Andy Schlafly #fundie

Andy Schlafly #fundie conservapedia.com

For most of the 20th century, scientists typically believed in the existence of extraterrestrial life, despite the lack of any reference to it in the Bible. After spending many billions of dollars looking for such life, and investigating countless reports of UFOs, no such life has been found.

101 comments

old comment by Anon2

And thats the huge advantage of science: Its ability to acknowledge when a hypothesis is not confirmed. Science straight out recognizes that the "silent universe" is a big puzzle. Why are there no signals? There is even a term for this mystery: The Fermi Puzzle. That SETI and other projects yield no results is openly discussed in scientific circles.

The huge contrast to this noble attitude is religion, which claims to be always right, no need to think further, to be in possession of the "eternal, unchanging" truth. Or in other words: Religion is among the most narrow-minded, self-righteous things on earth. Does religion acknowledge that the absolute lack of evidence for their god might be a problem for their basic hypothesis "God exists"? Not at all.

old comment by Horsefeathers

"For most of the 20th century, scientists typically believed in the existence of extraterrestrial life, despite the lack of any reference to it in the Bible."

For most of the 20th century, scientists typically believed in the existence of computers, despite the lack of any reference to it in the Bible.

For most of the 20th century, scientists typically believed in the existence of antibiotics, despite the lack of any reference to it in the Bible.

For most of the 20th century, scientists typically believed in the existence of viruses, despite the lack of any reference to it in the Bible.

For most of the 20th century, scientists typically believed in the existence of most of the planets in the solar system, despite the lack of any reference to it in the Bible.

What the hell is your point, Schlafly?

"After spending many billions of dollars looking for such life, and investigating countless reports of UFOs, no such life has been found."

After spending many billions of man hours looking for god, and investigating countless reports of miracles, no such entity has been found.

Extraterrestrial life, however, at least has a scientific basis to work from (that being that we already know life exists here, so obviously it's possible for life to exist in this universe).

old comment by Mudak

Over and above the issues of lack of reference to things in the bible, there are two points that must be made:

1. I don't know many people who actively believe in the existence of extraterrestrial life. It's more like a presumption that, given the size of the cosmos overall, it would be highly unlikely that this is the only planet in its so-called "Goldilocks Zone" that could support life. That said, it's certainly a sufficient presumption that it's worth looking for it.

2. I'd really like to know the source for this "billions of dollars," as the only projects that I'm aware of that are exclusively dedicated to looking for extraterrestrial life (as opposed to other astronomy-related projects that also happen to be keeping their eyes out for proof of life) are informal projects like SETI and is extremely small in cost and spread out across a large percentage of personal computers around the globe (in other words, casual observers and non-scientists who just happen to be interested in the concept).

old comment by Anon-e-moose

Y'know, for someone so paranoid he IP blocks entire countries, if not whole continents (since late 2010, we in the UK can't access Conservapoodia), you aren't enough of a Conspiracy Theorist to consider the likes of Roswell, Area 51 etc?

Oooooo, careful Andy Schaftafly, a little bit of doubt, nay critical thinking is mayhaps starting to creep into your mindset, and we can't be having that now, can we?! [/sarcasm]

On a related point, certainly Sci-Fi, have you ever seen the Arnold Schwarzenegger Sci-Fi film by Paul Verhoeven "Total Recall" (based on the superb Philip K. Dick short story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale")? If you'll help me recall (pun may or may not be intended) what was it that Kuato (the uber-mutant on Mars) asked Doug Quaid (Schwarzenegger) to do, whilst holding hands, so as Kuato could psychically help him remember & find the location of the ancient Martian Terbinium reactor that would create an atmosphere on Mars (and destroy Cohaagen)...?

...oh yes, that's right, Andy:

'Open your mind.'

Now, I wonder where I've heard that phrase before...?!

Moral: Show a little consistency - and not hypocrisy - Andy Schaftafly. As in if extraterrestrial life doesn't exist, because evidence of such hasn't been found yet, as you claim, then equally because there's not one single shred of evidence to prove the existence of your so-called 'God' - certainly to the satisfaction of we Atheists - then you have no right whatsoever to say that your 'God' exists neither, Andy.

'Get your story straight'

-Doug Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger, "Total Recall")

old comment by Brendan Rizzo

So, Schlafly? Do you have any idea how many planets there are in the universe? We've only been able to detect the largest ones orbiting other stars, but there are innumerable smaller ones assuming that the Solar System is at all typical. (In fact, I think they discovered an Earthlike planet in its star's habitable zone very recently.) Also, when scientists speak of extraterrestrial life, they rarely are referring to life-forms higher than bacteria. The Fermi Paradox IS relevant, after all.

So if your saying that we should stop wasting money on SETI, you probably aren't entirely wrong. However, most astronomers will agree that SETI has not been looking in the right places, or for very long. So I have no real opinion on this.

old comment by SleepNeed

For most of the 20th century, scientists typically believed in the existence of extraterrestrial life, despite the lack of any reference to it in the Bible.

Why are you using a computer, electricity, driving a car, fly in planes? After all there is no mention of computers, electricity, cars, or planes anywhere in the Bible.

After spending many billions of dollars looking for such life, and investigating countless reports of UFOs, no such life has been found.

Name some proof, other than the Bible, that proves the God of the Bible is real. About extraterrestrial life, it might sound conspiratorial and I acknowledge that, but I am almost certain that there is life on other planets. This is because we know the odds of life somewhere is 100% due to life forming here on Earth. Now we can't be 100% sure of other planets but due to the sheer magnitude of stars, even if half have planets then it's likely that on at least one other planet there is life. Now the odds of us ever coming in contact with said life, that's low. We are but a grain of sand even in our home galaxy, let alone the universe.

old comment by Headache

The OP demonstrates clearly the main problem with mythology, it has no ability to reason.

Here are the possible options when it comes to life in the Universe:

1. We are alone
Life was a one-off accident that happened and we are it!

2. We are currently alone.
It took close to 14 billion years for intelligent life to form and we are the first.

3. We are currently the only intelligent life form
Life is found everywhere but intelligent life is rare.

4. We are the only intelligent life form in the galaxy.
Intelligent life is rare and pops up maybe once or a few times in each galaxy.

5. We are currently alone but intelligent life has existed before and will emerge again later somewhere else
Intelligent life is quite common but typical for all intelligent life is that it blossoms for in the end to exterminate itself.

6. Intelligent life is abundant everywhere but we are not intelligent enough yet to make contact.

7. Something else!

I don't see the need for any Middle Eastern mythological beings in here, do you?

old comment by shykid

If the universe is infiniteor at least infinitely expandingthen the probability of intelligent life existing elsewhere at some point of time must be a limit of 1. (In other words, it is so close to being an absolute certainty that it is one for all practical intents and purposes.) It's simply a matter of mathmore specifically, probability theoryvery similar to the fairly well known Infinite monkey theorem. For more technical information on the basis of the Infinite monkey theorem and it generally holds true for any probability that directly correlates with an infinite variablesuch as the probability of intelligent extraterrestrial life existing in our universe at some point in timesee an explanation and proof of the Borel-Cantelli lemma. One may also use the nature of infinite probabilities to successfully argue that there is a near-zero probability of us actually contacting said intelligent life; however, not making contact with that life doesn't mean that it does not, did not, or will not exist.

If your bible doesn't correlate with reality, then it's not reality that's wrong.

old comment by Giveitaday

For most of the 20th century, scientists typically believed in the existence of extraterrestrial life

First,"Scientists" are not a class of people who all share a single view on the subject. "Science" covers hundreds of disciplines and thousands of subjects, of which the possibility of extraterrestrial life is but one.

Second, belief in the possibility of extraterrestrial life (Which is, statistically speaking, a near certainty), is not the same as believing in ancient aliens, UFO's, or anal probing abductors.

despite the lack of any reference to it in the Bible

So fucking what? The bible contains no reference to germ theory, nuclear physics, heliocentrism, genetics, and a whole host of other things. The bible is not the ultimate guide to knowledge and the idea that things not mentioned in the bible cannot exist would be laughable if it weren't so fucking stupid.

After spending many billions of dollars looking for such life, and investigating countless reports of UFOs, no such life has been found.

Scientists are not UFO chasers. Moreover all of that means that there has been no alien life found on earth, which isnt exactly the first place one would expect to find extraterrestrial life. It's is the literal equivalent of saying "There are no fish in my bathtub, therefore fish cannot possibly exist anywhere in the universe.".

old comment by Justanotheratheist

Oh goody, a new release from Andy Shatfly.

I will point out just for starters that there is also no reference in the Babble to computers, electric fans, and cigarettes - all of which I am using as I sit here and type. Oh yes, and swimming trunks and logoed T shrts, which is what I'm wearing right now.

You see, Andy, what you won't find in the Babble is almost exactly every fucking thing that you will find outside of the little shoebox in which your mind lives. On the other hand, many of the things that are in the Babble are not to be found anywhere - talking serpents and four-legged insects, for instance.

So, really, you should now shut the fuck up.

old comment by Anon-e-moose

@whatever

"@Anon-E-Moose
I live in the UK and I can access Conservapedia with Firefox 3. You must have a very strange firewall. Perhaps you're lucky!"

I'll give it a shot (I use Firefox too; IE as well, but FF has a plugin for downloading which includes a nifty DL accelerator) via a proxy.

But I wonder if he's blocked specific IP ranges or even ISPs - in my case Karoo (the ISP of Kingston Communications here in Hull; the only part of the UK where you won't find a British Telecom phone, due to KC being owned by the council (even though it was floated on the stock market, they kept 51% of the shares.) Thus it's the only phone company of it's kind on the planet.

--EDIT--

Tried a proxy, and I have access (I won't say which one; just Google 'Proxies', then click the 2nd that comes up, and select the 2nd on that list).

@Night Jaguar

What about the poor Conservative Christians who live in the areas of the US that you've blocked, Andy? (it's obvious his Americentricism knows no bounds, re. IP blocking other countries, especially if he gets pissed at 'British' English spelling on Conservapoodia)? Think of the poor isolated fundies there, who thirst for your brand of unbiased righteousness! [/sarcasm]

old comment by Angua

@Adrian:

I've never read Ezekiel. But I have to ask, does it read as much like a bad acid trip as Revelation? (Yes, I know Revelation was written as a political metaphor. I know the weirdness of Revelation is mostly symbolism. I know that most of this symbolism is completely lost on me because I wasn't the intended audience. But to a modern audience it reads like a really bad acid trip.) Given that no Biblical scholar thinks that St. John of Patmos was actually hallucinating (to the best of my knowledge), I have to wonder just how weird Ezekiel is. Because if it is anywhere near a weird as Revelation . . . I'm almost afraid of reading it.

Speaking of aliens and the Bible, though, I have to admit that if the miraculous events of the Bible actually happened, I think it's probably more likely that it was aliens playing tricks on the stupid humans.

"Hey, look at these guys. They haven't even invented digital watches yet, they still think sundials are cool. We could screw up their brains so bad!"

(Of course, I think it's a lot more likely that the miraculous and supernatural events in the Bible never happened. But if they did, I'd find aliens to be a more believable explanation than God.)

old comment by Adrian

@Angua:

Well, it's... pretty out there ^^" It starts with Ezekiel seeing God and four angels that look more like Eldritch Abominations than anything else, he's made to eat a scroll then abducted and treated in a pretty BDSM-y way (immobilized, forced to lay on his right side 390 days, then 40days on his left side, made to eat barley-and-dung cakes,...) and given a prediction that reads like the ranting of a bipolar psychopath (well, this is OT God, so...) about Yahweh sending calamities against the Hebrews so they'd know he's their lord. Or something... It's pretty brain-farty. And there is so much blood, gore and talk about whores and whoredom that it could have been written by Frank Miller.

You can read it there:
http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ezek/1.html

Andy Schlafly #fundie conservapedia.com

101 comments

Confused?