h a l f b a k e r yBirth of a Notion.
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The colonisation of Mars was meant to have happened by now
(according to the books I read as a young laird). Alas, though,
science and technology have gone all sensible and societally
responsible, and have lost the fanaticism that put golfers on the
moon. The only fanatics left nowadays seem
to be religious
zealots.
So.
Select any two reasonably wealthy religions who don't get along
very
well. I'm guessing Roman Catholicism could be one, but am then
spoilt for choice for the other.
Do a spot of background research, and create suitably authentic
relics, pertinent to each of the two religions, indicating that Mars
is,
in fact, the promised land, or where God hangs out, or where all
those virgins are waiting. Ensure that each religion discovers its
respective relic, and ensure that each knows about the other's.
In no time flat, the unlimited money and passion which is frittered
and frotted in the name of religion will be redirected to claim the
New Promised Land. Then, once the technical problems have been
resolved, we can send along everyone else as a peacekeeping
force.
Unspired by:
Rename_20Mars_3a_20...rage_20Colonization [MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 26 2010]
Xenu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenu scientology's pet planet [xenzag, Sep 27 2010]
[link]
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if history is any indication the two factions would fight bitterly here on earth, neither would make any serious attempt to actually achieve their "goal" and a few charismatic individuals would become wealthy and get some extra wang on the side. A thousand years later historians will conclude that it was all about power and controlling the working class. mars will remain essentaily untouched. |
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Damn. I haven't really got the hang of this religious thing. |
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I'm thinkin' that anybody smart enough to get to Mars, uh, New Earth would probably be able to figure out you photoshopped the Virgin Martha (from an unknown and therefore un-offendable religion) onto a picture of Olympus Mons. |
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"Lookie thar on the tee vee! It's our savior, the flying spaghetti monster up there on Mars! Cletus, you build the rocket and I'll have Ma bake up some possum pie to eat on the way." |
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I admire the way you present all your ideas [MB],
but I have to agree with [WcW]. People will tear
each other asunder over religious differences here
on Earth, but I think they will fritter and frot
unlimited money and effort only when there is
great wealth in sight. |
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As [doc] points out, true religious zealots would
probably sacrifice their goats (if not their own
children) to the image of the Virgin Martha on Mars,
but they would build an inter-space
pipeline/railway/conveyor belt in a year if
someone found oil/gold/free beer there. |
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Were the Americans really disappointed when they didn't find Elvis on the moon? |
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I remember a newspaper - I think it was the "Sunday Sport" once had a headline "World War II bomber found on moon!" with a picture of an aeroplane crudely photoshopped onto the moon. The next week, they had an even bigger headline: "World War II bomber disappears from moon!" accompanied by an unretouched picture of the moon's surface. Brilliant. |
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I remember that one!! Now, there's a newspaper I can
respect. The other ones only seem to report what's already
actually happened. |
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//it was all about power and controlling the working class// |
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Aren't mono-causal explanations of complex historical phenomena a bit mid-twentieth-century, [WcW]? |
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Isn't characterizing the mid-twentieth-century as a period of
mono-causal explanations a bit stereotypical? |
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Isn't <we all know what goes in here> a bit
stereotypical? |
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Why bother with Mars when Xenu is available, and far more exciting - see link. |
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" A new life awaits you in the off-world colonies! " |
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"To guarantee your place on Olympus's mons, call now
and pledge your donation. Only the quick will get a
slice of this pie, brethren!" |
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before postmodernism basically torpedoed the search for an on-off switch. Doesn't matter if it's true, just so long as it works; as true today as it was a thousand years ago. |
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