Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Harpy · 01-14-2003, 12:33 AM

Just seen this on the BBC news site.

A cosmic "message in a bottle" is to be left in space as a relic of the world's languages. A disc engraved with the first three chapters of Genesis in 1,000 native tongues will travel to a distant comet.

Sometimes I am embarrassed to be human. Honestly if this gets found by aliens we will be the laughing stock of the entire galaxy.

happyboy · 01-14-2003, 06:27 AM

yeah, well, it's not we'd ever be too impressive to the galactic neighborhood. we cling to superstition, when all the evidence says otherwise, we kill each other over imaginary faeries in the sky, and we constantly shoot ourselves in the academic foot by wanting "equal time" for superstition to be taught in our schools.

yup, any sufficiently advanced alien race will totally write us off as savages after reading that"message in a bottle." we'll be the galactic neighborhood trailer trash. yay. :banghead:

happyboy, glad to be human

Feather · 01-14-2003, 06:27 AM

It could be worse. I guess.

Harpy · 01-14-2003, 07:33 AM

1st alien: "Read that bit about the big boat again, its too funny"

2nd alien: " No no the talking snake, the talking snake, that's the best bit, ha ha ha"

Monkey · 01-14-2003, 08:59 AM

I find that disgusting for many reasons.

Shouldn't we be sending something that promotes the plurality of the human race rather than the superstitions of one culture? Now if the first chapter of every relgious text, including something from naturalism or humanism were included, written in their original languages, that would be a much better idea, in my opinion.

Why not send an encyclopedia, or a friendly "hey come and visit us" message.

PotatoError · 01-14-2003, 09:02 AM

Or a simple message:

"BRING IT ON!!"

Another · 01-14-2003, 01:02 PM

We could be sending "The Best Hit's" of David Hasselhoff or William Shatner on CD. That could be worse and result in interstellar war - umm or just our destruction.

This could be brilliant. How better to advertise that we are of no harm to anyone but ourselves ?

AtomSmasher · 01-14-2003, 04:10 PM

IF it was ever found, I hope whoever the aliens contact will have enough sense to deny that this represents the beliefs of all humanity. I'd claim it was a prank by some other aliens to make us look bad.

Marduk · 01-14-2003, 04:25 PM

Alien: "hey check out this cool story from Earth! Someone wrote a whole book about that time Zort went nuts and flew down there to hang out with some desert nomads"

Duck! · 01-14-2003, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by marduck
Alien: "hey check out this cool story from Earth! Someone wrote a whole book about that time Zort went nuts and flew down there to hang out with some desert nomads"

"Not only that, millions of them think that the book is literally true and that Zort was the creator of the universe and they take all his drug addled crazy stories about talking snakes and donkeys and giant floods literally! Jeez, what a stupid species. HAHAHA!"

Duck!

01-14-2003, 12:33 AM	#1
Harpy Regular Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Chelmsford, South East England Posts: 144	Oh the possible humiliation Just seen this on the BBC news site. A cosmic "message in a bottle" is to be left in space as a relic of the world's languages. A disc engraved with the first three chapters of Genesis in 1,000 native tongues will travel to a distant comet. Sometimes I am embarrassed to be human. Honestly if this gets found by aliens we will be the laughing stock of the entire galaxy.

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01-14-2003, 06:27 AM	#2
happyboy Regular Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: on the border between here and there, WV Posts: 373	yeah, well, it's not we'd ever be too impressive to the galactic neighborhood. we cling to superstition, when all the evidence says otherwise, we kill each other over imaginary faeries in the sky, and we constantly shoot ourselves in the academic foot by wanting "equal time" for superstition to be taught in our schools. yup, any sufficiently advanced alien race will totally write us off as savages after reading that"message in a bottle." we'll be the galactic neighborhood trailer trash. yay. :banghead: happyboy, glad to be human

01-14-2003, 06:27 AM	#3
Feather Veteran Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 1,827	It could be worse. I guess.

01-14-2003, 07:33 AM	#4
Harpy Regular Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Chelmsford, South East England Posts: 144	1st alien: "Read that bit about the big boat again, its too funny" 2nd alien: " No no the talking snake, the talking snake, that's the best bit, ha ha ha"

01-14-2003, 08:59 AM	#5
Monkey Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 93	I find that disgusting for many reasons. Shouldn't we be sending something that promotes the plurality of the human race rather than the superstitions of one culture? Now if the first chapter of every relgious text, including something from naturalism or humanism were included, written in their original languages, that would be a much better idea, in my opinion. Why not send an encyclopedia, or a friendly "hey come and visit us" message.

01-14-2003, 09:02 AM	#6
PotatoError Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: england Posts: 51	Or a simple message: "BRING IT ON!!"

01-14-2003, 01:02 PM	#7
Another Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: sicily Posts: 19	We could be sending "The Best Hit's" of David Hasselhoff or William Shatner on CD. That could be worse and result in interstellar war - umm or just our destruction. This could be brilliant. How better to advertise that we are of no harm to anyone but ourselves ?

01-14-2003, 04:10 PM	#8
AtomSmasher Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Tampa, Florida, U.S. Posts: 95	IF it was ever found, I hope whoever the aliens contact will have enough sense to deny that this represents the beliefs of all humanity. I'd claim it was a prank by some other aliens to make us look bad.

01-14-2003, 04:25 PM	#9
Marduk Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: the 10th planet Posts: 5,065	Alien: "hey check out this cool story from Earth! Someone wrote a whole book about that time Zort went nuts and flew down there to hang out with some desert nomads"

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