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Patrick Hennessey
New Member
USA
33 Posts |
 Posted - 11/10/2005 : 22:30:25
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This adresses God and Off-worlders. I didn't know what section to put it in, but here is my question to you guys:
An advanced civilization makes overt contact with Earth. Their technology seems like magic and they have superior genetics. They also disclose that they believe in a Creator.
Do you believe them?
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dv82matt
SFN Regular
760 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2005 : 22:58:56 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Patrick Hennessey
This adresses God and Off-worlders. I didn't know what section to put it in, but here is my question to you guys:
An advanced civilization makes overt contact with Earth. Their technology seems like magic and they have superior genetics. They also disclose that they believe in a Creator.
Do you believe them?
For me the answer is "No." Not unless they presents something other than their belief as evidence. |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2005 : 23:02:32 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Patrick Hennessey
Do you believe them?
No. Why would I?
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard
USA
3834 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2005 : 23:47:20 [Permalink]
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| It would be depressing that more science might not help humanity get over magical beliefs. |
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Patrick Hennessey
New Member
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2005 : 00:38:45 [Permalink]
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| well, a creator isnt really necessarily a magical belief. some religionists hold that Diety is a scientifically sound process. the label of magic is assign because from our standpoint, thats what it would take to prove. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2005 : 03:25:20 [Permalink]
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Nor I. Intelligence and scientific achievement does not equate to rationality in all things. Unless their version of a creator, or at least some profound evidence thereof, can be produced, it is really no different from any of our own, current faiths. I would surely be mind-blown by their technology, but would doubt their philosophy of creation.
Oh, and there is only different genetics, not superior -- although with our current crop of polititions, one begins to wonder.....
Interesting question.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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| Edited by - filthy on 11/11/2005 03:27:14 |
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2005 : 06:13:40 [Permalink]
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Absolutely not. Proof please.
And if they gave a choice as to believe and live or die, then I know it isn't true (i.e. how the natives in the "New World" were introduced to Christianity). |
by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie
USA
4826 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2005 : 07:31:09 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Patrick Hennessey
This adresses God and Off-worlders. I didn't know what section to put it in, but here is my question to you guys:
An advanced civilization makes overt contact with Earth. Their technology seems like magic and they have superior genetics. They also disclose that they believe in a Creator.
Do you believe them?
If they bring empirical evidence to support that assertation, yes.
If not, no.
I believe in a diety, I'm quite sure, based on the majority of God beliefs, they would have a specific concept of what that Creator was. I may very well disagree with their concept of diety. |
Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils
Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2005 : 08:33:36 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Patrick Hennessey
This adresses God and Off-worlders. I didn't know what section to put it in, but here is my question to you guys:
An advanced civilization makes overt contact with Earth. Their technology seems like magic and they have superior genetics. They also disclose that they believe in a Creator.
Do you believe them?
First off, if I were inclined to believe them I would be pissed off that the creator made them smarter.
Really though, I would strongly consider the possibility that belief in god or gods evolved with them just like it probably evolved with us. Sorting out the unknown to bring a sense of order to a chaotic world was almost certainly a survival mechanism. A prayer to a god for a good hunt gave early man a comforting (if imagined) hedge and also someone to blame if the hunt didn't go well.
Answers to the big questions gave early man a sense of security. It still does for those inclined to believe in a creator. The assurance of life after death can be a strong alleviator for some of our most basic fears. Religion serves other purposes like a sense of belonging and a chance for good bake sales.
So why wouldn't an advance civilization have evolved the same need for answers for the un-answerable that we have in our evolution? Unless they arrived on their planet as already advance and in that case we got screwed.
The short answer to your question is No, I would also need proof, and my guess is that they would have their skeptics too…
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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markie
Skeptic Friend
Canada
356 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2005 : 09:01:42 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Patrick Hennessey
This adresses God and Off-worlders. I didn't know what section to put it in, but here is my question to you guys:
An advanced civilization makes overt contact with Earth. Their technology seems like magic and they have superior genetics. They also disclose that they believe in a Creator.
Do you believe them?
If they were also highly ethical and altruistic I personally would be prone to believe what they say is at least 'more' true than what we might hold.
Many christian groups might regard such 'contact' as a deception though. "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." That I think is very unfortunate.
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Siberia
SFN Addict
Brazil
2322 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2005 : 09:04:25 [Permalink]
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| Not at all, unless they proved beyond any doubt, to me, that there was such a deity. |
"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa
"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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tw101356
Skeptic Friend
USA
333 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2005 : 10:13:42 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Patrick Hennessey
Their technology seems like magic
OK. Technology advanced beyond anything we can think of.
quote:
and they have superior genetics.
How is this measured? Are they totally adaptable as a species, thus ensuring that they can survive to reproduce under any circumstances (think Alien)? Are their random mutations always beneficial?
Or does their superior technology merely permit them to manipulate their own DNA?
quote:
They also disclose that they believe in a Creator.
Do you believe them?
Sure. I believe them when they say they believe in a Creator. I have seen nothing to make me think they'd lie about their beliefs.
I would not accept this as evidence of anything beyond the fact that supersition affects even the most advanced minds.
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- TW
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2005 : 16:28:58 [Permalink]
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| But Christ died for OUR sins, not theirs!!! They couldn't be Christians because they aren't human. Why, you may ponder? Because it says so. |
by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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markie
Skeptic Friend
Canada
356 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2005 : 17:35:14 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by pleco
But Christ died for OUR sins, not theirs!!! They couldn't be Christians because they aren't human. Why, you may ponder? Because it says so.
But does it? The apostle Paul sometimes spoke from a very universal perspective (from Colossians 1 and Ephesians 2):
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For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ... Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people...
And Peter adds to this from Acts:
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The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-- for all whom the Lord our God will call."
(Said with some tongue in cheek)
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Randy
SFN Regular
USA
1990 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2005 : 18:07:38 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by pleco
But Christ died for OUR sins, not theirs!!! They couldn't be Christians because they aren't human. Why, you may ponder? Because it says so.
One of those memorable National Enquirer headlines from several years ago (was having a long grocery check out line moment)...
"Billy Graham believes in ET, they look like us, and believe in Jesus Christ".
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"We are all connected; to each other biologically, to the earth chemically, to the rest of the universe atomically."
"So you're made of detritus [from exploded stars]. Get over it. Or better yet, celebrate it. After all, what nobler thought can one cherish than that the universe lives within us all?"
-Neil DeGrasse Tyson |
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