An alternate theory

[Jean]

There have been numerous posts on creationism vs evolution and the beginning of human life on Earth.

I thought I would share my theory on the subject. There is no scientic evidence, although there is ample anecdotal evidence to perhaps support it. Although frankly, I'm not sure I care too much about that and I'm comfortable with not having proof.

First, I believe there is intelligent life on other planets (probably very many). It has always stuck me as the height of arrogance and self-centeredness (is that a word?) to think otherwise.

I have always suspected that way back when, our human ancestors were re-located here by another space-travel enabled civilation as a social experiment. "We" were the ones that were not quite "right". Either sub-intelligent. or social misfits, or genetically imperfect, or otherwise somehow not acceptable. Perhaps even criminals. Since then, every once in awhile, "they" checked-in on us to see how we were doing. Over time they either still check-in or have just forgotten about the experiment over time. Much the same way we, as a society, tend to embrace experimental programs and then abandon them for something else over time.

As for the various religions...shrug. Humans are generally very uncomfortable with the unknown and demand explaination. Humans also tend to be very superstitious. Then there have always been men who are uniquely charismatic, and when they embrace a cause, are able to convince great numbers of people to follow. Couple that with others, who have a political agenda, get involved and voila...a religion is born. It's always been easier to manipulate people by saying "God said so".

There it is, take it or leave it. I'm happy with it either way

[Agnes Selby]

Erich von Daniken?

[Brendan]

Unfortunately, without evidence it's just wishful thinking. There is no sign anywhere in the universe that other intelligent life has existed and broadcast their versions of I Love Lucy re-runs into the cosmic darkness as we have for some decades now. Wherever we look, we just find the background radiation from the Big Bang.

Our Sun and solar system is at least a second-generation creation, born from a previous star exploding. If you think how old the universe is, we may well be the very first life to become self-aware, and our earth with it's moon looks to be statistically very rare (no moon and we'd spin very differently. If life did evolve, it would be very different from us or even dinosaurs).

It's up to us to get out there and seed the cosmos, IMHO.

BTW, meditation/theology is not belief or superstition, but something anyone can experience with practice. Try The Mystical Mind: Probing the Biology of Religious Experience by D'Aquili and Newberg, Zen and the Brain and/or Zen-Brain Reflections by James H Austen to see how religion is hard-wired in the human brain. Not all religion is beliefs and superstition, as I keep repeating to no avail.

[living_stradivarius]

I have always suspected that way back when, our human ancestors were re-located here by another space-travel enabled civilation as a social experiment. "We" were the ones that were not quite "right". Either sub-intelligent. or social misfits, or genetically imperfect, or otherwise somehow not acceptable. Perhaps even criminals. Since then, every once in awhile, "they" checked-in on us to see how we were doing. Over time they either still check-in or have just forgotten about the experiment over time. Much the same way we, as a society, tend to embrace experimental programs and then abandon them for something else over time.

Hmm we're all a bunch of Australians then

[Agnes Selby]

I have always suspected that way back when, our human ancestors were re-located here by another space-travel enabled civilation as a social experiment. "We" were the ones that were not quite "right". Either sub-intelligent. or social misfits, or genetically imperfect, or otherwise somehow not acceptable. Perhaps even criminals. Since then, every once in awhile, "they" checked-in on us to see how we were doing. Over time they either still check-in or have just forgotten about the experiment over time. Much the same way we, as a society, tend to embrace experimental programs and then abandon them for something else over time.

Hmm we're all a bunch of Australians then

You wish!!!

[MarkC]

Jean -- IMO it's not impossible.

I had a teacher/colleague/friend who believed that.

In any event, I do believe it's likely that there is intelligent life elsewhere. As for the rest of the theory, if I had to bet one way or the other, I'd bet no. But I wouldn't bet everything I had.

[jbuck919]

First, I believe there is intelligent life on other planets (probably very many). It has always stuck me as the height of arrogance and self-centeredness (is that a word?) to think otherwise.

If we think so because we view humans as apart for religious reasons, yes. However, if we continue to wonder, given the highly peculiar circumstances that made us possible and the fact that we have only been here for 100,000 out of billions of years, if that represents, as is likely, a multiplication of rarities that produces a very small number indeed (chances of an Earth-like planet around a sun-like star X chances of it being the right distance from its star for liquid water X chances that it has a moon- or otherwise-stabilized orbit plus planetological and collision-free stability to permit eon-length periods of evolution, etc.), then the probability of such as us may become very small even with respect to the number of stars in the universe. We're still ignorant of many of the details, but it seems that intelligent life is very scarce indeed, and that thought, far from being arrogant, is extremely humbling.

I have always suspected that way back when, our human ancestors were re-located here by another space-travel enabled civilation as a social experiment. "We" were the ones that were not quite "right". Either sub-intelligent. or social misfits, or genetically imperfect, or otherwise somehow not acceptable. Perhaps even criminals. Since then, every once in awhile, "they" checked-in on us to see how we were doing. Over time they either still check-in or have just forgotten about the experiment over time. Much the same way we, as a society, tend to embrace experimental programs and then abandon them for something else over time.

What a great idea for a science fiction plot! Wait a minute....

[SaulChanukah]

Erich von Daniken?

I heard of this Swiss dreamer when I was 8 years old playing with my friends in the park while growing up in Israel.
He wrote absolute rubbish, and I knew that it was rubbish even before I became religious.

[SaulChanukah]

Unfortunately, without evidence it's just wishful thinking. There is no sign anywhere in the universe that other intelligent life has existed and broadcast their versions of I Love Lucy re-runs into the cosmic darkness as we have for some decades now. Wherever we look, we just find the background radiation from the Big Bang.

Our Sun and solar system is at least a second-generation creation, born from a previous star exploding. If you think how old the universe is, we may well be the very first life to become self-aware, and our earth with it's moon looks to be statistically very rare (no moon and we'd spin very differently. If life did evolve, it would be very different from us or even dinosaurs).

It's up to us to get out there and seed the cosmos, IMHO.

BTW, meditation/theology is not belief or superstition, but something anyone can experience with practice. Try The Mystical Mind: Probing the Biology of Religious Experience by D'Aquili and Newberg, Zen and the Brain and/or Zen-Brain Reflections by James H Austen to see how religion is hard-wired in the human brain. Not all religion is beliefs and superstition, as I keep repeating to no avail.

Actually the Jewish Sources say that there is life on other planets.

The discovery of ETs would pose no more of a threat to Judaism than would the discovery of a new species of rabbit.

It would be limiting God's power to say that He could not have placed life on other planets. In fact, there is a reference in the biblical Book of Judges (5:23) to an inhabited place called Maroz, which the Talmud identifies as a star.

But Jewish thought has always believed that the most weird and wonderful creatures are to be found right here on earth. We can explore the remotest extremities of space but still remain alien to our own humanity. The real secrets of the universe lie hidden in the depths of the human soul.

[living_stradivarius]

Erich von Daniken?

I heard of this Swiss dreamer when I was 8 years old playing with my friends in the park while growing up in Israel.
He wrote absolute rubbish, and I knew that it was rubbish even before I became religious.

Nobody asked you.

[SaulChanukah]

Erich von Daniken?

I heard of this Swiss dreamer when I was 8 years old playing with my friends in the park while growing up in Israel.
He wrote absolute rubbish, and I knew that it was rubbish even before I became religious.

Nobody asked you.

I was not answering, I was reffering to her comments.
My comment wasnt even an answer.

[living_stradivarius]

Erich von Daniken?

I heard of this Swiss dreamer when I was 8 years old playing with my friends in the park while growing up in Israel.
He wrote absolute rubbish, and I knew that it was rubbish even before I became religious.

Nobody asked you.

I was not answering, I was reffering to her comments.
My comment wasnt even an answer.

Nobody asked you for a comment.

[SaulChanukah]

Erich von Daniken?

I heard of this Swiss dreamer when I was 8 years old playing with my friends in the park while growing up in Israel.
He wrote absolute rubbish, and I knew that it was rubbish even before I became religious.

Nobody asked you.

I was not answering, I was reffering to her comments.
My comment wasnt even an answer.

Nobody asked you for a comment.

Well comments are made even without questions or demands.
I'm surprised you didnt know that.

[living_stradivarius]

I'm surprised you didn't know your comment wasn't welcome.

[Brendan]

Actually the Jewish Sources say that there is life on other planets.

The discovery of ETs would pose no more of a threat to Judaism than would the discovery of a new species of rabbit.

It would be limiting God's power to say that He could not have placed life on other planets. In fact, there is a reference in the biblical Book of Judges (5:23) to an inhabited place called Maroz, which the Talmud identifies as a star.

But Jewish thought has always believed that the most weird and wonderful creatures are to be found right here on earth. We can explore the remotest extremities of space but still remain alien to our own humanity. The real secrets of the universe lie hidden in the depths of the human soul.

Please show those sources instead of your usual invented lies.

Liar.

Go sacrifice a goat.

Historically, it was Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa (is Cardinal a Jewish title?) who first proposed that stars were other suns with potiential planets with intelligent life, and that Jesus existed for their salvation in every instance, as He is infinite.

Look it up, moron.

Then kill some birds and spray their blood on the altar to satisfy your primitive god. (Leviticus)

Oh, that's right! Your Temple is now a Moslem mosque. Wail at the wall instead, retard.

[SaulChanukah]

Actually the Jewish Sources say that there is life on other planets.

The discovery of ETs would pose no more of a threat to Judaism than would the discovery of a new species of rabbit.

It would be limiting God's power to say that He could not have placed life on other planets. In fact, there is a reference in the biblical Book of Judges (5:23) to an inhabited place called Maroz, which the Talmud identifies as a star.

But Jewish thought has always believed that the most weird and wonderful creatures are to be found right here on earth. We can explore the remotest extremities of space but still remain alien to our own humanity. The real secrets of the universe lie hidden in the depths of the human soul.

Please show those sources instead of your usual invented lies.

Liar.

Go sacrifice a goat.

Historically, it was Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa (is Cardinal a Jewish title?) who first proposed that stars were other suns with potiential planets with intelligent life, and that Jesus existed for their salvation in every instance, as He is infinite.

Look it up, moron.

Then kill some birds and spray their blood on the altar to satisfy your primitive god. (Leviticus)

Oh, that's right! Your Temple is now a Moslem mosque. Wail at the wall instead, retard.

Do I expect anything else from an anti Semite like yourself?

No.

Why don't you tell us what you really feel...

Good heavens.

[Brendan]

I'm not anti-Semite as I have demonstrated and stated many times. In fact, as an Aussie I never understood anti-Semitism until I encounter you and your vile attitude, even to other Jews.

I despise and hate you (when I bother) and no one else.

Go sacrifice a goat to your god, you rancid filthy moron.

[SaulChanukah]

I'm not anti-Semite as I have demonstrated and stated many times.

I despise and hate you (when I bother) and no one else.

Go sacrifice a goat to your god, you rancid moron.

All you need is love...

Relax its an internet forum, you don't even know me.

Even I don't hate you, there has to be more to you then just hate and aweful posts...

I wish I could make you stop been a Jew hater, but you are too persistent.

You need to chill...

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[Brendan]

Go sacrife a goat, moron.

[SaulChanukah]

Go sacrife a goat, moron.

You're too hateful.

Go sacrifice your ego, and relax.

[Brendan]

Obey your primitive scirptures (surely you obey scripture!) and start sacrificing animals as you are instructed.

Retard

[SaulChanukah]

Obey your primitive scirptures (surely you obey scripture!) and start sacrificing animals as you are instructed.

Retard

You lost it.

Say as you want, I will not respond to you anymore, you have crossed all lines.

[Brendan]

No. You are a moron and everyone here thinks so. Jews and Gentiles. Look at the responses you get, you rancid scum.

Go sacrifice a goat, retard

[RebLem]

Jen, I think you're taking Ursula LeGuin a little too seriously.

Here is an argument that should appeal at least to Thomist theologians:

God is perfect.
Therefore, everything He directly created is perfect.
Humans are imperfect--wisdom teeth, curly toes that give us corns, etc.
Therefore, Man is not a direct creation of God.

Things like wisdom teeth, which come from a time when our ancestors needed them, are evidence for evolution. Curly toes and corns are the result of the fact that our ancestors swing through trees and needed them. We no longer do, and our toes have shortened accordingly, but they're still sort of curved. Evolution is a lot sloppier than any self-respecting God would be.

[MarkC]

....Go sacrifice a goat to your god, you rancid filthy moron.

In case you care, you don't enhance your own credibility or anything at all when you say stuff like that.

Then again, I've given advice to Saul and he didn't pay any attention, so......maybe I'm not enhancing anything either.

[Teresa B]

I have always suspected that way back when, our human ancestors were re-located here by another space-travel enabled civilation as a social experiment. "We" were the ones that were not quite "right".

OK, but speak for yourself!

Teresa

[RebLem]

I have always suspected that way back when, our human ancestors were re-located here by another space-travel enabled civilation as a social experiment. "We" were the ones that were not quite "right".

OK, but speak for yourself! Teresa

Not an original idea. It was George Bernard Shaw who wrote "The Earth is the insane asylum for the rest of the universe."