h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just for the record, there is a recoqnised group who already have this covered for over 140 odd years.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka Mormons) have in their 'Pearl of Great Price' the following, The Lord is speaking to Moses in the following extracts.

Moses 1:33 "And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which mine Only Begotten."
Moses 1:35 "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."
Moses 1:38 "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."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that often interpreted as referring to multiple acts of Creation (when one worlds dies, God creates another) rather than multiple worlds with life?

Just wondering...

[bows respectfully]

--Caledonian

What's the problem? When the new worlds were discovered and subsequently dominated, were the indiginous species looked upon as human? Were they not slaughtered as being sub species and heathen? The same will happen on any planet we come across with life forms. Eventually they will be assimillated and converted to the dominant religion of the time. Then they will fit into God's plan.

Dear icantthinkofacoolname,

Given that we are very aware of the crimes comitted againts the natives of the New Worlds (America, Oceania), can we not assume that we will not do such mistakes again? Hopefully, there will be some sort of scientific leadership abord a possible future expedition that dicovers alien life. They will know their history and strive not to make the same mistakes. Will they not?
*Uncertain looks*

(my brother is a shoesalesman, but you may call me) JAR

Heya;

I'd like to think that any spaceship from Earth that makes first contact with an alien species does so as a scientist and diplomat. It's almost ludicrous to think about some astronaut or cosmonaut whipping out a Bible and expecting the native of Betelgeuse (whom he or she has just met) to convert to the One, True Way; while it would make an amusing scene in a really psychotic science fiction story, I can't imagine the situation unfolding in quite that way. I'd like to think that humankind has progressed beyond religious colonialism.

--ZZZarniwoop

The one problem most people are avoiding is: But how will these aliens react to us discovering them? Personally, I've had enough of being convinced that my personal religion/lack thereof is not friendly enough/correct/lacking in vitamins just by the neighbourhood witches.

We might just be looking for trouble by exposing ourselves to the rest of the universe...

-JAFN (Just Anuther FuckNut)

What if the alians, if there are any, have their own religon and beilfe structure? what if their messiah, Zarvox Cron Cu, wrote in the holy book Slytex:
"ZCC 4624: And upon those wings of desire rest the souls of upright apes, whose true passion is to find new places to discover/ruin"

Interesting point, but won't any species advanced enough to have intersteller travel logically be smart enough to get rid of religion. (I include humans, if they are smart enough and don't self destruct first in this)

to Caledonian-
yes, it could be interpreted as being a string of creations. However, a certain part of Moses 1:35 reads, "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;". This makes your theory of a string of creations correct, ("For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power."), though it implies that there are several different strings of creation, ("And there are many that now stand,"). This would indicate that there are currently several worlds which have intelligent life. I believe they would have intelligent life because of Moses 1:33, "And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose;" and Moses 1:39, "For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." The intelligent life would, in my opinion, look like us, because of Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." If every planet has "man" on it, and man was created in God's image, then, since God only has one image (I'm assuming), the intelligent life on the other planets will look like God, and thus will look like us.

-R

I'm not Religous and don't follow any sort of orgainised religon despite being raised as a Catholic. I however do believe in a higher power. Every one has to have faith. As a scientist has to have the faith and belief that the experiment will work or that he/she is on to a good idea. Other wise there would be no scientific advancement.

i think it's unfair to say that of course more advanced beings will have left religon behind. what if their religon is stronger because their advancement has been a direct result of it not despite it. Think about it the most rapid advances in our history has been as a result of war including the Cold War. In modern times it's industrial war between companies. This does not have to be the template for everyone.

Finally in closing i think its important to have a belief in something as it drives you to better yourself in some way. And no offence to any religon in the world but i thing that people should be allowed to make up their own minds about everything that is one of the reasons i left the church. I didn't want to be told what i could and couldnt believe in.

Homer simpson said it best "Jesus, Allah, Buddah, I love you all"

I may have been a bit rash.

I think though, that any organized religion a dogma or set of beliefs, for example that might that might lead to conquest, which was the point of the posting I was responding to (that aliens would decide to enforce their religion on us) will cloud a society's actions so much that little advance can take place. Major scientific advances have only rapidly occured either in societies, like ancient Greece, where the religion had little if any restraining dogma, or, like in Roman and current times, there are many religions, not one all-consuming religion. For rapid advance, religions must be differing throughout the society poeple, so there could not be one religion that the society would try to prosteletize for, THat was my point. I should have been more clear, but I was in a hurry and slightly annoyed by an unrelated matter, so I overreacted.

It's a dog, ma. But not as we know it.

That is probably the best religious account I have heard in terms of explaining the planets beyond our own. I admit to not being a religious person but I do pay attention to what they have to say, and no-one had come up with a valid argument until now. Thank you.

This does sort out the question of life on other planets though doesn't it? I fail to believe the odds are on us 'being alone' for one minute, and seeing as religion does seem to be hanging around, it ties up quite nicely.

I have no problem with the possible existence of alien life as a Christian believer. God would have created these beings as well as us, and he would presumably be known to them also.

From a scientific standpoint, I think it's quite likely that there is life somewhere out there other than on Earth, whether that's within 'our' solar system or (more likely) much further away, perhaps in a different galaxy. I do, however, think it's reasonably unlikely that we'll bump into them, whoever or whatever they may be.

I hope i don't offend anyone with this it's not my intenion. As i said in a previous message i was raised a catholic and would still consider myself a catholic, yet have a major problem with the idea of the catholic GOD. If there is one God then how does that explain other deities yet even the catholoc church believes in more than one god. God the Father, God the Son and the Holy ghost. Confusion reigns.
Vikings believed in a higher power, Islam believes in a higher power, And if we meet alien life and they believe in a higher power then who is right. In my humble opinion everyone is right. Most viewes of a deity is born from experience and situations that give rise to religion and religous practice.

Sorry for dragging this out but cant everyone be right. God, Allah Thor, Jupiter, Ares, Mars, Mercury, Zeus, etc. in my eyes all one and the same.

All major religions of the world can't be right because they contradict each other, therefore at the very least they are all wrong or incomplete in some way. Also I think its interesting that those who wish to leave faith behind because of science are making a huge leap of faith. There are more problems in science than solutions, and to make a definite statement against the faith of religious people seems like quite the jump.

Put yourself in God's shoes for a minute. There are all these people down on Earth believing in the "wrong" religion (I say God but if for example Islam was the "True" religion it would be Allah, please don't be offended anyone). You wan't them to believe in you. The alternatives are: a)Tell them the total truth about the Universe which as an uncivilized race they will be unable to understand or b)Tell them a white lie. I think the only reasonable answer is a and explains why some religions are, to quote fjordphaedrus "incomplete". This leaves the possibility of life on other worlds open. If you were God and dictating the Bible to someone you couldn't explain to them about aliens before they even knew of other worlds. Unlees you were really stupid. Which, as God, you wouldn't be.

I read a short story years ago in which a holy man died and went to heaven to meet god. In this story god explained that yes he did create man in his image but that the universe is a big place and that the comet that struck the earth 65 million years ago wiped out his greatest creation forcing him to work with what was left over. I liked this story for two reasons
1st. it showed the deity to be fallible
2nd. it showed that we were not the first. if that comet had not struck how would the "Terrible Lizards" have evolved.

Simply a point to ponder

I read a short story years ago in which a holy man died and went to heaven to meet god. In this story god explained that yes he did create man in his image but that the universe is a big place and that the comet that struck the earth 65 million years ago wiped out his greatest creation forcing him to work with what was left over. I liked this story for two reasons
1st. it showed the deity to be fallible
2nd. it showed that we were not the first. if that comet had not struck how would the "Terrible Lizards" have evolved.

Simply a point to ponder