Validity: Atheists vs Ancient Astronaught Theorists?

Speaking as someone who has studied and worked in the field of human origins, I can say that nobody knows the reason or purpose of the first spiritualist practices of humanity. Indeed the earliest traces are not being practised by humans at all, but by our extinct cousins the Neanderthals. (look up "the cave bear cult" if you're curious. Personally though, I'm sceptical that this is evidence of religion. They certainly did attend to their dead though which is more than earlier hominins had bothered to do)

Atheists, religious people and any cults or conspiracy theorists can form any opinion on the nature of religion they wish, but all are just that: opinions. It seems that you yourself are here with an opinion driven agenda due to your liberal use of weasel words, but nevermind.

What speaks are the facts as we know them, and currently they're too vague and inconclusive. We've a rudimentary understanding of when religions arose, and some notions of what was being worshipped, (initially some sort of ancestor worship and animism followed by a fat woman with a strange head, now known as the "Venus figurines") but the whys will be perhaps a long time in coming. Certainly by the time religions like Judaism arose, spiritual belief was already tens of thousands of years old.

The ancient astronaut theory was developed by Erich von Däniken in the 60s and 70s and has never received much if any serious consideration in peer reviewed literature. Most of those who currently lend credence to the hypothesis are, to put it politely, usually those who are professionally used to being at odds with established evidence.

It's cute when Christians try to make sense of things. They always confuse stuff and put words in people's mouths an assume things that aren't really the perspective of the group they're trying to talk about. I get the same feeling like watching monkeys ride tricycles.

There's no "atheist theory". It only exists in your mind as a way of explaining what you obviously don't understand.

Let me show you an example that's more accurate: "Christian theory" comes from the fear of death and the unknown combined with selfishness. So a god is believed in which created the entire universe yet cares about that one little person and who will let you avoid death by bringing your "soul" into an afterlife so you never fully cease to exist. Evidence is not needed for a belief, so the stronger the conviction the stronger the belief no matter how little reality reflects the belief at all.

Also, claiming something to be, or have been, a certain way without factual evidence only makes it true to yourself.(self-deception)

You should have linked to this so-called atheist theory on explaining things from the past. I'm not aware of it.

The ancient astronaut hypothesis seems to be all conjecture and speculation without a shred of recorded or oral history of any culture supporting such modern day re-interpretations of religion. Especially since there is no recorded or oral history of any culture that didn't have religion and then just apparently invented it, which would be the case if the ancient astronaut hypothesis is correct.

I always wonder why those ancient pictures in the ancient caves had to be interpreted as "what they experienced in the past". It could be their prediction of what happened in the future.

Uh, there is no "atheist theory." Atheism isn't based on anything but not believing in God.

I have watched quite a few of the Ancient Aliens shows on the History Channel. They come up with some interesting ideas but they always come to the wrong conclusions. I have written two books on the subject. One is fiction and the other is nonfiction.

Fallen angels and demons are two entirely different entities. Angels have their own bodies and can shape shift. Demons are bodiless spirits that are confined to the earth.

http://www.armageddonangelsufos.com/new_page_34.ht...

http://bookstore.xlibris.com/Products/SKU-00187680...

I got this article and thought he summarized it really well.

Nephilim

According to Jesus' own words the end times will be "as in the days of Noe". The wickedness that prevailed in that antediluvian world will soon return, and seem to be in the wings now. The genetic abominations that caused God to destroy men and animals will once again engulf the world. Huge, grotesque, monstrous beings, that's what the people of earth who are left after the "Harpazo-" (the great snatching away of the Ekklesia of Christ) have to look forward to in their future. Goliath, Og the King of Bashan, and the gigantic inhabitants of the Promised Land give us some idea of the size and fierceness of these creatures. They will be huge and have no feelings of mercy or kindness.

Gene manipulation is going on in science labs today. Go ahead and put "transhumanisn" or "transgenics" into a search engine and see what comes up. These genetic abominations are being created now. Movies and television offer films that glorify vampires, zombies, aliens, and all sorts of evil. We are being led into accepting these satanic creatures, but this is just a sign that the "Harpazo-" (the great snatching away of the Ekklesia of Christ) is near.

Because of the abominable genetic manipulation that occurred "…in the days of Noe" God destroyed all life on earth leaving only eight people and certain animals alive, protected in the Ark, to continue life on earth. We must conclude that the evil that permeated that antediluvian world was far more evil than anything mankind has seen in the past four thousand years.

Today we once again see much evil spreading and engulfing planet earth, and yet we are still here and for the most part enjoying life. Obviously we haven't gotten to the place that God sees as the point of no return. Mankind has a great imagination and is able to construct all sorts of wickedness within his mind, but there are bounds that we are unable to cross. On the other hand, Satan has far more intellect than we do, and quite frankly his wickedness knows no human bounds.

While the Ekklesia (the body of Christ) remains on earth, these creatures will be held at bay. The Holy Spirit is sealed in us and is restraining the evil. If we do a little research we can see that the antediluvian evil is beginning to rear its ugly head and some point in the not so distant future the Nephilim will be unleashed again. There will be outright horror for all those who remain on earth during the seventieth week of Daniel (read Daniel 9:21-27) after the Harpazo-.

Jesus confirms that the days that preceded the Flood will be reenacted in the last days preceding our Lord's return to earth. "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:37. So, what happened in the days of Noah? Fallen angels were creating genetically altered creatures and the wickedness was overwhelming. Is the wickedness of today overwhelming? Some might think so, but it certainly is not yet to the extreme of the antediluvian world. Many of the lost of this world, as well as many Christians, believe things are getting better not worse – utopia is on its way. Whether they believe it or not, the true Christians will be removed prior to the full invasion of these abominable creatures. But for those who've rejected Christ the times will be unbearable as the shock of the antediluvian evil is once again loosed on planet earth.

Could it be that these monstrous beings are already among us?! Transgenics, transhumanism, designer genes are already here so we can be assured that the Harpazo- will happen in the not so distant future. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10. Don't be left here to face Daniels 70th week. Say yes to Jesus – now while there is still time. If you don't accept Jesus' free gift of salvation then you will have chosen to be a part of the most horrendous time in the history of mankind. Choose wisely.

God bless you all,

Ron Graham

Atheist theory? You lose.

"The Atheist theory..."

I'm sorry, but if you expect anyone to take you seriously you need to at least understand what the term "atheist" means.

@Additional Details: I did not attack you, I merely pointed out your lack of understanding. Atheists do not all agree on the origin of religion like you claim they do. In fact, the only thing atheists must agree on is the disbelief in any deities. That's it. Claim otherwise all you want, but that doesn't change the facts.

Atheist is no theory, its a definition of one who lacks faith in deities

Inadequate evidence for any god.

Inadequate evidence for any ancient *astonaught*.

Both imply some external intervention.

To that extent, theism and ancient astronaut stuff have something in common.