What if the two Voyager spacecraft enter interstellar space where the Golden Record might reach other intelligent life forms, but – witnessing the savagery we have wrought here on earth – they want nothing to do with us? What if that life form is of such advanced intelligence that they refuse to acknowledge us? What if they have seen us first but have already passed us by? What if the only thing we leave behind is nothing worth owning or passing on? What if the speed at which the Voyagers travel is exponentially outpaced by the momentum of the continuing destruction here at our planetary home? What if the premise of hope launched by the visionary scientists in 1977 has long been dashed by the reality of the horrors the destroyers effected here on Earth?
What if we deserve nothing more and Earth is really our one chance? Shouldn’t we live here as if that is the final and only truth?
And if we choose not to respectively honor our place in the Cosmos, what then do we tell our children’s children’s children?
Just a Thought 6
Voyager image courtesy NASA
Earth image courtesy Pixabay.com
Sharon Bonin-Pratt's Ink Flare 
Comments on: "Post-Eclipse-alypse" (24)
“What if they want nothing to do with us,” indeed. At the rate we’re going, it’s a distinct possibility. Loved this post.
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Thank you, Carrie. We have made our planet such a frightening place to be.
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Hard to answer your question. Too many moving parts. Sigh.
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I don’t think anyone knows the answer for certain, but I wish the planet was more peaceful, no matter who’s looking at us.
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All your assumptions may be happening but I wonder if they have happened before. Look at the Egyptians, the Greeks, or the Romans. Maybe mankind on this planet lives in cycles.
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Glynis, while I agree with you about the cyclical nature of civilizations, I am horrified by what’s happening right now. I cannot sit by and say nothing. While the past civilizations you mentioned, and many others as well, conquered with gigantic armies, no one before had such power at their hands to destroy the earth as we do now. Those past rulers also impacted very small areas of the planet during their time, with other places remaining safe from their harm. Now it’s more than spears and arrows. Now it is atom bombs, worldwide destruction of resources, and annihilation of species at unimaginable rates. These things cannot be renewed once they are gone.
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You sorta nailed it here, Ma’am. Not sure I’d want to stop here on this thing if I were passing by. Your blog on the other hand is the ideal setting for sustainable life…if what I wrote makes sense. Smiles
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Oh it does, Audrey. Thank you so much for your kind words.
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Spot on Sharon. I don’t think they would want anything to do with us, particularly if they’ve been observing what’s been happening on this planet over the last couple of decades.
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Awful, isn’t it?
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Great post!
I believe in eternity and our soul is eternal. I don’t think that earth is our only “chance”.
In my fantasy world I think the Aliens have come, gone and come again to check up. Many, if not most, of the Aliens are smiling wryly, others are shaking their heads in disbelief and a few come for a vacation like Universal Studios . . . the wilder the rides the better.
The world is in upheaval and the greater the disruption/chaos the greater the change to come. (it’s system’s theory that’s been born out time and time again) I probably won’t live to see the change but I do believe there is more good in the world than evil. The good that I do see happening is incredible grass-roots movements toward the positive. Unfortunately, the images & words we are constantly bombarded with are of mayhem, destruction and idiocy.
This would be a wonderful world if, in your words, “we live here as if that is the final and only truth”
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Judy, I love your optimistic sensibilities about the world and all that might yet happen in a positive way. Unfortunately, the destructive capabilities today are unimaginably more destructive than have ever before been possible, and yet we all know they might occur. I can’t do any planning about what comes next in some spiritual realm. My responsibility is to the one we’re in right now.
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(my beliefs): Ah, but both realms are connected and we indeed lead spiritual lives right now, here on earth. We are already in eternity. It is the mental compartmentalization of “heaven & earth, now & then” that creates the discord.
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Too many suffer, and not always because of their own decisions or beliefs – and not only people.
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Sharon, I’d thought of that too…’they want nothing to do with us?’ Why this inherent belief that others would want to interact with us here on Earth?! Sad thoughtful reflections on the state of our world…I have to try and see some good every day as well!
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Annika, I think we all try to see some good, and many of us do some good. Yes, there is hope, but the stakes are very high.
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For me what we see only confirms that we live in a fallen world in need of a savior. This doesn’t mean we should give up loving this world at all (though I struggle too). The gospels talk about loving our enemies. This is impossible without God (says the gospels). I find it hard to love my immediate family. There have been so many movements in the past 100 years that were led by humans who preached a better way of life only to murder millions.
I think humans would do a whole lot better if they stopped trying to fix others and humbled themselves. Pride and a sense that if only “they” would follow “our” way leaves out the miraculous and God–and look where that’s gotten us.
Still, I have hope because I believe that God exists and the redemption plan which seems so slow to us actually marches forward. There are worse things than death.
As Marrila Cuthbert says to Anne in Anne of Green Gables , “To despair is to turn ones back on God.” but Marrila was one tough lady. 🙂
This was really thought provoking, Shari! And loved everyone’s comments.
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Thank you for a well considered reply, Adrienne.
I believe in “tikkun olam,” the repair of the world. It is up to us to repair the world for the sake of those who are suffering, but not for personal gain.
For myself, the need to forgive is essential, because to carry the weight of my anger injures me more than those who’ve injured me. But it’s a one step forward, two back situation with me, and my ire is easily triggered.
I especially distrust any preacher (any faith, any platform) who proclaims to have an answer if only we will follow his/her lead, donate big time, while wearing gold rings and driving fancy cars.
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I guess I was thinking broader than preachers. We all tend to become tribal when times get tough. I think political “preachers” who sometimes use religion as part of their arsenal to play with the hearts of people are far more dangerous than Western religious leaders. i say western because the theocracies in other parts of the world are pretty scary as well–but again they’re using an idea of religion to further a political ideology (I think–my humble opinion).
There are those Christians (and probably others) who think it’s okay to exploit or “subdue” the world but my reading of Genesis and the psalms lead me to think God wants us to care for the world as his beautiful creation. The problem is that even good-intentioned people often get things wrong. Sigh. Okay, hogging your blog space is over!
Have a wonderful day anyway, my friend.
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Actually, what I meant by preachers of any platform was exactly that – politicians, entertainers, athletes, corporate managers, dictatorial strongmen, terrorists, criminal ringleaders, and others – people who use their podiums for personal gain and power grabs without regard for community needs or individual rights. And I find some Western religious leaders just as bad. Influence should be wielded most carefully, most intelligently, and sometimes is not.
Yep, this one is well beat into the ground – we’re done here.
Have a great day yourself, my friend.
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I agree Sharon. We should look after our children’s heritage and take responsibilty for that which we have been endowed.
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Absolutely – for all children. We don’t own Earth – we’re only renting space here.
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Hear hear.
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Let’s hope many others are listening as well.
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