Warning: Extremely random question

[MemoryDragon]

This question has nothing to do with the guilds... In fact, it's really just an extremely random question. That being said, let's get on with it.

How does one tell an alien that we humans were made in the shape of God?

Doesn't that just sound so over pompous when talking to an equally intelligent creature? Because you know we Christians would send missionaries and what not to convert people. How does one talk to people who could potentially look nothing like us that we were made in the shape of God and not them?

For some reason, I'm picturing something like the missionaries in Africa and what not. Only, those never particularly worked well, trying to tell the world that God is a white man always left a very bitter taste in my mouth. After all, I'm an Uppie. One of our oldest songs is "What Color Is God's Skin?"

Does that mean we would (hopefully) become more open minded and take a bit more liberal view of the bible? Or would we just get worse? Christians have never been particularly open to other cultures... Hell, even to other Christians.

Anyway, I'm just wondering about your thoughts. Well, if you haven't decided Mem is insane in the first place. You can just leave that bit out, thanks.  

[shall she sail seas]

Well, you're confining your perception to just physical shape here.  

[Pilotslover]

I wouldn't 'cos I don't believe it. XD  

[WindowOpener]

I think even in many Christian circles, the passage about man being created in God's "own image" is interpreted in vastly different ways. I remember being taught that it was symbolic, largely in association with man's gift of intelligence, and ability to conceive divine thoughts.

The literal interpretation seems shaky to me, even just on this planet. xd If God made us in his image literally, we may take for granted that he has two hands with five fingers on each, has to stand on tip-toes to reach objects on high shelves and can't see behind him without turning around. Also, a well-functioning human body is characterised like any other machine - it has moving parts in it - and anything with moving parts in it breaks down eventually.

In short, we're clearly not that similar to God, so there's always been a limit to how strictly you have define "image".

There'll always be some hardcore fundamentalists out there that insist image equates to a physical likeness, but if one of them happens to engage this alien in conversation, then the assertion about "God's image" will not be the strangest thing the alien hears that day. Ideas about when the earth was made and how long it took might be really confusing, especially from a believer who can't believe his luck that God chose him to preach to an extraterrestrial.

So personally, I think most followers of the bible today wouldn't have too much trouble explaining that passage in a suitably metaphorical way.

After they have explained exactly who God is, of course.

Your question does assume this is something one would want to say to an alien, which is fine, although obviously most people are not Christian. ^^  

[LillianSaire]

I thought most were, or is it just that the most people to a single religion?  

[WindowOpener]

LillianSaire

I thought most were, or is it just that the most people to a single religion?

Yes, it's the world's largest religion. 3nodding  

[Pilotslover]

I list mine as Roman Catholic but I'm really not ... I was just Christened as such. XD  

[MemoryDragon]

Well, I really wasn't concerning this question with other religions. It was just something that popped into my head when I was walking through the living room and my mum was watching something. I thought it was a show about aliens, but then they started talking about Christianity.... I was confuzled and then that question popped in my head. xd