If UFOs are indeed real, what are the global implications that this “truth” could create? Serious contemplation on this matter has not taken place much. As of now, only America is showing significant interest in the subject of UFOs. Even then, it is not releasing all the records it possesses. No international meetings are being held on this issue. There is no involvement from the United Nations.
Other countries, including India, are remaining quiet (for now?), as if thinking, “This is an American madness. They always have a high number of UFO delusions.” There are also those who argue, “The American government itself is creating UFO videos for some of its own geopolitical malice, and is then putting on an act of accepting their authenticity.”
Whatever the case may be, against the backdrop of UFO phenomena being observed in all countries for many centuries, a logical stance will have to be taken regarding them sooner or later. Something must be said at least regarding the ‘undeniable’ records released by America so far. Even if not right now, such an ‘inevitability’ may gradually dawn upon many nations and societies. This is because this matter is not as ordinary as it appears on the surface.
If UFOs are indeed real, what are the global implications that this “truth” could create? Serious contemplation on this matter has not taken place much.
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Islam, Christianity, and Judaism assert in a manner that “this entire creation has been engineered for humans, for human consumption; humans have rights over all other living beings.” In such a situation, if contact suddenly occurs with intelligent beings who are millions of years ahead of us in technology, and if we come to know about their technology, what will be the fate of these religious assertions?
We are not thinking much about the intellectual turbulence that the “extraterrestrial” dimension could stir up. The questions it will lead are not just one or two. Everything—from the biblical concept of “Genesis” (the origin of creation) and Islamic thoughts, to many of India’s philosophical schools of thought (Darshanas)—could be questioned. Appropriate answers will have to be provided for them. If old ways of thinking fail to explain new matters, it will inevitably pave the way for new thoughts and new interpretations.
Even though the truths of scientific research have already made many things in the Bible, Quran, and communist texts seem laughable, religious-philosophical assertions still persist. However, one cannot forget that the new scientific revolution that arose in medieval Europe led to a massive political development that sidelined the direct rule of the Church. Similarly, it cannot be ruled out that research and emerging truths regarding UFOs will also play a path-breaking role in causing global political and religious transitions. For now, even though ‘official’ reactions—either in favor or against—have not come from other countries regarding America’s ‘official’ reports, the mess and the questions that the UFO topic will raise in the coming decades are immense. Remaining silent on this matter for a long time is impossible. If more “authentic” videos become available in the coming decades, its global impact will be extremely serious.
The UFO subject does not raise questions of scientific curiosity alone. One can expect upheavals in the religious and philosophical spheres as well. The assertions in certain religious texts may have to face public questioning. A few unhinged individuals might even attempt to create new religions! Decades ago, such failed attempts had occurred (e.g., the Raelian religion).
From a limited perspective, humans used to believe everything to be “only this much truth, only this much reality, only this much scope.” Our civilized life does not exceed the solar system. Certain religions have been asserting that ‘this entire universe was created for the consumption of humans.’ If new cosmic facts place entirely new dimensions of knowledge before us, it will gradually become inevitable for the solar-centric view of humans to shift to a galaxy-centric or, even larger, an intergalactic-centric view.
No matter what the boundaries between nations are, our perspective has now changed to view the entire Earth as a single unit from the standpoint of the environment and nature, hasn’t it? Similarly, when looking from the perspective of extraterrestrial life, developing a cosmic-level viewpoint in everything becomes inevitable. In an era where multi-stellar communication and utility increase, many internal intellectual upheavals are bound to be faced. If we come into contact with extraterrestrial beings, many old thoughts will shake. Many of our feelings, impressions, and understandings regarding reality and worldly truth, as well as the foundational texts of many religions—all of these will undergo massive upheaval. Our fundamental outlook on life will have to change radically. Perhaps, even if the spiritual truth remains unchanged, the birth of a new philosophy of life becomes inevitable.
The ideas put forth by philosophers and religious founders of foreign lands are purely earth-centric, human-centric, and focused on the external behaviors of human societies. According to them, the ‘other world’ is merely the world one goes to after death. Islam, Christianity, and Judaism assert in a manner that “this entire creation has been engineered for humans, for human consumption; humans have rights over all other living beings.” In such a situation, if contact suddenly occurs with intelligent beings who are millions of years ahead of us in technology, and if we come to know about their technology, what will be the fate of these religious assertions? Since it will come to everyone’s notice that the stories told by the texts do not match the real world, it might become difficult for religious leaders to hold onto people’s faith!
The possibility that there could be living beings on billions of planets in the universe is now a universally accepted scientific theory. But humans do not face a direct challenge from just that. Since humans are the most intelligent living beings on Earth, human ‘self-pride’ has not been dented, and no challenges have been faced. The arrogance of ‘we are number one’ has continued. If the existence of beings more intelligent than humans is confirmed, a reality capable of upending many fundamental human beliefs will be confronted. Those who are already anxious that ‘AI might surpass us’ still comfort themselves with the thought that, ‘whatever happens, it is just technology and not a living being like us!’ When confronted with the reality that “we are not number one in this creation, and there are beings who can look at us just like animals,” the existential confusion that arises will be immense. Religions, in particular, will face many questions.
“God sent His only son for the atonement of the sins of the Earth, that too only for humans, and that too only for humans who believe in Him”—at the time when such a belief was being incorporated into the New Testament of the Bible, those writing it did not even have proper knowledge of how many continents existed on this Earth. They likely had no conception of how many types of countries, how many races, and how many types of philosophies existed. There is no possibility that they had a conception beyond parts of West Asia and the Roman Empire. They knew nothing about the American continent. In a time and context when they knew nothing about the Earth itself, it was impossible for them to think from a cosmic scale and present ideas. If extraterrestrial knowledge arises, an urgent need emerges to re-evaluate and present new interpretations of the arguments and stances of religious texts in accordance with the new truth. Or, old ideas will have to be discarded.
It is well known that in the scientific era, religious leaders began experiencing the dilemma of how to answer those who question religions. Beings who are ahead of humans in intellect, evolution, and technology, or beings with the same awareness as humans, might exist on billions of planets. Leaving all of them aside, did God send His only son only to humans? Or does He continuously send them to other planets in the same manner? Has the ‘original sin’ attached to the humans of Earth attached itself to alien beings as well, or does none of that apply to them? Is the scope of God and the scope of the Church limited only to the Earth? —When such questions became intense, the Vatican (the global administration of the Roman Catholic Church) decided that ‘an official answer’ must be given to all of this. In 2008, the Vatican issued an official statement on this matter for the first time! Its science spokesperson and Chief Astronomer, Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, gave an interview to a Vatican newspaper. The title of that interview was: “The Extraterrestrial is My Brother”! His statement was as follows: “In my opinion, the possibility that extraterrestrial beings exist and that they might be more advanced than humans is clear. There is no conflict between this possibility and the belief in God. Can we say that life has not developed elsewhere?.. Just as there are various types of living beings on Earth, it is natural for them to exist on other planets in the universe as well. Intelligent beings created by God might exist there too. This is not against our fundamental belief. Because this is the freedom of creation possessed by God. It is impossible for us to set limits to it… What is the obstacle for us to call them ‘Brother Extraterrestrial’ then? Isn’t everything a part of creation?” —He gave this statement and temporarily slipped away from the issue!
But how can scriptural backing be given to his new answers? How can a text from a time when there was no concept of the universe be applied to all planets, claiming that messengers and redeemers of sins have been sent there too? Even if said so, who would believe it? How can those who used to talk by giving scriptural evidence for everything now show the necessary proof for all this inside the text? (The same problem exists in the case of Islam and Judaism as well). No one has answered these questions. When the mere ‘possibility’ of the existence of ‘extraterrestrial beings’ has posed this many challenges so far, what will be the fate of religions if actual contact with extraterrestrial beings occurs? The new science of Europe is 500 years old. If a civilization with about a 50-million-year-old scientific history exists on some other planet, it would be laughable for the people there to call humans “our extraterrestrial brothers and sisters.” How much possibility is there for them to view humans as equals? It wouldn’t be surprising if, in their eyes, we seem like the lowest tier of animals.
Here, India has an advantage. In places where there is spiritual freedom, the quest for truth (Satyanveshana) becomes more important than the assertion of a fixed truth. It is easy for philosophies that possess the concepts of other worlds (Lokantara) and other births/reincarnation (Janmantara) to find new answers. A line of thought that stems from a conception of billions of years of time exists in India. The concept of various worlds of fourteen tiers and fourteen dimensions (14 levels, 14 dimensions) is present here. According to the law of Karma, there is an assertion that the soul can be born in any world and in the form of any living being. Sanatana Dharma believes that every life is sacred, regardless of the form the life takes. It does not stress over what the origin or the habitat of the life is. If, through contact with alien beings, we come to know about their deities, Sanatana Dharma possesses thoughts broad and open enough to accept and incorporate them too. From the perspective of scope and application, the stance of Indian philosophies is more open. In the terminology of modern technology, this can be called “Open Architecture.” Where there is open architecture, anything required can be newly integrated! Similarly, old things that are unnecessary can be set aside without any fear. Although the Vedas contain earth-and-solar-centric hymns, in many places they assert a view of the entire universe (e.g., the Nasadiya Sukta). The concept of multiple worlds is nothing new to India. The cosmic-level perspective is what is seen even behind the Sankalpa (ritual declaration) made by common people: “Adya Brahmana Dvitiya Parardhe…”.
Substantial changes are inevitable in India too. Many concepts have taken birth here as well from the feeling that “humans are the supreme beings, we are the intelligent beings.” It is natural for all of them to shake upon contact with beings more intelligent than us. There is no detriment to Vedanta or spirituality. Because it encompasses everything, and because it deliberates upon the entire universe, the principles beyond it, and the primordial consciousness (Mula Prajna) that causes it, its role will definitely exist in the new cosmic philosophy. It must exist. Certain other philosophies will become irrelevant. New philosophies will have to be formulated. In the coming centuries, new intellectual clarity, new philosophical exposition, and knowledge suited to space, time, and circumstance will be required.
If companionship with alien beings is established, there is no doubt that all human-centric lines of argument will face new challenges.
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