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    28 Sep '14 04:101 edit
    I think this could be an interesting philosophical topic [and/or thought experiment].

    If it turns out that the universe is crammed full of countless millions of planets inhabited with all manner of life forms comparable with human beings, complete with their heterogeneous spiritual beliefs, how will the holy scriptures of the three Abrahamic religions measure up in terms of having accommodated such a reality/discovery?

    And also, how will the holy scriptures of the three Abrahamic religions measure up against the religions on other planets if they are not based on Hebrew folklore or do not share any of the key tenets of the Abrahamic religions and yet profess that their adherents have been created by a 'divine being' dissimilar to the Abrahamic God figure?
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    28 Sep '14 04:12
    Originally posted by FMF
    I think this could be an interesting philosophical topic [and/or thought experiment].
    ...triggered by menace71's comment ["what do you all make of UFO's ?"] on the 'More signs of the conclusion of this system...' thread.
  3. SubscriberSuzianne
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    28 Sep '14 04:35
    Originally posted by FMF
    I think this could be an interesting philosophical topic [and/or thought experiment].

    If it turns out that the universe is crammed full of countless millions of planets inhabited with all manner of life forms comparable with human beings, complete with their heterogeneous spiritual beliefs, how will the holy scriptures of the three Abrahamic religions measure ...[text shortened]... at their adherents have been created by a 'divine being' dissimilar to the Abrahamic God figure?
    How do you know these 'offworld' religions "do not share any of the key tenets of the Abrahamic religions"? Furthermore, how do you know their 'divine being' is "dissimilar to the Abrahamic God figure"?

    Just a guess? Yeah, I thought so. Try not to offer it up as fact, then.
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    28 Sep '14 04:39
    Originally posted by Suzianne
    How do you know these 'offworld' religions "do not share any of the key tenets of the Abrahamic religions"? Furthermore, how do you know their 'divine being' is "dissimilar to the Abrahamic God figure"?

    Just a guess? Yeah, I thought so. Try not to offer it up as fact, then.
    As I wrote in the OP, I think it could be an interesting philosophical thought experiment.
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    28 Sep '14 04:59
    Originally posted by Suzianne
    Try not to offer it up as fact, then.
    Try not to offer what up as fact?
  6. Standard membercaissad4
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    28 Sep '14 06:25
    Originally posted by FMF
    I think this could be an interesting philosophical topic [and/or thought experiment].

    If it turns out that the universe is crammed full of countless millions of planets inhabited with all manner of life forms comparable with human beings, complete with their heterogeneous spiritual beliefs, how will the holy scriptures of the three Abrahamic religions measure ...[text shortened]... at their adherents have been created by a 'divine being' dissimilar to the Abrahamic God figure?
    What do you mean if ? Read Ezekiel where he describes a fiery chariot with the face of a lion and how he is taken up by god. He said there was an altar in this craft.
    What is more likely is that this Abrahamic god concept can be explained as visitors from a galaxy far, far away. 😉
  7. Standard membermenace71
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    28 Sep '14 17:441 edit
    C.S Lewis's idea was that earth or a planet like earth was the exiled planet or off-limits planet or quarantined planet ..... For now I will argue it from the Abrahamic scriptures ....Questions would have to be asked are these other civilizations also fallen as we are here on earth ? If not then maybe this is why they have not attempted to contact us. They would know the same God but from a standpoint of not being fallen as we are here. Of course where do all of the angels dwell ? Possibly in a different dimension maybe as some have suggested these are the fallen angels and why they appear then disappear (just ideas) .....where is heaven ? I don't think it's just the puffy clouds scenario up in the sky but possibly right in front of us but unseen by our senses as it's in another dimension .....The phenomena of UFOs is real the question is what are people really seeing ?

    Manny
  8. Standard membermenace71
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    28 Sep '14 17:55
    The other problem is the vast distances if aliens were traveling from some other place at our current technological level it would take 100's or 1000's of years to make it here. This is why some have suggested ( I'm not necessarily agreeing or disagreeing ) the UFO's are actually from another dimension instead of 1000's of Light years away of course if they have higher technology they perhaps have mastered warping time and space to cut travel time down

    Manny
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    28 Sep '14 18:24
    Originally posted by FMF
    As I wrote in the OP, I think it could be an interesting philosophical thought experiment.
    It is interesting in a way that need not be taken as a challenge or problem for the faithful. I imagine that an adherent of one of the Abrahamic religions would say that life on those planets, if there is life, is playing itself out in a manner that is consistent with the adherent's Earthly scriptures. Recall for example, that if God made or makes another planet having "people" who are capable of sin and subsequent salvation in Christ -- and not just plants, for example -- it is not logically necessary that there actually WAS a Fall activating its attendant need for Christ to become incarnate and offer salvation. (If the Fall were necessary on any planet, there would be no free will on that planet.)

    So we should expect to find one or more planets without beings made in God's image; ones with such people but having no Fall; ones where there was a Fall but everyone subsequently reached salvation including the originally Fallen --and ones that have some saved, others not. Due to the bestowal of free will on moral agents inhabiting a planet, the three religions do allow for the history of that planet and its inhabitants to unfold in various ways that are consistent with the scriptural possibilities available via free will.

    The above was written before I found

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exotheology

    "The term Exotheology was coined in the 1960s or early 1970s[1] for the examination of theological issues as they pertain to extraterrestrial intelligence. It is primarily concerned with either conjecture about possible theological beliefs that extraterrestrials might have, or how our own theologies have been or will be influenced by evidence of and/or interaction with extraterrestrials."
  10. Standard memberRJHinds
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    28 Sep '14 22:563 edits
    Originally posted by menace71
    The other problem is the vast distances if aliens were traveling from some other place at our current technological level it would take 100's or 1000's of years to make it here. This is why some have suggested ( I'm not necessarily agreeing or disagreeing ) the UFO's are actually from another dimension instead of 1000's of Light years away of course if they ...[text shortened]... r technology they perhaps have mastered warping time and space to cut travel time down

    Manny
    I do not believe there is intelligent life on other planets in the universe. However, the Holy Bible does tell us that there are spirit creatures or angels and some of these, like Satan, are rebels to the Kingdom of God in Heaven. There is also a mention of a third heaven, which could refer to another dimension that is invisible to us.

    Ezekiel makes reference to living creatures that looked like men and cherubim that were moving up and down, and sideways by use of metalic vehicles like wheels in Ezekiel 1 and 10.

    This strange thing that took Elijah up into heaven may have been controlled by these living spirit creatures that serve God in this heavenly dimension (2 Kings 2:11). Perhaps we would have described it as a UFO.
    As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.

    Moses and the tribes of israel were led out of Egypt in a strange manner as stated in Exodus 13:21. Could this pillar of cloud and fire be what we would refer to as a UFO today?
    The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.


    At the birth of Jesus, the star that the Magi from the East reported seeing that had strange movements for a real star, as we know it, could have been identified today as a UFO. At that time, angels were reported appearing to shepherds in the field in the area where Jesus was born. Angels were also reported at the tomb at the time Jesus was resurrected from the dead and again when Jesus was reported ascending up in a cloud out of the sight of the disciples, who were looking up. Perhaps, today we might have reported this cloud as a UFO. Jesus is supposed to return in the same manner He left, in a cloud.
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    28 Sep '14 23:02
    Originally posted by FMF
    I think this could be an interesting philosophical topic [and/or thought experiment].

    If it turns out that the universe is crammed full of countless millions of planets inhabited with all manner of life forms comparable with human beings, complete with their heterogeneous spiritual beliefs, how will the holy scriptures of the three Abrahamic religions measure ...[text shortened]... at their adherents have been created by a 'divine being' dissimilar to the Abrahamic God figure?
    Threads here at RHP and the press typically are focused on Israel.

    Just so long as it stays this way, the Abrahamic religions will rule.
  12. Subscriberjosephw
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    29 Sep '14 00:30
    Originally posted by FMF
    I think this could be an interesting philosophical topic [and/or thought experiment].

    If it turns out that the universe is crammed full of countless millions of planets inhabited with all manner of life forms comparable with human beings, complete with their heterogeneous spiritual beliefs, how will the holy scriptures of the three Abrahamic religions measure ...[text shortened]... at their adherents have been created by a 'divine being' dissimilar to the Abrahamic God figure?
    Ok. How far does our radio transmissions into outer space reach? If there are countless millions of planets inhabited with life forms comparable with earthlings that have technology at least comparable to ours, and with religious beliefs systems developed to the extent ours are, then why haven't we heard back from them by now?

    With so many planets there must be at least one near enough to be in contact with us by now!
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    29 Sep '14 00:51
    Originally posted by josephw
    Ok. How far does our radio transmissions into outer space reach? If there are countless millions of planets inhabited with life forms comparable with earthlings that have technology at least comparable to ours, and with religious beliefs systems developed to the extent ours are, then why haven't we heard back from them by now?

    With so many planets there must be at least one near enough to be in contact with us by now!
    You have completely missed the point of this thread.
  14. Standard membermenace71
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    29 Sep '14 03:02
    Originally posted by josephw
    Ok. How far does our radio transmissions into outer space reach? If there are countless millions of planets inhabited with life forms comparable with earthlings that have technology at least comparable to ours, and with religious beliefs systems developed to the extent ours are, then why haven't we heard back from them by now?

    With so many planets there must be at least one near enough to be in contact with us by now!
    Radio waves ( RF ) travel at the speed of light as they are light and part of the electromagnetic spectrum ...We started deliberately transmitting just over 100+ years ago give or take so those signals would be about 100 Light Years out already and I'm sure they would be very weak at this point ....100 Light Years is nothing

    Manny
  15. Subscriberjosephw
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    29 Sep '14 04:41
    Originally posted by FMF
    You have completely missed the point of this thread.
    You have completely missed the point of my post.
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