Jesus was actually an extra-terrestrial: Proof inside.

Philosophy Forums Religion and Spirituality
1

"1.) Jesus had amazing powers we don’t comprehend.
2.) The only thing that has amazing powers we don’t comprehend is aliens.
3.) QED.

Obviously the Church covered up the truth. "

Now, leave that argument alone a second- as a believer, you’ve seen stuff like this all the time. Not all of it is this stupid, but not all of it is this sophisticated, either. Once presented, though, you have three options.

A.) Ignore it. If you ignore it, you’ll be accused of ‘hiding from the truth’, and if this is an internet discussion, the thread will be bumped every day by the original poster asking why "no believers dares to question their upbringing.

B.) Engage it as a position worth considering, approaching it courteously and charitably, even as you work to refute, and show errors in reasoning. If you do this, you actually legitimize the BS, by treating it as a view that is truly ‘in the game’ through your attitude, when it surely is not. Even if they ‘lose’, they’ve gained the image of ‘a valid point of view among many’.

C.) Engage it as a bunch of crazy bullshit. Then, of course, any emotion you betray or disdain you reveal will be pounced upon as being either 1.) Irrational, 2.) un-Christlike* or, 3.) a sign of your ‘fear’.

So, there it is, Jesus was an Alien (or Muhammed was, or Laozi was, or whomever you need to feel personally invested in the ‘argument’). Show me how you navigate the situation- if your choice is to ignore it, kindly post at least to let me know that’s what you’d do.

  • Or un-whomeverlike, since no religious figure ever got mad at anybody.
2

I’d ask the person to prove or at least argue for premis 2… and being an atheist… i’d do the same for premis one, for that matter :stuck_out_tongue:

i’d press the person to face their own mistakes rather than engage in a debate… hell… he might even have a point, even if I can’t see it… so why not just ask and let him explain… until he can’t… or until i get it…

3

I see what you did here. I guess the best approach for A.) is ignore the accuser as well.

I believe some may look at it logically and yet not yield legitimization. This is similar to the use of language to prove something. Oftentimes people say “since you can conceive of something then it must exist”. Humans have the ability to imagine almost anything within our realm (God/Life may be out of the realm) so to say a word/idea proves someone is right would be a folly on the one who follows the word/idea issue.

Premise 2 follows for women (multiple orgasms).

Ya I saw the thread this happened in. I guess I would just relate it to lack of infinite patience in the face of the personally absurd.

I think it is a silly thing to suppose that one cannot have emotions/investments in something and expect them not to defend or fight for it. Though it was very un-Buddha-like. Seriously get your shit together if you ever want to be a transcendental being u had better get on it! :sunglasses:

4

I normally try option A or B depending on how much time I have available to waste.

But if I attempt option B and after a couple of posts feel like the original poster can’t or wont engage in an adult discussion then I usually fall back on sarcasm or mockery

…I didn’t say I was perfect!

5

The power of your defensive denial and the methods you’ve developed over the years to protect the childish absurdities you taken as self-evident and true, are amazing.

You are a study in human frailties and defensive selective reasoning as well as in the usage of self-protective measures to self-flatter and also offer a plausible reason to avoid engaging anyone that threatens tour childishness and absurd naivete.

For that, I thank you.

in Jesus name, Satyr.
:evilfun:

6

If you want to ignore it, you’re welcome to ignore it… but assuming you want to engage with the person–

  1. Ask what point they’re trying to make. Do you have a real crackpot on your hands who actually thinks Jesus is an alien? Is this person trying to make a meta-point about the quality of arguments about who Jesus was? Is he trying to make some other point? I dunno. You’d have to ask. Some people just like to shoot the shit and see whether they can argue some BS into legitimacy. If you talk to such people, the focus should be on their motivations and not on whatever game they want to play on you.

  2. If he’s serious, give a quick but accurate refutation and see how he reacts. If not, I guess you have to figure out what he’s really after and whether you care about that.

  3. You can be forceful and confident when you say an argument is wrong without sounding disdainful. Humor might help –

A. If an alien came to earth it would never disclose its identity to an earthling.
B. You claim that you have figured out Jesus was an alien.
C. Therefore YOU are an alien!

7

I one read the simplistic idea that man was only a man. But that’s too simple an answer to be true.

I know, what if Jesus was the reincarnation of Buddha and he was hiding from Satan by changing personas, like some use sock-puppets here?

That’s convoluted, absurd and confused enough to be fact.
Why go for the easy explanation when we can make yourself feel better by making everything sound magical?

Light?

Little pixies spreading tiny little shiny strings across the universe.
Aaaaaaaaaahhh…doesn’t that feel better?

8

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
ex·tra·ter·res·tri·al /ˌɛkstrətəˈrɛstriəl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ek-struh-tuh-res-tree-uhl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–adjective

  1. outside, or originating outside, the limits of the earth.

…When considering Jesus’ soul, and his ‘powers’, origination of his ‘powers’ and location when those ‘powers’ were given to him, this claim might in fact be true. :-k

9

Ucci, Christians already believe there’s a god, so why would they hesitate to believe he’s an alien? Isn’t he technically an ‘alien’ to this planet?

10

…I think the premis that he presented was used to show a crazy unfounded statement, showing that all angles of approch to the premis would in fact turn out less then optimum for the objector of said crazy unfounded statement. He just happened to use a statement that upon thinking about, might be true in a sense. :smiley:

11

Satyr,

Being insulting for the sake of being insulting isn’t conducive to a discussion as sensitive as religion. No matter how incorrect you may think it is. I will not tolerate people throwing crap in my section for the sake of throwing crap.

12

Sure, God is definitely an alien, and so is the Moon.

So, now that we’ve had 2-3 people step in to point out to actually defend an absurd argument I’ve pulled out of my ass, does that affect any of the answers folks have given? It seems to me that ignoring is the best way to go, initially, but then I wonder about the power of bad ideas to spread if they aren’t addressed.

13

And illegal immigrant Mexicans…

14

As the “oldies” here know, I’ve expressed Taoist ideas in the past. I’ve been a shit stirrer when I hear all the “knowing” being casually tossed around. I think it is fruitless to even attempt to pursue an “argument” about spiritual experience that translates into religious belief. I no longer attempt to talk about Tao. Just as Christians might as well talk to the wall in defending their beliefs, my understanding of Tao is mine and I only can share with those who have also found eastern thought to be credible.

I know which threads you’re talking about, and I never get past the thread title. It’s a complete waste of time.

I think it is possible to discuss the consequences of religious or atheist belief, but to challenge the beliefs or the people who espouse them is akin to arguing with a fence post. There is no way to discuss with anyone who already knows how it is; And we all know how it is, right? :unamused:

15

And I thank you, my little devilish friend.

You do more to enhance the attractiveness of Christianity to non-believers than I ever could. Keep up the good work…

16

Quoted for truth. By an atheist.

17

Wonder about it? You follow it; that’s why I ignore it, and this stupid argument.

18

Aporia, we’ve been given a chance to test your method!

Echo,
What point is it that you’re trying to make? Are you really arguing that Christianity, or theism, or whatever, is comparable to the belief that Jesus was an alien?

19

Jesus is terrestrial and extratrerrestrial according to John’s, Paul’ and many gnostics’ concepts of cosmology. The argument is that he had to become human in order to show humans what exists beyond their physically oriented knowing–the cosmic plan of a diety having to deal with the flukes of what he created. The problem with this showing is that humans must rely on blind faith about extrahuman realities. Miracles are not believed because most of us don’t see them happening now. Nowadays no god seems to speak to any Noah, Moses or Ezekiel. The god voice has been relegated to what we call individual conscience as confirmed by popular opinion, not by critical analysis. And it has always been reason, as critical analysis, that has been able to put its buckets into the wells of human resilience and potential and come up with beliefs that are humane.
it matters not to me whether Jesus was a space alien or a Jew immersed in messianic tradition. The Sermon on the Mount is relevant then and now.

20

I once asked the question of just HOW one was to KNOW whether God is indeed God and not just some incrediby powerful being. We cannot know, that is the point of faith, and does away with any possibility of a successful logical argument other than formal.
By the way #2 cannot be known and that destroys the argument.