"Oh!" replies the insect-like Kif from within his shadowed hood. "That's precisely the model we require."1. Enforces the subjugation of the majority into the servitude of the minority.
2. Enforces society structure and adherence to social norms.
3. provides justification for the current political system.
4. reinforces an "us" vs. "them" mentality so that those in power remain in power.
The sound that followed translates roughly as an evil chuckle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'd be careful as to how I'd answer the question, because that one could convince the visitor that either evolution had designed the perfect slave, or that our species should be put out of its misery before we get off planet and infect the rest of the galaxy.
Best to leave (gender non-specific) guessing:
"Religion? Depends on who you ask. Generally it's all wrapped up in life, death and our metaphysical place in the order of the cosmos. But that's just me. Someone else may say that if you want eternal life, you have to get dunked in water and rail against gay marriage to your last breath and everyone else is eternally screwed, and since Man is made in God's image, I'm afraid even the water dunk won't work for you. Another person may point to the flight of a bird and say, 'See?'
And if you walk into a Catholic Church, you may get the wrong idea about what's hanging over the altar. He was a special case requiring further explanation and we don't do that anymore.
...Well, not exactly that. I could go on."
Alien does the equivalent of an extraterrestrial confused headshake, and leaves a "quarantined" signal beacon just beyond the orbit of Neptune on his way out of the neighborhood.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sorry.... thought I'd have a little creative fun, although there may be a point in there somewhere.
Cheers,
Clemsy