So undoubtedly a common post, but what if alien life exists?
In the deepest recesses of my mind exists the thought that aliens do exist. They exist; and through proper, or appropriated channels, have made contact with humans. And it is, ignoring the demons within, compelled by alcohol’s delirious haze, that I write the following missal.
So we live with the basic assumption that who we are, is as we perceive it. Which is to say, that life IS the information that is available to us. But what if the factual information, upon which we base that assumption were to be, irrefutably changed.
Muslims believe that to be gay is an abomination upon God. Similarly, there is a condemnation in Leviticus in the Judeo-Christian belief.
But suppose that science finds that being gay, or homosexual, is merely a condition of genetics. There already exist proof that other species here on earth exhibit similar behavior (see: dolphins, penguins, ducks.) But what does that say about the knowledge that we hold to be self-defining?
If we take, at face value, that the word of God is manifest in Scripture, then what does that say about God? If science proves, in a scientifically irrefutable way, that Scripture is wrong, then what does that say about our understanding of the universe?
I argue that this is the same conflict that Alien Life presents us.
Perhaps that the possibility that all we know is wrong, is so psychologically overwhelming, that wisest among us (read: those in power/positions of authority) have conspired to keep this information secret.
But what is it to say that we’re not alone in the universe? What is it to say that all we know is wrong?
Nothing.
And perhaps that therein lies the fear.
With religion, we can be confident in our knowledge. Life is as it appears. Knowledge, presented by the all knowing Creator, has been passed through the ages; revealing the nature of reality. And absent that knowledge, we are cast adrift, soul-less and mindless in the void.
I find that nihilism freeing.
What is it to say we are without a known creator?
Again, NOTHING!
Nevertheless, we exist.
Without morality, without causality, we still, more or less, peacefully coexist.
And generally, the absence of God, or a god-like figure, tends to make humans (or at the very least fiction writers) degenerate into a state of Hobbesian chaos. But presupposing His absence, we still exist in the present state.
And if God does not exist, and furthermore, never has; what does that say about the nature of mankind? Devoid an omnipotent, omniscient being what are the characteristics of humans?
Are we cruel? Are we overwhelming sadistic? Delusional? Susceptible?
I think, the call for us to define ourselves is what scares us the most. And the knowledge, the unassailable knowledge that we must do exactly that, is what scares us most of all.
And while others may be afraid of this prospect, I take solace in the fact that we have come this far; and accomplished this much.
So devoid a god?
I say mankind, by the by, is good. And hopefully, we need not look beyond our innate genetic code to attest to that fact (as my personal theory is that compassion is wet wired into our brains and psychopathy is a genetic defect).
But absent a genetic predisposition to good? I can only hope that the sociopolitical/environmental conditioning has us reprogramming the code towards that end. Otherwise, we have only the environment that required us to cooperate.
And if environment (read: divine forces) forced us to cooperate, can existence be all that bad?
A mind exercise for the bored
