Hi Duane.
You say
Quote:
Stephanie, while I mostly agree with you, I also found some entertainment in some of the replies that came forth on the various topics. While I was tempted to respond, I didn;'t for the very reason you are expousing--this is not the place for a discussion on theology.
I HAVE learned a few things reading here, and I thought I was pretty knowledgable about astonomy.
I hope you stick around and keep asking questions. I think you will get your answers--you might just have to get through the gook first!
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Could you take on a task, please? Could you act for a while as a mentor/ tutor/ pathpointer, whatever, for Stephanie. Every time Stephanie posts a question (about astronomy) could you kindly have a go at answering it? If it is outside your personal range just use the standard procedure and holler for help. If that would be acceptable to Stephanie, that is.
Somewhere within the borders of this domain, I don't know where or when, she has had an unpleasant experience having asked a question, and that really shouldn't be allowed to happen. I’m sure there are plenty of people who will jump in to elaborate answers where necessary. If anyone sincerely and genuinely wonders what is going on when they look up at the stars there is a lot there for them to learn.
It will be up to Stephanie to do the best she can to ask the questions that mean the most to her. By the time you have done direct naked-eye astronomy, what NASA's four great space telescopes are revealing day by day (SIRTF in action soon), cosmology, a bit of particle physics, relativity, quantum mechanics, strings and things, and GUT and suchlike, we will all doubtless have learned something new.
And, Stephanie, don't get put off by that list. After all, it's not rocket science. And don't, if you can help it, get put off by the silliness of silly people. (Take Dips' advice, and use his method, maybe?) And try not to take offence at remarks from people who are being offensive who one day might be granted the grace not to be.
Keep asking the questions. As far as understanding astronomy, you are already half way there when you stand under the night sky and wonder what, and wonder at, what you see. As you do.
Philip