Can We Handle The Truth?

I was wondering today, could human beings handle the idea that we are not alone? I mean honestly could people candle it if aliens suddenly announced their existence on earth, landed on the lawn of the current super power and waved? I'm just not sure they could.

Take religion. Currently many religions do not allow for the idea of alien life, the Catholic church has recently said that alien life would also be under god. I wonder though how not only religions would handle it but also atheists. How many of my fellow atheists could handle an alien species? It sounds so easy when you think about it but to deal with a species that is intelligent and looks completely different, acts completely different, thinks completely different. Could we handle it?

It is hard to imagine what an alien species woudl act like. I've often turned to fiction to suggest ideas, the series Babylon 5 is to my mind one of the best ways of looking at alien cultures as they really tried to explore it. Maybe an alien culture would still be sacrificing people! We would find this awful but they would find it normal and maybe find us awful for not sacrificing people.

Basically i'm just asking if our planet could truly handle the idea of intelligent alien life existing with us at this point in time.

ThoughtS?

Michio Kaku Describes it particularly well on C2C

ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T58lAgZatg

Religious uproars would come about, the fact we have no idea what would happen, is the scary part, because it allows for many options, Global piece being 1% chance out of all of it.

[edit on 23-4-2009 by Republican08]

Some can, most won't.

Most people are too busy living their lives and worry about everything.
IMHO a lot of people don't even want to think about the possibility.
Mass hysteria would break out. Sadly

I know I can...
But the Christians and Moslem's would just flip out... then they'd have to find a new excuse to kill each other! Oh yeah they could start fighting about who knew all along we were not alone in the universe...

It's a great question you pose, IR1984 and if only the answer was a simple yes or no!!!

I guess the answer is based on who you are. For me, I believe I can handle the truth but if the truth of us not being alone would challenge the fundamental tenements of your faith and belief structure, could you handle the truth.

Of course, you question also begs how much of the truth we could be given?

Originally posted by Freedom ERP
Of course, you question also begs how much of the truth we could be given?

The simple truth that aliens exist and are here. I'm not saying this is factual or not, just a hypothetical. Now if an alien grabbed me in my room when i was half asleep, i'm betting my reaction would be utterly violent or complete, bowl loosening panic. If they landed and publicly proclaimed their existence then i would rejoice. The simple reason is that the first scenario i would consider to be sinister and the second one i would consider to be open, although i would of course be cautious

Anyway yes the simple hypothetical scenario is that they land on earth, very publicly, without meaning harm, pronounce their benevolence and want nothing more than peace and understanding.

I believe the close minded will not be able to handle the truth which will result in panic, death, and disbelieve to denial.

I believe the ones who are opened minded would not mind learning new technology, believes, advanced to the human race by our alien friends.

I just can't imagine that this would be that big a deal.

I think that most people would just go on with their daily lives.


I'm just not buying into this mass hysteria or people giving up on their religions.

Originally posted by xweaponx
I believe the ones who are opened minded would not mind learning new technology, believes, advanced to the human race by our alien friends.

Their beliefs would be an interesting one and something i would happily study. The reason i say this is that as an atheist they would have to provide evidence for their beliefs, but if their technology was so far beyond ours then maybe they could easily fake the evidence somehow.

Their culture though is something i would be fascinated by. I've experienced many cultures, some which are very out of the ordinary and i enjoyed the whole thing.

I just wonder though, if you were an alien, sitting observing earth, would you dare to reveal yourself now, or wait another thousand years?

I can only talk for myself, and I think that I can handle the truth about most (if not all) things, including extraterrestrial intelligent beings.

As an atheist I don't see how that could affect my opinion.

As for other people, I think that they can handle it, after all we have been handling the truth since pre-historic times, maybe they said the same thing about making fire.

We just need time to get used to an idea, after that we accept anything, even politicians.

reply to post by Wildbob77


People fear anything that is different. Out of all human reactions that is one of the most reliable ones.

I guess I would like to think that I could handle the truth, and probably could, thats not to say that it wouldn't take some getting used to of course. I think the religious 'powers' of Earth would have a hard time dealing or coping with it, mainly because it challenge the very foudations of their beliefs. IMO the Catholic church could well be making those remarks to try and keep seats in pews in this age where people are turning away from religion becauae it's just not answering their questions, or providing any solace in this haphazard world.

Just my 2 cents...

reply to post by Genus_Unknown


I must say i only singled out the Catholic church because they have been so public about their position. Just in case anyone thinks i'm being selective with the religions here

I can only hope so. My faith doesn't depend on life not being present off of planet Earth. I'm not certain why it should. Naturally, so many more questions would follow.

The thing is though, people so extremely believe in their religion, I mean that whatever you say to them they will not be shaken one bit.

Now all religions cannot be true, (although the new agers have an agnostic approach that all religions are right! We all believe in god and thats good enough, raises alot of questions because some descriptively have greatly opposing views).

Now when pure evidence comes about to prove the religions wrong, (assuming it does just that) it's a strong possibility some will literally not believe their own eyes and ears, strong denial and hysteria would come of this. It would be a collapse of the mind persay!

Which is sad because if you believe in something with little to no evidence and deny something of pure evidence, well that's just insanity!

It shouldn't be a big deal, but it is, that's the horrible part about humanity.

Originally posted by ImaginaryReality1984
reply to post by Genus_Unknown

 

I must say i only singled out the Catholic church because they have been so public about their position. Just in case anyone thinks i'm being selective with the religions here

Oh, I figured that out, I was continuing the flow

I think the same can be said of any of the faiths, to be honest.

Originally posted by Genus_Unknown

Originally posted by ImaginaryReality1984
reply to post by Genus_Unknown

 

I must say i only singled out the Catholic church because they have been so public about their position. Just in case anyone thinks i'm being selective with the religions here

Oh, I figured that out, I was continuing the flow

I think the same can be said of any of the faiths, to be honest.

If the catholic church has not ruled out the existance of sentient ET life, then it may be tantamount to an admission. Preparing their flock, as it were.

Originally posted by teapot

If the catholic church has not ruled out the existance of sentient ET life, then it may be tantamount to an admission. Preparing their flock, as it were.

Well i am not sure about that, i only bought it up as the Catholic church has taken a stance on it. However the question is larger than any one religion, even atheists would struggle with this one. I am an atheist and i honestly believe i would be fine, but i know other atheists who would freak out as strongly as any religious person.

Humanity as a whole couldn't deal with it in my opinion and that i must say makes me truly sad.

Originally posted by ImaginaryReality1984
I must say i only singled out the Catholic church because they have been so public about their position.

Not really.

The chief astronomer of the Vatican said that he thought that the existence of alien life was not against what the Catholic church says, it was not an official position of the Vatican.

On a slightly different note, why people always say that they think other people would react in some way because of their religion but never speak about their own religion?

Originally posted by ArMaP
On a slightly different note, why people always say that they think other people would react in some way because of their religion but never speak about their own religion?

Well i think i covered atheists, we're unpredictable. I honestly think many atheists would freak out as strongly as any mainstream religious person.