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Would you stop believing in God?

dianaiad

Well-Known Member
I know Mormonism teaches stuff like life on other planets but in Evangelical Christianity many teach that humans are the center of the universe and that believing in life on Mars or UFO's is demonic

That's their problem, if they do.

However, I know a great many evangelicals...argue with 'em all the time. I don't think I've ever met anybody who thinks that believing in 'life on Mars or UFO's is demonic."

I will say that most of the ones I've talked to think that humans are the center of the universe, which is weird. Big Universe. Lots of galaxies, stars, planets....all for just us?

I believe that God and His children are the "center," since I believe that He created the whole shebang, but that's not quite the same thing, now, is it?
 

The Reverend Bob

Fart Machine and Beastmaster
That's their problem, if they do.

However, I know a great many evangelicals...argue with 'em all the time. I don't think I've ever met anybody who thinks that believing in 'life on Mars or UFO's is demonic."

I will say that most of the ones I've talked to think that humans are the center of the universe, which is weird. Big Universe. Lots of galaxies, stars, planets....all for just us?

I believe that God and His children are the "center," since I believe that He created the whole shebang, but that's not quite the same thing, now, is it?
That's their problem, if they do.

However, I know a great many evangelicals...argue with 'em all the time. I don't think I've ever met anybody who thinks that believing in 'life on Mars or UFO's is demonic."

I will say that most of the ones I've talked to think that humans are the center of the universe, which is weird. Big Universe. Lots of galaxies, stars, planets....all for just us?

I believe that God and His children are the "center," since I believe that He created the whole shebang, but that's not quite the same thing, now, is it?
Here I will agree with you. But I can give website after website from prominent Evangelicals that denounce that there is life on other planets and think it's demonic aka Walter Martin is one. They believe that this is all for us and that we are the center of of the universe and the apple of God's eye.
 

dianaiad

Well-Known Member
Here I will agree with you. But I can give website after website from prominent Evangelicals that denounce that there is life on other planets and think it's demonic aka Walter Martin is one. They believe that this is all for us and that we are the center of of the universe and the apple of God's eye.

Walter Martin? Well, that pretty much says it all, doesn't it?

On the other hand, I too believe that the universe is 'all for us,' and that we are the 'center of the universe and the apple of God's eye."

The only question is who 'us' is, and how many of 'us' there are.

What I CAN say is that if other folks can visit us from other planets, then they are more 'us' than we are, if the measure is intelligence and/or technological advancement, if that makes any sense. We might be having to try to explain to them why WE belong in the 'us' category. ;)
 

74x12

Well-Known Member
Central to what you've written is simply this: what the Bible says is true, and all evidence that says it ain't must be lies.

In my opinion, thinking should require something just a little more robust...
... My point is that we foresee this deception already and I at least am ready for it.

Jesus said a tree is known by the fruit it bears. These "aliens" are not bearing good fruit if we believe all the abductee accounts. Besides which, people who have talked to supposed "aliens" say they are liars and you can't trust a thing they say.

I'm not sure why you would believe aliens. Do you think they're trustworthy? I would say it's naive to trust them.
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
Well that's certainly interesting...you seem to be saying that no matter what new information you receive, you would not change what you believe.

I'm not sure why you would think that. Do you usually assume that someone's responses to one particularly niche question somehow apply to all possible scenarios? Even when the framing of said questions barely even apply to their tradition?
The OP's framing drips of Abrahamic and Biblical assumptions that don't even apply to a tradition like mine. In fairness, I suppose I wouldn't expect you to process the problems associated with that based on a thread you wrote recently.

The existence (or lack thereof) of life outside of this planet simply has no bearing on my religious tradition or my theology. There are many reasons for that, and it certainly isn't what you suggest here.
 

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
Lets imagine that some aliens entered the solar system, who obviously would be much more technological advanced than us and were currently in orbit around Earth and us being unaware of their intentions.

1. How would that make you feel about God, would it make you feel less "special" as to why these aliens seems to have been created along time before us and that now the whole human race survival depends on these aliens intentions?

2. If it turned out through some advance technology that these aliens were able to speak any Earth language and you asked them about God and they told you that they had never heard or observed anything like that, in their travels around the universe, would that in anyway change your views?

3. Would it surprise you that there are no mentions of aliens in the bible and now they were suddenly here and why God would not have prepared humanity for this encounter?
Since I believe that God created "worlds without number," it would just more or less confirm to me that I was right all along.
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
If the OP doesn't mind if I introduce some deeper questions:

You die in a car accident. You wake up remembering your very last moments and awake in another realm with no one around but an attractive alien woman named Namantha.

You: "Where am I?"

Namantha: "I created the universe. Or rather, I created the simulation you were in."

She picks up a pebble, and turns it into a hot meal for you to eat.

Question 1: Do you believe her statements?
No, but I would ask a lot of questions. But also I would be less surprise that she said an alien rather than God.

After you've known her for awhile, you and her have actually engaged in a romantic relationship. You see her as honest in every way.

Suddenly you meet someone else, a rabbit. The rabbit says, "If you destroy Namantha... I will show you this is all an illusion."

Question 2: Do you follow the rabbit's advice?
No, First of all I would be amazed of a talking rabbit, so that would take a few minutes of questions. Then if we had a good relationship only the two of us, why would I believe a rabbit saying something like that. I would probably tell her about the rabbit.
 
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Nimos

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure why you would think that. Do you usually assume that someone's responses to one particularly niche question somehow apply to all possible scenarios? Even when the framing of said questions barely even apply to their tradition? The OP's framing drips of Abrahamic and Biblical assumptions that don't even apply to a tradition like mine. In fairness, I suppose I wouldn't expect you to process the problems associated with that based on a thread you wrote recently.

The existence (or lack thereof) of life outside of this planet simply has no bearing on my religious tradition or my theology. There are many reasons for that, and it certainly isn't what you suggest here.
Agree, if a person don't believe in a creator that favors us humans, the questions I asked makes little sense. Its the same as asking an atheist how aliens would change their view on a God :D
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
I fully believe there are aliens.

However, I think they are generally less advanced than us.

Also, doesn’t make me feel less important. Even if they were vastly more advanced.
I’m just as important as the president of the US and the janitor at Walmart is just as important as I.
But you would agree that the aliens being much more advanced than us, must have been created in the image of God, meaning knowing good from evil, or that they at least got it from somewhere, which could potentially be as powerful as God or at least be able to challenge him in what is good or evil, if they didn't get it from him?
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
1. Why would I feel less "special"? Do people with siblings feel "less special" because they're not the only one?

2. I assume they would told me what they HAD heard or observed. You mean they hadn't seen other species who believed in a creator-deity, or...?

3. There were no mentions of the internet or cars in the Bible either, so... I guess there are a lot of omissions that would have to bother me first.
As I have said to a lot of others, so the aliens were created in the image of God as well? They might have heard of others, but not God as we know him, with Adam and Eve and all that.
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
Lets imagine that some aliens entered the solar system, who obviously would be much more technological advanced than us and were currently in orbit around Earth and us being unaware of their intentions.

1. How would that make you feel about God, would it make you feel less "special" as to why these aliens seems to have been created along time before us and that now the whole human race survival depends on these aliens intentions?

2. If it turned out through some advance technology that these aliens were able to speak any Earth language and you asked them about God and they told you that they had never heard or observed anything like that, in their travels around the universe, would that in anyway change your views?

3. Would it surprise you that there are no mentions of aliens in the bible and now they were suddenly here and why God would not have prepared humanity for this encounter?
God by definition ….IS an et
 

1213

Well-Known Member
Lets imagine that some aliens entered the solar system, who obviously would be much more technological advanced than us and were currently in orbit around Earth and us being unaware of their intentions.

1. How would that make you feel about God, would it make you feel less "special" as to why these aliens seems to have been created along time before us and that now the whole human race survival depends on these aliens intentions?

I think it is usually best to cross the bridge when you come to it, not before, but…

I don’t feel special even now. But why would I believe they are older? Why would I think they are more special than people? Why would I believe all depends on their intentions?

Lets 2. If it turned out through some advance technology that these aliens were able to speak any Earth language and you asked them about God and they told you that they had never heard or observed anything like that, in their travels around the universe, would that in anyway change your views?

Bible tells God is love. So they would not know love. I would think less of them, if they would turn out to be that ignorant.

He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.
1 John 4:8

Lets 3. Would it surprise you that there are no mentions of aliens in the bible and now they were suddenly here and why God would not have prepared humanity for this encounter?

But what are aliens? In some way it could be said that angels and demons are aliens. I think God has prepared us for it with the Revelation of John.
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
I don’t feel special even now. But why would I believe they are older? Why would I think they are more special than people? Why would I believe all depends on their intentions?
The assumption is based on, that any aliens capable of travelling easy through the universe we have developed such technology and if we follow a logic path of how a species gain knowledge, we can assume that they didn't went directly from a stone age to travelling through the universe, I think we would expect some transitional periods in between.

Again anyone able to travel through the universe as they like, can be assumed to have the ability to develop weapons equally potent, and them being up there in orbit and we down here stuck on Earth would leave us few chances of defending ourselves.

Now the special part, is because a majority religions see the relationship between humans and God as special. I can see you have written Disciple of Jesus (Not sure exactly what you believe) But ill make the assumption that you believe Jesus did something special for us humans, I mean he didn't sacrifice himself to save the dinosaurs at least. :)

Bible tells God is love. So they would not know love. I would think less of them, if they would turn out to be that ignorant.
We would have to assume that these aliens are capable of advanced relationships, if they were to develop such technology. So some sort of collaboration would be required, unless its were a single entity with an insanely long lifespan, that had either killed the rest of its species or were somehow able to reproduce within it self or something weird like that. So it would probably know love or at least how to make lasting relationships or lasting collaborations, which could be a form of love. But it wouldn't know love as coming from God as we/some say it does, here on Earth.

But what are aliens? In some way it could be said that angels and demons are aliens. I think God has prepared us for it with the Revelation of John.
This is a obviously a question about definition, which is not really clear I think. "Thief" in a post above would call God for an ET. Which I wouldn't, because God is said to be everywhere for instance and ETs doesn't really fit the description of being divine or holy, at least how I see it. So I wouldn't call ETs angles or devils either, because I think it would be hard to classify them as such.
 

sealchan

Well-Known Member
Lets imagine that some aliens entered the solar system, who obviously would be much more technological advanced than us and were currently in orbit around Earth and us being unaware of their intentions.

1. How would that make you feel about God, would it make you feel less "special" as to why these aliens seems to have been created along time before us and that now the whole human race survival depends on these aliens intentions?

2. If it turned out through some advance technology that these aliens were able to speak any Earth language and you asked them about God and they told you that they had never heard or observed anything like that, in their travels around the universe, would that in anyway change your views?

3. Would it surprise you that there are no mentions of aliens in the bible and now they were suddenly here and why God would not have prepared humanity for this encounter?


What if they showed up with a Bible?
 
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