What Would happen if...?

[Danmark]

I have an idea for a science fiction story and wondered if there would be any interest in ... well, here's a rough draft of a beginning:

[center]The Disappearance[/center]

The Ka’bah was gone. When morning broke it simply was not there. The millions present at the Great Mosque surrounding the Ka’bah, even in the early morning hours, claimed it simply disappeared. One moment it was there, then it was not, as if it dissolved during a blink of the eye. There had been no explosion, no noise at all. It was simply gone.

This was impossible of course. The witnesses were wrong, but most of them were in accord. There were some who disagreed. Some heard a sound, others a voice, some felt a deep rumbling beneath the earth. But they all agreed it was gone.

In the days following there were recriminations, accusations of plots by Jews and Christian terrorists. But with no explosion, no sound of rockets or bombs, it was hard to make the case. True, there were reports of Jews and Christians who claimed this phenomenon was an act of God and showed that Islam was a fraud and God had finally demonstrated the Great Lie that was Islam.

Most Christians kept such thoughts to themselves, tho’ secretly they harbored exactly that idea. There was a quiet, rarely verbalized satisfaction that ‘The Lord’ showed is displeasure with false religion.

A week later the Temple Mount and Western Wall disappeared overnight. Again, there were no explosions, just a silent disappearance. The event erased smug smiles among Jews and some Christians, tho’ some of the latter took some satisfaction. Naturally there were cries of retaliation, but the utter soundlessness of the event was perplexing to even the most extreme zealots. In both cases no one was injured. Nothing had happened except the structures were now invisible. Clean air was the only thing that remained, not even clouds of dust.

The following week the Church of the Holy Sepulchre vanished as neatly as the others. By this time plans to rebuild the Ka’bah were publicly discussed, but there was a problem. The sand where it had stood was softening spreading outward to the walls of the Great Mosque. [center][/center]

[Divine Insight]

I have an idea for a science fiction story and wondered if there would be any interest in ... well, here's a rough draft of a beginning:

It certainly sounds like an interesting intro. But without knowing where it's going after this it's hard to say whether it would be interesting or not. It's certainly begins with a mystery to perk curiosity of what actually happened. That's for sure.

[Danmark]

I have an idea for a science fiction story and wondered if there would be any interest in ... well, here's a rough draft of a beginning:

It certainly sounds like an interesting intro. But without knowing where it's going after this it's hard to say whether it would be interesting or not. It's certainly begins with a mystery to perk curiosity of what actually happened. That's for sure.

Thanks. One of the thoughts I had was that the first reaction would be sabotage by infidels, but eventually the faithful might entertain the thought the cause was supernatural. It would be interesting if they were honest enough to consider that the true God was demonstrating his disapproval of their tribal pretensions.

[tam]

Peace to you!

[Replying to post 1 by Danmark]

Hooked me. I want to keep reading, and what more can you ask from an intro to a book?


(just speaking from my own personal interest in good sci-fi)

[Danmark]

Peace to you!

[Replying to post 1 by Danmark]

Hooked me. I want to keep reading, and what more can you ask from an intro to a book?


(just speaking from my own personal interest in good sci-fi)

Now THAT's what I like to hear.
OK Tam, just for you, lazy as I am, I'll try to tease out a little more.

[Divine Insight]

I have an idea for a science fiction story and wondered if there would be any interest in ... well, here's a rough draft of a beginning:

It certainly sounds like an interesting intro. But without knowing where it's going after this it's hard to say whether it would be interesting or not. It's certainly begins with a mystery to perk curiosity of what actually happened. That's for sure.

Thanks. One of the thoughts I had was that the first reaction would be sabotage by infidels, but eventually the faithful might entertain the thought the cause was supernatural. It would be interesting if they were honest enough to consider that the true God was demonstrating his disapproval of their tribal pretensions.

For me, that would be a grave disappointment if that's how the story ended.

Why? Because the story then ironically maintains the idea of a God who disapproves of human behavior, and intervenes, yet always does so in an extremely belated fashion.

In other words, if your story actually ends up having a "God" as the one who had done this, then it would be a story based on a plot that I couldn't buy into. You'd basically have their same God behaving just as poorly as their theologies already claim he behaves.

I would find the story more compelling if it turned out to be aliens from a higher dimension interfering in human affairs.

Or even if it turned out to be other humans who have simply discovered a new technology and have decided to use it for this purpose. That would even be more realistic yet still sci-fi because no such technology currently exists.

I've had several ideas for stories based on highly advance aliens. One idea was indeed associated with the Abrahamic religion and in particular with the idea of the return of Jesus.

Here's the idea. The story begins with aliens monitoring the earth while remaining undetected. They recognize that humans are gullible to religious superstition and also recognize that humans are constantly broadcasting stories and sermons about the return of Jesus.

So they decide to use this same idea to convince humans that they are Jesus returning to earth. They have "Jesus" descend on a cloud to Jerusalem. Accompanied by millions of angles all around the world on the backs of flying horses with flaming swords in their hands. It's impossible to destroy these angels because they are actually just holograms. As is Jesus and the small army of angels that surround him.

He holds his hands up in a gesture of peace and tells the people not to fear and that he has come to save the word and not destroy it.

Anyone who attempts to attack or harm Jesus is instantly killed and vaporized by the angels that guard Jesus. And Jesus says with a calm smile, "I have come to rid the world of violence, hostility, disease and sin. Those who follow me will enjoy eternal life in paradise."

His words and voice will be broadcast throughout the world instantly on all communication channels including cables. His voice will also be heard emanating from the sky all over the entire earth. Every eye will see, and every ear will hear what Jesus has to say.

He will then continue to explain that humans will inherent the earth while he and his angles will reside in heaven (i.e. the aliens will take possession of the rest of the solar system).

Any humans who rises up against this will be instantly vaporized by the angels with their flaming swords.

In the end, the aliens colonize the other planets in the solar system terraforming them to suit their needs. And the humans become one nation on earth with Jesus as their totalitarian dictator. And no one will ever commit a crime again lest they be vaporized by the flaming swords of Jesus' angels. Now will they seek to travel to the stars, as Jesus will simply tell them that this is not part of His Plan, and that humans are to inherit the Earth, not the entire universe.

Now that's a sci-fi scenario that could actually happen some day.

[Danmark]

2[center]

Ray Bradstone sat at his desk, puzzling over the latest news reports. Ray was a confirmed atheist, as he liked to say, he didn't believe in gods, ghosts or goblins. He didn't believe in any thing supernatural. Recently he had begun to realize his thoughts had crystallized into the very smugness he'd accused fundamentalist Christians of projecting.

When he first news of the dissolving temples, mosques and churches he chuckled to himself. It struck him that this 'God' the religious revered was showing he did not approve of their antics. The Ka'bah in Mecca was the holiest place in Mecca and now the foundations of the Great Mosque were threatened.

He dismissed his thinking, since of course, there was no God to demonstrate the error of the faithful. Still, something, some unknown, unexplained force appeared to be precisely targeting religious structures. Whatever the force, it was obviously guided by intelligence. [/center]

[Danmark]

I have an idea for a science fiction story and wondered if there would be any interest in ... well, here's a rough draft of a beginning:

It certainly sounds like an interesting intro. But without knowing where it's going after this it's hard to say whether it would be interesting or not. It's certainly begins with a mystery to perk curiosity of what actually happened. That's for sure.

Thanks. One of the thoughts I had was that the first reaction would be sabotage by infidels, but eventually the faithful might entertain the thought the cause was supernatural. It would be interesting if they were honest enough to consider that the true God was demonstrating his disapproval of their tribal pretensions.

For me, that would be a grave disappointment if that's how the story ended.

Why? Because the story then ironically maintains the idea of a God who disapproves of human behavior, and intervenes, yet always does so in an extremely belated fashion.

In other words, if your story actually ends up having a "God" as the one who had done this, then it would be a story based on a plot that I couldn't buy into. You'd basically have their same God behaving just as poorly as their theologies already claim he behaves.

This is exactly the dilemma one of the characters is having:

[a fragment, very rough]

He sat at his desk, puzzling over the latest news reports. Ray was a confirmed atheist, as he liked to say, he didn't believe in gods, ghosts or goblins. He didn't believe in any thing supernatural. Recently he had begun to realize his thoughts had crystallized into the very smugness he'd accused fundamentalist Christians of projecting.

When he first news of the dissolving temples, mosques and churches he chuckled to himself. It struck him that this 'God' the religious revered was showing he did not approve of their antics. The Ka'bah in Mecca was the holiest place in Mecca and now the foundations of the Great Mosque were threatened.

He dismissed his thinking, since of course, there was no God to demonstrate the error of the faithful. Still, something, some unknown, unexplained force appeared to be precisely targeting religious structures. Whatever the force, it was obviously guided by intelligence.
At this point I got bored and dissatisfied and considered creating a flood to destroy everything and the story

In any event I think it best to let the characters try to sort the thing out, leaving room for alternate interpretations. But keep in mind, no one was injured, just structures so far. [/i]

[Danmark]

I would find the story more compelling if it turned out to be aliens from a higher dimension interfering in human affairs.

Or even if it turned out to be other humans who have simply discovered a new technology and have decided to use it for this purpose. That would even be more realistic yet still sci-fi because no such technology currently exists. )

Yes, that's one of the possibilities. I'm struggling with the idea of keeping alternate possibilities open. Let the reader wonder. I'd like, somehow, to avoid a predictable solution, explore the thinking each character would develop. But that sounds like hard work, which is anathema to me.

[Danmark]

Divine Insight:

I've had several ideas for stories based on highly advance aliens. One idea was indeed associated with the Abrahamic religion and in particular with the idea of the return of Jesus.

Here's the idea. The story begins with aliens monitoring the earth while remaining undetected. They recognize that humans are gullible to religious superstition and also recognize that humans are constantly broadcasting stories and sermons about the return of Jesus.

So they decide to use this same idea to convince humans that they are Jesus returning to earth. They have "Jesus" descend on a cloud to Jerusalem. Accompanied by millions of angles all around the world on the backs of flying horses with flaming swords in their hands. It's impossible to destroy these angels because they are actually just holograms. As is Jesus and the small army of angels that surround him.

He holds his hands up in a gesture of peace and tells the people not to fear and that he has come to save the word and not destroy it.

Anyone who attempts to attack or harm Jesus is instantly killed and vaporized by the angels that guard Jesus. And Jesus says with a calm smile, "I have come to rid the world of violence, hostility, disease and sin. Those who follow me will enjoy eternal life in paradise."

His words and voice will be broadcast throughout the world instantly on all communication channels including cables. His voice will also be heard emanating from the sky all over the entire earth. Every eye will see, and every ear will hear what Jesus has to say.

He will then continue to explain that humans will inherent the earth while he and his angles will reside in heaven (i.e. the aliens will take possession of the rest of the solar system).

Any humans who rises up against this will be instantly vaporized by the angels with their flaming swords.

In the end, the aliens colonize the other planets in the solar system terraforming them to suit their needs. And the humans become one nation on earth with Jesus as their totalitarian dictator. And no one will ever commit a crime again lest they be vaporized by the flaming swords of Jesus' angels. Now will they seek to travel to the stars, as Jesus will simply tell them that this is not part of His Plan, and that humans are to inherit the Earth, not the entire universe. Very Happy


Now that's a sci-fi scenario that could actually happen some day.

I like it. But I'd like it better if it was accompanied by doubts by everyone, including Christians... and questions about the motives of this Jesus or aliens. You could explore philosophical questions about control v. freedom, contentment v. independence.