Replies

Only if you think I'm lying about what the Christian I am speaking of said to me...

A lot of Christians say a lot of things, and sometimes out of ignorance of what the bible actually states. While I'm not surprised that you know one who believes that the bible rules out extraterrestrial life, the simple fact is that discovery of such life would only destroy your friend's view of Christianity, not that of all (or even a tiny percentage of) fundamentalists.

In fact, a literal reading of the bible (and a literal meaning of extraterrestrial) asserts, rather than denies, the existence of extraterrestrial life. Fundamentalism only insists that the bible is perfect, not that any given individual's interpretation of it is perfect.

In which case, you don't matter and are just looking for some kind of argument.

Not to assume his motive, but I think A.J.Armitage was just trying to let you know that your argument in post 61 ("if aliens are ever proven to exist, Fundemental Christianity... are DONE!") is flawed. While I don't dispute that the views of one of your Christian associates might be "DONE", the fact is that the discovery of extraterrestrial life is quite clearly compatible with scripture; so much so that some fundamentalists with whom I have talked have insisted upon, rather than denied, their existence.

From a philosophical standpoint, Christianity, and even fundamentalist Christianity, is a lot more robust than you would believe. More than one fundamentalist I know even finds it compatible with evolution (of species, not of post-Adamic man) and an "old" earth; considering the creation account in Genesis 1 on the sixth day using a word equally valid as "eon" as "day", and the second, special creation of Adam in Genesis 2 (after the days of creation, and NOT on the 6th day) using the word yasar (created from existing materials) instead of bara (created via evocation, like the creation in Genesis 1).

In other words, a "literal" (fundamentalist) interpretation of scripture would REQUIRE the existence of men before Adam (since they were created on the 6th day/eon, while Adam was created after the 7th day when God rested). In the same way, a "literal" (fundamentalist) interpretation of scripture REQUIRES the existence of extraterrestrial life. Enoch and Elijah were "taken", and living, sentient creatures not of this earth (extraterrestrial) are found throughout the Old Testament (Cherubim of Ezekiel in their flying wheels, etc). They might be what we would call "angels" today, but that label in no way reduces the fact that they are not terrestrial in origin. Of course, the Fundamentalists do not require the existence of any extraterrestrial life beyond that which is specifically mentioned, but they certainly don't rule it out either (or if they individually do, it is from personal, rather than biblical, reasoning).

Only if you think I'm lying about what the Christian I am speaking of said to me.

No, I don't think you're lying. I think you're more than a little slow, but not lying.

Even the slightest knowledge of fundamentalism would be enough to show that no one fundamentalist speaks for all of us. You seem to think some random, to us anonymous person you met has the authority over us that the Pope has over Catholics. Actually, the Pope has less authority to speak for Catholicism than you think random fundamentalists of your acquaintance have to speak for fundamentalism.

In other words, you've declared that a belief system you know less than nothing about will be destroyed by new knowledge that has nothing to do with the central tenants of the system. And then, when this is pointed out, you whine and squeal about an accusation no one made. (Which itself is suspicious, but I won't probe any deeper.)

Not overly quick on the uptake, eh?