posted on Dec, 4 2010 @ 02:35 PM
There has been a lot of talk lately about extra-terrestrials and things beyond our planet. Over the past 15 to 20 years, exposure to these ideas have
slowly increased. They started off as novels and comic books, proclaiming that life is not special, and that our planet is not one of a kind. Now,
fast forward to 2010, where we have major Hollywood studios pouring out funds to make a movie about aliens and life beyond our solar system. We also
have scientists in countries all over the world actually making strides towards maybe finding a breakthrough in this topic.
But say, we do find life. Aliens make contact with us somehow, someway. What happens then?
Do we fall to our knees asking for their guidance and technology?
Do we proclaim them to be gods?
Do we try to kill them because we deem them a threat?
There is many different paths our race could take if contact is made with extra-terrestrials. But, one thing that is a constant in these choices is
one thing. Religion. What implications would be inserted into our everyday lives if life is found beyond our understanding? Now, my religious
points of view are not the topic of this essay, blog, story etc. But, I can say one thing about it. I think that if the presence of other life is
made known, it will not go over easy with the religious people of this planet. Now think about it for a minute, our whole entire civilization is and
has been based on a conception of a god or gods that created us and watch over us. Now, of course there is different perception of deities for every
belief but one. Every belief in a monotheistic deity or deities says that they are smarter than us, more powerful than us, and so on and so on. And
as I know of now at least, (and can stand to be corrected), that we have not found a creature or being that is smarter or more powerful then the
"mighty" human race.
But that remains to be said that can change in a heartbeat, even on our own planet. But for now, we are the top dog in this pound called life. But
back to religion part of this topic. Discovery of intelligence beyond our own will shake the foundation of our knowing to its core. Of course, the
government is working behind the scenes to slowly desensitize our culture to the idea of aliens in film, T.V., and other media. Our whole entire
lives, even if you were not raised in a religious household, we have been told by some sort of being that we were created by god or gods. That idea
has been imprinted into our very brain since the time we started thinking about such things. So imagine if we discovered that it was not oxygen
that kept us alive and fueled our body, but something else entirely. This is not true of course, (to my understanding) but just think about that for
a second. That is something we have known since childhood being changed in an instant. Never to return the same way again, our thoughts have been
automatically functioned to another thought because of that discovery. Now some will say, "No, this is not true." and others will say, "Yes, this
is true." Which causes a conflict of ideals and principals. And we all know that a conflict of ideas usually causes violence among our race or some
sort of dispute that leads to violence. There is no denying that, it is just the nature of our species. Now imagine that conflict of beliefs on a
religious scale. There is not one thing on this planet more argued about then religion, except maybe politics. Everyone has their own set of
beliefs, and making known that aliens exist, would offend a lot of people. As my own experience being raised in a Christian household, my family
scoffs at the idea of life not on our planet. Their minds have been molded and shaped into the belief of god, and nothing else. Nothing is more
powerful the god, and whatever his word is, it is true. Now, throw science into the equation of religion. Some people think that Science and
Religion cannot co-exist. I do.
But I will not go down that path, I could write many novels about that subject. But, I think that IF aliens do exist, and our government knows about
them, I applaud them for keeping it under-wraps the best they can until a situation arises that can allow them to present the idea officially. Now,
if it is not presented the way it should be, chaos ensues. Peoples lifelong beliefs have been changed. And our race does not like quick change.
Quick change results in bloodshed, it results in terror, it results in false hope. That is not what we need right now in our present day and age. We
need slow adaptation to the idea of we are not alone. If not, our world be lost until some other major event happens that changes our beliefs once
again. Or, you could believe in your faith and say that no matter what changes, you will believe. But all we can say in conclusion is this. The
aversion of the discovery of new things is impossible, it will happen no matter what. Even if some of the worst case scenarios do turn out, the
knowledge that we will posses will be invaluable. Thank you.