Because the hypothetical is both insane and horrifying. Like Trinopus’s example of Space Nazis; some blonde aliens arrive and announce that they’ve discovered the Truth of Naziism written into the laws of physics and are here to spread the Word. Some aliens have shown up and made a claim that is on the face of it absurd and evil. And yes, “evil” is exactly what I consider Christianity to be, and evil is exactly what these aliens are claiming the basis of the universe to be.
So yes; of course I “fight the hypothetical”. “We’re going to burn forever while the Christians laugh and gloat over our agony” is a depressing and pointless position to take.
If this were to happen, it would, in fact, serve as sufficient proof for me of the truth of Christianity and I would hasten to get myself right with God.
Bingo. I think this is the most likely scenario. Say they wish to peacefully conquer the Earth. All mankind would stand against their influence - but what, they think, if they adopt a guise which would put much of mankind on their side. They observe our TV, and see all the religious broadcasting. They learn about Christianity, and they invent a story about an alien Jesus coming to them. Then, when they land, some of the most xenophobic of the world’s most powerful nation would not only not oppose them but support them.
They’d be opposed only by a small band of atheists - and all the Jewish scientists. “Take your paws off of me, you goyisher Ewok!”
They’d probably be nuked as the rabid-Christians who’d take control of America in this scenario burn the world to try to bring on the End Times and the return of Jesus.
Christianity has no particular animus against dogs. It does however have a long history of persecuting and killing unbelievers, and an intense infatuation with the Apocalypse.
Sorry to have missed this conversation. I had a church service to attend, and I only just got done washing the blood out and sharpening my axe for next time. Got a quota to get through if we want Jesus to come back, and the little old ladies who make up most of our congregation can’t really manage anything deadlier than a hatpin these days, so I have to pick up the slack.
Don’t be silly; killing fellow Christians with an axe has nothing to do with the common Christian desire to immolate the world. And it’s more likely to take the form of things like bombing Muslims or supporting Israel because Christian prophecy needs it to exist and for the Jews there to be annihilated in order to trigger off the End Times than it is to take the form of private murder. Outside of killing homosexuals and doctors who perform abortions that is, but that has nothing to do with the Christian infatuation with the end of the world.
Don’t be silly; what made you think I was killing fellow Christians with an axe? Surely it was obvious in context that we were persecuting and killing unbelievers, like you said. We don’t all have access to bombs, but you know, we do what we can in our own little way: the “widow’s mite”, as the parable has it. We’re so short of abortion doctors around here that we have to improvise a little, and as for homosexuals, the most prominent one in our local community is also the organ-builder who renovated the rather splendid instrument in the church in the next parish over, so we voted six to five to let him live. (As an organist myself there was only one way I could vote, naturally.)
