Extra Terrestrial Life

[Masquerouge]

I don't believe man is specifically called the "master of everything that moves" anywhere in the Bible. Do you have a specific Bible verse on that? It doesn't sound familiar. Anyway, that's an interesting question, and not one that's easily answered. I would assume that they are our equals, though, and I would treat them accordingly unless there was some unexpected reason to treat them differently.

Genesis 26:
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, [b] and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

This is what I was really referring to, even if my "master of everything that moves" is a very poor way to express it

 

[El_Machinae]

I see germs aren't on that list; this explains the misery they cause us.

 

[warpus]

I would be interested to hear what other religions have to say about this.

Aneeshm? Anyone else?

 

[JonnyB]

You know actually sometimes I really wish advanced aliens would come to Earth and kick our butt so hard. Just so our inflated ego, well, deflates.

Me too, Humanity needs a spanking.

 

[Masquerouge]

Me too, Humanity needs a spanking.

Plus (and this is the plot of the Watchmen actually) maybe we'll realize how petty our internal fights and wars really are.

 

[Sidhe]

I see germs aren't on that list; this explains the misery they cause us.

Disease is mentioned though, wouldn't the bible be more believable if it didn't only conform to the ignorant standards of the people of the times, as in it it foresaw a few physics theories, like the forces and relativity. And microbiology of course. There'd be a hell of a lot less need for sophistry in the deal.

 

[puglover]

You know actually sometimes I really wish advanced aliens would come to Earth and kick our butt so hard. Just so our inflated ego, well, deflates.

You have a point. What was the event that put an end to the ignorant idealism of Woodrow Wilson's era? World War II. Sometimes I almost believe some wars are a gift, to humble mankind so it won't destroy itself. This isn't to say war is good of course, I'm just saying that pride always leads to a fall.

Genesis 26:
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, [b] and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

This is what I was really referring to, even if my "master of everything that moves" is a very poor way to express it

And God also said that the the man who wants to be great must be servant of all. If we are master of alien life, we should treat it with the same respect we are supposed to give to natural life on Earth. I believe harmony with the universe God gave us is one of the key points to spiritual fufilment, and if extraterrestrials are a part of that equation, the same applies.

 

[Masquerouge]

And God also said that the the man who wants to be great must be servant of all. If we are master of alien life, we should treat it with the same respect we are supposed to give to natural life on Earth. I believe harmony with the universe God gave us is one of the key points to spiritual fufilment, and if extraterrestrials are a part of that equation, the same applies.

That's a much better stance than the "if it ain't us it's the ennemy" one usually found in movies and sci-fi books.

 

[puglover]

That's a much better stance than the "if it ain't us it's the ennemy" one usually found in movies and sci-fi books.

Ironically, it's usually the priest who's given that stance IIRC.

 

[Veritass]

The part I don't like about most sci-fi is that the human side is 50% stronger than the enemy, or the enemy is 50% stronger, and so the struggle ensues.

I guess it is not as interesting a story as if you encounter the enemy that is 1,000,000 times stronger than you and merely swats you out of existence.

 

[Masquerouge]

The part I don't like about most sci-fi is that the human side is 50% stronger than the enemy, or the enemy is 50% stronger, and so the struggle ensues.

I guess it is not as interesting a story as if you encounter the enemy that is 1,000,000 times stronger than you and merely swats you out of existence.

That, and the part that the alien civilization travels across the galaxy just in order to fight with us...

 

[innonimatu]

If there was any extraterrestrial civilization more advanced than ours, yet even remotely similar to ours, and quick space travel was possible, it would have already found us. Having found us, it would either contact us (hasn’t happened, that we know of), or it was deliberately avoiding it. In this last case I doubt it would allow itself to be found by humans in the next few centuries.

Personally I’m very sceptical about the existence of any “more advanced” extraterrestrial life forms. The only argument for such thing is the “near-infinity” of the universe, which should lead to live appearing and evolving in many places throughout the universe, leading to the development of civilizations of intelligent creatures. Sorry but that’s no proof.
Still, let’s admit the argument is right. More advanced is hard to define, I’ll be content to admit it means this extraterrestrials possess the technology for practical, fast space travel. Any more advanced extraterrestrials would travel to other planets. If the “near-infinity” argument was correct several (many, indeed) extraterrestrial civilizations should already have risen, travelled the universe, and met each other. They would not eventually meet only if practical space travel is impossible. What is the likeliness that all of these would fail to notice, have no interest on, or deliberately avoid our planet? If they existed and could travel we should already have been visited by extraterrestrials. There is no serious evidence of such a thing.
Notice that the existence of other civilizations that do not possess the means for practical space travel (which we also do not possess, nor know if we ever will) is pretty much irrelevant, as contact will probably be impossible. And if they couldn’t figure out how to travel its probably impossible (remember, we’re admitting the theory “near-infinity”

But what if mankind in the future ever encounters something akin to the planet imagined by Stanisław Lem in “Solaris”? That seems more likely.

On a side note, as a european I never cease to be amazed at how americans are obsessed with religion… Where I live anyone but a priest who bothered to memorize any substantial part of the bible would be considered a nutcase by most people (or a jehova’s witness, which would amount to the same).

 

[Masquerouge]

On a side note, as a european I never cease to be amazed at how americans are obsessed with religion… Where I live anyone but a priest who bothered to memorize any substantial part of the bible would be considered a nutcase by most people (or a jehova’s witness, which would amount to the same).

I'm a French atheist, but when I need a Bible quote, I use that nifty techonlogical tool called the Internet. It works wonder.

EDIT: I assume you're referring to me since I'm the only one to have posted a Bible quote in this thread

 

[puglover]

On a side note, as a european I never cease to be amazed at how americans are obsessed with religion… Where I live anyone but a priest who bothered to memorize any substantial part of the bible would be considered a nutcase by most people (or a jehova’s witness, which would amount to the same).

Searching for truth is man's greatest ambition. Why should someone be called a nutcase for seeking it out in pages of time-honored wisdom?

 

[innonimatu]

Well, I'm new to the forum, just noticed that threads about religious themes were common, and most posters were american. Religion pops up on most threads in off-topic!

Puglover, I don’t want to change the subject we’re discussing. But about your comment I can only say around here most people gave up on finding truth in religious books. Cultural differences we better not talk about here, really.

 

[Masquerouge]

Cultural differences we better not talk about here, really.

You're new at this Off-Topic thing, I presume?

 

[nc-1701]

If there was any extraterrestrial civilization more advanced than ours, yet even remotely similar to ours, and quick space travel was possible, it would have already found us. Having found us, it would either contact us (hasn’t happened, that we know of), or it was deliberately avoiding it. In this last case I doubt it would allow itself to be found by humans in the next few centuries.

Personally I’m very sceptical about the existence of any “more advanced” extraterrestrial life forms. The only argument for such thing is the “near-infinity” of the universe, which should lead to live appearing and evolving in many places throughout the universe, leading to the development of civilizations of intelligent creatures. Sorry but that’s no proof.
Still, let’s admit the argument is right. More advanced is hard to define, I’ll be content to admit it means this extraterrestrials possess the technology for practical, fast space travel. Any more advanced extraterrestrials would travel to other planets. If the “near-infinity” argument was correct several (many, indeed) extraterrestrial civilizations should already have risen, travelled the universe, and met each other. They would not eventually meet only if practical space travel is impossible. What is the likeliness that all of these would fail to notice, have no interest on, or deliberately avoid our planet? If they existed and could travel we should already have been visited by extraterrestrials. There is no serious evidence of such a thing.
Notice that the existence of other civilizations that do not possess the means for practical space travel (which we also do not possess, nor know if we ever will) is pretty much irrelevant, as contact will probably be impossible. And if they couldn’t figure out how to travel its probably impossible (remember, we’re admitting the theory “near-infinity”

But what if mankind in the future ever encounters something akin to the planet imagined by Stanisław Lem in “Solaris”? That seems more likely.

On a side note, as a european I never cease to be amazed at how americans are obsessed with religion… Where I live anyone but a priest who bothered to memorize any substantial part of the bible would be considered a nutcase by most people (or a jehova’s witness, which would amount to the same).

Well the speed of light severely restricts space travel making the likelyhood of being found far less.

This is turning quite interesting, another though what if the ET's were Atheists? Or what if they all came and said "Convert or die!"?