A Question to All beleivers of all faiths

There are a lot of "what if's" in this world and I think that's one of the reasons why we keep on searching that very state where we can say that "Yes, I believe in this, I believe on that, anything is possible! Who cares, that's just life! I'll stick where I'm comfortable with!" If ever there will be a real-life time machine in the future (I really hope so), I hope I'm still alive so I can experience this back to the past journey. Probably the first place I would like to go is the Garden of Eden, but if the time machine won't function, then it's possible that the Garden of Eden didn't exist in the first place. From there, I would turn to the scientific theory of Big Bang. If I saw and heard the actual explosion and the evolving of gases to planets, moons, and stars, up to the evolving of one particular cell to different species of animals and even human beings, then there's a great chance that my faith and even my outlook in life would change from that point. And by the way, if ever scientists will prove the existence of extra terrestrials, I don't think it will shake my faith. On the other hand, I think it would be interesting to see some weird looking aliens.

It won't affect my faith as a Muslim because my faith tells me the universe is full of infinite knowledge and infinite possibilities and even there is a story told in the Quran where a group of people actually time travel few hundred years into the future.

I think I know where you're headed with this, free. I suppose you mean that if scientists find proof that the Creation came about in a way other than we have been taught in the Bible? Well, I don't believe it will ever happen because they have been trying to prove that for a very long time now. I recently watched two versions of the film Inherit The Wind, and it still holds true for me that God created the heavens and the earth. So far as whether or not we are alone in the universe, I really can't say, but if there are others out there they've been doing a darn good job of staying hidden since I first started hearing about them in the early '50s.

This would not affect me in the slightest. As a matter of fact, I'd welcome it. I for one, truly believe we are not alone. It would seem to me to be a total waste of space otherwise. My "faith", would satisfy me that it be true...and when you get right down to it, a spiritual being that can do the things that we've been "taught to believe" can do; can only be "something/someone" of what I'd call extra-terrestrial. Certainly NOT human. cdrxo

It doesn't alter my faith one wee bit. Because as it is Hindu Scriptures talk of several Worlds and several Universes. The Universes are not in physical or reachable contact. The worlds within "our" Universe are in other dimensions, and are reachable only through what are called as yogic practices. So, a similar decalration in the Scientific Media would only confirm the received revelation. Even if there are a few differences it can be accounted for by citing individual garbling. Then there remains the idea of a Time machine and Time travel. Let's say that is possible. The very possibility of time travel itself doesn't shock the tenets or the world-view held. Again the Yoga Sutras talk of ways to go into the past or future. The only discrepancy if at all could be the success of Mankind at "construction" of a physical machine. But even there, the Vedic Texts say whatever is perceivable by the senses or their extensions, come under the pramANa (= standard) called pratyakSha(= sense-perception) and if it contradicts any other higher standard like Inference(Deductive and Inductive) or shruti[The Word] for that matter one could with impunity ( not entailing anything like blasphemy) reject the statement of the shruti even. The contention is that shruti addresses only those aspects of Reality, that are not amenable to the senses. There is one more side to your question, that has to do with Time Travel.It may be possible that some of the great personalities, who we "believe" had given some of our Scriptural content may not have existed at all! But even that doesn't upset our convictions, because in Hinduism personalities do not matter. We either subscribe to a concept or not. Even by rejecting a concept or a theory, so to say, we do not and cannot bring down the edifice. You could refer to the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda,published by Ramakrishna Mission, for confirmation on the stance taken by Hinduism on personalities. Historicity of the person referred to an idea, a concept, a theory do not dislodge the concept. Personalities are only conveniences for reference. In sum there would be no effect of any of the future discoveries. IOW a major part of Hinduism relies on such enquiries and personal conviction than on Faith. But of course Hinduism does say "Faith" simplifies this very search for truth. By not questioning the faith-based ideas one simplifies and/or accelerates one's salvation or liberation. Should one take upon himself/herself to search for the answers using the paths or the methods described, the arrival at the Apprehension of Reality might take several lifetimes.

It would not affect my faith one bit.I am a spiritual person.I respect all the people who follow various religions,but on a personal level I don't follow a religion. For me all realms of possibility exist. What we know today can change tomorrow. It takes a lot to prove a theory,but to prove that it is wrong just one instance is enough.So I believe that things and our entire belief system should be flexible enough to accept new truths that are unravelled.

It certainly wouldn't affect my faith. My cognisance of 'God' includes the possibility that there are other intelligent beings in the universe, for one thing, and it also allows for a 'scientific' explanation for the creation of life. Your mention of 'time travel' is interesting. Most of us have no real concept of time. We see it as a linear thing in which there is a past, present and future and outside of which it is not (at present) possible to be physically. Our reality is always and essentially a 'now'. I am almost certain that the way that 'God' perceives it is entirely different. Position on a line has no particular relevance or meaning to that kind of mind, so 'time travel' is both elementary and supremely unimportant just as, in certain circumstances, it is irrelevant to us whether we are lying, sitting or standing. Why would any scientific advance or new discovery have any effect on my conviction that there is an intelligent and ordered pattern to this universe; that randomness exists, but that it is filtered and augmented by a supreme consciousness. There is nothing basically wrong with the Creation myths that are given in Genesis: it is merely our modern habit of forgetting the true nature of myth that is at fault.

Well if they built a time machine that allowed them to travel backwards in time, we would almost certainly know about it already. Since in the countless ages forward of that time, no doubt someone would have used it to visit our time or an earlier time and been discovered. all the best urban

It would not affect my faith. The Bible never mentioned North America nor the Far East - it just called them the Isles of the Gentiles. We know that angels have the power to transport people to heaven and it is no small step to think that they can also take people to other planets. There is the reference about those who are in the air when the Lord comes and that could also mean they might be on another planet. It does not say. If there were a time machine, I would not be allowed to use it - not a millionaire and never been in the military - and I would wonder how they can get back there and not touch anything. I would be interested in what they found with the usual "I told you so!"

You really do believe in the "little green men" don't you Free? You really do think that they had a big part in mankinds being here. Or maybe they are our "God"? Keep on keepin on. They wrote some pretty cool fiction then. Shalom~Adoniah

If you believe in the Ambrahamic God then you already believe in ET's. All ET means is Extra Terrestrial (not of this world) God created the earth and the Angels aren't from earth so must be from somewhere outside of this universe. If man could build a time machine it would be useless! If you went back and changed anything in your life or someone else's then you couldn't return to your present as you may not even be here to invent the machine. lol Our past is what defines us, and if things hadn't happened the way they did we would have had a different 'future'. Scientists do claim they know how life began but that doesn't prove the existence or non existence of a God. Evolution may be the tool he used or we are all just the product of thousands of little accidents! None of the above alters my own belief that life must have some purpose and that God or no God, we have only one choice to make in life, live it!

Interesting challenge that you pose! I think it is invevitable that we will one day built a time machine. It's only a matter of time (no pun intented). This will make for interesting exploration. Though we might be able to travel back in time or in the future as observers, will we be able to change events? For that we will have to wait and see. Will that shake my faith in God? No, it will just help me to understand Him better. How life began and how it was done, is for us to discover. The pieces or evidence is before us. It is for us to figure it out. Again knowing how will not shake my faith, it will only fill me with awe on the wisdom and intelligence and abilities of God. As far as I know, we are not alone in the univers. We never were! We just need to learn more about the different life forms that exist in the universe. God has made a variety on life forms. Even on the earth, there is such a large variety. We are still discovering new life forms. It wasn't that long ago that we discovered bacterias. This wil only enlarge on God's amazing creative ability. My faith will just be made stronger by new discoveries! I do not fear them but welcome them!

Faith means complete surrender, if there exists even a shadow of doubt then the faith ain't faith. Whatever religion a man believes in i think every religion preaches its followers to have complete faith and trust on the lord. There is no truth greater than the existence of the lord himself.

It wont effect my faith because I am a believer and nothing can change my belief Have a gr8 time Njoy

It would shake the foundations of many religious doctrines, but even with life on other planets etc, it all had to have been created from or by something! God is omnipotent so why would God be limited to our own world anyway? I don't personally follow a specific religious path or organized faith, so an announcement such as this would not affect my faith at all. If anything, it would strengthen it!

Don't think it would bother my faith. I am not a Christian, but its hard for me to believe something with the power to create life as we know it would only do it once. Seems kind of vain to me. And as for how life begin, well who is to say that some deity didn't create it whatever way it is found to have started? I am lucky in that my faith and my education can live in separate parts of my brain and not bother each other. I always think science has found what it has found because the Goddess planned the rules to be that way. I have never thought faith and science to be mutually exclusive. I know exactly 1 atheist, and I have a biology Masters degree and every biologist I have ever met had some sort of faith, whether it was agnostic, Catholic, Mormon, Hindu, you name it I know one of that faith, and I am the token pagan. We have beliefin our faith and in our science too--in fact I pray every night and observe the holidays for my faith and I teach evolution in my classes. And some would find it hard to believe that those things could coincide together, but in me they do.

I'm feeling vibrational change under my house...the yard...almost everywhere. It's been building for years... The best printed commentary on all this, the future and your place in it can be found in The Urantia Book.

I would know the invention of a time machine to the past was a lie. It's clear man is not ready. God will not allow that until man has wisdom. Aliens from outer space would not bother me at all. I would want to learn their technology but since they are smart enough to get here, they are smart enough not to give man technology. Man is not ready to visit worlds with other beings. Man has alot of learning and growing up to do first

Me personally, it will breaks my beliefs about GOD things if those time machine scientist proofing that they already seeing the true on how humans exist from the starts was not by GOD creations... Same answers with the ET's existences.

Hi, I am the kind of person who believes what I was taught as a child that God created the universe (Heaven and Earth too) which would include any ET's on other planets as well. That being said I also believe in the possibility of evelution (sp)and scientific explanations. Beliefs are an important part of life in my opinion it gives us something to hope for when our time comes to leave this life. Everyone believes in something whether it be religion or science or both, there is no right or wrong choice as far as I am concerned as long as people respect each others right to thier beliefs most people can live a peaceful co exsistance. Where do you believe we go (if anywhere) when we die?