunder, which stroke the mountain and ripped the giant oaks apart. In the sky, a new star, bigger than any other, approached more and more and disappeared behind the mountains. The forest dried. The Sirente trembled”. The event of sirene would have shocked the social conscience of the time, which linked the pagan celebration to the cataclism, thus starting the chain of events that ultimately led to the growth of the small Christian groups scattered through Italy.

The Sirente crater (http://www.spacetoday.org/SolSys/Earth/Meteorites/MeteoriteChristians.html) was recently discovered by the team led by the Swedish astrobiologist Jens Ormö, of the Spanish National Institute for Aerospace Techniques. It is the first meteoric crater identified in Italy. The material collected in the spot indicates that the impact occurred between the fourth and fifth centuries of the Christian Age, and was sufficiently big to be perceived by the population (Sirente is located 50 miles from Rome)

A legend accounts that the Emperor Constantino saw a “flaming cross” in the eve of a battle against his rival, Maxentius, by the year 312. According to Ormö, Constantino may have witnessed the Sirente impact. The event may have been decisive for the adoption of the Christian religion in the Roman Empire.

[Tuckerfan]

Constanine didn't "officially" convert to Christianity until he was on his deathbed and there's some evidence that his only interest in Christianity was to help consolidate his power and that his deathbed conversion was done when he was so far gone mentally that he had no idea of what was going on.

[Argos]

OK. That´s just speculation.

But the important thing here is the discovery of a meteor crater in Italy, a very small one. I thought that this post could trigger an interesting discussion about the size of the object, speed, entry angle etc.

But I was obviously wrong. :)

[nebularain]

Isn't this the same thing we discussed here (http://www.badastronomy.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=6573&highlight=meteor+christianity ) .

[Argos]

Now I see. Somebody could have warned me earlier...(I mean, you usually do it when you care for someone).

Thanks, anyway, Neb.

(*) Sometimes I feel I should stop posting here, and become just a lurker. (I feel depressed at the lesser hint of being unwanted).

(**) But I won´t do it. Although I am the dumbest guy here, I have many things to say, things that may be important for someone (dumber than me, if such a creature can be found).

So lets keep on...

[nebularain]

:cry:

Argos, that's so sad.

Actually, I didn't mention it sooner because I was rushing through posts, mostly, and I thought someone else was going to mention it (they usually do :-? ). But no one else did, so I flipped through the posts to find the one in question and posted it (for some reason, me and search engines to jive as well as others do).

Please don't take the lack of responses personally. (Actually, I think everyone is having too much fun spending their time on the new BlABBing forum :wink: . Seriousness, I have observed, has been taking a back seat as of late. :-# )

You do have good things to contribute and you are wanted. OK?

[Musashi]

Argos, trust me you are not the dumbest person here. I mean, look at some of the stuff that goes on with that Supreme Canuk guy and that other fool Humpty Humphrey in the new fora! :D

Seriously though, I say some pretty stupid things here, I think we all do (excluding the BA 8) , JayUtah, JimO, and several others!). Don't lurk, we all want to hear what you have to say! :)

[Argos]

**For the records, after the Thursday breakdown**

Thanks for the kind words, Neb and Musashi. As I said, you are great people and i´m happy to be a part of this community.

I may not be the dumbest, but I´m surely the prickest. :oops: :)

[JHollywood]

Um don't mean to interrupt, but let me ask you something on this debate. Wouldn't beliving the impact of a meteor "evolved" the religon of christianty contradict the whole creation issue?

[eburacum45]

Old Constantine was a wily and machiavellian operator; a typical Roman Emperor.
He adopted the Christian faith without abandoning the other faiths of the Roman Empire until his deathbed.
He no doubt appropriated the signs and portents that were reported in the period of his great victory, whatever they were.
In the past theories have been put forward that the Cross in the Sky that he saw was a Sundog of some sort, or parhelia; there are several cross like phenomena to choose from,
as can be seen here (http://www.sundog.clara.co.uk/halo/bishop.htm)
And of course one man's good omen can be another ones evil portent, depending on rationalisation after the event.