Posted on 09/20/2012 9:13:23 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Sending people to another star will be a monumental undertaking, and the challenges will be not just technological, but human. One thorny question, experts say, is whether to involve organized religions in the effort to mount an interstellar journey.
Religious leaders argued the issue Sept. 14 in Houston at the 100 Year Starship Symposium, a meeting to discuss the prospect of sending a space mission to another star within 100 years.
The church has the resources, funding and reach to garner support for an interstellar mission, said Jason Batt, group life director at Capital Christian Center in Sacramento, Calif. Batt said there is "spiritual potential" in space travel and that the church should begin preparing an organization for an off-planet ministry.
However, others resisted the notion of involving organized religions in a starship mission. Such a voyage would likely be long, and may involve multiple generations, with perhaps 10,000 people onboard. [Are Aliens Part of God's Plan, Too?]
"The only way humanity can survive is if they leave behind the Earth-based religions," charged Rev. Alvin Carpenter, pastor at First Southern Baptist Church West Sacramento. "If there's any way to make this fail, bring Earth-bound religions."
Religions, he argued, breed aggression and conflict...
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
I don't think so. Your question, to paraphrase J.C. Watt, is analogous to separating "water" from "wet," or propose a circumstance where two plus two can equal something other than four.
Presumably, a water molecule will behave the same, given equivalent conditions, anywhere in the entire universe. To speculate otherwise is to suggest a condition never before observed for the purpose of opening an already closed question.
“propose a circumstance where two plus two can equal something other than four.”
That’s a valid point but doesn’t apply to what we were talking about.
Extending the analogy, the post I responded to said:
“Probably ( = 4 )”
And my point was:
“You can’t determine the probability of what’s on the right side of ( = ) if you don’t know what’s on - and are incapable of computing - the left side.”
Sure you can. Oh I'll grant you the equation can not be solved as such, but that's what higher math is all about: what you do know of the left side can and does conclusively constrains the range of possibilities on the right.
And that applies precisely to what we're talking about, here.
So, if the left side of the equation has the same number of digits and operators as the Earth has atoms - a number that is never static - and all you know is “8”, you have some way of determining “Probably ( = 4 )”?
Right. Good luck with that.
Then again, if what you're talking about is the common variation of "the gambler's fallacy" which it sounds like you might be, given you're treating earth's atoms as a set of variables, then your presentation of the problem is fundamentally flawed from the outset.
I responded that we should.
If you will recall, religion went into space with our Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle astronauts.
When man goes into space to seek the home of God, it is appropriate to take Hisword with them as they have and should continue to do.
You want to discuss nonsense?
Be my guest. But, NOT with me. End of discussion.
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