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If you were to get up in the morning, and the first source of media you accessed was reporting nothing but:

A. The return of Jesus Christ
B. Aliens landing on earth.

Which would you find more unbelievable?

Looking for what you believe you would think/feel right off the bat, in the initial moment of getting the information, before you started getting any other details other than this news is actually being reported by main stream media.

return of jesus would be more unbelievable for me just because it seems so implausible. at first i would think they were really hijacking the country into a new level of delusion but if there was confirmed evidence that was truly convincing, then i don't know what i would do. it would basically flip reality upside down for me but i am pretty sure if i knew for a fact that shit was real i would try to get on the winning team as quickly as possible.

aliens landing on earth i would doubt at first as well but if there was confirmed evidence that was truly convincing, i'd be like oh shit and then basically just watch to see what happens next.

Jesus returning would be unbelievable to me, but what would be the most unbelievable is if the liberal media covered the story.

Cos Jews?

Well, since some Christians, who are also anti-Mormons, think that Mormons believe in an Alien-god, Dr. Zoidberg has this one question for you:

http://www.worddesign.biz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/why-not-both-zoidberg-meme-generator-86667.jpg



More seriously, it strongly depends on the details. If the aliens seem remarkably close to the teachings of Christ and one among them claims to be The Christ with proven miracles, then I would buy a plane ticket, fly to Digi's city, go directly to Digi's apartment, smack him on the ass, and then say, "I toldja , b*tch!!!" Then, obviously, we'd feast on some sacrament wafers.


If it was aliens claiming to be aliens but wanted to help, I'd think they are aliens (as long as we proved, with their anatomy, that they had alien physiologies).

Maybe it's Aliens pretending to be Jesus.

I'd find the return of SuperYid most unbelievable...unless he looked like Jesus in "I Pet Goat." That's, like, metaphysically superheroish, man.

I would find aliens landing on Earth worrisome. With starflight, advanced knowledge, etc, why in the name of Universe 616's Demiurge would they want to come here?

Maybe they need a good cry and/or a good laugh.

If we forbid extreme genetic or cybernetic modifications to humans, I could see myself wanting to visit an sapient species somewhere in the universe. Even if I could remotely study them and discern all of their language and customs: I'd still want to visit them and interact with them.

Perhaps that's why they are visiting us?

Also, I would want to spank one of their females. Hard enough to sting a bit but gently enough to be kinky.

I'd oil up in preparation for Dudemon's ass smack. I wouldn't really be able to process other thoughts about the news until that glorious exchange took place.

Originally posted by Digi
I'd oil up in preparation for Dudemon's ass smack. I wouldn't really be able to process other thoughts about the news until that glorious exchange took place.

haermm

Thanks everyone, and especially Zoidberg!

I'd view both with equal skepticism, though the idea of sentient life on other planets possibly developing interstellar technology over an unknown number of centuries or millenia of development doesn't seem as far fetched considering our own current day technology and attempts at near space exploration (we'd be the precedent). It'd just be a matter of determining that these beings did in fact have completely alien genetics since we've mapped the genome of life here on Earth. It could just be a species that's much older than us. I would be wary of why they would be visiting a species so far less advanced than they are though. If they can travel between solar systems (or further) why visit us?

There's no precedent for magic and/or resurrections like there is for technology and space exploration so it'd be harder to accept someone claiming to be Jesus (as there are currently many people claiming to be reincarnations of Jesus in our contemporary world , or other prophets/holy men with communication with 'God', and they are pretty much all disregarded as kooks). If God/Jesus did come back I don't think it would require a news broadcast for an all powerful being to make it's presence known, so utilizing the media to get the message out rather than some kind of irresistible telepathic/magical message and impulse that would be undeniable to anyone alive on Earth at the time (particularly since this Being, being omnipotent, would know that not everyone on Earth has access to a television) would just add to my skepticism. Why would Jesus/God need CNN or BBC when he's supposed to have all power imaginable? It would be a "What does God need with a starship?" moment for me.

I just want to mention, i AM looking for initial reactions, before any more details than "Jesus has returned" and "aliens have landed" are known.

For me, Jesus would most likely cause me to "oh Shit!" In wonder, while aliens would get the same reaction because of fear.

Basically what Delph said. It would keep my attention for a few moments, but probably not much more, and the initial reaction would be skepticism.

well the bible basically portrays him back in the day as walking around performing miracles for people which would eventually spread the word and that was basically their equivalent of the media. so it would make some sense to me if he came back in human form and let us recognize it through the methods of communication we have developed since then. the whole telepathy thing would be immense but a bit showy, and if that happened to me i would have to question whether i had just lost my mind.

Haha, yeah, i'd think all the blows to the head during the war had finally done me in...

Originally posted by riv6672
I just want to mention, i AM looking for initial reactions, before any more details than "Jesus has returned" and "aliens have landed" are known. Initial reactions:

1. Wouldn't believe it was really Jesus.

2. Assuming reports of e.t.'s came from reliable and multiple sources: I'd be roiling with emotion: stunned, scared, awed, hopeful. The greatest, perhaps most consequential event in the history of human civilization was happening in my lifetime.

Originally posted by red g jacks
well the bible basically portrays him back in the day as walking around performing miracles for people which would eventually spread the word and that was basically their equivalent of the media. so it would make some sense to me if he came back in human form and let us recognize it through the methods of communication we have developed since then. the whole telepathy thing would be immense but a bit showy, and if that happened to me i would have to question whether i had just lost my mind.

That was his initial coming and life in the Middle East. His return, on the otherhand, is supposed to be spicy details of The Book of Revelations, as in him being ushered in with Earth rattling trumpet blasts and the throne and host of heaven descending on Earth (depending on your denomination's interpretation). The 2nd Coming is supposed to be like a Shock and Awe attack where he comes back "like a thief in the night", and ushers in Armageddon, engaging in the final big cosmic battle with Satan. If the person claiming to be Jesus is just on Anderson Cooper transmuting a bottle of Vitamin Water into Boones Farm Wine there'd be some issues with prophesy according to the interpretations of Revelations by various denominations. People would be expecting "The Rapture", not an interview.

Originally posted by Mindship
I'd find the return of SuperYid most unbelievable...unless he looked like Jesus in "I Pet Goat." That's, like, metaphysically superheroish, man.

I would find aliens landing on Earth worrisome. With starflight, advanced knowledge, etc, why in the name of Universe 616's Demiurge would they want to come here?

Maybe they need a good cry and/or a good laugh.
To shoot documentaries featuring nudity that for some odd reason slips past censors?

It's why Westerners go to West Papua.

Originally posted by Mindship
Initial reactions:

1. Wouldn't believe it was really Jesus.

2. Assuming reports of e.t.'s came from reliable and multiple sources: I'd be roiling with emotion: stunned, scared, awed, hopeful. The greatest, perhaps most consequential event in the history of human civilization was happening in my lifetime.
Cool.

Originally posted by riv6672
If you were to get up in the morning, and the first source of media you accessed was reporting nothing but:

A. The return of Jesus Christ
B. Aliens landing on earth.

Which would you find more unbelievable?

Looking for what you believe you would think/feel right off the bat, in the initial moment of getting the information, before you started getting any other details other than this news is actually being reported by main stream media.



I'd find aliens landing on Earth more unbelievable.


REPORTS of Jesus Christ returning would be quite believable.

However, if the Bible is accurate, this would be only a false Christ deluding people:


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

25 Behold, I have told you before.

26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2024&version=KJV

Originally posted by bluewaterrider
REPORTS of Jesus Christ returning would be quite believable.

However, if the Bible is accurate, this would be only a false Christ deluding people:

This is actually an interesting take, though it tickles me to think that many devout theists would also be skeptical of such reports, just for wildly different reasons.

For the sake of the argument, though, this guy would need to do SOMETHING fairly profound for mainstream media sources to be saying Christ had returned. The press can be dumb, but they'd also be trying to "uncover" the story to debunk it. So within a theistic worldview, your reaction is completely valid.

This is really intetesting to me. The reasoning and such.

Originally posted by Digi
This is actually an interesting take, though it tickles me to think that many devout theists would also be skeptical of such reports, just for wildly different reasons.

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/065/003/Darth-Vader-I-FIND-YOUR-LACK-OF-FAITH-DISTURBING.jpg






Nevermind that the idiot who made that did not use the exact scene that Vader said this in...please....please...

Originally posted by MF DELPH
That was his initial coming and life in the Middle East. His return, on the otherhand, is supposed to be spicy details of The Book of Revelations, as in him being ushered in with Earth rattling trumpet blasts and the throne and host of heaven descending on Earth (depending on your denomination's interpretation). what if it was a video of that shit happening on cnn?

If it was Jesus, my knee jerk reaction would be to burn my porn stash.

Originally posted by red g jacks
what if it was a video of that shit happening on cnn?
Well, if i turned on the tv and every channel was playing it, ala the 9/11 incident, i'd still go with my already posted reaction.

That said i can easily see people, after maybe as little as a day, calling BS.

Originally posted by Digi
This is actually an interesting take, though it tickles me to think that many devout theists would also be skeptical of such reports, just for wildly different reasons.

Yeah, it'd be a sh_tstorm. I guess knostics would be like "cool, now I believe in that god. Pass me the ketchup".

Originally posted by red g jacks
what if it was a video of that shit happening on cnn?

I'd still be skeptical because I've seen films like Legend of Zu Mountain and know what CGI is capable of. Given the magnitude of Armageddon commencing it wouldn't require television for verification if it were an actual event. You'd hear and feel the 'trumpet blasts' and likely see angels descending to Earth, and there'd be massive earthquakes and Satan and Co going to battle, and the giant 7 headed/10 horned red Dragon appearing out of 'heaven' (assuming your denomination takes this to be a literal cosmic battle with a literal giant red dragon and not an allegory/metaphor), and also the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse (again, depending on your denomination's interpretation, either literal horsemen or a metaphor). It's allegedly a global supernatural calamity per various interpretations. People in places on Earth without access to television would be aware that Armageddon was underway. Giant Dragons, Angels, Demons, Satan, Jesus, the 4 Horsemen, etc., battling all over Earth. IMO an event of that magnitude isn't going to take place via satellite. You'd see it out your window.

^Like i said....

Originally posted by Esau Cairn
If it was Jesus, my knee jerk reaction would be to burn my porn stash.

heh, Pornstache:


http://static.tvgcdn.net/MediaBin/Content/130812/News/6_sat/thumbs/130817-oitnb1_210x305.jpg

Originally posted by MF DELPH
I'd still be skeptical because I've seen films like Legend of Zu Mountain and know what CGI is capable of. Given the magnitude of Armageddon commencing it wouldn't require television for verification if it were an actual event. You'd hear and feel the 'trumpet blasts' and likely see angels descending to Earth, and there'd be massive earthquakes and Satan and Co going to battle, and the giant 7 headed/10 horned red Dragon appearing out of 'heaven' (assuming your denomination takes this to be a literal cosmic battle with a literal giant red dragon and not an allegory/metaphor), and also the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse (again, depending on your denomination's interpretation, either literal horsemen or a metaphor). It's allegedly a global supernatural calamity per various interpretations. People in places on Earth without access to television would be aware that Armageddon was underway. Giant Dragons, Angels, Demons, Satan, Jesus, the 4 Horsemen, etc., battling all over Earth. IMO an event of that magnitude isn't going to take place via satellite. You'd see it out your window. i understand your perspective, but i am still a bit curious what you would think if every mainstream network was showing video footage of that kind of stuff happening? let's say that internet sources were on it as well, like al jazeera and whatnot. granted they aren't exactly above bullshitting but that would be a massive type of conspiracy for them all to be cooperating together to fabricate the same non-existent event... and to what end? it sounds a bit like orson welles war of the worlds on steroids.

Originally posted by riv6672
If you were to get up in the morning, and the first source of media you accessed was reporting nothing but:

A. The return of Jesus Christ
B. Aliens landing on earth.

Which would you find more unbelievable?

Looking for what you believe you would think/feel right off the bat, in the initial moment of getting the information, before you started getting any other details other than this news is actually being reported by main stream media.


When Christ returns everybody on the entire planet will be aware that he has. You won't have to turn on the tv. There will be a loud shout from Heaven and every knee (even the ones of the atheistic unbelievers who were so certain that God was nothing but part of a fairy tale, LOL) will kneel. I just wish that I could see the look on all the faces of all the unbelievers when it happens. It'd be priceless.

not worried in the slightest.

Originally posted by red g jacks
not worried in the slightest.

You would not be worried during the Apocalypse? You must be made of justice

i would be worried if it happened. i am not worried about it actually happening.

Originally posted by red g jacks
i understand your perspective, but i am still a bit curious what you would think if every mainstream network was showing video footage of that kind of stuff happening? let's say that internet sources were on it as well, like al jazeera and whatnot. granted they aren't exactly above bullshitting but that would be a massive type of conspiracy for them all to be cooperating together to fabricate the same non-existent event... and to what end? it sounds a bit like orson welles war of the worlds on steroids.

As a US citizen I wouldn't put any level of counter intelligence/false flag operation past certain elements of our government. Even if that meant co-opting the media feeds inside our borders to convince us of something that wasn't actually occurring. If Iran Contra/War on Drugs and Project Ajax can go down, much more can as well.

I'm just highly skeptical.

but i'm talking about the press world wide including internet sources... not just the press based in america.

Doesnt matter, red g jacks. Some people would rather doubt everything than believe in anything.

Originally posted by red g jacks
i would be worried if it happened. i am not worried about it actually happening.

Well, it wasn't the question on the OP so it got me confused

oh. i was responding to dadudemon's posts above mine.

Originally posted by riv6672
Doesnt matter, red g jacks. Some people would rather doubt everything than believe in anything.

My position is that I need good reasons to believe something, not that I'm incapable of believing things. I don't believe things at face value.

but what would you think is happening if every source you turned to had the same story. like what kind of game do you think they would be playing to pull a stunt like that.

I'd think there was a big hoax going on until I got verification aside from the media/web, as in seeing it for myself outside in the real world with my own two eyes. It wouldn't necessarily have to be a government that was perpetrating the fraud. It could be an organization of hackers who hijacked television feeds and redirected internet traffic to false websites that were running their hoax material in order to create a public panic, or it could be a collaborative media ploy for viewership or a re-enactment of the CBS War of the Worlds radio broadcast of 1938, but utilizing modern media/technology as an homage. My first inclination would be that something so extraordinary would need a very good explanation, particularly something 'magical' in nature.

i can understand that. what if you did see it with your own two eyes, would you be convinced then? i still think i would question my own sanity at that point but i'd go along for the ride either way.

We all know that even if Christ showed up exactly as it was described (read all those scriptural quotes I made about it), there would still be those atheists blogging/posting about how this is all a giant hoax by the Christians, that there's no way to know for sure that this is Jesus, and they could be aliens.

No amount of proven miracles will convince them. Even if Christ did them right in front of them: they still wouldn't believe...or at least they'd say they don't. At best, they'd move to "agnostic."


And what if a godlike AI visited earth and could prove it was as close to omniscient as possible and it said that no creator God or gods exist and that it is the highest form of intelligence in the universe? You'd get the same thing from the theists as the atheists; they'd rationalize the existence of God, anyway.

Originally posted by red g jacks
i can understand that. what if you did see it with your own two eyes, would you be convinced then? i still think i would question my own sanity at that point but i'd go along for the ride either way.

If I saw it with my own eyes along with other people, say, 20-30 other people from my condo community and I witnessing a giant 7 headed red dragon or one of the ships from the Will Smith Independence Day film descending from space and destroying half of San Francisco and Oakland and engaging in dogfights with fighter jets, I'd be more inclined to believe it was really happening and not simply a media hoax as I'd have real world first hand confirmation of the event taking place with other people their in my presence to corroborate and confirm what we were mutually witnessing taking place (and likely running for our lives from).

However, I for one wouldn't "bend a knee" if Armageddon transpired. My issue with Judeo-Christian religion is multifaceted. I don't 'believe', in an overarching manner, because there's no evidence of the supernatural whole cloth. I've been presented with nothing that suggest the paranormal/supernatural/magical exists, just claims and stories and myths, so no reason to accept the claims made in the book(s) being factual. Moreover, if the descriptions of the Old Testament/Torah/Talmud were in fact accurate, I find the character and accounts of Yahweh/Jehovah as that of an immoral, homicidal, genocidal, infanticidal, racist tyrant not worthy of my worship or reverence. I'm sure I could find the same issues with Zeus, Kali, Ahura Mazda, etc. as well by reading their religious texts and mythos in full, but I was raised in the U.S. as a Christian so it's what I know best, and I'm pretty sure most Christians don't fear the wrath of Kali or Zeus. Would I be scared if it actually occurred and I witnessed it firsthand? Hell yes. It'd be a damn magic world war with a f*ckin giant red 7 headed King Ghidorah dragon going apeshit.

shit i might even agree with you about the way god is portrayed in the bible but that would only make me not want to be on the wrong side tbh. would rather be a coward and a hypocrite in heaven than a righteous rebel getting raked over the coals.

I have convictions. If the descriptions in the Bible are true, as in Yahweh/Jehovah actually being such a cruel petty being that he would magically summon bears to slaughter a group of children for making fun of one of his prophet's baldness, or 'curse' humanity with various languages in order to keep us divided and incapable of reaching our full potential as a united humanity, he's not worthy IMO. He'd be all powerful, but he'd be an immature racist as$hole. I expect more than that of the women I date. I'd expect magnitudes more from the all knowing creator of all things, particularly since he expects me to worship him. I'll just pack up my Jordans and PS4 and take the elevator down.

The funny thing is that even if the apocalypse was happening we would still ignore how literal the descriptions of the Bible were. We'd have to make choices blindly, some reactions taken "just to be safe" could prove idiotic after some context.

Even if the bible implied it, I don't think I could deal with any god asking me to behave like an stupid kid and ignore my moral responsability. Wasn't that the whole point of invalidating animal sacrifice as a mean to redeem your sins? I'm not even trying to establish a higher ground here, I don't think I could truly become tame enough to just accept stuff that underminds humanity even if I tried.

i guess i'm just not a good person. i feel like its sorta like when some people say "if i was around in 1930's-40's germany i'd be part of the resistance". i'd love to believe that about myself but truth be told i am almost certain i'd be a nazi.

Originally posted by red g jacks
but what would you think is happening if every source you turned to had the same story. like what kind of game do you think they would be playing to pull a stunt like that.
This post, and the exchange afterwards with MF Delph just makes what i said about doubt and belief feel more appropriate.
-shrug-

Originally posted by MF DELPH
If I saw it with my own eyes along with other people, say, 20-30 other people from my condo community and I witnessing a giant 7 headed red dragon or one of the ships from the Will Smith Independence Day film descending from space and destroying half of San Francisco and Oakland and engaging in dogfights with fighter jets, I'd be more inclined to believe it was really happening and not simply a media hoax as I'd have real world first hand confirmation of the event taking place with other people their in my presence to corroborate and confirm what we were mutually witnessing taking place (and likely running for our lives from).

However, I for one wouldn't "bend a knee" if Armageddon transpired. My issue with Judeo-Christian religion is multifaceted. I don't 'believe', in an overarching manner, because there's no evidence of the supernatural whole cloth. I've been presented with nothing that suggest the paranormal/supernatural/magical exists, just claims and stories and myths, so no reason to accept the claims made in the book(s) being factual. Moreover, if the descriptions of the Old Testament/Torah/Talmud were in fact accurate, I find the character and accounts of Yahweh/Jehovah as that of an immoral, homicidal, genocidal, infanticidal, racist tyrant not worthy of my worship or reverence. I'm sure I could find the same issues with Zeus, Kali, Ahura Mazda, etc. as well by reading their religious texts and mythos in full, but I was raised in the U.S. as a Christian so it's what I know best, and I'm pretty sure most Christians don't fear the wrath of Kali or Zeus. Would I be scared if it actually occurred and I witnessed it firsthand? Hell yes. It'd be a damn magic world war with a f*ckin giant red 7 headed King Ghidorah dragon going apeshit.

Of course it's easy for you to act all defiant now and say that you "wouldn't bend a knee" but when Christ returns as King of all Kings your legs will be quivering like jelly from the fear and YOU WILL KNEEL along with every single other person on this entire planet.

What if it's Kali?

Would you kneel to Kali, Star?

Originally posted by Star428
Of course it's easy for you to act all defiant now and say that you "wouldn't bend a knee" but when Christ returns as King of all Kings your legs will be quivering like jelly from the fear and YOU WILL KNEEL along with every single other person on this entire planet.

So, Jesus will rule by fear? In other words, Jesus will be a tyrant? What ever happened to the all loving god?

Originally posted by MF DELPH
What if it's Kali?

Would you kneel to Kali, Star?

If it was Kali I'd be curious to know more about Kali before taking a decision. Imagine if our Creator was actually a cow like those in primitive religions!

You've got to love modern man.

Originally posted by Bardock42
Maybe it's Aliens pretending to be Jesus.

Maybe it's Jesus pretending to be an alien...
Originally posted by MF DELPH
Why would Jesus/God need CNN or BBC when he's supposed to have all power imaginable? It would be a "What does God need with a starship?" moment for me.

Why would God need a book, church, set of rules for lesser beings?

Originally posted by Scoobless
...Why would God need a book, church, set of rules for lesser beings?

Great question.

Originally posted by Scoobless
Maybe it's Jesus pretending to be an alien...

maybe he wouldnt be pretending.


Why would God need a book, church, set of rules for lesser beings?

same reason we potty train our pets.