[Closed] Extra terrestrial life and religion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_(film)#Science_and_religion

Christ, molgrips, you really are bored aren't ya? 🙂

All I can say is it's a good job he's got a job now, or you'd have had him frothing at the keyboard. Give it until about seven tonight though, and I'm sure he'll be along to tell you what a worthless scrap of god bothering humanity you are 😉

🙂 🙂 🙂

I am sure they could adapt their faith to accomodate after all the evidence has not prevented them believing so far has it?
What Whoppit will say without the insults

their god allows anal probing (apparently)

Christ, molgrips, you really are bored aren't ya?

Oh you don't know the half of it. Plenty more where that came from!

These are the same people who think that religion is basically evolutionary biology for retards, presumably? 😀

If there was a god*, why would anyone assume that there was only ONE god in the universe? After all, here on earth we can't agree on who is the one true (or collective group of) deity so why would earth's god(s) have made little green men with seven eyes and testicles on their chins in his image?

*There is no god.

testicles on their chins in his image

Doesn't God tell people he is the one true god in the Old Testament?

yes to the jews the muslims and the christians - the vchildren of Abraham...giving them all the land as well ...seems to have worked well on earth sure they can spread this message of love and tolerance to space

Doesn't God tell people he is the one true god in the Old Testament?

Before the jews got serious, absolutely no-one thought that there was only one god. All previous ideas about gods were (as far as we know) of the Conan the Barbarian variety*, limited in scope and basically unimaginative, admitting of the possibility of others in the way that old maps admitted of the possibility that there were continents that weren't shown on the map.

The idea that the jews had about the all-encompassing nature of their god was a new one, and one of the more significant ideas that humans have had (in terms of its impact rather than its correctness necessarily). There is no room at all in the theology of the abrahamic religions for any other gods to be out there. There is no space in which they can exist.

[in this view] If there are aliens out there they are a part of god's creation just as much as we are. Whether they have the same insights into god as we do doesn't seem to matter. But I suppose if we could have any meaningful relationship with them we might easily say that they too were created in god's image, we'd just have to assume (as I think most grown-ups do) that this has to do with characterisitcs other than having tentacles.

I'm reading Paul Davies book "the eerie silence" at the moment. I love the fact that there are serious, intelligent people out there actually making plans for dealing with alien contact if it happens. 🙂

* [i] Conan: What gods do you pray to?
Subotai: I pray to the four winds... and you?
Conan: To Crom... but I seldom pray to him, he doesn't listen.
Subotai: [chuckles] What good is he then? Ah, it's just as I've always said.
Conan: He is strong! If I die, I have to go before him, and he will ask me, "What is the riddle of steel?" If I don't know it, he will cast me out of Valhalla and laugh at me. That's Crom, strong on his mountain!
Subotai: Ah, my god is greater.
Conan: [chuckles] Crom laughs at your four winds. He laughs from his mountain.
Subotai: My god is stronger. He is the everlasting sky! Your god lives underneath him.[/i]

I vote for that collective unconscious / godhead malarkey.

I'm not alleging that the Christian God really IS the one true god - I was merely providing you with reasons why people might assume that there is only one God. That is, because their scripture says so.

too late to deny it now molgrips 😉 We know

Lots of people don't agree with that analysis molgrips.

The purpose in identifying life outside the Earth biosphere is not intended to support a specific religious viewpoint or atheist agenda.

But it will undermine assumptions many people make about the uniqueness of the "life" phenomenon. I speculate now... knowing that there are extraterrestrial "aliens", we might even be a little less xenophobic about our fellow humans [but I doubt it].

Right, ok then, who'd win a fight between a lion, right, and a great white shark. A nazi great white shark, and the lion could have a flick knife. Debate that, you dawkins fanboys!

knowing that there are extraterrestrial "aliens", we might even be a little less xenophobic about our fellow humans

No way. They'd have to be actually over here, stealing our jobs and taking our women for that to happen. 🙂

[Remembers how ace District 9 is..]

on land the lion in water the shark...I doubt the lion could use the flick knife or need it. Not sure the shark can join the nazis is it an indigenous shark or one of those foreign ones that comes to our water and eats our fish. What colour is the shark?

Nazi Great White Shark FTW.

[i]All[/i] great white sharks are nazis. Some of them just pretend to be moderate to make themselves more electable.

Ok then, but where would you stand MORALLY on that. It's all well and good cheering him on when he's biting trawlermen and that, but are you going to put up with him denying the holocaust?

"Nazi Great White Shark"

That needs a thread all of its own.

Look. If a 25 metre long nazi fish with a million enormous teeth reckons no jews were harmed during the making of the holocaust then who are we to argue?

Besides, lions lost my respect when they started carrying flick knives.

And they can break a mans arms with them fins. Or is that swans? Bastards anyway, all of 'em.

And the lion could be wearing a hoody.

If you think the Great White is King in the Water - you havent seen the footage of an Orca kicking a Bigger great white's ass and then snacking on it..(this has occurred a few times off the coast of San Francisco.)

Meanwhile this is happening all the Great White's mates dive deep and swim a few thousand miles to Hawaii...and dont return to said San Fransisco feeding ground for a few years!
The Orca's return to snacking on seals and the like until the great whites return.

*Orca - truly lives up to its name as a Killer Whale!

Great white would beat a swan easily. The swan's killer move is the arm-break, but the shark's got no arms. What's the swan going to do then?

assumptions many people make about the uniqueness of the "life" phenomenon

Well they are assumptions are they not, and not fundamental to the concept of religion?

Where are killer whales on the political spectrum?

Conservatives probably, or more likely UKIP (nazi-lite).

"Well they are assumptions are they not, and not fundamental to the concept of religion?"

Assumptions in deed. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Do you wonder if all the angels and demi-gods are really extra-terrestrials?

I was merely providing you with reasons why people might assume that there is only one God. That is, because their scripture says so.

black and white colour scheme? Thats the Cornwall Independence Party isnt it?

Clearly. I do wonder why people might have a problem with the idea of aliens. Can anyone give any insight?

What if God set the big bang off. And then next door, in the other universe, set off another big bang?

(even though the Big Bang theory is bollocks of course)

" I do wonder why people might have a problem with the idea of aliens. Can anyone give any insight?"

I've never seen one, have you? The simplest explanation is that there aren't any.

I've never seen one, have you? The simplest explanation is that there aren't any.

the simplest explanation is that they're too far away to see. That there were none would be highly unlikely!

[i]Doesn't God tell people he is the one true god in the Old Testament?[/i]

True, but Enimen told me he was the real Slim Shady, so now I don't know who to believe.

Someone described the search for alien life as like looking for a needle in a haystack, except that it's a very big haystack, it may not contain a needle and to search for the needle you have to squint through a drinking straw.

The real slim shady is Eminem. That other guy Enimen is a tribute act from Staines.

...you have to squint through a drinking straw.

better than having to eat through one.

[i] Someone described the search for alien life as like looking for a needle in a haystack, except that it's a very big haystack, it may not contain a needle and to search for the needle you have to squint through a drinking straw.[/i]

Sounds dangerous, you could take an eye out doing that.

Someone described the search for alien life

why bother ? My next door neighbours are weird beyond belief and I'm sure they think the same about me. Investigating them would have a much lower carbon footprint...

I'm fairly sure the bible describes the earth as the only planet/place place with life and humans as the only intelligent beings, or words to that effect. Hence the impact on christianity if you find another planet with life and something smart living there.

I'd be pretty surprised if it does so in terms, but perhaps you'll give us some verse references. 😉

Even if it does, while it will doubtless piss off thick headed retard creationists, alien life wouldn't be a problem for sane people's christianity any more than the palpable correctness of The Origin of Species was once they got over the shock.

Hence the impact on christianity if you find another planet with life and something smart living there.

except Christianity is mainly based on the New Testament ?

Hence the impact on christianity if you find another planet with life

Nah, only parts of it.

I read the other day that St Augustine born in 384 AD considered the bible to be metaphorical. So I dunno about all this banging on on here about faults with the bible invalidating Christianity.

aye molgrips, aye

BTW I worked on Beagle2 and its search on Mars. I was mighty peeved when it screwed up. Have a bone to pick with Mars and would like another go.

I think the real reason a lot of the more obsessive Christians would have issues with the discovery of [i]intelligent[/i] alien life is that they view mankind as the only truly intelligent species, created by God [i]in His image[/i], so to find other species equal to or greater than man in intelligence sees that notion turn into a train wreck, because how could God have multiple aspects in which to create intelligent beings in the likeness of? If you follow me? You'd then have to accept a pantheistic heaven, or none at all.
The believers would probably all throw themselves off of cliffs, which would keep the Great Whites and the Orcas occupied for quite a while, making things safer for surfers and swimmers, so a result all round.

because how could God have multiple aspects in which to create intelligent beings in the likeness of?

oh you mean like the 3 parts of the Trinity ??

We're talking rather more than three, I think, and forgive me if I've got this wrong, but those three aspects are still human in appearance? I'm talking about entities startlingly different from what would be considered human, which I thought was obvious.

Lol@Buzz. So when they finally have manned missions to Mars, you'll volunteer, get up there, find the remains of Beagle 2 and kick the crap of it saying 'Why didn't you work you piece of shit probe!'

But on topic - it's only the Bible that says God created man in His image. That could be just fluff. Doesn't preclude the existence of a god or that Christ was his son etc...

We're talking rather more than three

the number may be metaphorical ?

I'm talking about entities startlingly different from what would be considered human, which I thought was obvious.

now you're guessing 🙂

their god allows anal probing (apparently)

so aliens are the catholic church then? do the dresses hide the fact that all priests have tentacle instead of feet.....Bloody hell David Ike was right, we're all under the control of aliens 😯

I'd be pretty surprised if it does so in terms, but perhaps you'll give us some verse references.

The bible fairly regularly refers to "the whole inhabitable world" and "the habitable earth".

And this is a genuine explanation given by a christian:

18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

THE WORD VAIN CAN BE TRANSLATED "VOID". IN OTHER WORDS, THE ORIGINAL CREATION WAS INHABITED AND THEN A GREAT DESTRUCTION HAPPENED INSTIGATED BY SATAN. THESE INHABITANTS WERE A PRE-ADAMIC RACE OF BEINGS. THESE CREATURES WERE HERE BEFORE MAN AND WERE PART OF THE GREAT FALL FROM HEAVEN OF LUCIFER (SATAN) AND 1/3 OF THE ANGELS. THEY INHABITED THE EARTH AND THE HEAVENLIES, OR OUTER SPACE. SATAN WAS IN CHARGE OF ALL THE PLANETS AND HIS MINIONS MOVED ABOUT VIA VEHICLES AFTER THE FALL. TECHNOLOGY IS SATAN'S ATTEMPT TO REPRODUCE THE NATURE OF UNFALLEN CREATION. WE CALL THESE BEINGS “ALIENS" AND THEY FLY IN UFOS.

THESE BEINGS HAVE BEEN INTERACTING WITH MAN EVER SINCE THE GARDEN OF EDEN. THE SERPENT IN THE GARDEN WAS SATAN INDWELLING THE BODY OF A SAUROID, THE RULING CLASS OF ALIENS. IN GENESIS 6 WE READ WHERE ALIENS CONDUCTED GENETIC ENGENEERING.

That tells me plenty.

"find the remains of Beagle 2 and kick the crap of it saying 'Why didn't you work you piece of shit probe!'"

😀

Mars has secrets and it's stubborn to give them up. There are very strong suspicions about life on Mars and I still want to be a part of uncovering these secrets.

I love anything that screws up any religious view of the iniverse. It makes me feel all warm inside as I watch fanatics scrabble around trying to justify their view.My sister in law gave us some cards like top trumps once to give to our son. They were christian propaganda and set about explaining from a christian point of view, things that for some strange reason don't get mentioned in the bible. Dinosaurs, fossils, oil, volcanoes etc, etc. It would appear that most of these things are tests to confirm our faith.

Well I never. And here's me thinking it's abject bullshit. Look guys, hold your hands up, admit it's all fairy stories, you'll maintain a steady readership, these people don't want the truth they just want support. They can't survive without your crutch, give it to them but just stop crapping it out.

Old post:

Back in the day spacemen came down and setup a biosphere on planet earth.
The new colonists (Adam and Eve) tried earth produce, thus contaminating them with local bacteria, so they ended up stuck on Earth, and so the world was populated.

Then, you’ll have heard about Noah, he was one a group of scientist who heard about deteriorating weather patterns, so they gene sequenced as much flora and fauna before the weather patterns failed completely. They fled in a spaceship. Once the weather had settled down they returned and re-stocked the earth to the best of their abilities.

Some time passed…
Around about 2000 years ago…

An off planet survey group came to check up on the Earth, arriving in a spaceship the planted it in low orbit. Then using EVA suits they came down to earth and impregnated a lady (jetpacks-wings, halo-helmet glint). She insisted to her doting husband that it was angels…

Following the successful birth the ship left low orbit using fusion drive, visible by the naked eye from earth.

The young lad grew up knowing he was special, not least as he was regularly communicated to by off planet beings. They taught him some key medical knowledge, and provided him with special equipment – he was also not genetically the same as most humans. This transpired into:

Healing the sick – with some (by today’s standard) simple medical procedures.
Feeding the hungry – concentrated dehydrated rations and some water.
Living with the lepers (as they were called then) – not affected by human illnesses so much).

As his life continued the off world beings came in more contact, towards the end of his life they landed a craft in a local lake.
The ‘chap’ rowed out then walked on the deck of the submerged ship, appearing to walk on water.

Eventually his antics became untrusted and so he was condemned to be crucified.

Being not fully human, typical capital punishments didn’t fully terminate him, so when removed he was not completely dead.

Following a few days of recuperation, he used his off planet strength (the beings were from a hi-G world) to open the cave door and exit.

The off-planet observers took the opportunity to use a tractor beam to take him off planet.

We’ve been talking about it ever since, and a long time later some folk wrote a book about it…