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Alien life and religion

I've always thought that the definitive finding of life on other planets would increase the number of atheists. At the least it would have many people questioning their religious texts. Do others think this would make a difference to current believers?

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Permalink Reply by Tony Carroll on April 5, 2012 at 1:37pm

Unfortunately, I agree it won't make a difference. They will an argue (I can hear it now) about how it just goes to show the greatness of god, who, in his infinite wisdom, created all life in the universe. The bible is for OUR salvation, we don't need to concern ourselves about other life, as god has a plan that we won't know until we reach heaven, and so on. Scientists are now saying they expect to find a goldilocks planet by 2014. Still won't change things for them. I have to say, I think NC is right. Religion is going to stick around for a long time. I think a remnant will be with us forever. Even say 10,000 years from now. Mores the pity.

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Permalink Reply by Jim DePaulo on April 9, 2012 at 3:28pm

I, for one, welcome our theocratic overlords from Planet Blzixics.

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Permalink Reply by Carl Gregory on April 11, 2012 at 9:56am

I think if intelligent life was found else where in the universe it would stregnthen the beliefs of many theists, and we would see a large amount of them trying to send missionaries out to teach E.T. about "the good news".

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Permalink Reply by Jim DePaulo on April 14, 2012 at 6:54pm

If they looked like the aliens in A.C. Clarke's, Childhood's End they may not. The aliens looked like Satan.

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Permalink Reply by Tony Carroll on April 14, 2012 at 9:05pm

Hey, I forgot about them. But they were eventually accepted, even loved. Great story btw.

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Permalink Reply by Napoleon Bonaparte on April 11, 2012 at 10:23am

Comment saurons-nous de la vie dans d'autres systèmes solaires?

Radio? L'analyse chimique? photographies?

Je ne sais pas mais je suis sûr que vous ne rencontrerez jamais un alien.

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Permalink Reply by Jessica Berman on April 11, 2012 at 11:23am

After all these comments I've lost my small hope that all the holy books' myths would be shattered. Since fundamentalists preach strict following of the texts so that evolution is wrong for them, I thought alien life could never be reconciled with the bible. I now believe you're right, they'd find a way to make it fit. We'd have mega churches on the moon and Mars. At least space exploration and the strong interest in science that goes with it would have a resurgence.

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Permalink Reply by Joshua Francom on April 15, 2012 at 11:42am

There is a saying that I heard often while I was a Mormon and it went something like this: Once alien life is discovered the Mormons and the Catholics will be right there competing to convert them.