In The Next Few Years When We Discover That Alien Life Exist

What is this gonna mean for religions?

http://www.engadget.com/2014/07/16/nasas-new-telescopes-could-spot-alien-life-within-20-years/

Another religion bashing thread.

I would shit myself if we discovered aliens in my lifetime.

It might make some more UFO cults spring up but beyond that nothing.

It would mean more religion threads in OT.

Ancient Aliens

Doesn't have much to do with religion really.

The Aliens might have their own gods, we could add that to the 1000s we have created.

I would literally have a stroke laughing if one of the aliens worshiped jesus! That would be epic!

But they hinge on humanity being an extremely special creation that was designed to exist on this perfectly designed world in this perfectly designed universe and to think otherwise is blasphemy.

That said, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism won't have any issues with it. There already exists a system in their particular cosmologies that would merely see alien life as "beings from another world".

Tell that to Christians who believe that humans are at a level well beyond any animal and are extremely special.

Maybe not directly, but it would require a lot of answers from religion. For example, christians would have to explain why Jesus would come and die for the sins of humanity, but the rest of the universe is damned.

Eh, I cant imagine it'd really affect religion too much. Even if the aliens had some way to disprove human deities, there'd still be die-hards that would refuse to believe it. Likely start some war because of it, and get the human race eradicated ;)

Well, they claim that animals don't have souls... Somehow i don't think that argument would work if we were to discover intelligent life.

This.

No, i don't think they will abandon anything. I just think that the questions that will be raised when life outside of earth is found, will bring a decline in conversions.... meaning it will affect religion.

But there is an enormous difference from the life that we discover on earth (which for many believers is just another part of gods creation and plan for their lives), and potentially intelligent life in a totally different star system.

Sure questions are raised every day, but to me, this seems to challenge the fundamentals of faith.

No one says it does... But the existence of intelligent life would have a lot to do in how one would view god's plan.

Are you religious?

Yes i am referring to christians.

This is exactly why i think it will have an effect... god's special creation (no matter what denomination) always has the task of "evangelizing" non believers.
I find it hard to believe that most will think "Oh, another field to harvest for the lord" when alien life is found. I don't see how they couldn't question what role that the aliens must play in the bible, gods plan for his creation, or how it fits into mankind's salvation.

I don't think the majority will abandon their faith because of it... But i do think that religion will have to address these questions because it will be effected by it all. Am i alone on this thought?

I am gonna find me self a Garrus.

Alien Religions.

Well the bible does have space ships.

I have one hope if we do discover and alien race, that is coherent and intelligent. My hope is that they teach the human race common sense.

if you look hard enough they are already doing that now.

They said that back in the early 90's too. They always keep saying we're going to discover alien life or the conspiracy nuts always say how the govt is going to release all it's dead alien bodies within a few years...etc. It's all just click bait news that is apparently good for business.

there is a good likelihood that there is bacteria in our solar system someplace and if we ever find it they will incorporate them into religion just like almost every other big discovery.

or they will be laughed at for their denial like the young earth idiots.

@Riverwolf007: I'm pretty sure when they say alien life, they mean intelligent alien life.

it is virtually impossible that nasa would say something so stupid.

it is only a telescope that might be able to detect the effects life could have on the composition of an atmosphere.

When the aliens come they will be so great in so many different ways that everything we once thought was cool will make us ashamed.

It wouldn't affect most religions with the exception of evangelicals, Orthodox Judaism, and fundamentalist Islam.

Basically the sects of religion that are already dogmatically dedicated to their own superiority.


Most Abrahamic Faiths and Eastern Religions already accept the possibility of other forms of life.

Which doesn't change the fact that ET Life would effect their sense of superiority.

We already have the Jedi Church.

What are you even on about?

You arguing in desperation to save face.

STFU