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If we ever do confirm the existence of life elsewhere in the universe, do you really think it will change religion on Earth all that much?

Personally, I don't think it will. People who live their lives on a faith-based view of the universe will either choose to believe that Jesus has been to those other planets and has sacrificed himself for them too or, their primary objective will then become converting the aliens to Christianity. What's your take?

Duke 8 Jan 20
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25 comments

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9

Nope. People and their delusions aren't easily parted. They'll try to convert the aliens, and hopefully, get zapped with death rays.

LOL!

LOL! Bring it!

8

No. True believers would find a way to deny that it means anything.

7

I feel some may stop and think for a few moments, then decide they don't like thinking and decide to believe the Church's explanation/interpretation of how it is still covered in the bible.

7

The rational don't need anything to behave rationally. The irrational won't believe the evidence is real, even if it walks up to them and says "we come in peace".

6

Oh I can see the christians on a mission to convert the aliens

5

No. Obviously, the aliens were animals on the ark and somehow raptured to the other planets before us.

LOL! That must be where the dinosaurs went when they missed the ark.

5

Some people may decide to worship aliens who knows?

LOL!

3

The believers will freeze and turn expectantly toward their authorities for marching orders. It wouldn't occur to them to entertain their own ideas. Too scary, and heretical.

The authorities will find a way to make the facts fit their narrative. Like they do.

Nothing changes. If anything, the old ideas are reinforced.

3

I think aliens will bring their own superstitions, god, goddess, gods and or goddesses with them. I also believe in aliens somewhere, somehow because I believe in evolution and the cosmos is vast.

3

Considering that some evangelistic recently seriously stated, "that aliens cannot go to heaven because they aren't Adam and Eve's descendants" I don't believe so. That superstition is too ingrained.

3

I think the default would be to create a scenario that fits into the "creation story" of the Universe as proclaimed by the specific religion. And depending on how human-centric the religion is, that life would be sketched into forms that mimic human life as closely as possible. We are fond of anthropomorphism which seems to me to be part of the reason humans need to have gods at all. What would be hilarious as hell would be to find that alien life created us and not some old white man with a beard who lives in the clouds, ala Alien: Prometheus.

3

You sure will start hearing that jesus was an alien.

@Tecolote I used to be in a pro alien visit society, ran by an agnostic... so far back early 70's in Puerto Rico but they never came. The word was out before the next World War but they never came. Before the new century but they never came and as The alien agenda was being discussed... jesus was an alien always came up. I admit no WW yet if I ever see one I will ask about jesus. Alien may say jeswho?

@Tecolote When the 60's, revolution around the corner, all establishment was under attack, jesus being alien was the only jesus a communist will accept. Then the "jesus freaks" appeared. Former hippies, former junkies and LSD users. There was no easier way to express being the son of god and back in physical form 3 days after dying in the cross and going back to heavens again... descriptions of a machinery in the hallucinations described in the bible that somebody will find similar to describing a spaceship or a NASA moon prowler. All those paintings and murals 600, 700 years ago that show angels on spaceships... other religions with tales of spaceships and nuclear wars. I heard of thor being an alien too. Aliens are not a 21st century enlightenment, discovery or realization... The only thing new is the generation finding them amusing subject.

3

It would be hard to continue to maintain the biblical creation story if life is found scattered around the universe. How 'special' would we be if there were other origin points of life elsewhere? We wouldn't be the pinnacle of god's creation.

2

God cannot escape that we have created him in our image, the use of our language to speak of him. The art that depicts his divinity is done by our hand. If God is in our image with the works we have done...are we not God?

1

I think there will be two or more camps develop. One camp will hail them as our creators ala Sumerian Tablets, another camp will insist it is evidence God created the aliens as well. Other camps will either want to destroy them or fear we will be destroyed by them ala War Of The Worlds, and then there will be a myriad of splinter camps....

1

Ha!! You know not the depths of the believers delusions..if an advanced alien civilization were to suddenly appear on our collective doorstep. They would start the evangelizing right away!

1

LMAO - no the true believers are not going to give it up. They'll just want ot go convert them.

1

My take is the fundamentalist christians it will not make any difference,they will probably say if aliens exist then god can exist but is further away or some other pitiful excuse,those bordering on religion may become Agnostic or even Athiest.

1

Only if they all follow the exact same religion (names, rules, etc.) as one here. Then the other kids might have to change teams

1

Nope, not at all. Most religious people have no problem with science, since it is just showing how grand creation really is. And the Young Earth Creationists and their ilk wouldn't change their thinking if Jesus himself came back and told them they were being silly.

1

it should but probably not i feel

1

I don’t think it will either. Ignorance is very prominent in religion and most religious people might reject the evidence as and say it’s man made. Or they’ll simply say it confirms their ideologies.

1

That would put a Flatearther over the edge anyway...

0

No the average church goer doesn't actually think about it all that much. The churches won't close their doors so the congregation will keep coming. Some larger churches would make statements about the theological implications. Most of the fractured sects wouldn't need to bother as they don't even pretend to follow reason.

0

Don't forget Mohammed's followers,I'm sure the muslims would be up for some opportuntistic proselytising too. Though we may find some other religions coming the other way back to earth too,so stand by for that possiblity.

The followers of L Ron Hubbard(Dianetics)believe aliens already came to earth.

[en.wikipedia.org]

May the force be with you.

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