oldBSG found Earth? - Page 2

RobertScorpio · March 19 2009, 02:12 PM

jptrekker wrote:

a serious answer...

I agree with ManontheWave that if they were just to show up and land on present day Earth, that this would be bad. The colonials (in both versions) represent a culture plagued by unending war against a foe that doesn't know the meaning of compromise or cooperation (perhaps literally in the case of oldBSG toasters). All the major powers (and the minor ones too) would want their advanced technology and would warm up to them as allies, and the ones outside the loop would demonize them.

Then there's the problem of parking several thousand refugees somewhere on a planet who's resources are already stretched out. Then there's the religious problem, an alien culture dropping down in the middle of our world would be too much proof positive against so many religious beliefs--some if not many might be pushed off the edge.

G'80 for all it's myriad faults, got this one right. Maybe the colonials could just contact Al Gore as an ally

.

And don't forget; the Galacticans actually believe in a religion that is already, or was already, represented on this planet. They aren't bringing a new religion, they would be endorcing, in some way, the religion of old Greece I suppose...how would Christianity deal with this since many people already point to simularities between the two....

Rob

Jptrekker · March 19 2009, 06:36 PM

The had part for Christians would be the foundational belief that Jesus is the only way to God and salvation and that he came and died for all humanity. How could Jesus sacrifice himself for people on another planet who had no possibility of knowing what he did for them?

An alien landing might bring up these questions: Does this mean that God have different rules for different planets--or did God send a savior to every planet? (Or perhaps the colonials are not fallen and didn't need a savior).

Christianity is probably incompatiable with the concept of alien life (we haven't had to find out yet), other major religions that are not fixed on one specific earthbound event being the key to salvation or enlightment probably could adapt.

Brian · March 19 2009, 07:43 PM

I had a fundy roommate in college who rectified his belief in alien life with his religion by assuming that alien life was soulless, like dogs, cats and angels. Therefore salvation did not apply to them. Whatever keeps your boat afloat. :/

Jptrekker · March 19 2009, 11:51 PM

do cylons have souls?

RobertScorpio · March 19 2009, 11:53 PM

jptrekker wrote:

do cylons have souls?

is this a nu or old BSG question..the oldBSG Cylons were just bad dudes. And fortunately they couldn't hit the broadside of a barn..

The newBSG cylons, at least the ones I care about, are sexy girls who I'd like to see naked in every episodes. So, I am hoping they are on the 'evil/erotic' side of the house...

Rob

iguana_tonante · March 20 2009, 12:27 AM

jptrekker wrote:

The had part for Christians would be the foundational belief that Jesus is the only way to God and salvation and that he came and died for all humanity. How could Jesus sacrifice himself for people on another planet who had no possibility of knowing what he did for them?

Well, neither did the Aztecs or the aboriginal Australians, but that didn't shock the foundation of Christianity. The "good news" (to borrow a Christian term) did reach them when time was due. I would think that the same would apply to alien life forms.

And about the fact that the Colonials are polytheistic, well, I suppose that they would deal with it like they do now with people of different religion (or no religion). A lot of Bible thumping and bell ringing at Sunday morning.

Maurice · March 20 2009, 08:16 AM

jptrekker wrote:

Then there's the problem of parking several thousand refugees somewhere on a planet who's resources are already stretched out.

That'd be a very SMALL problem. Today the average number of births per day far outstrips the number of survivors on the TOS fleet.

WendellM · March 21 2009, 12:30 AM

jptrekker wrote:

An alien landing might bring up these questions: Does this mean that God have different rules for different planets--or did God send a savior to every planet? (Or perhaps the colonials are not fallen and didn't need a savior).

As it happens, last May "Father Gabriel Funes [director of the Vatican Observatory near Rome], said intelligent beings created by God could exist in outer space. [...] Just as there are multiple forms of life on earth, so there could exist intelligent beings in outer space created by God. And some aliens could even be free from original sin, he speculates."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7399661.stm

CordrazineOD · March 21 2009, 12:35 AM

Aragorn wrote:

If they found earth, they'd be rollerdiscoing with Buck and Wilma.

hyzmarca · March 21 2009, 04:55 AM

Scholars from all the major religions are down with alien life. Muslims, Christians. Hindus, Jews, and Buddhists wouldn't have a problem with them. Neither would Jains, Sikhs, Rastafarians, Pastafarians, Dischordians, Baha'i, Satanists, Voduns, Wicians, Druids, Asatrus, Caodaists, Santerians, Yazdânists, Zoroastrians, Taoists, Confusionists, Shinto, Damanhurs, or Ifans.

The way I see it, even the enlightened and advanced culture of TOS would be running so low on food, fuel, supplies, and space by the time the arrived at Earth that they wouldn't be able to wait. They would have no choice but to dive in head first. Furthermore, they will know that it is only a matter of time before the Cylons find them again, meaning that they must help Earth build a defensive fleet as quickly as is possible, or else all may be lost.

These twin concerns mean that they must make contact immediately, though they would do so in a manner that produces the least disruption. Smart aliens would make radio and visual contact with the ISS first, that pretty much ensured that people won't think it is a hoax, and allows them to set up contact with people in power without relying on a broadband transmission that would be misinterpreted. The important thing would be negotiating for a landing site for the refugees, with the second issue being meetings with world leaders to discuss technology exchange. Galactica would stay back, probably in the Asteroid Belt, both to avoid detection by the Cylons if they ever arrive and so that the Battlestar's presence will not be seen as hostile. Adama would personally meet with the G8+5 to discuss the issue of preparing for the defense of Earth just in case the Cylons find them again.

After a period of quarantine, the refugees would quietly assimilate into the Albuquerque, New Mexico metropolitan area, or some some place similar. They would most likely maintain close ties and have their own little community, for a while, but these happy-go-lucky fellows would try their best to become a part of Earth society. It would be a lot like Alien Nation, without the spots or the men giving birth.

Adama, not knowing anything about Earth politics but having common sense, would not give a military advantage to any one country alone. Rather, he would demand assurances that the technology he shares will be used in the defense of Earth, not the domination of it. Luckily, there are already international mechanisms in place to ensure that. China, Russia, and a few other countries would join NATO, forcing them to drop the N and the A. Each country would get as many battlestars as they could afford, but all space defense personel and equipment would be placed under the command of a permanent special TO task force. Being outside the normal chain of command, no one country could use it for political posturing. Once that agreement gets hammered out, Adama will send engineers from Galactica to Earth to help them start building ships.

Meanwhile, Richard Branson will purchase a couple of older civilian ships that have been decommissioned. One he reverse engineers, the other he turns into his personal pleasure craft. As the TO countries build their battlestars Virgin Spaceways builds it's own commercial vessels that make civilian colonization of the stars economically feasible. That, combined with natural human desire for frontier exploration and the Eggs in One Basket problem exacorbated by the existance of the Cylons will lead to cities on the Moon and Mars, mines in the Asteriod field, and eventually colonization of the far solar system and beyond.

The space race would be on again, but this time the competitors would be corporations. There would be a strong temptation to give those corporations government sponsorship, as with many exploratory trading companies during the most recent age of colonization, but common sense would win out and fair treaties about the exploitation of space resources would be signed, treaties that would severely limit the activities of major corporations, leading them to curtail their interstellar exploration for a while. This wouldn't be a bad thing, because more exploration and colonization also means a bigger target for the Cylons to find.

On Earth, not much would change really, in the end. The more weird shit happens, the more things stay the same.

March 19 2009, 06:36 PM	#17
Jptrekker Captain Location: the marketing dept. of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation	Re: oldBSG found Earth? The had part for Christians would be the foundational belief that Jesus is the only way to God and salvation and that he came and died for all humanity. How could Jesus sacrifice himself for people on another planet who had no possibility of knowing what he did for them? An alien landing might bring up these questions: Does this mean that God have different rules for different planets--or did God send a savior to every planet? (Or perhaps the colonials are not fallen and didn't need a savior). Christianity is probably incompatiable with the concept of alien life (we haven't had to find out yet), other major religions that are not fixed on one specific earthbound event being the key to salvation or enlightment probably could adapt. __________________ as God as my witness..I thought that turkeys could fly. Mr. Data, they seem like a nice couple.

March 19 2009, 07:43 PM	#18
Brian Vice Admiral Location: Brian	Re: oldBSG found Earth? I had a fundy roommate in college who rectified his belief in alien life with his religion by assuming that alien life was soulless, like dogs, cats and angels. Therefore salvation did not apply to them. Whatever keeps your boat afloat. :/ __________________ Rut nga’chuq loDpu’, rut nga’chuq be’pu’. yiqimHa’!

March 19 2009, 11:51 PM	#19
Jptrekker Captain Location: the marketing dept. of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation	Re: oldBSG found Earth? do cylons have souls? __________________ as God as my witness..I thought that turkeys could fly. Mr. Data, they seem like a nice couple.

March 21 2009, 04:55 AM	#25
hyzmarca Fleet Captain	Re: oldBSG found Earth? Scholars from all the major religions are down with alien life. Muslims, Christians. Hindus, Jews, and Buddhists wouldn't have a problem with them. Neither would Jains, Sikhs, Rastafarians, Pastafarians, Dischordians, Baha'i, Satanists, Voduns, Wicians, Druids, Asatrus, Caodaists, Santerians, Yazdânists, Zoroastrians, Taoists, Confusionists, Shinto, Damanhurs, or Ifans. The way I see it, even the enlightened and advanced culture of TOS would be running so low on food, fuel, supplies, and space by the time the arrived at Earth that they wouldn't be able to wait. They would have no choice but to dive in head first. Furthermore, they will know that it is only a matter of time before the Cylons find them again, meaning that they must help Earth build a defensive fleet as quickly as is possible, or else all may be lost. These twin concerns mean that they must make contact immediately, though they would do so in a manner that produces the least disruption. Smart aliens would make radio and visual contact with the ISS first, that pretty much ensured that people won't think it is a hoax, and allows them to set up contact with people in power without relying on a broadband transmission that would be misinterpreted. The important thing would be negotiating for a landing site for the refugees, with the second issue being meetings with world leaders to discuss technology exchange. Galactica would stay back, probably in the Asteroid Belt, both to avoid detection by the Cylons if they ever arrive and so that the Battlestar's presence will not be seen as hostile. Adama would personally meet with the G8+5 to discuss the issue of preparing for the defense of Earth just in case the Cylons find them again. After a period of quarantine, the refugees would quietly assimilate into the Albuquerque, New Mexico metropolitan area, or some some place similar. They would most likely maintain close ties and have their own little community, for a while, but these happy-go-lucky fellows would try their best to become a part of Earth society. It would be a lot like Alien Nation, without the spots or the men giving birth. Adama, not knowing anything about Earth politics but having common sense, would not give a military advantage to any one country alone. Rather, he would demand assurances that the technology he shares will be used in the defense of Earth, not the domination of it. Luckily, there are already international mechanisms in place to ensure that. China, Russia, and a few other countries would join NATO, forcing them to drop the N and the A. Each country would get as many battlestars as they could afford, but all space defense personel and equipment would be placed under the command of a permanent special TO task force. Being outside the normal chain of command, no one country could use it for political posturing. Once that agreement gets hammered out, Adama will send engineers from Galactica to Earth to help them start building ships. Meanwhile, Richard Branson will purchase a couple of older civilian ships that have been decommissioned. One he reverse engineers, the other he turns into his personal pleasure craft. As the TO countries build their battlestars Virgin Spaceways builds it's own commercial vessels that make civilian colonization of the stars economically feasible. That, combined with natural human desire for frontier exploration and the Eggs in One Basket problem exacorbated by the existance of the Cylons will lead to cities on the Moon and Mars, mines in the Asteriod field, and eventually colonization of the far solar system and beyond. The space race would be on again, but this time the competitors would be corporations. There would be a strong temptation to give those corporations government sponsorship, as with many exploratory trading companies during the most recent age of colonization, but common sense would win out and fair treaties about the exploitation of space resources would be signed, treaties that would severely limit the activities of major corporations, leading them to curtail their interstellar exploration for a while. This wouldn't be a bad thing, because more exploration and colonization also means a bigger target for the Cylons to find. On Earth, not much would change really, in the end. The more weird shit happens, the more things stay the same.

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