Convincing an Alien

[Phoenix]

I have a question for the theists, if you'll humor me. You meet a man from another world. The man knows of biology, chemistry, physics, cosmology, etc. He's been alive for centuries; he's seen people be born and die. He's seen planets and solar systems.

How exactly would you go about convincing him, if you even want to, of your beliefs? Would you try? Basically, what would be the strongest argument that you consider you have to convince this man to believe in Earth's God?

 

[Phoenix]

The question stands, though. It's a hypothetical scenario asked out of curiosity. To this being, how would you argue the idea of God?

Remember that I said your beliefs. Unless you assume he'd be, say, a Christian when Jesus was born on Earth and even then a full 2/3rds of all the humans on Earth don't think he's God or God's son.

 

[Goldpanner]

Screw evangelism. I'd want to listen to him

 

[Raiton Kensei]

Are we to assume that because the alien knows about science and has lived a long life that it would know about deities? Science cant prove or disprove anything about there being a God so it would come down to what the being would believe and what it wouldnt. I would say just because the being is from a different world doesnt mean it would be any different from a person of one religion trying to convert someone from another.

 

[Solar]

Screw evangelism. I'd want to listen to him

This. A thousand times.

Though I'd ask him about about many things, religion included and see if Islam exists in some form or another somewhere else.

 

[Reflection]

he'd already know of god if he's aware of all those other things :X

 

[Deleted member 36435]

assuming he is from another planet, not exactly.
highly likely his planet won't have religion or it won't be anywhere close to ours

 

[Solar]

he'd already know of god if he's aware of all those other things :X

i think he's referring to the belief systems on earth~

 

[Forever Atlas]

but if children in africa don't know about the christian god i doubt an alien trillions of light years away know

Children in Africa don't go on intergalactic expeditions either.

With the exception of Starvin' Marvin of course.

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[Candy Man]

I'd like to think that alien cultures would have a concept of God, even though their practices of it would obviously be different.

 

[Luap]

I'd be very interested to see if any Earth religions are on any other Alien planets, or, ones similar to it (if an Alien described a religion that was nearly exact to an Earthly one, but with different characters [but of the same role] and setting, that'd be amazing). Since, in Christianity, it never really says that the stuff described in Genesis is where God stopped creating, and it's completely possible that he created other Intelligent creatures and showed favor upon them (in fact, I'm pretty sure he did, because then why would he create the universe as big as it is?).

Really, if I had to explain anything to him, it'd be difficult. If the Alien's species was more advanced than our own, and was also peaceful towards us (and other Alien species), I'd probably be troublesome to do so. It'd be like a Native American trying to convince a White Man of their beliefs 300 years ago. In the Ender's Game Quartet (really, just the last three books, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the Mind), humans discovered a less advanced Alien race that was similar to humans, and lots of those Aliens got converted to Christianity... it was pretty interesting how it played out.

 

[Candy Man]

I'd be very interested to see if any Earth religions are on any other Alien planets, or, ones similar to it (if an Alien described a religion that was nearly exact to an Earthly one, but with different characters [but of the same role] and setting, that'd be amazing). Since, in Christianity, it never really says that the stuff described in Genesis is where God stopped creating, and it's completely possible that he created other Intelligent creatures and showed favor upon them (in fact, I'm pretty sure he did, because then why would he create the universe as big as it is?).

Really, if I had to explain anything to him, it'd be difficult. If the Alien's species was more advanced than our own, and was also peaceful towards us (and other Alien species), I'd probably be troublesome to do so. It'd be like a Native American trying to convince a White Man of their beliefs 300 years ago. In the Ender's Game Quartet (really, just the last three books, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the Mind), humans discovered a less advanced Alien race that was similar to humans, and lots of those Aliens got converted to Christianity... it was pretty interesting how it played out.

Those were great books.

I think if I were able to explain life on Earth, then Jewish culture, and then start talking Christianity, I could have a very meaningful and interesting conversation with an alien.

 

[Solar]

what if our universe was an accident caused by an alien and now he/she/it goes around the cosmos trying to make it up to us *_*

 

[Candy Man]

what if our universe was an accident caused by an alien and now he/she/it goes around the cosmos trying to make it up to us *_*

God is an alien who feels bad about our cruddy universe?

 

[Reflection]

what if our universe was an accident caused by an alien and now he/she/it goes around the cosmos trying to make it up to us *_*

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[Solar]

yes, that would be refreshing change from regular scriptures, kinda going with the "what if god was one of us" mentality of being a finite being who didn't mean to create us. i mean, imagine the complex you'd suffer from that! if your biology allowed those sort of things

that would be so weird, i mean, we already have problems as human beings owning up for the little universes that we accidentally create everyday and their own consequences so the irony lol

 

[The Conquerer]

what if our universe was an accident caused by an alien and now he/she/it goes around the cosmos trying to make it up to us *_*

I fancy the idea that the origin of life on earth arrived on a space matter that collided into earth billions of years ago. Micro-organisms eventually escalated into to the vastness of specie diversity today... Humans by chance or just an inevitable end result?

 

[Phoenix]

Are we to assume that because the alien knows about science and has lived a long life that it would know about deities? Science cant prove or disprove anything about there being a God so it would come down to what the being would believe and what it wouldnt. I would say just because the being is from a different world doesnt mean it would be any different from a person of one religion trying to convert someone from another.

Doesn't really answer my question, though. Would you try to convince him, and is so, how? Would you use the same arguments you use with Earthlings?

i think he's referring to the belief systems on earth~

Aye. Unless they're arguing that a Terran from Sol named Christ died for their sins, and they somehow know about it without missionaries.

I think if I were able to explain life on Earth, then Jewish culture, and then start talking Christianity, I could have a very meaningful and interesting conversation with an alien.

Do you think he'd find Jewish culture more fascinating than Greek culture, or Chinese culture?

 

[Relix]

I suppose I would try to see if they believe or have a similar concept of "God" or "gods" like do they believe in a higher being(s) and what qualities does that higher being have, and if they are similar or can be related to earth's concept of "God" than I'd share with them on what earth's concept of a higher or "all powerful being" is. Basically I would not talk their ears (or whatever they use to hear) off and have a give and take conversation...because quite honestly I wouldn't be so much as worried about sharing what my beliefs are but getting to know their beliefs because honestly who wouldn't want to know about alien religion lol besides they could actually have physical evidence of who THEY believe "god" to be, who knows.

 

[Nelo Angelo]

I have a question for the theists, if you'll humor me. You meet a man from another world. The man knows of biology, chemistry, physics, cosmology, etc. He's been alive for centuries; he's seen people be born and die. He's seen planets and solar systems.

How exactly would you go about convincing him, if you even want to, of your beliefs? Would you try? Basically, what would be the strongest argument that you consider you have to convince this man to believe in Earth's God?

Lol. This would actually not be a problem to the Muslim, as the Qur'an clearly states that Allah is Lord of all the Wolrds, and not just this Earth. (the verse Rabb-al-Alamin is repeated several times) Furthermore, the Qur'an makes it clear that mankind is not the greatest creation, there are other superior creations, one being that of the universe (ch40:v57). That there are creations out there apart from us, who submit themselves to their Creator. So I would not be surprised at all if there was a man another planet, cz I know he would already know about Islam, and the Qur'an and Muhammad (pbuh). As the Qur'an makes it clear that "We have sent thee (Muhammad) not but as a Mercy to all the Worlds" (ch21:v107) (the same word Alamin is used as when is used in the verse Lord of All the worlds). So to be fair I wouldn't have a much greater task on my hand as I would to help teach Islam to a man on this earth. As man here also knows biology, chemistry, phyics e.t.c and seen people born and die, knows the planets and solar systems, and according to Islam, man has lived for centuries. Certain prophets and messengers were prophets and messengers to their people for centuries.

So the task would be pretty much the same faced on the earth now for many Muslims who do Dawa (invite others to the teachings of Islam)