What would religious leaders do if aliens showed up?

[Eldorado]

What should we make of this “new form of religiosity,” as D.W. Pasulka, author of American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology, has described the most recent wave of UFO mania?

And if intelligent beings were to show up—in the lower atmosphere of our planet or in the upper atmosphere of another, perhaps as revealed by the soon-to-launch James Webb Space Telescope—how would it affect Americans’ feelings about mind and matter, about the soul and the world, in an increasingly irreligious culture?

To hazard a guess, I spoke with religious leaders and thinkers about the possibility of space-faring intelligent life and how UFOs fit into Americans’ evolving belief systems—now and in the future.

https://slate.com/technology/2021/10/ufo-aliens-religion-clergy.html

[The_Phantom_Stranger]

Quote

When I raised the possibility of extraterrestrial life to Reggie Blount, a pastor in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, he shared a verse from the 13^th chapter of 1 Corinthians: “We look through a mirror dimly.” For Blount and many Christians, the full reality of God’s creation will be forever obscure to human beings, like opaque glass. As Blount sees it, in a universe containing a potentially infinite number of galaxies, aliens may very well exist. “But,” he emphasizes, “I don’t think other intelligent beings would change our relationship to God.”

I agree. They might bring you closer or further from God depending on who you are.

[+and-then]

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

Arthur C. Clarke

I think huge numbers of people would believe the aliens were "god".  In fact, the Bible refers to a coming "strong delusion" that God will test those on the earth with. Those who have refused to seek the truth about Him will be led to believe that lie.  At least, that is my understanding of that scripture reference.  For myself, I'm not sure how I would assimilate such a revelation.  I think that at first I'd probably be unsure of its reality and possibly I'd not feel I could trust that the information was real.  Regardless of that, it would not cause me to lose faith in the Creator.  I have never presumed that I understood everything about Him, perfectly.  Not by a LONG stretch.  He refers to the fact that when He returns and takes His place as the ruler of all the earth, "the mystery of God will be finished".  I've always taken that to mean that we will then, finally understand His place in the universe and that we were correct to believe in Him.

 

[Ell]

1 hour ago, The_Phantom_Stranger said:

I agree. They might bring you closer or further from God depending on who you are.

I suspect that it depends on the direction their spaceship moves.

[acute]

Aliens showing up would expose organised religion as the myth it has always been.

With the number of religious nuts around the globe, the whole world would go tîts-up.

[SHaYap]

Convert them... Messiahs and sons and daughters of God from all forms of religion would pop up all over the place... 

~

[+joc]

2 hours ago, third_eye said:

Convert them... Messiahs and sons and daughters of God from all forms of religion would pop up all over the place... 

~

Friends...do you know Jesus?  Well, come to our church Sunday at 11 and we will introduce you to him.  It's why you have come here...to find J e s u s !

[SHaYap]

11 minutes ago, joc said:

Friends...do you know Jesus?  Well, come to our church Sunday at 11 and we will introduce you to him.  It's why you have come here...to find J e s u s !

Nom nomm nommm...

*Slurp and burp... *

~

Edited October 19, 2021 by third_eye

[psyche101]

They would just say it's all part of gods plan.

That's the usual rollout for anything challenging to faith isn't it? 

[XenoFish]

Wouldn't that make scientology the one true religion.

[psyche101]

Not unless Xenu shows up. 

As much chance as any god I suppose. 

[SHaYap]

Depends on how many extraterrestrials there is on the space craft... 

~

[psyche101]

Just now, third_eye said:

Depends on how many extraterrestrials there is on the space craft... 

~

It will have American media on it so it spins. 

[thedutchiedutch]

They will use it to their advantage to further promote their religion whether it's good or evil.

[The_Phantom_Stranger]

13 hours ago, joc said:

Friends...do you know Jesus?  Well, come to our church Sunday at 11 and we will introduce you to him.  It's why you have come here...to find J e s u s !

You do realize that this is impossible because the scriptures deny it? When Jesus returns he won't be known by the name Jesus Christ. According to Revelation, when the Son of Man returns he will be a warlord killing the armies of Earth. He knows by now that the general humanity will betray him and he won't make that mistake again. That is why he says in the Gospel he will never be at the places that people say he is at.

 

[XenoFish]

18 hours ago, and then said:

I think huge numbers of people would believe the aliens were "god". 

Then God has a probing fetish.

[Phantom309]

21 minutes ago, The_Phantom_Stranger said:

You do realize that this is impossible because the scriptures deny it? 

 

What makes you believe these scriptures are true and accurate...?

[+joc]

8 hours ago, The_Phantom_Stranger said:

You do realize that this is impossible because the scriptures deny it? When Jesus returns he won't be known by the name Jesus Christ. According to Revelation, when the Son of Man returns he will be a warlord killing the armies of Earth. He knows by now that the general humanity will betray him and he won't make that mistake again. That is why he says in the Gospel he will never be at the places that people say he is at.

 

I think  you misunderstood my context.  I wasn't saying that religious leaders would say the alien was Jesus...I was saying that if aliens appeared on Earth, the religious leaders would attempt to convert them to Christianity.

[The_Phantom_Stranger]

1 minute ago, joc said:

I think  you misunderstood my context.  I wasn't saying that religious leaders would say the alien was Jesus...I was saying that if aliens appeared on Earth, the religious leaders would attempt to convert them to Christianity.

Oh. I can't see what people are saying, because I have so many people on my ignore list.

[+joc]

20 minutes ago, The_Phantom_Stranger said:

Oh. I can't see what people are saying, because I have so many people on my ignore list.

I personally do not have anyone on this thread on my ignore list.  I should really go over that list more often.  I don't even know who is on it and probably don't remember why...

Hmmmm....

[+joc]

25 minutes ago, The_Phantom_Stranger said:

Oh. I can't see what people are saying, because I have so many people on my ignore list.

I personally do not have anyone on this thread on my ignore list.  I should really go over that list more often.  I don't even know who is on it and probably don't remember why...

Hmmmm....

Edited to say:  Oh yeah, I actually do remember now...

[The_Phantom_Stranger]

This reminds me of Twilight Zone episodes and an episode of the Outer Limits....

[Nobu]

On 10/18/2021 at 4:06 PM, Eldorado said:

What should we make of this “new form of religiosity,” as D.W. Pasulka, author of American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology, has described the most recent wave of UFO mania?

And if intelligent beings were to show up—in the lower atmosphere of our planet or in the upper atmosphere of another, perhaps as revealed by the soon-to-launch James Webb Space Telescope—how would it affect Americans’ feelings about mind and matter, about the soul and the world, in an increasingly irreligious culture?

To hazard a guess, I spoke with religious leaders and thinkers about the possibility of space-faring intelligent life and how UFOs fit into Americans’ evolving belief systems—now and in the future.

https://slate.com/technology/2021/10/ufo-aliens-religion-clergy.html

They would embrace it. But change it to their canton. 

 

people that devote their lives to one idea and one cause don’t change their ideology when there should be a cataclysmic shift. They adapt and make up reasons. You can look at a lot of people posting here and see this example.