Isn't it comforting that the popular superstitions which always offer
an outdated and discredited answer to almost all meaningful questions
have such sway in a modern world. Science be damned. Logic be damned.
Common sense be damned.  

The only unique thing that humans have accomplished, that other
species haen't, is that we are the only species that has invented
religion. We can't just accept the fact that all that "is" was not
created for our own exclusive pleasure or torment.

Good Christians everywhere once held that the earth is flat and that
Rome was the center of the world.  How long, after the "leaders of the
true faith" could no longer deny the semi spherical nature of earth,
did the "people of religion" held onto the idea that the Earth was the
center of the universe. Their treatment of the enlightened testifies
to their true nature. Those of "the faith" are still unable to accept
the notion that there is nothing unique about our galaxy, our solar
system, or even perhaps our planet. In reality Earth is an
insignificant planet, in an insignificant solar system, which resides
in a galaxy of little note.  Earth is only of special interest to a
few billion people who just happen to reside here.

There is the Genesis creation story. Other faiths have very similar
creation stories as well.  None match reality in any way.
Read the first book of the old testament.  Genesis description of the
universe is a fairy tail at best.  On the other hand the Bible is one
of the best historical documents that exist of the history of biblical
times. 

Yet there was once nothing. Now there is everything.
Thus a creation and a creator. Not that we are of speciat interest to
that creator.

We result from a roll of cosmic dice that may have reoccurred
countless times in countless variations in the vastness of the
universe.  The more we learn about the universe the more we seen that
we see that out solar system and probably our planet is not unique but
commonplace. We exist solely because this planet just happened to be a
suitable place for life to evolve in the way it has and continues to
evolve. 

As to ET! Why not! The real question of ever detecting ET is ET's
proximity to Earth, How much electro-magnetic output ET directs at us,
and the sensitivity of our listening tools. Although, in my opinion,
the chances of detecting ET is small, I have dedicated my unused cpu
cycles to seti@home for almost 5 years.  

I would love to see verified proof of ET in my lifetime just to watch
the superstitious squirm.

John

On 9 Aug 2004 10:31:18 -0700, pooua@aol.com (Richard Alexander) wrote:

"Rob Dekker" <rob@verific.com> wrote in message news:<A0KRc.1998$QJ3.812@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com>...

[snip]

Why would it be that creationism and the existence of ETI would be 
mutually exclusive? If God created us, why not also someone else ? 
Why would we be the only one ?

Hello, Rob. 

I understand the question people might have. If God created life on
Earth, why wouldn't He create life elsewhere?

I acknowledge that God is fully capable of creating life anywhere He
desires. However, I also believe that there is no reason to suspect
that He did so anywhere but Earth. A belief in ET is superfluous,
without any hint or reason to expect it. I have a bias against
superfluous beliefs.

I do not claim that my bias against a belief in the absence of
evidence is absolute. But, given the option of believing or not
believing, I side with the more direct explanation. Scripture gives no
account of creation of life anywhere apart from Earth. There is no
evidence, either empirical or historical, that I would consider
reliable to show there is life apart from Earth. So, until someone
provides a clear statement or other evidence showing there is life
apart from Earth, I discount the idea of ET. I feel full liberty to be
sceptical of this matter. I would rather be proven wrong when I don't
have any evidence against me, than to be proven wrong when I only have
wild imagination for me.