How Would Irrefutable Evidence Of Extraterrestrials Affect You.

[ERayR]

I am not much of a what if fan but this idea intrigues me. If the US government were to publically reveal either live aliens or the bodies of aliens.

How would it affect:

1) Your practice of your religion?

2) Your belief in and concept of God?

Edited August 15, 2011 by ERayR

[altersteve]

Aliens as in little green people, or as in people who look like us? Either way, it wouldn't affect my practice of the LDS faith, or my belief in and concept of God at all. I see no reason why it should. It would actually strengthen my faith.

[Questing Beast]

God is an extraterrestrial. Any life not originating on this planet is extraterrestrial. As the universe appears to be effectively without end, that means we are infinitely outnumbered by "extraterrestrials". The fact that we have not been visited by any (so far as we know) indicates that a protocol may be in place, for races that have achieved interstellar travel capabilities, forbidding direct contact with lower order planets. Either that or interstellar travel is effectively impossible for mortals, i.e. is limited to "gods" only....

[Anijen]

No Affect. I believe that there is life out there (just by the sheer number of planets), I just don't know if they look like us or not. If they do or do not it wouldn't affect my testimony.

[Franktalk]

We are extraterrestrial in our nature. We are a spirit that happens to reside in a body on this planet for the moment. So any being from somewhere else would be like finding a new bug in the rain forest. No big deal.

[Samurai2012]

Aliens as in little green people, or as in people who look like us? Either way, it wouldn't affect my practice of the LDS faith, or my belief in and concept of God at all. I see no reason why it should. It would actually strengthen my faith.

Well, all I can say is, whatever these aliens are, I feel that they would have most of the same traits, intellectually and culturally, as humans, they would be subject to the same kind of judgements, Plan of Salvation, and so on, as the rest of us. I think the only real obstacle here is how much any of us believe God is capable of, which is easier said than done. I feel skeptical about the "Little Green Men" deal, but I think that God would really hope we be concerned with our own planet, and perhaps when we have passed on into the next life, we can at least see what lies throughout the various stars and galaxies, but now, I think God wanted us to worry about whomever we have on Earth for the most part, right now, because that's where most of the help is needed.

[Monster]

I have irrefutable evidence in something beyond this world and it does make me think. What, why, how, where did they come from. Of course no one believes you so it only has bearing on your life and those that experienced it.

[BCSpace]

I am not much of a what if fan but this idea intrigues me. If the US government were to publically reveal either live aliens or the bodies of aliens.

How would it affect:

1) Your practice of your religion?

2) Your belief in and concept of God?

If they were as intelligent or more intelligent than we are, it could redefine what is meant by "image of God". For example, a Star Trek Universe full of humanoids, all in the image of God ala The Chase.

Act Five

The Enterprise makes a good show of being damaged, and then heads to the proper coordinates with Nu'Daq.

Once at the final planet, they transport to the surface to take tricorder measurements of lichen growing in an ancient seabed. Suddenly, the Romulans appear, insisting that everyone leave the premises. Covertly, the away team takes readings of the lichen, and find their tricorder reconfigured to display a holographic image of a humanoid, explaining that her civilization existed in the galaxy alone, thousands of lonely years before any of the others developed. As such, they spread their genetic material to other planets, in the hopes of creating a rich ecosystem of Humanoids who could fulfill the joys of finding and integrating with alien cultures that these first beings never had. Most parties seem disgusted at the thought of a common progenitor.

Back on board the Enterprise, Picard receives an unexpected message from the Romulan captain, who carefully chooses his words and suggests by his approach that Humans and Romulans are not so different after all. "Perhaps... one day..."

Of course if such alien life were not humanoid, it could even more radically alter the definition of "in the image of God" or introduce the notion of other Gods that are not like ours. That is, if one is wanting to assume all that we have been taught is still true. Such a find could also destroy religion as we know it in the minds of other people.

I would still probably try to find an explaination that works with what I already know to be true.

Edited August 15, 2011 by BCSpace

[ERayR]

This is interesting so far. The LDS posters are answering about as I had expected. I would like a little input from non-LDS.

Thanks

[thesometimesaint]

QB:

Actually ET has visited the earth. They landed on the Mall in Washington D.C.. Found absolutely no intelligent life, and left never to return.

[LeSellers]

Actually ET has visited the earth. They landed on the Mall in Washington D.C.. Found absolutely no intelligent life, and left never to return.

Last summer, my Jacquie and I went to the District for a couple of weeks. As we were between two Smithsonian buildings, two young women (mid-twenties) came up, pointing to their map, asked where the mall was, and if there was a food court in it.

You may be right.

Lehi

Edited August 15, 2011 by LeSellers

[Duncan]

Like George Costanza with a race of Pig men, maybe if Aliens come here maybe I wouldn't be looking so bad after all! haha!

Edited August 15, 2011 by Duncan

[mfbukowski]

I would still probably try to find an explaination that works with what I already know to be true.

As we all do, scientists included.

There was a favorite Star Trek of mine, in the first original season, in which there was a life form based on silicon rather than carbon- they were in effect, "intelligent rocks".

Suppose a "meteorite" crashed into the earth and then started "walking" around? (If anyone wants that story line- just give me some credit, and it's yours)

Even if such a thing happened it would not disprove any aspect of our theology- there could be all kinds of creatures who don't acknowledge "our God" as their God. I mean, what do dolphins and whales pray to?

Is anyone prepared to say with certainty that dolphins don't "pray"?

......Just stirring the pot........

[mfbukowski]

I have irrefutable evidence in something beyond this world and it does make me think. What, why, how, where did they come from. Of course no one believes you so it only has bearing on your life and those that experienced it.

Actually an excellent point. Subjective experience is not automatically "false" because it is subjective. I am absolutely certain there are myriads of phenomena only experienced by a few who immediately get categorized as "quacks" completely unjustifiably.

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

- Shakespeare

[Samurai2012]

As we all do, scientists included.

There was a favorite Star Trek of mine, in the first original season, in which there was a life form based on silicon rather than carbon- they were in effect, "intelligent rocks".

Suppose a "meteorite" crashed into the earth and then started "walking" around? (If anyone wants that story line- just give me some credit, and it's yours)

Even if such a thing happened it would not disprove any aspect of our theology- there could be all kinds of creatures who don't acknowledge "our God" as their God. I mean, what do dolphins and whales pray to?

Is anyone prepared to say with certainty that dolphins don't "pray"?

......Just stirring the pot........

I would expect them to have intellectual capacities on par with what human beings have, as well as their forming societies, governments, etc. How they look, I really couldn't say, but I would assume that they were reasoning, and similar to us in intelligence alone.

I don't think God really expects animals or plants to pray at all, he does expect us to have dominion, which is linguistically along the lines of a Lord who cares for his servants, regarding our relationship to other life on Earth. I certainly am concerned for the environment, in the sense that if our food options run out, we are in serious trouble, like those who lived on Pitcairn or Easter Island.

[KevinG]

If the details of where and how they came from were settled by science I'd ask:

- What are your beliefs about life/afterlife. (Do they have religion?)

- What does their religion say about sin and salvation? Do they have a Savior? Is theirs the same as our planet or a different Savior?

- Is contacting us a sin (disobedience to God) or perfectly OK with their beliefs?

[Jaybear]

I am not much of a what if fan but this idea intrigues me. If the US government were to publically reveal either live aliens or the bodies of aliens.

How would it affect:

1) Your practice of your religion?

2) Your belief in and concept of God?

If the aliens had human form, I would have to revisit my rejection of the theory of intelligent design.

[BCSpace]

If the aliens had human form, I would have to revisit my rejection of the theory of intelligent design.

Perhaps consider the fact that creating and manipulating multiple worlds with the conditions to favor the evolution of humans is no different, in that respect, than God literally taking some clay on each world and fashioning humans with His hands. You might not have to give up evolution at all (I wouldn't).

The conditions to favor human evolution could also vary widely and so perhaps instead of humans and cows and sheep, another world could have humans and orats and sligs.

Orat on a stick anyone?

Edited August 15, 2011 by BCSpace

[mfbukowski]

I don't think God really expects animals or plants to pray at all, he does expect us to have dominion, which is linguistically along the lines of a Lord who cares for his servants, regarding our relationship to other life on Earth. I certainly am concerned for the environment, in the sense that if our food options run out, we are in serious trouble, like those who lived on Pitcairn or Easter Island.

I don't want to get too far out on this, but if they were commanded to "fill the measure of their creation and have joy therein", to me that implies that some do better than others at that, and that in some sense they will be judged for doing or not doing so, obviously according to their "understanding".

Just don't tell anyone I believe that- ok? That's just between you and me!

[etana]

I am not much of a what if fan but this idea intrigues me. If the US government were to publically reveal either live aliens or the bodies of aliens.

How would it affect:

1) Your practice of your religion?

2) Your belief in and concept of God?

After all the movies i've seen? I'd start listening more seriously to the counsel on food storage and preparedness. (And have the Scout leaders teach me to shoot.)

[rpn]

I expect to see extraterrestrials, and they also will be patterned after what Heavenly Father looks like, as they will be His children also. (Given the variety of human LOOKS, I wouldn't even be too surprised at green and pointed ears.)

[ERayR]

After all the movies i've seen? I'd start listening more seriously to the counsel on food storage and preparedness. (And have the Scout leaders teach me to shoot.)

OK but please address the questions:

How would it affect:

1) Your practice of your religion?

2) Your belief in and concept of God?

[Kenngo1969]

OK but please address the questions:

How would it affect:

1) Your practice of your religion?

2) Your belief in and concept of God?

Let me say up front that I am acutely aware of the holes in this theory, but you invited my speculation so I’ll speculate.

1. We know that 2/3 of premortal spirits rejected the plan that involved them coming to Earth to get bodies.

2. LDS doctrine holds that embodied spirits and disembodied spirits have power over unembodied spirits, and that a big reason for the enmity between us and Satan’s minions is that they want the bodies we have.

3. There is an instance from scripture in which devils were so desperate to inhabit bodies (“My name is Legion, for we are many”) that they bid the Savior agreed to cast them into a herd of swine after He cast them out of the young man they had previously been tormenting (see Mark 5:1-13).

Did some evil spirits find humanoid alien bodies to inhabit on other worlds, and have they visited this one?

I’m not necessary prepared to defend the tenability of this theory, but it does fit with Mormon theology so it wouldn’t change how I practice my religion or my belief in God.

[ERayR]

Let me say up front that I am acutely aware of the holes in this theory, but you invited my speculation so I’ll speculate.

1. We know that 2/3 of premortal spirits rejected the plan that involved them coming to Earth to get bodies.

2. LDS doctrine holds that embodied spirits and disembodied spirits have power over unembodied spirits, and that a big reason for the enmity between us and Satan’s minions is that they want the bodies we have.

3. There is an instance from scripture in which devils were so desperate to inhabit bodies (“My name is Legion, for we are many”) that they bid the Savior agreed to cast them into a herd of swine after He cast them out of the young man they had previously been tormenting (see Mark 5:1-13).

Did some evil spirits find humanoid alien bodies to inhabit on other worlds, and have they visited this one?

I’m not necessary prepared to defend the tenability of this theory, but it does fit with Mormon theology so it wouldn’t change how I practice my religion or my belief in God.

Not trying to argue but I am curious to understand why you would want to atribute demon possession to aliens. For your consideration could they be from some of the worlds without number that God has created?

I am not rejecting your premise but just presenting an alternate possibility. Or maybe it could be a mixture of both.

The reason I ask these questions is because the premise has been put out there that the Governments won't admit to the reality of alien contact because of several reasons and one of them was that it would destroy the religions of the world thus causing severe problems. I as a LDS would have no problem. I think it would fit very well with my beliefs but I was wondering if non-LDS, perhaps some of our evangelical friends, might have more problems with it, even to the destruction of their faith.

[mfbukowski]

1. We know that 2/3 of premortal spirits rejected the plan that involved them coming to Earth to get bodies.

Uh, that would be ONE third.