I remember Carl Sagan said the same thing in 1980’s “Cosmos” as he demonstrated the Frank Drake Equation that was developed at Green Bank in the 1950’s. BTW, I did a little research and there was a time in 1942 when an astronomer thought he might have discovered an extra-solar planet by seeing how something was tugging at the star he was observing.
Mr. Sagan didn’t believe in God back then.
I’ll guarantee you, he does NOW!