Believe in UFOs? This editorial's for you!

Pretending to be a Christian worked pretty well for Trump. I can’t say that pretending to be a space alien would have been better for him.

To call it “allegory” goes too far. Clarke doesn’t closely follow the Christian end-times ideas (and I’m not sure he would be following an American version at all). The Overlords aren’t rebel angels at all - they are willing servants of the Overmind.The idea of future generations of humanity being subsumed into first a single racial mind, then a larger cosmic intelligence doesn’t fit well either (even if some Christians - usually tending to mysticism - adopt something resembling the latter view, it’s hardly explicit, of even clearly implicit, in the Bible).

Impressing a large group with a conformist and authoritarian mindset seems like a good idea. A weakness for conspiracy theories is a bonus. So, I think that - in the US anyway - impressing the Christian Right is the way to go. (And they are the experts in leading people away from Christ, too. Bonus!).

quote:

---

How about impressing (another) large group with a tale of being an alien refugee who escaped a vengeful war from another solar system and who is here to offer wisdom and altruistic ideals for a world starving for hope?

---

Not as good if he wants to be a dictator, especially if he wants a theocratic dictatorship. And since you’re discussing SDA belief with Raphael, did you know that SDAs consider “the mark of the Beast” to be mandatory Sunday worship ? (Or so I’ve heard). I’ve seen an explanation and it’s far less crazy than the nonsense about barcodes.

quote:

---

Its the kinder gentler version of humanistic altruism. Given to us from a supposed wiser being from another, more advanced place.

​

Perfect setup.

---

Not for a ruthless theocratic dictatorship. The “Christians” are far more likely to go for that - especially the ones that want it anyway.