Will religion end on Mars?

economic times (India) ^ | 6/28/2008 | Mukul Sharma,

[Soliton]

For example, some people are already writing off most major religions which are based essentially on an Earth-centric model, as never being able to recover from such a crippling body blow. (The Bible makes no mention of other planets or life on other planets.)

[GloriaJane]

"(The Bible makes no mention of other planets or life on other planets.)"

Seems to me I heard somewhere...."And God created the heavens and the earth." Hmmm Guess the author didn't think of that.

If he had, he'd realize that that statement pretty much includes all of the planets, life, stars, galaxies, and on and on and on.

[RightWhale]

NASA trots out the search for life theme now and then, but that is mainly when they attempt to justify projects. It’s a waste since we know 90% sure that life is posible on Mars. Even 200 years ago it was thought there was not only life but civilization on all the planets, and the moon.

[Soliton]

As long as their are unanswered questions about the nature and purpose of life there will be religion. Religion, in my (and only my) opinion has precious little to do with god.

Some people believe that religion is a mental security blanket that makes living possible for most people and that it evolved for that purpose.

[Celerity]

What religions are on Mars now ? Red phone for a Mister Tom Cruise. Tom Cruise, Red phone.

[MrB]

Time didn’t exist before God created it, and “doing all that time” somehow implies that God experiences time in a linear fashion like we do... why make that assumption?

[14erClimb]

Well said. Glad to see someone is using their brain on here.

[Soliton]

Seems to me I heard somewhere...."And God created the heavens and the earth." Hmmm Guess the author didn't think of that.

The Bible does call Jesus and Satan "the morning star" though. It is usually associated with Venus.

[Eepsy]

I’m sure it would be a little theologically disorienting to discover life on other planets. Looked at honestly, though, how qualitatively different it it from discovering non-Christian primitives in North America, or advanced pagan civilisations in Asia?

It’s all the same God-created world; we just keep expanding our knowledge of it.

[MrB]

Just like Secular Humanism (atheism) in the Court system -

it’s a religion when they want it to be (for free expression purposes)

but it’s not a religion when that isn’t convenient (establishment)

[NonValueAdded]

The Bible makes no mention of other planets or life on other planets.

Means what? This had to be written by someone of little or no faith to begin with. The bible didn't mention automobiles, cellphones, or airplanes either.

[Soliton]

I’m sure it would be a little theologically disorienting to discover life on other planets.

A deeper question would be if we found intelligent life and they had never heard of a redeemer or a creator.

[Soliton]

The bible didn't mention automobiles, cellphones, or airplanes either.

And yet it was insiped by an all-knowing God?

[wideawake]

One might argue from the secular anthropologist's standpoint that the religion of ancient Israel was templocentric.

The Temple was destroyed, erasing the possibility of any of the sacrifices which are a central focus of the law code of the Torah and rendering every Jew in the world ritually impure and incapable of engaging in sacrifice.

Yet Judaism has survived and thrived for almost two thousand templeless years.

[HereInTheHeartland]

“Genesis 1
The Beginning
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. “

He made it all.
Liberals I wonder about many days; but He did make it all.

[delacoert]

Muky gets his drivle published in the India Times and we argue about it here. Gratz on that Soliton. Who is laughing harder at us, you or Muky?

[Tanniker Smith]

But you don't know where in the sky it will be.

And in the morning (say about dawn), you might even have to face the ground.

[messierhunter]

From a more nature-centric point of view, like you said, the Bible makes no mention of lots of things, including natural things that are huge and hard to miss. Things like galaxies, nebulae, globular clusters, other planets, etc.

Just because they're out of the scope of the Bible does not mean the Bible is wrong. The Bible never claims to be the only source of information about the natural world, in fact its purpose was never to explain how the natural world works, its purpose is only to explain why it's here in the first place and how we're supposed to relate to each other and God. If life exists beyond earth, great. Some Christians even believe in aliens already (and even in alien visitation in biblical times) based on their interpretation of "sons of heaven." To them, such a discovery would only serve to affirm the Bible, not contradict it.

[js1138]

Such questions got Bruno burned as a heretic. Or Expelled, if you like.

[wideawake]

I’m sure it would be a little theologically disorienting to discover life on other planets.

CS Lewis, science fiction author and Christian, wrote two essays on this topic: "Religion And Rocketry" and "Will We Lose God In Outer Space?"

[Soliton]

Gratz on that Soliton. Who is laughing harder at us, you or Muky?

I don't know who Muky is, but FReepers usually enjoy a thought provoking question