Talk:Ancient astronauts/Archive1

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Proposal

I propose we move this to "Ancient aliens" instead of "ancient astronauts," since this is more about aliens than astronauts. Punky ^{Your mental puke relief} 06:28, 5 May 2010 (UTC)

Ancient astronauts was the termed coined by von Däniken in the 1970s and is the term most associated with the theory. - π 06:34, 5 May 2010 (UTC)

I think both titles should stand; this one to discuss von Daniken's stupid, the other to cover other lunacy. ħuman 07:39, 5 May 2010 (UTC)

Analyzing and refuting?

"If someone presents these arguments to you, don't even bother responding, as you'll only validate their insanity and encourage them in their esoteric fantasies"

This kind of comments are certainly not what RationalWiki is about. Analyzing and refuting is not expressing offensive comments without arguments. It is not a constructive dialogue!^{— Unsigned, by: 78.0.247.198 / talk / contribs} --Bob^{Spring is sprung!} 10:29, 6 March 2012 (UTC)

'Proof of ancient astronauts'

... would include 'basic Health and safety instructions and good advice - 'Wash your hands before eating, cook food properly', 'from each according to their abilities (and don't suppress women/damage slaves/otherwise harm members of your own species)', do not pollute the environment and destroy species' - siphlium, Tyrean purple, the trees of Easter Island...

Any other components of a viable 'Ancient Astronaut Prime Directive'? 171.33.222.26 (talk) 19:39, 23 January 2013 (UTC)

Rename to "Ancient aliens"

Since 1: "ancient astronauts" sound like an "undiscovered advanced ancient civilization" thing (despite von Däniken's name), rather than aliens coming to earth prehistorically or beginning-of-history-ically; 2: it's a better title. ʇυzzγɔɒтqoтɒтo (talk/stalk) 22:42, 19 March 2015 (UTC)

This is the term popularly used for it, I don't see any major problem with it. 142.124.55.236 (talk) 02:42, 22 August 42015 AQD (UTC)

Which came first? God(s) or aliens?

If Mr. Von Daniken et al believe that aliens were mistaken for gods, giving us our myths, then were did the concept of gods originate? The concepts would have to be mutually exclusive for the mistake to be made. Therefore, do the AA proponents believe that religion existed mythless and sterile before Marvin and co. taught us how to paint? --Scherben (talk) 23:55, 12 August 2018 (UTC)

There's 2 alternatives: people could have previously believed in gods, then seen an alien, and thought "ah yes that's a god", afterwards constructing new myths out of a mix of what the aliens did and what they already thought gods were like. Or else without any pre-existing religion they could have seen an alien, not had any idea what it was, and gradually constructed the idea of a god afterwards based on the alien, but with later corruption. I don't know which version Von Daniken proposed, but religion of some sort (maybe animism, nature spirits, sun gods, or other magical thinking, rather than belief in all-powerful humanoid gods in the Judaeochristian or Norse/Slavic/Greek model) seems to have long predated pyramids and all the lovely things the ancient astronauts gave us. --Gospatric (talk) 09:12, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

I think you are missing out the far more likely third possibility that neither gods nor aliens were involved in anything.Bob^{"Life is short and (insert adjective)"} 17:03, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

Many thanks for your insights. I, however, should have been clearer in stating that it was the concepts I meant, rather than any actual gods or aliens. It seems to me that AA proponents are stating there would be no gods without aliens; yet, how could aliens then be mistaken for gods? --Scherben (talk) 18:21, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

Given that we have no consensual descriptions of either gods or aliens - what with them both being imaginary and all - it's kind of difficult to engage with the question.Bob^{"Life is short and (insert adjective)"} 07:17, 14 August 2018 (UTC)