Would theists become atheists if we found lifeform

[Anomalocaris]

The question is this. If Klingons were real, would they need their own Klingon version of Christ to atone specifically for them or would we expect them to recognize a human savior?

No more than we need a "christ". Do we even expect human beings to recognize such a "savior"?

What astonishing presumption it is to think any aliens that is the product of an entirely different biochemical, environmental, ecological, behavioral, psychological and social logical evolutionary path would happen to share the particular discreditable monkey instinct of lesser hominids to feel guilty for what they didn't do, to crave sky daddy to assure themselves, and to think there is anything in themselves besides their objective material self to be "saved"?

In all likelihood, any intelligent alien will share with us only intelligence and a attendant capacity for using what we mght call science to improve their objective environment. That's it. If they appear to share any other of our prouder or less discreditable traits, it would be by sheer coincidence and for no doubt totally different underlying reasons.

[Ryantology]

They're more likely to be challenged by the theology of the aliens, or their lack of it. The Abrahamic ones would have to try to figure out if the aliens are fallen or not, I think.

You are exactly right. I often pose this question about it to other Christians and it usually generates much debate. The question is this. If Klingons were real, would they need their own Klingon version of Christ to atone specifically for them or would we expect them to recognize a human savior?

It'd probably turn out like it did when Christianity parted the New World's legs and did it missionary style c. 500 years ago: The Christian envoys will condescendingly approach the question with the assumption that the whole Christian Messiah thing is absolute fact and examine the alien culture for religious activity which could be construed to suggest that the God of Israel also created life on their planet and were either visited by Klingon Jesus or do their absolute best to force Earth Jesus on them.

[NomenMihiNon]

*sigh*

Once again, everyone is automatically equating "theist" with "Christian". You know, there are other types of theism. And even some Christians are universalists (i.e. believe that all faiths are but different paths to a common "truth"), and/or believe in the findings of science but are nonetheless convinced that the workings of the universe are divinely influenced.

If this is to be a discussion only about how the beliefs of theists who specifically believe that humankind is their god's primary concern will be affected by the discovery of intelligent extraterrestrial life, then perhaps the title of the thread should be changed...

[KichigaiNeko]

Thankyou captain obvious...but I am thinking that whom we are dealing with are Christian theists?

[Simsim]

Would theists become atheists if we found lifeform on a other planet?
And i mean real lifeform, not micro organism.
Or better yet, what if we found intelligent lifeform that have civilazations?

Cause as far as i know there are not mentions of other life on other planets in the bible or quran (or is there?).
I wonder even if there is mention of any planets at all in bible or quran. As far as i know only earth, moon sun and stars.

Some of them would and some of them wouldn't.

Religion is not a completely strict culture. It , like the most of human cultures, tries to adapt to the the contemporary knowledge. For instance, Muslims and Christians still read the passages of slavery in Qur'an and in the Bible, but they don't leave their whole religions. They just leaved, practically and theoretically, the parts of slavery in religion. Of course they feel some contradictions between the "word of God" in scriptures and the modern life, but they don't give up.

A thousand years ago, your question might have been like that: "Would theists become atheists if there were no more slaves on the Earth?"

[Consilius]

Humans are superior to animals because we have greater cognitive abilities. We think.
If things besides humans could do this, could think and love and serve each other, why wouldn't they be equals? They would be subject to rights and would also have the ability to believe in God, if they didn't already.
Jews, Hindus, and Muslims say aliens are possible. Catholic bishop Etinne Tempier also said so in 1277.

[pocaracas]

Humans are superior to animals because we have greater cognitive abilities. We think.
If things besides humans could do this, could think and love and serve each other, why wouldn't they be equals? They would be subject to rights and would also have the ability to believe in God, if they didn't already.
Jews, Hindus, and Muslims say aliens are possible. Catholic bishop Etinne Tempier also said so in 1277.

What is love?
How can you say that a wolf pack has no love between its members?
How can you say that they do not think?
How can you say that they do not serve each other?
Even ants.... heck...

[Something completely different]

Humans are superior to animals because we have greater cognitive abilities. We think.

We actualy know that.


Or are you in possetion of presentable evidence which underlines your muttering?

If things besides humans could do this, could think and love and serve each other, why wouldn't they be equals?

Define "Love"

Do you know that Albatros (that is a bird) stays together with it`s mating partner until it finaly becomes a feast for maggots.
Love might aswell simply be a benefitial evolutionary sideffect which prevents the species which benefit (or suffer) from it from constantly searching for new partners.

Define "Caring"

Ants care for every single other ant in the hive.

They would be subject to rights and would also have the ability to believe in God, if they didn't already.

Is your only crudential for bing capable of having rights the capability of believeing in god??????!!

Jews, Hindus, and Muslims say aliens are possible. Catholic bishop Etinne Tempier also said so in 1277.

What the fuck has this to do in any way with what you posted before!!

Explain! or fück öff!!

[ideologue08]

What is love?
How can you say that a wolf pack has no love between its members?
How can you say that they do not think?
How can you say that they do not serve each other?
Even ants.... heck...

Ants can certainly communicate with one another, they think and they serve each other according to the Qur'an at least. An ant warned the other ants to seek shelter because Solomon's cavalry would trample them otherwise.

[pocaracas]

fück öff!!

That must be a strange tongue twister...
feuck euff