Freethought & Rationalism Archive

kwigibo · 01-09-2002, 09:57 PM

But perhaps their torture involves something that is painful to them but not to us.

Aliens: we will feed you donuts and give you backrubs until you accept the salvation of <insert strange sounding alien deity here>

Monkeybot · 01-09-2002, 10:11 PM

Yeah, or like how nitrous oxide is painful to Vulcans but good stuff to us!

kwigibo · 01-10-2002, 12:59 AM

reminds me of the Monty Python spanish inquisition

"Now, Cardinal Biggles, give her... the comfy chair!!!"

Echo · 01-10-2002, 04:09 AM

If intelligent extraterrestrials did come to Earth, I wonder how theists would go about determining whether they were analogous to humankind and thus in need of salvation or just animals that, while highly intelligent, are not morally culpable, have no soul, and are in no need of salvation?

I wonder what the criteria would be in determining this?

Celsus · 01-10-2002, 04:23 AM

The aliens come to earth and decide that viruses are the superior species, dolphins the most intelligent, and completely ignore foolish apes worshipping their mythological creations.

butswana · 01-10-2002, 07:20 AM

I've always wondered if astronaut/explorers, whether they be in space, on Mars or the Moon, would be caught up in The Rapture.
I have never got an answer from xtians on this. They usually just call me a smart ass.

DarkBronzePlant · 01-10-2002, 07:48 AM

My take:

The hardcore Christians would say that there are no aliens. The bible doesn't say there are. But if there are aliens (maybe god just created their world separately, too, and gave them their own "bible") then god would try to communicate with them, too, and give them their own commandments, etc. Whether or not they are going to hell or not would depend on whether the first two aliens created (call them Xerxon and Trillion) ate the forbidden zurple, or whatever. If so, then Xerxon & Trillion's fate would probably be similar to ours.

Which leads to interesting questions, of course. 1. If Xerxon and Trillion didn't disobey god, then why was god's alien creation successful, but his earthly creation not? Leads us again to the omnipotent/benevolent discussion. 2. if Xerxon and Trillion did disobey god, then did he send Jesus to save them as well? If so, was it the same Jesus... who now presumably died, ascended into heaven, died again, ascended into heaven again? Or was it a different Jesus... thus making god, um, well not a trinity, but a quadity (or whatever you'd call a foursome)?

But I think your original question assumes the obvious... that if there are aliens, they wouldn't know about god, because god is a human, earthly invention, and unless they really are spying on us, there's no way they could've heard the story. Which, of course, is irrelevant, because there is no god, and no hell for the aliens to go to.

On a side note, I really hope extra-terrestrial life is discovered in my lifetime. I know the Xtains will find some way of explaining it and reconciling it with the bible, but it'll be funny to see how they do it!

Marduk · 01-10-2002, 08:42 AM

How about this, we were the only planet that went and ate the damn apple, the aliens come here all the time to show their kids the dumb humans "see what happens when you don't behave, you have to live like this!"
Or the aliens, not having taken the friut, are really the same as angels.
Earth, the only planet in the universe to misbehave needed a visit from Jesus.
"Now don't make me come down there!"

Anunnaki · 01-10-2002, 10:10 AM

All interesting answers,but I`m holding out to see what the Christians have to say. I admit that my post had a very wise ass tone to it so I probably won`t get much of a response from them.

I`m reminded of a minister on one of those History channel Heaven & Hell shows they played right before Christmas. The minister said that Hell was not a real place with physical torture for sinners,but rather a state of mind. The torture he claimed was a terrible sadness brought on by being apart from God.
If this is the case than I have nothing to be concerned about since I`m already apart from God and it certainly is not breaking my heart.

Oresta · 01-17-2002, 12:16 PM

joejoejoe:
The aliens come to earth and decide that viruses are the superior species, dolphins the most intelligent, and completely ignore foolish apes worshipping their mythological creations.

What a great plot for a high-concept movie! Kurt Vonnegut would be the first to give it a rave review. <img src="graemlins/notworthy.gif" border="0" alt="[Not Worthy]" />

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01-09-2002, 09:57 PM	#11
kwigibo Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Gold Coast, QLD, Australia Posts: 5,814	But perhaps their torture involves something that is painful to them but not to us. Aliens: we will feed you donuts and give you backrubs until you accept the salvation of <insert strange sounding alien deity here>

01-09-2002, 10:11 PM	#12
Monkeybot Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: North Carolina Posts: 8,102	Yeah, or like how nitrous oxide is painful to Vulcans but good stuff to us!

01-10-2002, 12:59 AM	#13
kwigibo Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Gold Coast, QLD, Australia Posts: 5,814	reminds me of the Monty Python spanish inquisition "Now, Cardinal Biggles, give her... the comfy chair!!!"

01-10-2002, 04:09 AM	#14
Echo Regular Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Winter Park, Fl USA Posts: 411	If intelligent extraterrestrials did come to Earth, I wonder how theists would go about determining whether they were analogous to humankind and thus in need of salvation or just animals that, while highly intelligent, are not morally culpable, have no soul, and are in no need of salvation? I wonder what the criteria would be in determining this?

01-10-2002, 04:23 AM	#15
Celsus Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Singapore Posts: 2,875	The aliens come to earth and decide that viruses are the superior species, dolphins the most intelligent, and completely ignore foolish apes worshipping their mythological creations.

01-10-2002, 07:20 AM	#16
butswana Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 1,804	I've always wondered if astronaut/explorers, whether they be in space, on Mars or the Moon, would be caught up in The Rapture. I have never got an answer from xtians on this. They usually just call me a smart ass.

01-10-2002, 07:48 AM	#17
DarkBronzePlant Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: San Francisco, CA USA Posts: 3,568	My take: The hardcore Christians would say that there are no aliens. The bible doesn't say there are. But if there are aliens (maybe god just created their world separately, too, and gave them their own "bible") then god would try to communicate with them, too, and give them their own commandments, etc. Whether or not they are going to hell or not would depend on whether the first two aliens created (call them Xerxon and Trillion) ate the forbidden zurple, or whatever. If so, then Xerxon & Trillion's fate would probably be similar to ours. Which leads to interesting questions, of course. 1. If Xerxon and Trillion didn't disobey god, then why was god's alien creation successful, but his earthly creation not? Leads us again to the omnipotent/benevolent discussion. 2. if Xerxon and Trillion did disobey god, then did he send Jesus to save them as well? If so, was it the same Jesus... who now presumably died, ascended into heaven, died again, ascended into heaven again? Or was it a different Jesus... thus making god, um, well not a trinity, but a quadity (or whatever you'd call a foursome)? But I think your original question assumes the obvious... that if there are aliens, they wouldn't know about god, because god is a human, earthly invention, and unless they really are spying on us, there's no way they could've heard the story. Which, of course, is irrelevant, because there is no god, and no hell for the aliens to go to. On a side note, I really hope extra-terrestrial life is discovered in my lifetime. I know the Xtains will find some way of explaining it and reconciling it with the bible, but it'll be funny to see how they do it!

01-10-2002, 08:42 AM	#18
Marduk Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: the 10th planet Posts: 5,065	How about this, we were the only planet that went and ate the damn apple, the aliens come here all the time to show their kids the dumb humans "see what happens when you don't behave, you have to live like this!" Or the aliens, not having taken the friut, are really the same as angels. Earth, the only planet in the universe to misbehave needed a visit from Jesus. "Now don't make me come down there!"

01-10-2002, 10:10 AM	#19
Anunnaki Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: I`ve left and gone away Posts: 699	All interesting answers,but I`m holding out to see what the Christians have to say. I admit that my post had a very wise ass tone to it so I probably won`t get much of a response from them. I`m reminded of a minister on one of those History channel Heaven & Hell shows they played right before Christmas. The minister said that Hell was not a real place with physical torture for sinners,but rather a state of mind. The torture he claimed was a terrible sadness brought on by being apart from God. If this is the case than I have nothing to be concerned about since I`m already apart from God and it certainly is not breaking my heart.

01-17-2002, 12:16 PM	#20
Oresta Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 1,107	joejoejoe: The aliens come to earth and decide that viruses are the superior species, dolphins the most intelligent, and completely ignore foolish apes worshipping their mythological creations. What a great plot for a high-concept movie! Kurt Vonnegut would be the first to give it a rave review. <img src="graemlins/notworthy.gif" border="0" alt="[Not Worthy]" />

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