Alien Question for Atheists

[Catholic_Lady]

So I started this thread as an off shoot from Tiberius' thread which is a question for Christians.

The scenario on the other thread is this: 

Peaceful aliens (i.e. intelligent non-humans from another planet, let's say outside of our solar system) make first contact. After getting to know them, the subject of religion comes up. They have a concept of religion, but none of their religions are compatible with Christianity. On top of this, their species made all the advancements that humans did (e.g. invention of writing, the wheel, agriculture, etc.) millennia before we did.

My question is, how would you react, especially with regard to their intelligence, and that their religions are incompatible with Christianity. Would it make you doubt Christianity, or that humans are "special" and made in God's image? 

https://atheistforums.org/thread-55158.html


So I wanted to ask you guys. If it was the other way around, how would you react to it? The other way around as in, we made contact with these intelligent beings and found out that the predominant religion in their planet is very compatible with Christianity, like it's basically the same thing. They talk about God having lived as one of them, they talk about the trinity, salvation, Heaven and Hell, etc. Would it make you doubt your position as atheists, or would it make you more open to exploring Christianity?

[brewer]

Burden of proof remains the same. Testimony just won't cut it.

[Losty]

I’d definitely be interested in knowing what evidence this smarter species has. But if it’s the Christianity from the Bible that they’re believing...or anything very similar to that book I’d be having none of it. Honestly, even if Christianity were proven beyond all doubts, the best you’d get from me is pretending to love god in hopes that he wouldn’t send me to hell.

[Catholic_Lady]

Burden of proof remains the same. Testimony just won't cut it.

I guess the "evidence" in this case would be the crazy coincidence that an alien species from another solar system has the same predominant religion as us. Would that not give you pause at all?

[Edwardo Piet]

So I wanted to ask you guys. If it was the other way around, how would you react to it? The other way around as in, we made contact with these intelligent beings and found out that the predominant religion in their planet is very compatible with Christianity, like it's basically the same thing. They talk about God having lived as one of them, they talk about the trinity, salvation, Heaven and Hell, etc. Would it make you doubt your position as atheists, or would it make you more open to exploring Christianity?

That would be super weird.

I'd say I didn't know why it was that way... but I'd sooner believe we were living in a simulation and the simulation is being run by Christians in the distant future, and this is a simulation of the past, than I'd actually believe that there was a supernatural being that lived outside the universe itself. Which is just completely incoherent for me.

An alternative belief would be that there is a supreme alien that is pranking the rest of the universe.

Or if it's just the one other planet with the same beliefs maybe they sent over an alien at 0.AD and Jesus was actually an alien from that planet. Maybe that would explain the miracles. Maybe turning water into wine is perfectly normal for that alien species

Maybe Jesus is an immortal alien that lives on that planet that they all worship, lol.

[Nay_Sayer]

I wouldn't worry I already know all other intelligent life forms out there follow the one true path of Pastafarianism.

[The Valkyrie]

Depends on the level of compatibility.

It would certain be interesting.

And how well does that compatible religion treat the Space Jews?

[Edwardo Piet]

Depends on the kevel of compatibility.

It would certain be interesting.

She says it would basically just be Christianity.

I imagined them all praying to Jesus and building churches exactly like the same ones on earth. With the same images of Jesus and crucifixes and the belief that he died on a cross and resurrected and the virgin birth, etc.

Would be super weird, right?

[Minimalist]

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

The other way around as in, we made contact with these intelligent beings and found out that the predominant religion in their planet is very compatible with Christianity, like it's basically the same thing. They talk about God having lived as one of them, they talk about the trinity, salvation, Heaven and Hell, etc. Would it make you doubt your position as atheists, or would it make you more open to exploring Christianity?

Since I've always held that the progress of a civilization happens in spite of religious belief and not because of it, I don't think it would change my views.  That a lot of human civilizations made wonderful progress before Christianity was even a rumour has never made me think there might be something to worshipping Ishtar or Marduk that made more sense than being an atheist.

Boru