I know some of you hate SF, or Science Fiction, so if you're one of those people, stop reading right here!!! You'll get a more normal bulletin next week.

For those that tagged along, welcome! There are few things I like better than stretching my imagination a bit and reading a little SF now and then, and it just so happens that something last week triggered a memory I had from a story I read long, long ago and I thought would make a good point for a bulletin.

We were talking at work about life on other planets, that as you probably know many people would like to believe because it has appeal in many ways to them. I suppose one of my co-workers summed it up very well - we would like there to be an advanced, wise race of beings that can come along and "save us from ourselves" and help us "grow up" before we kill each other. There has been a lot of spacey things in the news lately, too, for instance you might recall our historic close pass to the planet Mars a few weeks ago. You're about to be Mars-attacked, by the way, when in just a few months from now our latest Martian rover touches down on the red planet and starts sampling the place. One of the biggest things they will be looking for, of course, is proof of life.

Life itself exists nowhere we know of in the entire universe outside our own planet (yes, I know there was a brief stint or two on the moon, but that is no longer "possible" according to experts). Often there are dreams of people of life in other places, Star Trek has beings showing up just about everywhere (and all speaking English, too). But be careful what you wish for...

The story I was reading long ago had aliens visit the Earth in a friendly way. First we were "discovered" and then ambassadors came to work with us to achieve citizen status. One part of their education for us was to let us in on their religion, which they hinted was similar to ours but not the same. Imagine if you would a huge video screen where there were picture-in-picture views of the heads of all the major religions. Dozens of little squares were on this screen, each one showing the hopeful and expectant face of religious leaders hoping to get that galactic endorsement! In the story, the aliens begin their talk by speaking of a God, a single God, who created the universe. In dismay and anger, many of the religions sign off, such as the Hindus. The aliens go on to speak of a son, an only son, who died for the sins of all. Now many more religions, such as the Muslims, blip off the screen. The alien "church" is not centralized - each town on each planet has their own group and while they all teach the same thing they are all independent of each other. In fact, the idea of a single religious leader is not only ludicrous but contrary to the teachings of their God. Oops, there go the Catholics, Lutherans, and their like. Finally to really clarify things the aliens discuss immersion in water as an outward sign of an inward heart and find (in the story) there are no people left to talk to.

Cute as this story was, and it did stick with me all this time, there are a couple things wrong with it. First off, we make a wild assumption that although we Earthlings twist the word of God around every which way that somehow these "wise, loving" aliens are not capable of the same! Also, let's face it - if I as an Earthling got dropped on a planet where everyone had a belief different than mine (and they often killed each other over it!) do you really think I would endorse some minority and anger the rest of them? And yet what should I do? Because I believe...

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us
All ye shall be offended because of me this night
Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him
And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.
And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day crowned with glory and honour
A new covenant, he hath made the first old
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us

Randy