what would happen if other life was found?

[RedDragon94]

I once saw a video about a supposed alien satellite on youtube. Here it is;

 

[morphesium]

It also depends on what you consider to be a deity. I don't think the idea of deities as aliens as impossible. I never really thought they were man made as I don't believe people would have wasted time building entire temples and statues to deities that don't exist. I believe they existed on this planet. Ever notice how in the bible it actually shows God interacting with humans and directly performing miracles but we don't see God or the other deities personally anymore. It makes me believe that they were here, made us what we are and then left. and might possibly return.

I am copying some text here from one of my previous post about the possible origins of religion.


In the past, as humanity progressed into tribal societies and beyond, power always had to be vested with a few for proper administration. And it was easy for them to realize that they could guarantee their strong hold the most if they could take advantage of the fact that

1. The fear of the unknown is always much greater than fear of the known.
2. There is always the uncertainty of the future.
3. People had to suffer extreme hard ships for their survival and this demanded something strong to pacify them.

and nothing fits better than the God factor and hence the formation of a religion. This is something very easy to sell and makes the least oppression which they can easily suppress with some magical trickery and stories. Additionally, it has a very addictive nature and can propel itself for generations. Rituals and other holy practices were incorporated into it which not only strengthened the religious bondage, but also helped the religious heads to keep an eye on those who are stepping away from such practices. followers are easily made to believe that they get some form of divine protection.

so as different tribes formed, so were different stories and different gods. As societies merged or progressed or destroyed through war etc, so was religion.

In these societies, there were always evil practices and , there are always good and exceptional people who keep much advanced thoughts and they stand against the evils in the society. They take people or society from dark ages and enlighten them. Unfortunately just like ordinary people these great ones also die.(Religion is a always good business - then and now). Some people seeing a business opportunity (and for power), sanctifies this person. So laws are made are kept as such. Not (never) to be changed at all. Then existing scientific proofs are added to give it more credibility. Rituals and practices make it imprinted on those who practice it. This is how a typical non-tribal religion is formed - and 1,2, and 3 are still valid here.

I never really thought they were man made as I don't believe people would have wasted time building entire temples and statues to deities that don't exist.

Religion is a big business and has immense political power (generally). So building entire temples and statues only fortify their strong hold and their business. It is the for the same reasons they made temples and mosques then and now.

Ever notice how in the bible it actually shows God interacting with humans and directly performing miracles but we don't see God or the other deities personally anymore.

God appeared and performed these miracles in front of these people which made them to believe in god (God himself knows this - to make believe he has to show miracles); otherwise these people wouldn't believe in god . We haven't seen god performing such miracles - So why should we believe; for us these are just stories.
why can't god make an infant to say " Hey morphesium, you should believe this"

It makes me believe that they were here, made us what we are and then left.

If they are so; they have to be much advanced. So they why does these books contain a lot of scientific errors. geocentric solar systems etc, etc. the list goes on.

 

[George-ananda]

Bit of a weird question But I was wondering, personally if it popped up on the news that we were contacted by aliens i'd be like "woah cool stuff!" but how would religious people react to this sort of news? would they think the same or riot over it? would this debunk something and make them angry?

I think it's only fair now to say, what if it was somehow proven that god does exist for all the non-religious people? proven in a way that you simply can't reject it.. i'm not religious but I guess my reaction would be "oh.. alrite"

These are very good questions. That is why I believe there are higher intelligences above us that ensure change is brought to humanity very gradually. I don't expect there will ever be a dramatic event that suddenly 'compels' belief. For example, the existence of non-human high intelligences will be debated a long time and gradually the controversial (ambiguous) evidence will lead man gently in the direction of accepting. Even with higher beings and religious-like miracles there is a limit; the miracles support belief but do not compel belief. My point is that there is wisdom from above knowing change must come slowly (no sudden event).

 

[Whiterain]

I think most people accept it by now if they couldn't handle it in previous ages. Contemporary religion may need some work but the ancients were aware the cosmos were created by Hera's breast milk and mysterious, although they may not have had a real idea there was other life in the stars. It's why I am attracted to myth and the ancients as well, pagans, they had known about astronomy for ages.

The Vatican has one of the most advanced observatories on the planet as well, they stay up on Fridays, drunk on wine looking for Jesus.

As far as my views of the super natural and all it doesn't really change it.

History of astronomy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Jumi]

It would depend if they had a religion what it would be like.

 

[Vishvavajra]

Buddhism actually comes with the built-in assumption that there are other worlds with sentient inhabitants, and that even though they might be radically different from us in how they operate, they probably suffer from a lot of the same core problems, so we should regard them as brethren.

 

[Thanda]

At this point organized religion will have little relevance philosophically.

I'm surprised at how many people think there being other worlds with other human beings would somehow have an effect on the relevance or truthfulness of Christianity.

Let's get to the creation story (Genesis 1):

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.​

Now, let us analyse these verses a bit. Firstly God created heaven and the earth: Now question, what is heaven? Well everything that is not the earth. That means at some point God created the heavenly bodies. When he created them is not clear. It is also not clear when he created the earth. But for some period of time after it's creation the earth had no form and was empty - kind of like most of the other planets in our solar system.

Now think carefully about the meaning of all this. Moses tells that at some point in time the heavenly bodies were created. He then proceeds to focus on the earth (one of the heavenly bodies) and tells us all that God did to prepare the earth for human habitation.
This is akin to me saying "John and 300 others entered university. John decided to study Medicine." Now does that fact that I have not mentioned what the other 300 did mean that none of them studied medicine? Of course not: they are just not the subject I'm interested in focusing on.

So clearly Moses was uninterested in focusing on other worlds and what God did there. He was only interested in telling us how God made this earth inhabitable. By him not mentioning other worlds it does not mean that he is saying that God did not create other worlds: he has not expressed any opinion on it.

Now from this we can see that the is no justification within the bible for believing that God has not created other worlds. So a true Christian's faith should not be shaken should it be revealed that there is other life out there.

And then, if you happen to be a Mormon Christian like myself, your faith would actually be strengthened if proof was found of alien life.
From the Book of Moses chapter 1:

30 And it came to pass that Moses called upon God, saying: Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so, and by what thou madest them?

31 And behold, the glory of the Lord was upon Moses, so that Moses stood in the presence of God, and talked with him face to face. And the Lord God said unto Moses: For mine own purpose have I made these things. Here is wisdom and it remaineth in me.

32 And by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth.

33 And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.

34 And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many.

35 But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them.

36 And it came to pass that Moses spake unto the Lord, saying: Be merciful unto thy servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens, and then thy servant will be content.

37 And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine.

38 And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.

39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

40 And now, Moses, my son, I will speak unto thee concerning this earth upon which thou standest; and thou shalt write the things which I shall speak.

41 And in a day when the children of men shall esteem my words as naught and take many of them from the book which thou shalt write, behold, I will raise up another like unto thee; and they shall be had again among the children of men—among as many as shall believe.​

 

[JosephThomas]

If the life were intelligent it would promote positive results.

If it was an organism it would increase rape crimes and political injustice.