I have a song in my head every morning. I never know what it’ll be, but I’ll share it with you as often as I can. Today’s selection: Indian Love Call by Slim Whitman. I know why this one is on my mind at least. I stayed up two nights ago and watched “Mars Attacks”. No alien heads exploding in this video, just what appears to be a very cute French Canadian couple with a penchant for ill-thought-out comedy.
The yodel enjoy, you must…
Christianity can’t offer any answers to whether or not there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe.
Adam and Eve’s story has pretty well been supplanted by Darwin’s theories and rDNA. The Church, regardless of how they want to spin it, has pretty much no choice but to accept that humans are built of amino acid chains, not some prototypical naked couple. However, Christians could still claim that the primordial soup was part of God’s plan, right? “God does not play dice” was Einstein’s comment. So no matter how insane the odds, God’s plan was predetermined and infallible.
OK, so what about life on other planets? Why is that so hard to accomodate? At first glance, it is not hard to deal with. If God made life here, that didn’t preclude life elsewhere. Nobody said they even had to look like us. Humans oculd be on earth, Vegans could be on Vega, and so on. Moreover, God created man in his image, and could also make aliens in his image as well if he liked. If God could do anything, then he could be anything, and therefore look like anything.
Only the New Testament causes a problem really. If God sent down his only Son to redeem humans, did he have to do the same for every planet with intelligent life? If so, then was it God’s will that all creation must be redeemed? If not, were humans somehow less good than a species who lived according to his law and didn’t need to be redeemed?
Was humanity a second-tier creation? Or had God created all intelligent life in a such a way that it required redemption? Mankind has not had a good history with God so far. We’ve already been wiped out once by a flood and then had to be redeemed by the sacrifice of God’s only Son. That’s two strikes (and we all know God is a baseball fan).
So either God screwed up and created all of intelligent creation in such a way that it required the sacrifice of his only Son, OR humanity is uniquely screwed up on it’s own. If the former is true then either we really don’t get it (God’s will). If it is the latter, we (humanity) are serious fuck-ups that for some reason God decided were worth saving – this time.
So let’s do some NOVA kind of experiment. There are billions of worlds and probably tens of thousands of sentient life forms. Statistically speaking, not all of them will be “good” in the Christian sense of the word, and so it is not likely that humanity is the ONLY creation of God’s which needed redemption. But if each of his creations was unique to their own world, wouldn’t it make sense that their redemption might also be unique? A species like humans placed enormous value on first born and only sons, so a sacrifice of God’s only Son made sense – it was a value proposition. But a different life form might require a different sacrifice. And if there were different forms of redemption didn’t that mean there were different paths to God?
If there were different paths to God on other planets, why not here on Earth? Christianity is founded on the idea that “no one comes to the father except through me”. It teaches as a core belief that those outside Christianity had no hope of redemption. Do those apply only to humans, but not to alien races?
Well, I see a couple of problem here. All of which point to the fact that mankind is not uniquely favoured in God’s eyes:
1. God made mankind and other sentient beings, but only mankind needed redemption.
2. God made all kinds of beings in his image and all required the same redemption.
3. God made all kinds of beings in his image and all needed unique redemptions.
In scenario #1 we are the punks of the universe. In scenario #2 we are just one of an entire class of poorly behaved creations. In scenario #3 not only are we not unique but our idea of “one path to God” is seriously flawed.
Christianity, particularly Catholicism better start doing to rhetorical yoga or they are going to be in a world of hurt the first time Yoda lands on the White House lawn.
I never really could figure out why Christians clung to the idea of humanity’s uniqueness in the universe until I read “The Swarm” which has this as a major sub-theme (and from which a lot of this post originates). Ahhh…now I get it.
Taoism looks better all the time.
Procedures in case of Godzilla attack were recently added to our workplace emergency procedures:
Godzilla Attack (Event G) Event G remains a highly unlikely scenario, given recent advances in deep-sea surveillance technology. However, due to our proximity to open water, staff and building insurance policies dictate that additional procedures be provided here.
Potential Issues: Although the size of the Event G threat itself will not allow it to enter the offices, we anticipate issues associated with Event G similar to those posed by an earthquake/tsunami scenario. Precautions have already been taken: windows in outer offices have been sealed, and in offices on the north side of the building, windows have been removed entirely. Additional building structures have been erected against these formerly weaker points, providing enforcement that will shield the offices from the widespread destruction that will inevitably accompany an Event G scenario.
Reports vary, but it is estimated that damage from Event G will be heaviest from sea level to a height of at least 80 meters. Overhead power lines will likely be the first targets as the Event G threat moves from the water into the city centre: authorities anticipate that telephones and electricity will be compromised early on in an Event G scenario. Cellular phones and 3G / 4G internet will be the most viable methods of communication at this point.
First Signs: Notification of Event G will most likely come first via informal sources. Following recent incidents (Event Z), the Communications Manager has been tasked with monitoring potential threats as a normal part of Risk Management policies. First signs of Event G will likely include a loss of power, shaking buildings, loud, shrill noises, widespread random destruction and, of course, panic. Needless to say, staff should remain calm.
Two-Stage Approach: As an Event G threat is likely to emerge from water, any route out of the city centre may place escapees directly in the path of potential danger. Until the path of the Event G threat can be confirmed, retreat from the downtown peninsula is not recommended. Thus, the emergency procedure for an Event G scenario is comprised of two stages, as outlined below.
Stage 1: Stop, Cover and Hold
Stage 2: Controlled Evacuation
Once the path of the Event G threat has been determined, the authorities will implement a controlled evacuation of the downtown core. Corridors of safe egress will be created and the public will be escorted out following a grid pattern.
Staff are reminded to follow instructions of military personnel at all times for their own safety. Comfortable walking shoes and work gloves are highly recommended, as escape routes may include traversing rubble, downed electrical lines and other hazards.
Further Reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godzilla
http://www.ehow.com/how_4922224_survive-godzilla-attacks.html
Workplace emergency procedures in case of alien invasion were recently introduced in my office:
Alien Invasion (Event I)
The chances of a full-scale Event I are slim but still possible. It may not be a question of “if” but rather “when.” There are substantial reports worldwide that a small-scale Event I have already taken place and that activities are still being conducted covertly. These claims have been further supported with videotaped evidence and such documentation has been popping up on all media channels with dire frequency.
Potential Issues:
This appendix will address only the steps staff should take in the event of a full-scale Event I, whereby our planetary security is threatened. It does not include any instructions on what to do in the event that humans are turned into automatons or of hostile organisms taking on the shape and semblance of a human. In these cases refer to Appendix Z and/or pandemic and/or hostile intruder policies.
Motivations for an Event I to occur may include: destruction, survival, harvesting, enslavement, breeding and/or assimilation.
As major cities are terrorized and entire regions possibly wiped out, paranoia, mayhem and conflict will ensue, resulting in the rapid breakdown of civil society
First Signs:
Visible signs of Event I may include but are not limited to:
Four-Stage Approach:
As an Event I threat is likely to emerge from air, any route out of the city centre may place escapees directly in the path of potential danger. Until the scope of the Event I threat can be confirmed, retreat from the downtown peninsula is not recommended.
Thus, the emergency procedure for an Event I scenario is comprised of four stages, as outlined below.
.
Stage 1: Confirmation and Readiness
Notification of Event I will most likely be picked up first on radio, television and social media channels. The Communications Manager is tasked to confirm for possibility of hoax or rumour.
If Event I is confirmed and taking place:
If Event I has begun before assembling in the boardroom is possible:
Stage 2: Take Cover and Wait It Out
Once the first wave of attack has subsided, staff will quickly assemble in the boardroom, where attendance will be taken and casualties assessed. Remaining staff will then make their way to the library on the second floor to bunker down inside the Stockade of Last Absolute Resort. (SOLAR) Instructions on how to seal SOLAR is described in Appendix Z.
All military and armed forces will most likely be engaged in combat. Additionally, there will most likely be a breakdown of security and medical services. The likelihood of the appearance of any emergency personnel is slim to none, so self-sufficiency will be important.
Stage 3: Evacuation
When the chaos outside has quieted, staff will then exit the SOLAR refuge. As hostiles will most likely concentrate on subduing large cities, it is imperative that staff make their way out to remote areas or areas of seclusion. Living off the land may be a real possibility.
Stage 4: Prepare for Guerrilla Warfare
Upon leaving the SOLAR safe-room with supplies in tow, staff will open the adjacent storage room on the 2nd floor and additionally outfit themselves with camouflage tents, camping and survival equipment, combat vests and body armour.
Staff should also access the SOLAR kit described in Appendix Z. Please note that items in this kit should be used only by staff trained to use them. Other staff should be assigned items from the Z Kit described in Appendix Z.
It is imperative to save staff members who are technically and mathematically knowledgeable at all cost. These key staff may be able to form an understanding of hostile’s weaponry and/or structural engineering. Understanding and harnessing this technology may allow for counter-attacks.
Unlike the disaster scenarios illustrated in Appendices Z & G, should Event I happen, the anticipated outcome will be catastrophe on a global scale. Although the possibility of being outmatched mentally and technologically is more than real, all efforts must be taken to ensure the survival of the species.
See Also: Zombie Apocalypse Procedures (Appendix Z)</a>
Further reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_invasion
http://www.gamespot.com/users/Neo-ganon/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=m-100-25526733
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