Hypothetical reaction to extraterrestrial presence from religious organizations

Many people think that a fraction of the US government has either some or a lot of information about ET presence on earth but these people within the government don't want to disclose such info. One of the reasons proposed for non disclosure is that disclosing an extraterrestrial presence on earth would upset the current religious and social order.

I have been wondering what would be the reaction from the different religious denominations after a limited disclosure from the US government indicating that the extraterrestrial presence is real. A limited ET disclosure would mean that the US government declares that extraterrestrial beings exist and that we are being visited by one or more alien species without going too deep on the information disclosed.

So I decided to start theorizing about it beggining with myself. I was raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints more commonly known as the Mormon Church or LDS Church.

I no longer believe in the teachings of the church for reasons that have nothing to do with the possibility of ET presence on earth. However I can understand the mindset of most mormon people because I used to believe what most active mormons believe.

I think most mormons would accept a limited ET disclosure with no problem because it doesn't conflict with their beliefs. Also I think that the official church response and/or adaption to the new paradigm would go with no big hurdles.

However, and this is a big however, if the ET disclosure information provided by the government where to include information confirming the reality of alien abduction and/or any information that contradicts the beliefs of the mormon population there would big problems in their belief system and as a consequence there would be a big period of instability and paradigm shifting and adjusting for most of the mormon poulation.

Myself having gone through a change of strong beliefs that took years I can say that having a deep change in your belief system can bring depression and a lot of confusion to the mind and heart.

As of know I consider myself an agnostic, I am open to the idea of the existence of a God however I don't adhere to any particular religious denomination or organization.

I think that given the amount of testimonies by reliable witnesses (pilots in particular) of UFO sightings and also the serious studies of the Ufo phenomena it is extremely likely that we are indeed being visited by one or more extraterrestrial civilizations. If the US goverment were to confirm what I think is very likely a reality I don't think I'd have a hard time at all accepting it.

But, if it turned out to be that alien abduction is real and confirmed, well, that would be hard to swallow and live with. It is one thing to think that alien abductions might be real and a very different thing knowing that not only aliens exist but that you or someone in your family could be abducted and there is nothing you can do about it.

So, going through the hypothetical disclosure scenario reminded me of the first Matrix movie. There's a scene after Neo is extracted from The Matrix in which Morpheus tells him that the older a person is, the more trouble the mind has letting go of The Matrix.

In the movie, The Matrix means and encompasses ALL PERCEIVED REALITY. In many ways that applies to people with strong religious beliefs. My point of view is that the more ingrained a belief (incompatible with ET existance and ET presence on Earth) someone has the harder it will be for that person to accept an ET disclosure.

To be continued...

One of my roommates is a Baptist and one time when I was watching an Ufo documentary he asked me if I believe ET people exist. I told him yes and he started saying that ET don't exist and that alleged ET craft or alleged ET sightings all come from the devil because the bible says so.

You see, the way he interpretates the Bible makes him believe that mankind and all living beings on this earth are the only living beings God has created in the universe and that Ufos and aliens are deceptions from Satan.

I tried proposing alternative views and reason with him but he was completely close minded to my points of view. This brings me to the following questions.

Which are the biggest religion denominations?

What are the percentages of religious denominations in the world population?

What would be the reaction of the people within those groups if a limited
ET disclosure were to occur?

According to Wikipedia here are the Organized religions by population ranking



As you can see in the following graphic the two major religious groups are Christians and Muslims



Here's a Christian/Muslim Proportions World Map



The Christian group subdivides into these branches



Maybe you belong or know someone who belongs to one of these groups. I invite you to contribute to this thread and provide some insight on these questions.

I am personally interested in knowing the position on this issue by people who belong to all of the Christian branches.

* Catholic
* Protestantism
* Eastern Orthodox Christian
* African Indigenous Sects
* Pentecostal
* Reformed/Presbyterian/Congregational/United
* Anglican/Episcopal
* Baptist
* Methodist
* Lutheran
* Jehovah's Witnesses
* Latter-Day Saints
* Adventists
* Apostolic/New Apostolic
* Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement
* New Thought (Unity, Christian Science, etc.)
* Brethren (incl. Plymouth)
* Mennonite
* Friends/Quakers


Also wondering about the following...

Religion denomination statistics for the US.


Which Christian denominations would be considered fundamentalists?


What would be the reaction of Christian fundamentalists?
My Baptist roommate considers himself a fundamentalist, so judging by his comments I guess a have a good idea of the Baptist point of view assuming most baptists think the same way he does.


What would be the reaction of Muslims and Muslim fundamentalists?




[edit on 2/13/2007 by mulder762002]

I think (or would hope) most wouldn't freak, but the biggest organized religious players better have some damage control in place to reign in the percentage of the flock that can't handle the implications...

"In My Father's house there are many mansions"

I guess any fundamentalist from any religion could use it an excuse to go nutz though

Originally posted by mulder762002
I am personally interested in knowing the position on this issue by people who belong to all of the Christian branches.

* Catholic

I'm a Catholic from Spain, Europe. The position, spoken by different members of the Church, and given even during sermons in Mass, is that there's is life across the universe, and that all creation is by God's design.

Still, that's very different than saying that UFOs are extraterrestrials.

How do they react now? They'd swear up and down that they weren't extraterrestrials but "demons." Their response would be no different than it currently is.

[edit on 13-2-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

I don’t like to be associated with any thing but I guess you could classify me, if you had to, as a Born Again Christian. I grew up attending a bible teaching church (Calvary Chapel). Calvary-Chapel really isn’t ( or didn’t us to be) classified as any denomination, mostly there only goal is to fellowship and teach the bible verse by verse. I really don’t go any more, but I use to know allot of pastors that actually have more of an open mind about UFOs than any Baptist, Atheist, Jew, Catholic, or Pentecostal, ext. that I have meet. The Baptist and Pentecostals in my opinion are some of the most stupid close minded people you will ever meet. One is driven by an old time, narrow minded, strict interpretation of the bible while the latter, is foolishly driven by emotion and the need for wealth. I guess you could say that a lot of Christians do believe in UFOs, but think of them more as Satan and Angels disguising themselves as these objects. My mother is a devout born again Christian, and she has told me that of recent a lot of Calvary chapel pastors have totally changed their view on the whole UFO subject. I know the pastors don’t like to go to deep into this subject because they don’t want to lead there flock astray. But, I think if you talk to them personally they may have a lot of the same beliefs the people on these forums have about this subject, but u you take things with a grain of salt. For the past 3 months I have been spending probably about 5 to 6 hours a day on this forum just reading every possible theory I can (I feel like a kid in a candy store). Just last week I decided to re-read through revelations with a fresh perspective, and man I understand a lot more but I have many more questions. I can see how a UFO could conflict with a Baptists strict interpretation of the bible. But that’s all it is, a closed minded individual’s interpretation of an English text. Even though a lot of my beliefs have changed over the years the idea of a Creator loving mankind so much that he would send his son as a sacrifice to man kind so that they may be forgiven still kind of floors me. The idea of forgiveness is very contrary to my nature. This always stays with me (its hard to explain) but a lot of the rest in the bible is up for what ever interoperation you want. So personally I don’t have strict beliefs or interpretations like I use to, more or less, I feel that if I seek truth eventually it will be revealed to me. Life has gotten very exciting the last 3 months I don’t know what I truly believe but I feel my soul will find it. I don’t get Religion out of reading the gospels, I do see some new principles that give mankind hope, unfortunately I don’t even think the apostles got what Jesus was saying and they were right there, go figure that’s mankind for ya!

What would be the reaction of Muslims and Muslim fundamentalists?

I think the same as the followers of the Christian Zionists except their leaders are not controlling the UFO information or Lack There Of.

[edit on 13-2-2007 by mindrewind2002]

[edit on 13-2-2007 by mindrewind2002]

I can see some of the more open religious groups accepting aliens as part of God's creation, but there would definately be many that are against it.

One thing that I am concerned about is the possibility of Contact-style religious terrorism against any open ET visitation.

Isn't the whole Christian Faith based on the premise that God created 'MAN' in his own image on the Sixth Day of Creation?

Where in Genesis does it state that God also created aliens in his own image? Where in Genesis does it state that God created aliens at all? On what Day did God create aliens during Creation Week?

Isn't the whole purpose of Jesus being Human is that he died for the sins of 'MAN' and not aliens? If Jesus was meant to be a saviour for aliens, then he would have taken the form an alien, but according to the Bible - he didn't.

To me it seems clear that the Bible and its Creationist views do not allow aliens to exist, as they don't fit into God's plan for 'MAN'.

By the way, I'm not religious. I'm extremely anti-religious and I believe in aliens and UFOs. I don't see how logical, thinking people can both accept the Creationist Bible stories and also believe that there can be something else in the Universe other than 'MAN'. It smacks of stupidity to believe in both, as they are contradictory view points.

In short, with the wide-spread revelation of alien presence, I hope that all religions on Earth crash and burn. Maybe we will then be able to fix the planet without wearing blinkers while being duped by power-mongering religious dogma.

Originally posted by tezzajw
In short, with the wide-spread revelation of alien presence, I hope that all religions on Earth crash and burn. Maybe we will then be able to fix the planet without wearing blinkers while being duped by power-mongering religious dogma.

In a universe of infinite diversity and infinite possibility, what are you going to say if the "aliens" finally make a public landing, greet our leaders, and then explain that they are the "angels" of old? That they are the messengers of God?

I'm not particularly religious, either, but I'm not going to close my mind to the possibility that extraterrestrials planted the seeds of our religions, which are rather other-worldly in themselves.

— Doc Velocity

Originally posted by Doc Velocity

In a universe of infinite diversity and infinite possibility, what are you going to say if the "aliens" finally make a public landing, greet our leaders, and then explain that they are the "angels" of old? That they are the messengers of God?

I'll call them liars.

The Bible claims that every word is God's true Word. God sent His son, Jesus as a teacher and saviour. Where in the Bible does it say that God will send aliens to represent His Word?

Either you believe EVERY word in the Bible as being true and swallow the dogmatic crap that it is, or you don't.

Aliens can't be telling the truth that they are God's messengers, as their word would be contradicting that of the Bible. You can't believe that the Bible is true and then accept that something else directly contradicting it, while supposedly supporting it, is also true.

Religion is the bane of mankind in all its fictional misery and contradictions.

Anyway, you're asking me a hypothetical question, based on 'if' they claimed to be messengers of God. I wouldn't be surprised if they were the aliens who visited the Earth in older times (mistaken as Angels), however, I find it dubious to think that they would claim that they are (the one and only) 'God' of the Christian Faith.

Originally posted by tezzajw
I don't see how logical, thinking people can both accept the Creationist Bible stories and also believe that there can be something else in the Universe other than 'MAN'. It smacks of stupidity to believe in both, as they are contradictory view points.

Ahem, it also "smacks of stupidity" to limit God's creation to earth and humans.

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
Ahem, it also "smacks of stupidity" to limit God's creation to earth and humans.

The Bible itself limits God's creation to the Earth and Humans. It smacks of stupidity to believe otherwise. You read Genesis and tell me where it says that other beings were created and on which Day it happened?

Where in the Bible does it state the Creation Day that aliens were created? Where in the Bible does it state that aliens were created in the image of God? Many eyewitness accounts of aliens describe them as NOT BEING HUMAN.

The Bible states that before Adam's sin there was no death. Jesus was born to atone for MAN's sins, as a result of Adam being naughty.

So, according to the Bible, aliens could not have died before Adam's sin either (if they were even created by God). Which means that aliens could not have lived (and died) before MAN. So, after Adam's sin, death was introduced and Jesus was sent as the lamb for MAN.

So, if Jesus died for MAN, which the Bible claims, then who died for the salvation of the aliens? They too would have been afflicted by Adam's sin, so they wouldn't be 'very good' either.

The Bible was written by MEN based on lucid fairy-tales of dark ages understanding about the nature of the Universe. The Bible is not a document that is structured to incorporate anything other than MAN being alone in the Universe and being created by God. The Bible can not logically support the existence of alien beigns from other planets, it is full of contradictory holes and false arguments.

It's all insidious dogma that has been perpetuated throughout the ages and is firmly entrenched as part of government control mechanisms to subdue the populace into pliable civilians.

Boy, for someone who says he/she isn't "religious, you sure seem to rely heavily on the bible,eh? Makes me question your true agenda here. JW perhaps stand for, "Jehovah's Witness?"

[edit on 13-2-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

If you are trying to make the argument that one cannot believe in creationism and alien life at the same time, save it... By the way, there are many references to strange wheels and such in the skies in the bible, so... to say that UFOs and such were not spoken of in the bible is very false. Try the wheel of Ezekial.. for one example

[edit on 13-2-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

[edit on 13-2-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

The vatican has unoficially decreed that extraterrestrial visitors are real and have been interacting with humanity for a long time. Also that they have been mentioned various times within the Bible.

www.drboylan.com...

Don Wahn, very,very true.

Originally posted by tezzajw
Aliens can't be telling the truth that they are God's messengers, as their word would be contradicting that of the Bible. You can't believe that the Bible is true and then accept that something else directly contradicting it, while supposedly supporting it, is also true.

Question: Do you think that every word of the Bible is true? I don't. As far as I'm concerned, it's a compilation of folklore from many different sources, written by men, edited and re-edited by men for well over 2000 years. Whole books of the Bible, accepted in ancient times, have been discarded over the centuries; so no person can say with certainty what the Bible is, guess what it was meant to be, or determine its accuracy.

What I know about the Bible is that Jews accept the Old Testament and reject the New Testament, while Christians rejoice in the New Testament but only barely tolerate the barbarity of the Old Testament. And Muslims have appropriated bits and pieces of both the Old & New Testaments in composing their religion.

In my own opinion, there is probably a grain of truth at the center of the biblical texts for it to have endured for some two millennia. And I think Faith (not to be confused with "religion") is a real force of some sort, accessible to theists and atheists alike, which the ancients tried repeatedly to describe in their religious writings worldwide, across vastly different cultures and different ages.

Originally posted by tezzajw
Religion is the bane of mankind in all its fictional misery and contradictions... I wouldn't be surprised if they were the aliens who visited the Earth in older times (mistaken as Angels), however, I find it dubious to think that they would claim that they are (the one and only) 'God' of the Christian Faith.

Well, if you know anything about the Bible at all, you know that God's thoughts are NOT the thoughts of Man... Meaning that God, if it exists, doesn't share our strict and inflexible logic, nor even our sense of linear continuity, necessarily. That's what it says in the Bible, anyway — that no man can even comprehend the thoughts and motivations of God. God moves in mysterious ways, as they say, and the followers of the Bible just have to accept that, as much as it may pain them.

But I like that loophole. To me, that's the "soda-pop factor" of the Bible that gives it what little credibility it has. It doesn't say THIS IS WHAT GOD THINKS, because we can't even begin to grasp what God thinks. So, I'll leave that possibility open, that if there is a God that is beyond human logic and comprehension, it can certainly create a universe in which aliens can be mistaken for angels, or angels can be mistaken for aliens.

And what are you going to do if the aliens are all wearing crucifixes and rosaries? Are you gonna kill yourself rather than face a reality far more bizarre and complex than you ever imagined? The ultimate act of atheist denial, just close the door and pretend it's not there.

— Doc Velocity

[edit on 2/13/2007 by Doc Velocity]

The Bible itself limits God's creation to the Earth and Humans. It smacks of stupidity to believe otherwise. You read Genesis and tell me where it says that other beings were created and on which Day it happened?

Good point but who says this is not just referring to this earth or universe?

Where in the Bible does it state the Creation Day that aliens were created? Where in the Bible does it state that aliens were created in the image of God? Many eyewitness accounts of aliens describe them as NOT BEING HUMAN.

It never does lol, but it also never delves into the creation of your so called Angels and Lucifer, Demons ex.,,

The Bible states that before Adam's sin there was no death. Jesus was born to atone for MAN's sins, as a result of Adam being naughty.

Yea exactly referring to mankind nothing else

So, according to the Bible, aliens could not have died before Adam's sin either (if they were even created by God). Which means that aliens could not have lived (and died) before MAN. So, after Adam's sin, death was introduced and Jesus was sent as the lamb for MAN.
So, if Jesus died for MAN, which the Bible claims, then who died for the salvation of the aliens? They too would have been afflicted by Adam's sin, so they wouldn't be 'very good' either.

It never says that aliens or what men of old may have referred to as “Angels” have any thing to do with the redemption of mankind, I don’t see them being put into the same category as mankind? Can you show me a scripture where it does?

The Bible was written by MEN based on lucid fairy-tales of dark ages understanding about the nature of the Universe. The Bible is not a document that is structured to incorporate anything other than MAN being alone in the Universe and being created by God. The Bible can not logically support the existence of alien begins from other planets, it is full of contradictory holes and false arguments.

Are you Baptist? By the way the Torah was written long before the dark ages

It's all insidious dogma that has been perpetuated throughout the ages and is firmly entrenched as part of government control mechanisms to subdue the populace into pliable civilians.

Please show your source when you quote your favorite Marxist philosopher

Tezzajw I guess you interpret the bible your own way sense you are familiar with the Hebrew text? Throughout history when man has encountered something new he best describes it in the terms that he is familiar with- think about that?




[edit on 13-2-2007 by mindrewind2002]

tezzajw
It seems like you have allready made up your mind about what you believe. You must also have a very stable job, a lovely wife and kids. Hows joyful it must be to have everything figured out, it makes it easy to point the finger and say "this is how it is". Unfortuanetly I am an angry person unlike you and it must be very obvious from how I bash religion in my writing, wait a second!!, that wasn't me! This is very good tea that I am drinking, tezzajw do you like tea?