Groundhog Day Archives - DOES GOD EXIST? TODAY

October 31, 2023October 31, 2023

Astronomical Events and Halloween

We previously discussed the religious history of Halloween, but it also has a connection to astronomical events. Halloween is a cross-quarter day halfway between the equinox and the solstice. The equinox is when day and night have equal lengths, and the winter solstice is the shortest day and the longest night. (Groundhog Day is also a cross-quarter day.)

Humans find all kinds of reasons to celebrate visible astronomical events. Some cultures have given each of the seasonal cycles some great religious significance. Neolithic builders erected Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, over a period of 1500 years, perhaps to commemorate the summer and winter solstices. That structure shows a great understanding of the equinox and solstice, and it was, and still is, a place of worship.

Other cultures have used astronomical events to govern their religious beliefs. The pyramids of the Egyptians and the Aztecs are examples, and there are many others. Even the celebration of Christmas has astronomical connections to the winter solstice. Several cults have tried to attach great significance to astronomical events, almost always with disastrous results.

The Bible makes it clear that the followers of Jesus must not be swept up in the celebration of heavenly bodies. Acts 1:7 tells us, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in his own power.” The message of Christ is a spiritual one, not locked into watching what happens with the Sun and the Moon. Colossians 2:16 tells Christians, “Let no man, therefore, judge you in meat, or in drink or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or the sabbath days.”

It isn’t that Christians aren’t interested in what happens in the design and function of the universe, but we are warned not to engage in idolatry. Worshipping and serving created things rather than the Creator is idolatry (Romans 1:25). God’s word is the guide we should follow.

Reference: apod.nasa.gov for 10/31/23.

November 7, 2021November 6, 2021

Happy Cross-Quarter Day!

Today is a cross-quarter day, meaning that the Sun is halfway between an equinox and a solstice. The word “equinox” is a combination of “equal” and “nox” (which means night), and it occurs when the Sun is directly overhead at the equator. The solstice is when the Sun reaches its greatest distance from the equator at approximately 23.5 degrees. Then it is directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer in the north or the Tropic of Capricorn in the south. Today, the Sun is at its halfway point between the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn.

For the Northern Hemisphere, the autumn cross-quarter day falls near Halloween. In the spring, it is near “Groundhog Day.” For those of us interested in astronomy and Earth’s climate and weather, that gives Halloween and Groundhog Day a significance different from what most people consider.

For us, a cross-quarter day is another reminder that our planet is extraordinary. The reason for equinoxes and solstices is Earth’s 23.5-degree tilt. That tilt is also vital to our survival. The Sun doesn’t overheat any section of the planet because Earth’s tilt changes the latitude where the Sun is overhead. It also avoids over-cooling as the Sun returns soon enough to avoid the extreme cold temperatures we observe on other celestial objects. This design also generates weather systems, the movement of ocean currents, winds to distribute plant seeds, and many other factors needed for life.

Indeed “the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech. Night after night they display knowledge” (Psalms 19:1-2). Happy cross-quarter day!

Reference: Archaeoastronomy.com

January 2, 2021January 2, 2021

New Year Pagan Beliefs and Superstitions

As we begin a new year, we realize that many of our 21st-century traditions are rooted in new year pagan beliefs and superstitions about animals.

January gets its name from the Roman god Janus – the protector of gates and doorways. A tradition arose to drive away the forces of darkness by making noise. In Thailand, people fire guns. In China, they set off fireworks. In Switzerland, people beat drums, and in Italy, they ring church bells. In the early American colonies, people fired guns to drive away evil spirits. Today, people use party horns and sirens.

February comes from the Latin word “februa,” meaning to cleanse. The name originated in the Roman celebration Februalia, a month-long festival of purification and atonement. February’s most interesting tradition is on February 2, Groundhog Day, which falls on the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. For centuries, farmers in France and England looked to a bear to indicate if there would be more winter weather. In Germany, a badger told farmers if winter was ending, so they knew when to plant and hire laborers.

When German immigrants came to Pennsylvania in the 1800s, they brought this tradition with them. There were no badgers in Pennsylvania, so they substituted a groundhog. In 1887, the people of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, invented Punxatawney Phil to predict the seasonal change. Other towns have adopted their own groundhog traditions, such as Wiarton Willie in Wiarton, Ontario. Studies have shown no consistent correlation between the predictions of the groundhogs and the arrival of spring weather.

I have a farmer friend who swears he can tell how bad winter will be by looking at the caterpillars in his garden. I have seen energy-charged debates about whether animal behavior can predict the weather. So many variables control climate that humans will always have problems trying to predict when spring will arrive and when to plant crops.

New year pagan beliefs and superstitions involving animals are not dependable. One thing that is always right and never misleading is the teaching of Jesus Christ. When you read Matthew 5 – 7, you will find principles that are true and unchanging. Trust God’s Word to guide your life, and realize that the physical world in which we live will always be unpredictable. Any human attempts to predict the future will always be prone to error.

Some of this data came from The Old Farmers Almanac at Almanac.com/Store.