…with the James Web Telescope looking for sources of artificial light to identify potential intelligent life, and the news this week of Perseverance searching for microbial life on Mars it feels like we are getting closer to a major discovery. But what - if anything - would it mean for the religions on Earth if life is proven to exist out there?
Would the ignorant become well informed?
I have my doubts.
They’ll do their own research and make their own well informed, reasonable conclu…
Sorry, I can’t keep that bullshit up.
Most groups will move their goalposts as far as they need to in order to make the new reality fit their narrative. They won’t actually change their minds about anything here on earth.
Other groups will start attacking the sources of the new information. The weaker will simply question the facts, like they did during the pandemic. There will also probably be a more militant arm, physically attacking telescopes and sources of extraterrestrial information like Gary Busey’s son did in Contact.
A few will embrace the knowledge that there is intelligent life outside our planet… and immediately start preparing missionary trips to spread the word of their upcoming redemption like some kind of latter day Prior of the Ori.
A very small group will see this as the truth it is… that their accepted view of reality isn’t correct, that maybe they should rethink things.
In short, we can absolutely depend on the religious to ruin things for everyone else, just like always.
But seriously, we should also be hopeful that whatever intelligent life we may possibly discover doesn’t have their own problems with religion… because that will not end well for anyone.