Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Kosh · 03-03-2002, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Schroedinger's Kitten:

Supposing space probes find evidence of life, microscopic or otherwise, on Mars or the Galilean moon Europa at some point in the near future (5 to 20 years), what are the implications for creationists? Believing that Earth is the only place in gawd's universe that harbors life, how do you think they will react? How will this effect xianity as a whole?

-SK

Personally, I'm waiting for a DNA analysis to
show that we're related to those microbes on
Mars. Now that would be a fun one to watch....

In H.S., I read a sci-fi story about a group
of aliens who landed on Earth post-nuclear
war (we were extinct) and proceeded to analyze
the ruins of our civilation. Their religious
leader found the Bible, translated it, and
became converted..... unfortunately at the time,
I didn't realize it was simply a disguised
apologetic....

eh · 03-04-2002, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LordValentine:


If one accepts Christainity, I really don't see what would be so silly of Jesus (or another member of the Godhead) being a messiah for another planet as well. Heck, have you ever read "The Man" by Ray Bradbury?

Do you mean Jesus going to those planets as a being, or his death on earth saving everyone in the universe?

Aethernaut · 03-04-2002, 09:42 AM

Jesus saves the universe, heh. Sounds like Flash Gordon. Do you suppose Jesus wears silver underwear?

-SK

Ragnarok · 03-04-2002, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kosh:


In H.S., I read a sci-fi story about a group
of aliens who landed on Earth post-nuclear
war (we were extinct) and proceeded to analyze
the ruins of our civilation. Their religious
leader found the Bible, translated it, and
became converted.....

And then he promptly went on a religious Jihad and wiped out their species too right? Well, that's how I would have written the story...

Daggah · 03-04-2002, 11:37 PM

Actually, I'd be really interested to see what extraterrestrial life's cellular makeup would be like. If I remember correctly, there are some 100 possible bases for DNA, and it would be interesting to see how similiar extraterrestrial life's genetic makeup is to our own. I would actually consider accepting the possibility of a creator of some sort if we found life on another planet that ended up having exactly the same genetic material, coding for the same amino acids and such - common designer, common design, right? But I don't think that will happen.

Quetzal · 03-05-2002, 05:07 AM

It would be even more interesting if life on another planet, subject to differing environmental pressures, chemical compositions, etc, came up with a completely DIFFERENT method of genetic storage - maybe crystals incorporated in an organic matrix or something. Just 'cause what happened on this planet worked out the way it did, doesn't mean things couldn't have happened a bit differently elsewhere. (Not to say that chemistry wouldn't be chemistry, but there may be alternatives to the way things evolved here. Food for thought, anyhow...)

Even if it were really different, I think it would just move the arguments a tad further out: cretinists would argue that it proved intelligent design or goddidit, evos would argue the opposite - that natural selection and deterministic processes still explained all life...

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03-04-2002, 09:42 AM	#13
Aethernaut Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 422	Jesus saves the universe, heh. Sounds like Flash Gordon. Do you suppose Jesus wears silver underwear? -SK

03-04-2002, 11:37 PM	#15
Daggah Banned Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Deployed to Kosovo Posts: 4,314	Actually, I'd be really interested to see what extraterrestrial life's cellular makeup would be like. If I remember correctly, there are some 100 possible bases for DNA, and it would be interesting to see how similiar extraterrestrial life's genetic makeup is to our own. I would actually consider accepting the possibility of a creator of some sort if we found life on another planet that ended up having exactly the same genetic material, coding for the same amino acids and such - common designer, common design, right? But I don't think that will happen.

03-05-2002, 05:07 AM	#16
Quetzal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Ecuador Posts: 738	It would be even more interesting if life on another planet, subject to differing environmental pressures, chemical compositions, etc, came up with a completely DIFFERENT method of genetic storage - maybe crystals incorporated in an organic matrix or something. Just 'cause what happened on this planet worked out the way it did, doesn't mean things couldn't have happened a bit differently elsewhere. (Not to say that chemistry wouldn't be chemistry, but there may be alternatives to the way things evolved here. Food for thought, anyhow...) Even if it were really different, I think it would just move the arguments a tad further out: cretinists would argue that it proved intelligent design or goddidit, evos would argue the opposite - that natural selection and deterministic processes still explained all life...

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