Are there Aliens? (ritual, Earth, beliefs, choice, church)

[yuvgotmel]

I agree James, on your last point that is. However, the "lunatic fringe" has quite a large gathering. In fact, the book series "Left Behind" has now sold over 70,000 copies. It is among that group and other such groups that are claiming that there is an "alien agenda" which is hostile towards mankind.

[yuvgotmel]

Here is more information concerning some of the modern religious views of aliens.

The Popular Bible Prophecy Workbook: An Interactive Guide to Understanding the End Times
by Tim F. LaHaye, Edward E. Hindson
Throughout the world, people have mysteriously disappeared. Theories abound--terrorists, UFOs, aliens from another planet. For those who have been left behind, the apocalypse has just begun. This fictional account of life after the Rapture delivers an urgent call to today's readers to prepare their own hearts and minister to others.

It does seem as though, even modern Protestants, are not necessarily denying the existence of aliens. However, is that message skewed?

How will the existence of aliens affect religious views in general?

[Dr. Nosophoros]

Einstein believed in the mathematical possibility of "aliens", that doesn't mean every tin foil urban/country myth should be considered as true but I would think it's foolish to believe absolutely that we are living on the only habitable planet in the vast cosmos since we have no idea how far that space extends. All things considered, I sincerely hope it doesn't begin and end with us.

[Seyorni]

Even given the existance of space-aliens, I think the strongest argument against visitation is in the distances involved.

What are the chances that a civilization 100 light-years from here would send a fleet or even an exploratory probe, such a great distance, on the off chance that they might find an inhabited planet at journey's end?

The expenses would be incredible, the conceivable benefits very iffy, the chances of catastrophic problems huge and the time before any return on investment might be expected, centuries. The distances would make any trade or regular intercourse completely impractable.

[SoyLeche]

Originally Posted by Seyorni

Even given the existance of space-aliens, I think the strongest argument against visitation is in the distances involved.

What are the chances that a civilization 100 light-years from here would send a fleet or even an exploratory probe, such a great distance, on the off chance that they might find an inhabited planet at journey's end?

The expenses would be incredible, the conceivable benefits very iffy, the chances of catastrophic problems huge and the time before any return on investment might be expected, centuries. The distances would make any trade or regular intercourse completely impractable.

... with known technology. You forgot about that implicit constraint you have put on your arguments.

[yuvgotmel]

Seyorni,

Yes, while that was the commonly accepted public thought by scientists around the 1970s, it appears from more and more recent news that, no matter what our limitations (for travel) may or may not be, governments are pushing for public discussions on this matter.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/11/prweb314382.htm

Former Canadian Minister Of Defence Asks Canadian Parliament To Hold Hearings On Relations With Alien "Et" Civilizations

A former Canadian Minister of Defence has joined forces with three Non-governmental organizations to ask the Parliament of Canada to hold public hearings on with Alien “ET” Civilizations. Paul Hellyer, Canada’s Defence Minister from 1963-67 under Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Prime Minister Lester Pearson, publicly stated: "UFOs, are as real as the airplanes that fly over your head." Hellyer warned, "The United States military are preparing weapons which could be used against the aliens, and they could get us into an intergalactic war without us ever having any warning. Mr. Hellyer went on to say, "I'm so concerned about what the consequences might be of starting an intergalactic war, that I just think I had to say something." “Now is the time for open disclosure that there are ethical Extraterrestrial civilizations visiting Earth,” a spokesperson for the Non-Governmental Organizations stated. “Our Canadian government needs to openly address these important issues of the possible deployment of weapons in outer space and war plans against ethical Extraterrestrial societies.”


OTTAWA, CANADA (PRWEB) November 24, 2005 -- A former Canadian Minister of Defence and Deputy Prime Minister under Pierre Trudeau has joined forces with three Non-governmental organizations to ask the Parliament of Canada to hold public hearings on Exopolitics -- relations with “ETs.”

By “ETs,” Mr. Hellyer and these organizations mean ethical, advanced extraterrestrial civilizations that may now be visiting Earth.

On September 25, 2005, in a startling speech at the University of Toronto that caught the attention of mainstream newspapers and magazines, Paul Hellyer, Canada’s Defence Minister from 1963-67 under Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Prime Minister Lester Pearson, publicly stated: "UFOs, are as real as the airplanes that fly over your head."


(more at link above)

[Seyorni]

Relativity is a universal constant, Soy. Energy needed and practical speeds would pose similar problems to engineers everywhere.

That being said, there is always the theory that the LGM are interdimensional visitors. The physics of this type of phase-shift is little understood.

Of course, for the definitive answers to these questions, my state holds an annual, ahem... colloquium: http://www.roswellufofestival.com/

[SoyLeche]

Originally Posted by Seyorni

Relativity is a universal constant, Soy

... as far as we know. Another implicit constraint.