hingers

Colonizing Venus? .. I was under the impression that Venus was this uninhabitable wasteland that was like 50 bazillion degrees hot (that statement may, or may not, be hyperbole) and the air was sulfuric acid-type stuff. However, I should point out that my astronomical knowledge is based on nothing more than primary school studies involving My Very Earnest Mother Just Sat Under Neil's Patio.

.. . uhh.. yes.. anyway.

More to the point, I think Magus has it in one. How amazingly loved do you feel, knowing that all of this was created for us. Sit back and appreciate the beauty of it without needing a hard-and-fast practical reason for it. If someone paints you a painting and gives it to you, it's nothing but an insult to ask what it does.

notMichaelJackson

It might be possible to colonize Venus hundreds of years from now by sending large amounts of algae there in rockets and allowing it to turn the atmosphere into an oxygen-rich bioshere, according to the article in an astronomy book I read several years ago. It would take several hundred years to complete, if it is ever attempted.

It would actually be much easier to colonize Mars, but will still be a huge technological and industrial challenge, nonetheless.

Evil Milkman

No, heathen!

He who wishes to know the greatness of the Invisible Pink Unicorn should study astronomy!

You had it all wrong!

conkermaniac

It's not the Bible explains why God bothered with all of this universe stuff in the first place. You seem to have a misconception of the meaning of science. Science strives to explain why and how the planets formed, not why they had to form. At least it's better than the Bible, which doesn't explain anything.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, it is "the study of the positions and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an influence on the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs." Do you really believe that the position of Gemini has a bearing on whether you choose to eat pizza or a hamburger?

He can't seem to explain his own actions either. Who, with a moral standard higher than your average serial killer, could possibly justify merciless murder, as God has done?

We're obviously not dealing with a very smart God here. He apparently believes that "the stars of heaven" are just little lights that can fall like figs on a fig tree "when she is shaken of a mighty wind". (Revelation 6:13) He also enjoys giving contradictory accounts to different messengers (and sometimes even the same messenger), and of course, these poor people are too mindless to even bother thinking for themselves before they record the "Word of God".

Calzaer

Magus: Sounds great. But he might have thought to create all that in such a way that it didn't go such a long way towards disproving his 6 day creation. Unless he just wanted to screw with our heads.

"I know! I'll make all these extra useless galaxies red-shifted! That'll send even MORE smart people to hell!"

Aquila ka Hecate

Magus:

Quote:

To behold His wonders and magesty. A universe so breathtaking and unimaginable, it leaves us speechless. Yet this entire massive, seemingly infinite universe with wonders by which we have never experienced was all created just for us.

hingers:

Quote:

How amazingly loved do you feel, knowing that all of this was created for us. Sit back and appreciate the beauty of it without needing a hard-and-fast practical reason for it. If someone paints you a painting and gives it to you, it's nothing but an insult to ask what it does.

Aaargh.I find it very depressing every time I realie that people still think like this.
Who thehell thinks the entire universe was created
just for them ?
Why, many theists do.
If you want to appreciate how wondrous this non-cognitive process known as the universe is, study astronomy.
Study it well, mind you.
You ought soon to lose your self-centred notions.

EstherRose

Actually I have studied it, and studied it well. I am, besides an artist as stated above, a scientist. From basic biology to chemistry and physics. At a university level. And I did not flunk out or take a B.S. and run. I completed post graduate degrees. My profession is scientist, my hobby is art.

I saw the hand of God in everything. I recognized the truth about Jesus soon thereafter and accepted Him as my Lord and Saviour.

You're right about one thing. I eventually lost my self centered notions and put God as the focus of my life.

Aquila ka Hecate

Yes, EstherRose, we have them in South Africa as well.

I'm waiting for the cognitive dissonance to rip their heads open.

But what I'm objecting to is the obnoxiously self-aggrandising notion that the entire universe was created just for them-or us, if you prefer.

Supposed atheist arrogance just pales into insignificance beside this attitude.

keyser_soze

Darn, I see that I was wrong to put you in the category with theists in the other thread. What was it you were saying again? Oh yes, that my deduction had no bearing on reality. Sure seems that you are an atheist.

keyser_soze

I think they have since revised this possibility when the atmosphere tends to incinerate any craft sent into it because of the extremely high temperatures.