is that the end of Christianism?

[kakeux]

Scientists are now able to say that billions of planets offer the same climatic conditions as our beloved earth and that extraterrestrial form of life is now a certainty (yes, statistics). I'm curious to know how religions (mostly Christianity) will accept this "new" info and how they will explain that three headed people are not god's creatures. Scientists are quite sure they will discover easily some evidences of life with some already known technology. I'm looking forward.

Just dropping this because I read a science magazine during my holidays, but that's a cool info, isn't it?

[garageband]

It's "Christianity" not "Christianism". Curiously, the Mormons (an unarguably Christian bunch) have accounted for this in their theology. Stan even quoted the scriptural reference and everything from a "Gee, aren't Mormons wacky?" kind of perspective.

[m24p]

Scientists are now able to say that billions of planets offer the same climatic conditions as our beloved earth and that extraterrestrial form of life is now a certainty (yes, statistics). I'm curious to know how religions (mostly Christianity) will accept this "new" info and how they will explain that three headed people are not god's creatures. Scientists are quite sure they will discover easily some evidences of life with some already known technology. I'm looking forward.

Just dropping this because I read a science magazine during my holidays, but that's a cool info, isn't it?

Well, CS Lewis wrote a trilogy of books, the first one published in 1938, in which there is some interplanetary travail and hnau (intelligent life) living on mars and venus. So I don't get why you think a scientific discover of life on other planets would be incompatible with Christendom.

[kakeux]

thanks for the correction.

I'm pretty sure, some religious peoples have been paid to find good answer to explain important changes in our way of conceiving the world/universe. Mormons are maybe finally avant-gardist

[m24p]

thanks for the correction.

I'm pretty sure, some religious peoples have been paid to find good answer to explain important changes in our way of conceiving the world/universe. Mormons are maybe finally avant-gardist

In case you missed my post, 1938 is over twenty years before we made it to the moon.

[kakeux]

ok I saw your post..

[kakeux]

by the way, how can I edit the thread title?

[garageband]

by the way, how can I edit the thread title?

Edit the OP. The Tiltle blank should be editable.

[Big Al Rocks]

by the way, how can I edit the thread title?

If you edit your original post in this thread, I think it gives you the option to edit the title.

[kakeux]

It just seems to correct the thread name in my OP...

[kakeux]

m24p, talking about the possibility of life outside the earth and having real clue of it is very different and quite problematic for some religions (not all). The problem with Christianity is the way they consider human beeing. If we only find some cells living somewhere, nobody will be hurt. But he we find super-humans, then they will have some problem to explain it. I hope you get my point. If we're no more the "high-end" intellect, it's no good for them. I know my english is not always helping for this kind of discussion..

[m24p]

mp24, talking about the possibility of life outside the earth and having real clue of it is very different and quite problematic for some religions (not all). The problem with Christianity is the way they consider human beeing. If we only find some cells living somewhere, nobody will be hurt. But he we find super-humans, then they will have some problem to explain it. I hope you get my point. If we're no more the "high-end" intellect, it's no good for them. I know my english is not always helping for this kind of discussion..

I'm saying that CS Lewis, a very well-know Christian author, wrote a story within the Christian framework in which there was intelligent life on Mars and Venus. It's certainly not problematic for Christianity.

EDIT: and he did it well before there was scientific evidence showing that alien life was likely, so it's not trying to shoehorn stuff to fit science.

[m24p]

I'm very excited by the unknowns - space exploration, the Higgs field, etc. It's cool to be an engineer - my company sells cool technology to NASA and CERN.

[kakeux]

I use Christianity has an example, but there are different Christianity. Not all have the same point of view on extraterrestrial life, I assume. I'm sure than creationism, which are some kind of Christian, would not like it. When the Pope took years to barely accept the use of condom, well I'm not sure he will really enjoy the info.

I'm in no way denying the possibility of having a God, I'm just talking about the fact that some religions have been built with the idea that humans are the most advanced things after God.

[m24p]

I'm in no way denying the possibility of having a God, I'm just talking about the fact that some religions have been built with the idea that humans are the most advanced things after God.

Not surprising. Everyone likes to think they're special. For a while certain "Christians" wanted the earth to be the center of the universe so much that the excommunicated Galileo for saying otherwise!

If atheism becomes widespread (which it seems like it will) I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out that people are still idiots and jerks without religion to hide behind.

[kakeux]

If atheism becomes widespread (which it seems like it will) I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out that people are still idiots and jerks without religion to hide behind.

Love that one!

[aj113]

Scientists are now able to say that billions of planets offer the same climatic conditions as our beloved earth and that extraterrestrial form of life is now a certainty (yes, statistics). I'm curious to know how religions (mostly Christianity) will accept this "new" info and how they will explain that three headed people are not god's creatures. Scientists are quite sure they will discover easily some evidences of life with some already known technology. I'm looking forward.

Just dropping this because I read a science magazine during my holidays, but that's a cool info, isn't it?

You think that will somehow make them stop and think? The catholic church has officially accepted evolution but still the catholics roll on as though nothing had happened, worshipping their god - despite their own admittance that the evidence does not support their beliefs.

When new evidence comes to light, science re-evaluates its theories, religion on the other hand, re-evaluates the evidence.

[rook2c4]

First, it depends on the criteria used for the statement "same climatic conditions". I think Earth, as well as every planet out there is unique - there won't be any two planets that have the exact identical combination of mineral composition, gravitational pull, temperature distribution and fluctuations, rotation velocities, age, and whatever other critical factors that determine the formation of life.

Secondly, I doubt religious belief is seriously threatened by the existence of lifeforms beyond our planet... threatened by the possibility that there may be some amoeba-like lifeforms crawling about on planets X, Y and Z. Or even threatened by the possibility that intelligent life - perhaps the real issue here - exists elsewhere. As far as I know, none of the major religions make any specific claim that life does not exist on other planets.

As pointed out, the notion that it is very possible that life exists, has existed and will exist on other planets is nothing new. Concerning extraterrestial life, I doubt any reasonable scientist would use the term "certainty", but rather prefer the words "probably" and "possibly" instead. We simply don't have all the statistical information about the universe as our understanding of the universe is far from complete and likely never will be.

[Styles Bitchley]

I have a hard time making the connection that if there are other beings out there, (probably a certainty), that Christianity would cease to exist. I'm not super religious, but I do believe that something had to get everything started at some point, and for the sake of argument, we can call that God. From there, it's relatively easy to see why all religions create some image of God that works for them, in some ways to make it easier to relate to a faith or way of life that helps them through a lot of difficult situations, and also unfortunately gets convoluted in many cases into a control mechanism. The way I relate to it is there is one God, whatever form or energy that is, and that whether there are millions of other life forms out there, that won't change, so Christianity will not end, it will evolve as it always has, like all religions seem to do.

[PunkGuy]

It seems sort of self centered and close minded to me to insist that God only created one planet with intelligent life on it. The idea of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe doesn't affect my Christian beliefs. Although as was already pointed out in the thread, if this does turn out to be the case there will be Christians who deny the evidence and attempt to explain it away or do even more ridiculous things.

[garww]

It's really the global case of ignorance. Though religion can take a active role in various "flat earth" debates, not everyone buys it - any more than a politician with a plan for your (his) money. Krishna can be fairly extra-terrestrial, for example. As we know, there is life without intellegence. As such, there can be life without air and/or water. I don't even think it has to be self-replicating

[Stan_Halen]

It's "Christianity" not "Christianism". Curiously, the Mormons (an unarguably Christian bunch) have accounted for this in their theology. Stan even quoted the scriptural reference and everything from a "Gee, aren't Mormons wacky?" kind of perspective.

My point was that Mormons are unarguably not considered Christians, by ... Christians. The apostle/Orthodox-Catholic/Protestant lineage of Christianity does not accept Mormons as Christians. Of course it depends who you ask. Mormons say that they are Christians, but who else agrees with that? Any non-Mormons or apologetics that do are in an extremely small minority IMO.

The "Kolob" conversation starts here:
Tom Cruise: Genius or Fruitcake?

I'm not picking on Mormons, I'm just pointing out what the theosophically educated proclaim on the subject. Such as Rick Warren:

"Are Mormons Christians?
WARREN: Well, the key sticking point for evangelicals and actually for many is the issue of the Trinity. Orthodox Christians, Catholic Christians, Protestant Christians, evangelical Christians and Pentecostal Christians all believe in the Trinity; that’s the historic doctrine of the church, that God is three-in-one. Not three gods; one God in Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
WARREN: Mormonism denies that. That’s a sticking point for a lot of Catholic Christians, evangelical Christians, Pentecostal Christians, because they don’t — they don’t believe that. Now they’ll use the same terminology, but they don’t believe in the historic doctrine of the Trinity. And people have tried to make it other issues. But that’s really one of the fundamental differences."
Rick Warren: Fundamental Differences Between Mormons and Christians - ABC News

Here are several others, but Google will show you many more.
Mormons in Transition - Is Mormonism Christian?
Is Mormonism Christian?Christianity does not Recognize Mormons as Christian | Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry
Is Mormonism a Christian Denomination? | Catholic Lane
MORMONISM vs. CHRISTIANITY

The belief system of Mormonism is less than 200 years old, so it was conceived at a time far more advanced in scientific understanding than ancient times. It was understood what a "planet" is, and the discovery by telescope of a "new" planet (Uranus) in 1781 opened up human imagination on the subject.

Any religion is based in human culture, and is therefore about humans. If any religion doesn't stand up to the expanding knowledge of humans beyond their home planet, the religion would have to 'evolve' or it may crumble.

[garww]

The Trinity thing was supposedly one of Newtons pet projects. He had no (burning) desire to be drawn, quartered, and hanged, though. So, maybe Mormons are, really, Newtons (from around 1670) : ) My name is Gar, and, I'm a Newton

[Stan_Halen]

Bill Maher spends a great deal of time in his "Religulous" movie on the Trinity, as well as just about any other religious belief known to man. He's not kind, but he's really funny.

[garww]

I can find Bill a bit obnoxious, but at least he presents some good questions to people that are too lazy to take a look. You can catch a lot more flies with sugar, though

EDIT; The J-guy didn't really see anything as a trinity, so I don't see much of a problem. I can look at a Trinity, and not feel offended (in a world of great offenses)