Religion in Space

monkeyfudge

Now... I really wish that as mankind moves beyond the grasp of the planet Earth that we could leave such things as Religion and other baggage behind us...

But unfortunetly it looks like we are intent on poluting the cosmos with such junk.

There has already been an Xmas tree on the international space station... and soon we will have the first muslims in space... but this poses the question of how will they pray? How can you find the direction of Mecca when traveling at 30,000 kph or what have you around the planet?

Can anyone else think of any other limitations that are reached by religion as we journey into space and realms that weren't concived of when these religions were made up?

Asiaprod

monkeyfudge wrote:

Can anyone else think of any other limitations that are reached by religion as we journey into space and realms that weren't concived of when these religions were made up?

Posted in a light-hearted vein:

Baptism could be fraught with peril, as could communion using wine
Buddhists, and other beliefs, could have a hard time facing the rising or setting sun to do their devotion
Muslims would have to do their devotion lying down on the floor.
Midnight Mass could be problematic

monkeyfudge

But yes... clearly most religions have severe limits when it comes to moving beyond the planet.

You'd think the various prophets would have seen it coming?

Even the scientologists are well out of date.

bubonicus

monkeyfudge wrote:

Now... I really wish that as mankind moves beyond the grasp of the planet Earth that we could leave such things as Religion and other baggage behind us...

Can anyone else think of any other limitations that are reached by religion as we journey into space and realms that weren't concived of when these religions were made up?

LOL!!!

Heaven and Earth.

It will be a space race of biblical proportions to build the biggest battle cruiser to go and "convert" the inhabitants of Alpha Centuri.

Just watch Babylon5:D Asiaprod;)

Asiaprod

bubonicus wrote:

Just watch Babylon5:D Asiaprod;)

I am so unhappy, we do not get it here in Japan. I have to depend on picking up the odd video at the rental store. As soon as I get a decent chunck of cash i am going to get the boxed sets and take a private 2 week vacation on my own to watch them. From what little i have seen it is brill. Wonderful concepts and I really like the way time has been taken to develop the alien races. I have always believed that we are not alone. Tis ignorance of the highest order to insinuate that mankind is the sole inhabitant of the universe.

How you doing, I still fondly remember what you taught me on the Buddhism forum. "Now off the raft and swimming for dear life.":D

robindch

> It will be a space race of biblical proportions to build the biggest battle
> cruiser to go and "convert" the inhabitants of Alpha Centuri.

Hmm... I shot past some kind of frightful evangelical building in Kuala Lumpur, just beside the central railway station, early yesterday evening in a taxi and it had this huge eyeball-shrivelling color display thingy outside it, proudly telling the world "WARSHIP HERE!". Sadly, I wasn't quick enough with my camera

Perhaps they're building this battle cruiser there?

MrB

"In Space no one can hear you pray!"

Sorry couldn't resist

bubonicus

MrB wrote:

"In Space no one can hear you pray!"

Sorry couldn't resist

Brillant!!!

My new space idol :-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250000111754


Hi Asiaprod, why did you get off the raft before you got to the shore?

ISAW

monkeyfudge wrote:

There has already been an Xmas tree on the international space station... and soon we will have the first muslims in space... but this poses the question of how will they pray? How can you find the direction of Mecca when traveling at 30,000 kph or what have you around the planet?

Can anyone else think of any other limitations that are reached by religion as we journey into space and realms that weren't concived of when these religions were made up?

I had thought of the "which way is Mecca" argument before. Adds a new meaning to "religious orientation"

Mind you not eating during sun up in Ramadan is probably even more Bizzare. Or what about staying on earth? Most muslims live near the equator. How do they designate Sunrise and set if in Ramadam at the poles with 24 hours sunlight?

I even have a name for the subject -"Theography"

ISAW

Asiaprod wrote:

Posted in a light-hearted vein:

Baptism could be fraught with peril, as could communion using wine

this is a good point. some christian denominations insist on "total immersion". Also the Chruch of England/Ireland insist on communion of both kinds i.e. they must have wine!

Buddhists, and other beliefs, could have a hard time facing the rising or setting sun to do their devotion.

Not if you are not in orbit, not on a rotating station ( though you could even then go to the axis - maybe prayer rooms would have to be in the centre?) and attached to a "wall". The Sun would be in one direction then.

Muslims would have to do their devotion lying down on the floor.

I remember Larry Niven the science fiction writer had a charachter . I think he was called Loouis Wu. It was set 500 years in the future. He was a muslim. In one story he explained how it is the muslims face Mecca rather than Jerusalem or anywhere else. I never verified his story.

Midnight Mass could be problematic

Not really. I thin the Roman Church has already drawn up rules for these "sheep of different folds"

Asiaprod

bubonicus wrote:

Hi Asiaprod, why did you get off the raft before you got to the shore?

Swiming is good excercise:)

robindch

> Can anyone else think of any other limitations that are reached by religion
> as we journey into space and realms that weren't concived of when these
> religions were made up?

Limitations? What about opportunities -- there's one hell of a holy trick you could pull with one of Captain Kirk's transporters, a corpse, a tomb and a shroud

Valmont

MrB wrote:

"In Space no one can hear you pray!"

Sorry couldn't resist

absolutely brilliant,LOL

Funsterdelux

Satan, wont be under your feet any more!

athena 2000

monkeyfudge wrote:

But yes... clearly most religions have severe limits when it comes to moving beyond the planet.

Some do, Judaism doesn't :


Barukh atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melekh ha-olam
Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe


she-hecheeyanu v'keey'manu v'heegeeyanu la-z'man ha-zeh (Amein)
who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season. (Amen)

monkeyfudge

athena 2000 wrote:

Some do, Judaism doesn't :

I don't know... I can't see a zero G bris going down too well.

DublinWriter

Asiaprod wrote:

Buddhists, and other beliefs, could have a hard time facing the rising or setting sun to do their devotion

As far as I'm aware, there's no school of Buddhism where facing the rising/setting sun is required.

And it's not devotion, it's meditation. All you need is a quiet place, like say, the airlock!

Asiaprod

DublinWriter wrote:

As far as I'm aware, there's no school of Buddhism where facing the rising/setting sun is required.

And it's not devotion, it's meditation. All you need is a quiet place, like say, the airlock!

Mine does, Nichiren Shoshu morning and evening Gongyo. Morning is done facing the rising sun, evening is ones own choice .

monkeyfudge

Asiaprod wrote:

Mine does, Nichiren Shoshu morning and evening Gongyo. Morning is done facing the rising sun, evening is ones own choice .

Can it be any sun? Or does it have to be Sol? Or has that not come up yet? I'm guessing it hasn't.

Conar

monkeyfudge wrote:

Can anyone else think of any other limitations that are reached by religion as we journey into space and realms that weren't concived of when these religions were made up?

Well firstly God created us in his own image, or so they say.
We must assume that God created the universe.
If there are any aliens out there, then this means that we can also assume that they either look the same as us or God loves us more!
This is great, theres either a load of planets with humans out there or we're the best in the universe!!!!!!

Dades

Conar wrote:

If there are any aliens out there, then this means that we can also assume that they either look the same as us or God loves us more!

Well you only have to watch Enterprise or Stargate to know that not only do they look like us, they even speak american.

Conar

The Atheist wrote:

Well you only have to watch Enterprise or Stargate to know that not only do they look like us, they even speak american.

Very true!

Asiaprod

monkeyfudge wrote:

Can it be any sun? Or does it have to be Sol? Or has that not come up yet? I'm guessing it hasn't.

Any of them, it is just used as a represention i.e the Sun brings life to the world. Not sure about brown dwarfs and black holes though:)

monkeyfudge

Asiaprod wrote:

Any of them, it is just used as a represention i.e the Sun brings life to the world. Not sure about brown dwarfs and black holes though:)

And in a binary star system would you just have to play favourites?

Asiaprod

monkeyfudge wrote:

And in a binary star system would you just have to play favourites?

That's easy, spinning like a Whirling Dervish would probably get the job done, depending on gravity of course.

Funsterdelux

How about that then!