A question for religious folks

[Eventhorizon]

Do you, or how do you see your view of your god changing should mankind encounter one or numerous alien species more intelligent than mankind. Doe intelligence matter? For instance would it effect your view of your god should the species be vastly more intelligent or would a simple lifeform on another planet change your view?

 

[Oscillation]

Of course it would!
My view of my father would change if I found out he got another child with another woman. In the same manner my view of God would change if encountering aliens. But would I consider my father no longer be my father? Well, honestly, that's a question I surely not could ansere before I'm encountering that event... and the same goes for aliens. I am though willing to suggest that I would still consider God being the God I knew, just knowing a little more about him.

More than changing my view of God it would indeed change my view of the world, but that can hardly be anything unique about religious folks could it? Wouldn't every single one on earth be flabbergasted?

Higly intellegent or not, it would still be amazing. I don't think it would make that of a big differens in my opinion, but rather what kind of culture they would have if intelligent: a culture reminding of ours or not (and would they be humanoid?).

Very interesting topic I must say!

 

[Y0u]

They wouldn't change my view much, because to me, God is everything all together. Kind of takes the wind out of the sails of divisive and hate/fear based religious thinking. So, I guess that makes it a lot less fun to some people.

 

[Eventhorizon]

Do most humans not see themselves as the end all be all of known creation though at this point? Every known thing was created for the purpose of mankind one way or the other?

 

[Oscillation]

Do most humans not see themselves as the end all be all of known creation though at this point? Every known thing was created for the purpose of mankind one way or the other?

Could you refrase that? I'm having a hard time understand the whole sentence.

 

[ZcM4xzkjgzCjytBc]

Do most humans not see themselves as the end all be all of known creation though at this point? Every known thing was created for the purpose of mankind one way or the other?

Are you implying that religious people think their religion applies to only humans?

 

[Oscillation]

Are you implying that religious people think their religion applies to only humans?

Are you implying "religious people" think it's their religion?

Just playin' :dance:

 

[j654dgj7]

I feel like the real danger of religion is when people take their holy texts too literally. Very few geniuses or inventors have been literal-minded. Religion can be fantastic if you take it as a means to living a good life, or gathering in a healthy, local community. It's not good when you limit your world into something that can be shattered by the appearance of aliens, evolution or global warming.

 

[Eventhorizon]

Are you implying that religious people think their religion applies to only humans?

Yes. I am implying that the older religions place mankind at the center of creation. Introduce the existence of a race that did not originate on the earth and who are more intelligent than humans and it could throw a large and irreconcilable discrepancy into that vision.

 

[ZcM4xzkjgzCjytBc]

Yes. I am implying that the older religions place mankind at the center of creation.

If you take religion literally (as most people do).

Introduce the existence of a race that did not originate on the earth and who are more intelligent than humans and it could throw a large and irreconcilable discrepancy into that vision.

Meanwhile on Earth: we've already introduced conflicting religions.
I guess you could focus on Christianity if you want, but I don't see the point.

 

[Eventhorizon]

This is what Ill say. Get ready.
Nasa is softening up the public for the announcement as we speak.

 

[heiots]

No. Whether the aliens are more intelligent than us or not, or whether they exist or not, that doesn't affect my view of God. My relationship with God has nothing to do with them.

 

[Eventhorizon]

No. Whether the aliens are more intelligent than us or not, or whether they exist or not, that doesn't affect my view of God. My relationship with God has nothing to do with them.

Ok so how would you view the aliens? Would they be a race ignorant of god? Would they need to be taught of your god? If they learned of your god anx rejected it what would you think? Would you believe that god had created them even though they rejected that god?

 

[Oscillation]

Ok so how would you view the aliens? Would they be a race ignorant of god? Would they need to be taught of your god? If they learned of your god anx rejected it what would you think? Would you believe that god had created them even though they rejected that god?

Often I notice that both religious and non-religious people tend to talk about religion as something "man-made", thus allready making the assumption that their religion has no universal value. Isn't that fairly odd?
If there TRUELY is a god, then he/she probably is the god of the whole universe and not just the ones that happens to believe in him/her.

So if we were to discover an intelligent race beyond our own world, then I would be espescially intrested in getting to know what they allready know about God - NOT primarily TEACH them about a god. My god is reality, not a set of concepts made up by a single culture.

But of course I also would teach them about what I already found out about God.

 

[Eventhorizon]

Often I notice that both religious and non-religious people tend to talk about religion as something "man-made", thus allready making the assumption that their religion has no universal value. Isn't that fairly odd?
If there TRUELY is a god, then he/she probably is the god of the whole universe and not just the ones that happens to believe in him/her.

So if we were to discover an intelligent race beyond our own world, then I would be espescially intrested in getting to know what they allready know about God - NOT primarily TEACH them about a god. My god is reality, not a set of concepts made up by a single culture.

But of course I also would teach them about what I already found out about God.

Right but this has already played out here on earth. Tribes that know nothing of a god being ...informed of whatever god thise who find them worship.
So lets say for the argument they have no knowledge of anything like a god.

 

[SpecialEdition]

I think it's easy to assume that we are talking about Christianity seeing as the belief is usually that humankind was made in the image of God, so if an intelligent form of life came into our awareness that was more intelligent and advanced than we were, then we might wonder why we are so behind the curve if we are supposed to be so God-Like.

 

[heiots]

Ok so how would you view the aliens? Would they be a race ignorant of god? Would they need to be taught of your god? If they learned of your god anx rejected it what would you think? Would you believe that god had created them even though they rejected that god?

How? I think I'd start off, assuming they're the friendly sort, by discussing about God. It seems most of them has heard of Christ. My dad has books on extraterrestrial life and the experiences people have had, and those who brought religion in the picture say the aliens have knowledge on this particular topic. It'd be a nice discussion, but if they said anything that contradicts my beliefs of Christ and eternal life, I wouldn't believe it. If they were a race ignorant, or needed to be taught, or already knows but rejects Him, it wouldn't be surprising. It happens with humans. And sure, why wouldn't God have created them, rejection or not?

ETA: Few things stay unchangeable for me, and this is what keeps me sane. So...the existence or nonexistence of aliens don't really bother me much. If they're around, cool, but I bet even they don't have all the answers to life.

 

[Oscillation]

Right but this has already played out here on earth. Tribes that know nothing of a god being ...informed of whatever god thise who find them worship.
So lets say for the argument they have no knowledge of anything like a god.

Our perception of reality isn't the reality itself, and since non of us can go beyond our own perception we all are living somewhat disconnected from reality. Our image of God isn't God himself, and this is a insight worth ackowledge. Some might have been getting the opportunity to percive more about reality, of course, thus making the statement of "bringing the true religion" to others, but we can never say there are tribes who know nothing about reality. Being human, or alive, is knowing something about reality, and if God is being part of that reality, they might aswell know something about God.

So I'm not that certain that they wouldn't know anything about God... just that their perception of God probably wouldn't be totally the same as ours (mine). When you say "lets say for the argument they have no knowledge of anything like a god" I understand what you mean, but still will make the statement that they would know something about reality.

I wish I could explain myself better. Reality and God is somewhat the same thing in my way of thinking, since both are universal. But then again "to percieve" and "to know" is perhaps not the same thing: we can all percieve reality, but not all of us understand it. The same goes for God.

Man, I wish I could talk fluently!

 

[Solongo]

For me it further proves the vast creative and intelligent ability of god. It's no secret that the so called gods in the ancient world were of alien origin. its also obvious that the origin of humans is still debated and so many questions are not answered by the limited scope of modern science. Even if the news of the ETs is orchestrated with political and social motives by the world government and revealed to the public; it's only a very small scope of the massive understanding of the celestial galaxies housing many variety of lifeforms. Earth's perspective of itself is very outdated; as if still living in the dark ages of ethnocentric thinking; the assumption that everything revolves around humans will be tarnished. This concept is very judeo christian view anyways; eastern religions have always acknowledged ETs and their visits and acknowledged the importance of their involvement with humanity. if anything, the news announcement can clear away outdated religious dogmas that will not be able to handle the influx of new understanding of the universe and we need it.

From the new revealed conspiracy theories and research on this controversial subject reveals that earth is very far behind in it's development to join the ETs that currently rule many galaxies. Technology has helped accelerate the speed of which information and knowledge is breaking outdated views; its still far behind understanding the reasoning and deeper motivations of ETs involvement with humans. There is so much that is being hidden it is ridiculous; yet every other month some sort of ancient stones and artifacts are revealed around the world and nobody can give a clear explanation on them and why the earth is littered with sacred geometric structures that are just "there". The governments can't keep on fooling people anymore because they are running out of excuses and retarded explanations.

 

[jennerb]

This is what Ill say. Get ready.
Nasa is softening up the public for the announcement as we speak.

Do you really think this? If so, what signs of this "softening up" have you noted? And what motivation would they have for making a public announcement?