Why do the devoutly religous search for E.T. life?

Message boards : Politics : Why do the devoutly religous search for E.T. life?
Message board moderation

To post messages, you must log in.

1 · 2 · Next

AuthorMessage
Profile Ex: "Socialist"
Volunteer tester
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 12 Mar 12
Posts: 3433
Credit: 2,616,158
RAC: 2
United States
Message 1338077 - Posted: 14 Feb 2013, 14:08:34 UTC
Last modified: 14 Feb 2013, 14:15:58 UTC

As the title mentions.


From this article:

Scripture strongly implies that no intelligent life exists elsewhere, and the long-running Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, or SETI, projects have failed to refute this. Earth was created to be home for creatures made in God the Creator's image.

It just seems there is some hypocrisy in searching for ET (even donating computer time for crunching), while being a "devout" follower of the Bible.

What are your thoughts?
#resist
ID: 1338077 · Report as offensive
Profile Bill Turner

Send message
Joined: 29 Nov 10
Posts: 112
Credit: 37,989
RAC: 0
United States
Message 1338080 - Posted: 14 Feb 2013, 14:18:06 UTC

It doesn't really matter. The major religions in the world will just simply do what they done over the last 2000+ years and change their doctrine to include ET's as part of Gods plan...even though there is absolutly no mention of anything outside our little bubble. Makes it easy when you can change the rules at will and everyone just goes along with it as if it were always there to begin with.
**Check out my wifes cupcakes**

ID: 1338080 · Report as offensive
W-K 666 Project Donor
Volunteer tester

Send message
Joined: 18 May 99
Posts: 18996
Credit: 40,757,560
RAC: 67
United Kingdom
Message 1338089 - Posted: 14 Feb 2013, 14:41:36 UTC
Last modified: 14 Feb 2013, 14:43:12 UTC

As the Catholic church has recently agreed that Galileo and Copernicus were correct, I assume they have accepted that the Earth is not at the centre.

Also they have a pretty decent observatory at the Popes summer residence.
vatican observatory
So the Pope can enjoy his retirement gazing at the Universe.
ID: 1338089 · Report as offensive
Profile Ex: "Socialist"
Volunteer tester
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 12 Mar 12
Posts: 3433
Credit: 2,616,158
RAC: 2
United States
Message 1338093 - Posted: 14 Feb 2013, 14:52:41 UTC - in response to Message 1338089.  

As the Catholic church has recently agreed that Galileo and Copernicus were correct, I assume they have accepted that the Earth is not at the centre.

Also they have a pretty decent observatory at the Popes summer residence.
vatican observatory
So the Pope can enjoy his retirement gazing at the Universe.


Catholicism and Christianity are different beasts.

I believe the Vatican released a statement some few years back, openly accepting the possibility of E.T. life.

So, one denomination at least is accepting.
#resist
ID: 1338093 · Report as offensive
W-K 666 Project Donor
Volunteer tester

Send message
Joined: 18 May 99
Posts: 18996
Credit: 40,757,560
RAC: 67
United Kingdom
Message 1338103 - Posted: 14 Feb 2013, 15:20:42 UTC - in response to Message 1338093.  

As the Catholic church has recently agreed that Galileo and Copernicus were correct, I assume they have accepted that the Earth is not at the centre.

Also they have a pretty decent observatory at the Popes summer residence.
vatican observatory
So the Pope can enjoy his retirement gazing at the Universe.


Catholicism and Christianity are different beasts.

I believe the Vatican released a statement some few years back, openly accepting the possibility of E.T. life.

So, one denomination at least is accepting.

There is a link to the papers written by Pope John Paul II on the page I linked.
ID: 1338103 · Report as offensive
kittyman Crowdfunding Project Donor*Special Project $75 donorSpecial Project $250 donor
Volunteer tester
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 9 Jul 00
Posts: 51468
Credit: 1,018,363,574
RAC: 1,004
United States
Message 1338120 - Posted: 14 Feb 2013, 16:39:13 UTC
Last modified: 14 Feb 2013, 16:41:16 UTC

I have never had any problem reconciling my belief in God with my belief in life elsewhere in the universe.
Since I believe that God created the heavens and the Earth, I have no problem accepting that he may have also created life on other planets, and would not mind me looking for it, any more than he would mind modern science trying to unravel the mysteries of the wonders he has created here, such as the mysteries of the human body and medicine.
"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

ID: 1338120 · Report as offensive
Profile skildude
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 4 Oct 00
Posts: 9541
Credit: 50,759,529
RAC: 60
Yemen
Message 1338127 - Posted: 14 Feb 2013, 17:14:03 UTC

Funny thought for the day:

From an evangelical dittohead.

One of his readings that he did showed that the aftermath of the Mount St. Helens eruption looked just like the Grand Canyon.

Sadly the Grand canyon has no volcano to explain it existance. also Mount St. Helens erosion was of volcanic ash not sandstone


In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face.
Diogenes Of Sinope
ID: 1338127 · Report as offensive
rob smith Crowdfunding Project Donor*Special Project $75 donorSpecial Project $250 donor
Volunteer moderator
Volunteer tester

Send message
Joined: 7 Mar 03
Posts: 22149
Credit: 416,307,556
RAC: 380
United Kingdom
Message 1338143 - Posted: 14 Feb 2013, 18:27:49 UTC

Mark is not alone in the not having a problem with belief in God conflicting with a desire to know if we are "humanly alone" in the universe. God did create us an inquisitive species, so we are inquisitive in all sorts of ways.
Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?
ID: 1338143 · Report as offensive
Profile MOMMY: He is MAKING ME Read His Posts Thoughts and Prayers. GOoD Thoughts and GOoD Prayers. HATERWORLD Vs THOUGHTs and PRAYERs World. It Is a BATTLE ROYALE. Nobody LOVEs Me. Everybody HATEs Me. Why Don't I Go Eat Worms. Tasty Treats are Wormy Meat. Yes
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 16 Jun 02
Posts: 6895
Credit: 6,588,977
RAC: 0
United States
Message 1338144 - Posted: 14 Feb 2013, 18:28:08 UTC

It just seems there is some hypocrisy


The Human Animal Is Rife With Hypocrisy.

As The Devoutly Religious Search For E.T., so do The Devoutly Atheistic and Everyone In Between.

It's A Human Thang To Do. Hypocrisy And Contridictions. Who'd A Thunk?

IGNORE Say: Hippos Are Cute, but Are They Hippocrites?

May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!
ID: 1338144 · Report as offensive
Profile Ex: "Socialist"
Volunteer tester
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 12 Mar 12
Posts: 3433
Credit: 2,616,158
RAC: 2
United States
Message 1338176 - Posted: 14 Feb 2013, 19:14:39 UTC

Reasonable answers from the religious.

I've always felt that "God" can exist in conjunction with E.T. life. If this god was the creator, then he could easily have created them too. Makes sense to me.

Even as an atheist one question I will always have is what started the universe or what exists outside of it.


#resist
ID: 1338176 · Report as offensive
Profile Gary Charpentier Crowdfunding Project Donor*Special Project $75 donorSpecial Project $250 donor
Volunteer tester
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 25 Dec 00
Posts: 30593
Credit: 53,134,872
RAC: 32
United States
Message 1338245 - Posted: 14 Feb 2013, 22:05:04 UTC - in response to Message 1338176.  

Even as an atheist one question I will always have is what started the universe or what exists outside of it.

That presupposes that every thing must have a cause. What causes an atom to decay at the precise moment it does? Why when we stare intently at it can we influence this so that it does not decay?

ID: 1338245 · Report as offensive
W-K 666 Project Donor
Volunteer tester

Send message
Joined: 18 May 99
Posts: 18996
Credit: 40,757,560
RAC: 67
United Kingdom
Message 1338253 - Posted: 14 Feb 2013, 22:33:15 UTC - in response to Message 1338176.  

what exists outside of it


The universe is infinite so there is no outside.
ID: 1338253 · Report as offensive
Profile Sarge
Volunteer tester

Send message
Joined: 25 Aug 99
Posts: 12273
Credit: 8,569,109
RAC: 79
United States
Message 1338254 - Posted: 14 Feb 2013, 22:38:05 UTC

I do not believe we currently have a representative sample of the "devout", "agnostic" nor "atheist". A few years ago each group was *somewhat* better represented. These days, we also have those using their own definitions trying to convince agnostics they are actually atheists.
I also take issue with "Catholicism and Christianity are different beasts."
Probably only Catholics would really harp on this distinction, as their group was the first organized/institutionalized group of Christians. Make no qualms: they are Christians.
Also missing here: discussion of other spiritual/religious routes outside the Abrahamic faiths.
ID: 1338254 · Report as offensive
W-K 666 Project Donor
Volunteer tester

Send message
Joined: 18 May 99
Posts: 18996
Credit: 40,757,560
RAC: 67
United Kingdom
Message 1338258 - Posted: 14 Feb 2013, 23:00:48 UTC - in response to Message 1338254.  
Last modified: 14 Feb 2013, 23:01:14 UTC

I do not believe we currently have a representative sample of the "devout", "agnostic" nor "atheist". A few years ago each group was *somewhat* better represented. These days, we also have those using their own definitions trying to convince agnostics they are actually atheists.
I also take issue with "Catholicism and Christianity are different beasts."
Probably only Catholics would really harp on this distinction, as their group was the first organized/institutionalized group of Christians. Make no qualms: they are Christians.
Also missing here: discussion of other spiritual/religious routes outside the Abrahamic faiths.

I think you are correct in your observation of Atheists and Agnostics, I usually take the same view as the census and just lump them together under the heading none or no religion.

Religions of American adults

The other point I would like to make is that most people, occasionally including me, say Catholic when I actually mean Roman Catholic. The Church of England, known as the Anglican Church in the rest of the World, is also a Catholic Religion.
ID: 1338258 · Report as offensive
musicplayer

Send message
Joined: 17 May 10
Posts: 2430
Credit: 926,046
RAC: 0
Message 1338294 - Posted: 15 Feb 2013, 1:20:20 UTC
Last modified: 15 Feb 2013, 1:24:18 UTC

If I happen to be a moderator here I would be supposed to be laughing at the Pope.

Meaning making fun of him.

Scientific projects like Seti@home are supposed to be best run by people who are not having specific beliefs when it comes to the subject of divine entities.

So as a human species, where are our place in all of this? Where do we belong and what part or functionality are we a part of or utilizing in nature? Is it our part just only to observe things in nature as they happen and make notes of these same things, or do we sometimes make conclusions or specific experiences from the lessons that nature sometimes may give us, or perhaps only suffice with watching the spectacular views which sometimes may be obtained by means of observing the Universe from both top as well as bottom.

Perhaps some scientists at times have felt humiliation when they were confronted with the works of creation which has been carried out by God.

God is supposed to be the divine thing as seen by means of a religious perspective. Things in nature are not supposed to be fully explained without the given existence of God.

The first commandment reads that "You shall have no other gods other than me".

Still, there are many people who do not believe in a God, or at least is open-minded when it comes to the subject.
ID: 1338294 · Report as offensive
Profile Gary Charpentier Crowdfunding Project Donor*Special Project $75 donorSpecial Project $250 donor
Volunteer tester
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 25 Dec 00
Posts: 30593
Credit: 53,134,872
RAC: 32
United States
Message 1338306 - Posted: 15 Feb 2013, 1:57:06 UTC - in response to Message 1338253.  

what exists outside of it


The universe is infinite so there is no outside.

Ah, a steady state man!

ID: 1338306 · Report as offensive
W-K 666 Project Donor
Volunteer tester

Send message
Joined: 18 May 99
Posts: 18996
Credit: 40,757,560
RAC: 67
United Kingdom
Message 1338344 - Posted: 15 Feb 2013, 5:12:09 UTC - in response to Message 1338306.  

what exists outside of it


The universe is infinite so there is no outside.

Ah, a steady state man!

It might look like that but no, the universe is still expanding, or so I am told.
ID: 1338344 · Report as offensive
W-K 666 Project Donor
Volunteer tester

Send message
Joined: 18 May 99
Posts: 18996
Credit: 40,757,560
RAC: 67
United Kingdom
Message 1338364 - Posted: 15 Feb 2013, 6:55:08 UTC - in response to Message 1338344.  
Last modified: 15 Feb 2013, 7:18:40 UTC

what exists outside of it


The universe is infinite so there is no outside.

Ah, a steady state man!

It might look like that but no, the universe is still expanding, or so I am told.

To check whether the Universe is bound or infinite, all you have to do is draw the biggest triangle possible and calculate the angles. If the Angles add up to exactly 180 degrees then the triangle is flat and the Universe is Infinite. If the angles do not add up to 180 degrees then the Universe is curved and has a boundary.

Well guess what, some scientists, I think Sean M Carroll was one of them, using the CMR W Map measured the size of one of the blobs accurately and then used that as the base of a very thin triangle with Earth at the apex. As the length of the sides is known and the apex angle it's easy to calculate the other angles and they added up to 180 degrees to 3 or 4 decimal places.

Therefore the Universe is flat and therefore infinite.

edit] Most people refer to the Universe as that bit we can see, more accurately this should be refered to as the Observable Universe, the whole universe stretches out beyond the Observable Universe.
ID: 1338364 · Report as offensive
Profile soft^spirit
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 18 May 99
Posts: 6497
Credit: 34,134,168
RAC: 0
United States
Message 1338366 - Posted: 15 Feb 2013, 6:56:52 UTC - in response to Message 1338254.  

Some of the other beliefs do not feel the need to push beliefs down peoples throat.

It would be REALLY nice if the same courtesy was extended, but it is not expected from the Abrahamic faiths.


Janice
ID: 1338366 · Report as offensive
kittyman Crowdfunding Project Donor*Special Project $75 donorSpecial Project $250 donor
Volunteer tester
Avatar

Send message
Joined: 9 Jul 00
Posts: 51468
Credit: 1,018,363,574
RAC: 1,004
United States
Message 1338369 - Posted: 15 Feb 2013, 7:00:11 UTC - in response to Message 1338366.  

Some of the other beliefs do not feel the need to push beliefs down peoples throat.

It would be REALLY nice if the same courtesy was extended, but it is not expected from the Abrahamic faiths.


I think I have always extended that courtesy. Although not shy about expressing my own beliefs, I don't recall ever having called anybody down for not accepting them as their own.

"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

ID: 1338369 · Report as offensive
1 · 2 · Next

Message boards : Politics : Why do the devoutly religous search for E.T. life?


 
©2024 University of California
 
SETI@home and Astropulse are funded by grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA, and donations from SETI@home volunteers. AstroPulse is funded in part by the NSF through grant AST-0307956.