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Member (Idle past 5737 days) Posts: 105 From: Pullman, WA, USA Joined: |
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Author | Topic: First Contact and Its Implications for Religion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Organicmachination Member (Idle past 5737 days) Posts: 105 From: Pullman, WA, USA Joined: |
Hello all,
I know I haven't been active on this site for quite a while, but I've been intensely busy with getting ready for college apps and the such, so much so that I haven't had a chance to do much of anything enjoyable on the computer until now. Anyway, on to the topic of this thread. Suppose that in the very near future, humankind makes contact with an extraterrestrial species, either by direct meeting or by the discovery of a message from the stars by SETI and the like. Suppose that, much in the same way that the message in Sagan's Contact is realized, mankind realizes that this message is not of natural origins, and is, instead, from a species beyond our Earth. What implications would this discovery have for religion on Earth? How would it be received by religious fanatics and fundamentalists? I believe that this is a very interesting question indeed, and one that requires some discussion. Thanks
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AdminNosy Administrator Posts: 4754 From: Vancouver, BC, Canada Joined: |
Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.
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Straggler Member (Idle past 93 days) Posts: 10333 From: London England Joined: |
Good question!
We need some theists to provide their thoughts on the matter.At the very least I would suggest that an advanced alien species would cast serious doubt on the idea that we are in any way special (made in God's image etc. etc.) I would be intrigued to know if the aliens had something resembling religion in their culture aat all.
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Organicmachination Member (Idle past 5737 days) Posts: 105 From: Pullman, WA, USA Joined: |
Indeed.
I wonder how the credibility of the Bible could be rationally defended against all logical arguments if such a discovery were made. Come one, come all. This should be exciting.
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BeagleBob Member (Idle past 5704 days) Posts: 81 Joined: |
Alien species?
Convert them.
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Taz Member (Idle past 3319 days) Posts: 5069 From: Zerus Joined: |
God made Adam and Eve, not Elliott and E.T.
I'm trying to see things your way, but I can't put my head that far up my ass.
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Organicmachination Member (Idle past 5737 days) Posts: 105 From: Pullman, WA, USA Joined: |
Say what?
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Taz Member (Idle past 3319 days) Posts: 5069 From: Zerus Joined: |
Let me say it more slowly. The Bible is the living word of God. It says nothing about E.T. Therefore, E.T. does not exist.
Now, suppose that we do indeed one day make contact with an alien civilization. It will be nothing more than an illusion. If the bible mentions nothing about E.T., then God has no plan for E.T., meaning we must do everything we can to rid of the illusion. I'm trying to see things your way, but I can't put my head that far up my ass.
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Deftil Member (Idle past 4482 days) Posts: 128 From: Virginia, USA Joined: |
My guess is that at first it would cause a lot of fuss, but it could eventually die down the way it did with Copernican heliocentrism.
Although much like evolution some might argue that it doesn't really exist, and some would argue that the idea can be seen not as contradictory to but compatible with their beliefs. And I imagine there would be some whom it would make question and ultimately give up their religious beliefs.
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AnswersInGenitals Member (Idle past 178 days) Posts: 673 Joined: |
We have a very good historical model for exactly how religious institutions and believers would react. When Columbus discovered E. E.s (Extra-Europeans), Christian Europe reacted in three mutually complimentary ways:
1) figure out how to proselytize them 2) figure out how to slaughter them 3) figure out how to make a buck off them. All subsequent space flights would be required to carry a coterie of missionaries.
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Brian Member (Idle past 4986 days) Posts: 4659 From: Scotland Joined: |
The Bible is the living word of God. It says nothing about E.T. Therefore, E.T. does not exist. It also says nothing about God creating more people that could build the pyramids after the Flood, yet you are quite happy to posit the possibility of this since it 'solves' an immediate problem.
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Taz Member (Idle past 3319 days) Posts: 5069 From: Zerus Joined: |
This is a great point. If there is contact between two civilizations, I have no doubt that either we will proselytize, slaughter, and exploit them or they will proselytize, slaughter, and exploit us.
In the past, some people have stated that because the universe is such a vast place and that compared the number of people that can live the amount of resources is so much more vast that there'd be no need for war at all. They argued that first contact would probably be a start of a very peaceful coexistence between humans and aliens. I, however, disagree with this notion. If we look at the entire span of recorded human history, seldom do we see any war started because of scarcity of resources. I'd say that most wars were fought over power, wealth, and honor. I see no reason why encounter with an alien civilization would be any different than this. Directly relating this to our topic, most religions in the world teach that humanity is special in regard to creation. This is why most religions have taught at some point in the past of the center-ness of our world in regard to the universe. In fact, creos still argue today that the reason we observe a universal recession of galaxies every direction we look is because the Earth is indeed in the center of the Universe. Contact with an alien civilization will blow many of these long held beliefs out of the water. And I'm pretty darn sure the aliens would have some similar philosophy (aka bullshit ideas) regarding their special place in the cosmos. Such a clash of ideologies and a sense of specialness would inevitably result in at least a culture war if not an open war. I'm trying to see things your way, but I can't put my head that far up my ass.
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Taz Member (Idle past 3319 days) Posts: 5069 From: Zerus Joined: |
Haha, do I sense a tu quoque somewhere in there?
I'm trying to see things your way, but I can't put my head that far up my ass.
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Brian Member (Idle past 4986 days) Posts: 4659 From: Scotland Joined: |
do I sense a tu quoque somewhere in there? Not at all. And, of course, my approach to the Bible has no effect on the veracity of your stance. I much prefer to approach the Bible in the contexts that it was written, and I hope your 'literal bible' topic gets promoted soon.
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Organicmachination Member (Idle past 5737 days) Posts: 105 From: Pullman, WA, USA Joined: |
But I think we must realize that, yes, through the eyes of human history, encounters with other civilizations have often spurred violence, but also that first contact would not be directly comparable to contact with earthly civilizations. During no time in history have humans thought of another earthbound civilization as totally alien, or recognized them as not of this world. The exception to this is, of course, the reaction of the Maya to the spanish conquistadors. But in this case, the Mayans were in awe of and worshiped the Spaniards, mainly because they believed them to be Gods.
There would be a sense of humility, of ones' place in the world, and true awe in the air if two civilizations, both recognizing each other as completely alien and apart from their own worldly civilizations, were to be made aware of each other. I think it might be more likely that both would be like Mayans in awe of the Spaniards, not the other way around. Unless of course, the aliens are a universal scourge hell bent on the eradication of all life forms. I hope this makes sense.
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