Religion could survive discovery of ET, survey suggests (Damn! That's too bad).

[Ian David]

Religion could survive discovery of ET, survey suggests

Could the world's religions survive the discovery of extraterrestrial life? Or would their beliefs be so shaken that they would eventually collapse?

A survey (pdf) discussed on Tuesday at the Royal Society in London suggests religion would survive.

The survey, designed by Ted Peters, a professor of Systematic Theology at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, asked 1300 people – both religious and non-religious – whether they thought the discovery of extraterrestrial intelligence would shake their individual belief, the strength of their religion as a whole or would adversely affect the beliefs of other religions.

None of the 70 Buddhists questioned thought that the discovery of ET would undercut their belief systems, although 40 per cent thought it could pose problems for other religions.

More Roman Catholics believed ET could pose a problem for their faith. Only 8 per cent of the 120 surveyed thought that their individual beliefs would be shaken, but nearly a quarter – 22 per cent – said it could adversely affect their religion. Even more – 30 per cent – thought it could threaten the beliefs of other religious people.

More:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18437-religion-could-survive-discovery-of-et-survey-suggests.html

[crim son]

1. Yeah, well

God made aliens but he didn't make homosexuals. :sarcasm:

[GMA]

6. God made aliens AND homosexuals.

n/t

[Ian David]

8. But did god make homosexual aliens? n/t

[crim son]

12. Naturally! n/t

[enki23]

2. while we're massively more likely to experience ET than the Second Coming...

I don't hold much hope, or fear respectively.

[skepticscott]

3. The really interesting question is

how the discovery (if we could ever learn) that intelligent beings on another planet had nothing remotely resembling relgion, or if their religions were all completely different from ours, with no gawd, no Jeebus, no Allahu..that might shake things up a bit.

[Ian David]

9. Religion's worst nightmare:

Imagine if we find E.T, and he has faster-than-light communications, AND the aliens have already met Jesus.

Now, imagine if not only have they FOUND Jesus, but they found him AFTER their invention of recording devices.

So, not only has Jesus visited E.T., but they have his ACTUAL WORDS on videotape.

Bonus Points: E.T. has already survived The Rapture and The Tribulations, and are living in The Kingdom of Peace or whatever. And we discover that mankind has been found lacking and has been Left Behind en masse and we are ALL damned for Eternity.

Substitute Jesus for ANY of the world's religions, and we'd all be equally screwed-up.

[dcsmart]

4. Buddhists wouldn't care

i like that...says it all...cool.

[YankeyMCC]

13. Sure they would ...

it just wouldn't change anything.

[rug]

5. This proof of polygenism would wreck Catholic theology.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_and_the_Catholic_Church#Polygenism

[GMA]

7. It would not, however,

shake Mormons. We rock.

[Ian David]

10. The Scientologists and Raelians would similarly find vindication. n/t

[rd_kent]

11. Duh! There is PLENTY of reason (no pun intended) for believers to not believe right now,

but the brainwashing is so effective it is very hard for them to let go.