Move over Michael Jackson. Moon walking may be next for Jesus Christ, whose child star image is now being reported as being seen upon the lunar surface. It appeared on January 19, 2011, and persisted for a few days. Some even now, still report images.
Images interpreted as being of Jesus on the moon have ignited controversy and even some panic in India. It is not unusual for people to see images appear, and often Catholic Christians, such as some living in Mumbai and Goa, in India, report such phenomena most frequently. More often, we see or hear of such iconic images appearing on windows, stones, even junk food, such as the famous Ebay grilled cheese sandwich, that is reported to have sold on Ebay for hundreds of dollars, and corn chips, such as those marketed by Stephen Colbert.
The image is a faint outline of what appears to be Mary and the infant Jesus. This is seen by some as a sign of a pending apocalypse. Most Church leaders, although open to the idea of such a divine revelation, urge calm and appreciation, not doomsday warnings.
Recent civil unrest, calls for revolution and more and more food shortages world-wide, surge such panic when such an image occurs. Scientists explain it as a mere phantom of light, shadow, the particular way light was configured on lunar topography at that time.
For the message minded, it is seen as either a calming comfort that Jesus is still with us and will come soon, to others it sets off fears of doomsday. Many will repent and be drawn to the Christian religion, in particular, if their interpretation is that of divine offering from the Heavens.
The moon, is of course, anciently aligned in most spiritual paths as especially meaningful and even representative of women, so an image of Mary, and of motherhood, can inspire believers to think the feminine power of the Holy mother may be in evidence.
It remains to be seen if more images will incite further belief, and whether it could spread beyond India. Another spiritual leader’s image, that of GoHar Shahi, is also reported to have images appearing on the moon.
It is unclear just where all the peridolia, (the appearance of images in every day places) will lead, but of all the advertising space imaginable, none is so well placed as the moon for getting the attention of gazing, and longing, for humans here on earth.
It would not be at all surprising if Stephen Colbert’s will be the next image, as his famous Eagle iconography, self promotion, and Colbert bump will be out to capture market share.
