Extraterrestrial Intelligence and the Search for God

The American Spectator ^ | November 2011 issue | Tom Bethell

[Cincinatus' Wife]

A week doesn't go by without the announcement of new planets. "Week Brings Hail of Planets" was just the most recent report. It capped a week of "new findings about worlds beyond our own solar system," according to the Wall Street Journal. The latest marvel, 200 light years distant from Earth, has two suns. The reporter quoted John Knoll of Industrial Light & Magic as saying that this shows "science is stranger than fiction." Actually, science fiction started this whole ball rolling, but that's another story.

The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) has gone on for more than 50 years. In 1960 Frank Drake, a Cornell University astronomer, cobbled together the Drake Equation, supposedly quantifying the likelihood that intelligent life started up on its own. Nothing has yet been found and the search is getting harder to fund. Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen put up some money which was used to build the Allen Telescope Array in northern California, but now it is "in hibernation." The University of California was supposed to operate the array, but they're broke too. Government money has dried up. Three years ago I tried to visit the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, and, on a Wednesday, found the place locked up at midday. A night watchman came to the door. "Closed," he said.

What scientists are looking for, of course, is extra-terrestrial life, not rocks orbiting stars. The late novelist Michael Crichton gave an entertaining lecture at Caltech in 2003 saying that the search for extraterrestrial intelligence is a religion. And in a way it is. Carl Sagan, one of its leading promoters, "believed in superior beings in space, creatures so intelligent, so powerful, as to resemble gods." He affirmed that a new civilization is formed just in our galaxy every 10 years.

[rbg81]

It is quite possible that there have been many “intelligent” civilizations in our galaxy. However, there is nothing that says that once a species becomes intelligent that it stays intelligent. Its quite possible that civilizations can be destroyed (by natural events or self-destruction). It is also possible that an advanced civilization (even a whole intelligent species) can degenerate back into sub-intelligence (or worse) [HG Wells — “The Time Machine”]. The last possibility is that a species can become so intelligent and cerebral that they care no for their physical selves anymore or evolve into a G-dlike state [”2001 - A Space Odyssey”). Either way, it would not surprise me if intelligent civilizations as we know them have very short lifespans (500-10000 years).

[Louis Foxwell]

The intelligence of our species has apparently lasted just under 10,000 yrs. It is, of course, now defunct. Our little foray out of the jungle has ended badly.

[jimmyray]

Or, maybe, God created it all 6000 years ago, in 6 days, and made the stars AFTER he made the Sun and the Moon, as recorded in Genesis 1. The Universe was created first for times and seasons, and later for human expansion, as in the Dune and Foundation novel series. Perhaps abiogenesis is as ridiculous as it sounds, and genus’ can only “evolve” within their same “kind”. Perhaps one day, when we have the technology, we can go and populate these ready made, absolutely barren planets, and put on them whatever we wish.

ET sightings and evidence are actually fallen angels and demons pretending to be aliens and/or gods.

Just a thought, which I readily admit is faith-based.

[LevinFan]

I like what a pastor one said. If he ran into ET, he’d point at it and tell it that it needed to repent and turn it’s life over to God.

[mel]

Fascinating to think about esPecially ezekial

[Jack Hydrazine]

I thought this was going to be a about Jesus really being an ET who masqueraded as a rabbi during his stay and later had a tractor beam used for his ascension to Heaven.

[PUGACHEV]

We ought to define what is meant by the term intelligence before speculating about whether exists on other planets. Our mental and physical abilities, and the limitations they impose on our consciousness, arose as adaptations to enhance our chances of survival in a very specific environment. Why should we assume that other environments, radically different from our own, are unable to produce a different type of intelligence or a different form of consciousness. It may be that if we did encounter a different form of intelligent life, we would be unable to recognize it for what it was, and vice versa.

[bert]

The search for extra terrestrial intelligence is destined to fail until we learn to communicate with honey bees and ants

We will not understand a message when we get it.

Don Adams said the ET’s came but looked like dogs and no one paid them any attention.

[bert]

That is not really a thought. It is merely recitation of a talking point

[jimmyray]

Good point. I should have added that on occasion God has visited man riding Cheribum, as recorded in Ezekiel. This is also attested to several other times in scripture: 2 Sam 22:11, Psalm 18:10. He is also sheltered by the Cheribum, as portrayed on the Ark and in the Holy of Holies (2 Kings 6:24-27). Gives new meaning to “shelter under his wings” (Psal 36:7, 57:1), eh?

[rbg81]

I think that our technology and prosperity has (paradoxically) allowed record numbers of people to abandon common sense and good judgement. It has insulated us from the consequences of our actions.

[jimmyray]

That is not really a thought. It is merely recitation of a talking point

Or a simple summary of Genesis 1, followed by a conjecture based on other's science fiction musings.

Incidentally, reciting a talking point requires the thought process. Your issue may be that the thoughts are not original. But then, how many truly are?

[jimmyray]

I think that our technology and prosperity has (paradoxically) allowed record numbers of people to abandon common sense and good judgement. It has insulated us from the consequences of our actions.

Well said. Unfortunately, enough bad decisions and the technology will be used to control us, and prosperity will evaporate.

[rbg81]

Concur. These things are self correcting....eventually. Just ask the Romans.

[SaraJohnson]

There is intelligent life that is not of this dimension who are with God and others who are against God and the second are the only acceptable possibility to liberals for worship and contact.

The beings of the Spiritual dimension can somewhat manifest a physical shape in this dimension when called upon to enter by worshipers. They can communicate with worshipers who give them an ear. Since science is what liberals say it is and want it needs to as fact in service to their anti-Christ social ideology and cause, I would not be surprised if they find “proof” of extra-dimensional life and even name it godly (superior) and physical - extraterristial.

This liberal science is how they discover that homosexuality is great for people and especially, children and that man made global warming requires humanity's surrender to global fascism/communism in order to fix it. They provide the “science” and “expert” testimony that what is evil if good and what is good is evil. They are the “smart” people and the good people are stupid people.

Liberals would have no problem naming worship of spirits against God, the globe's scientific religion and ordering everyone to worship and obey them.

[gargoyle]

...there is nothing that says that once a species becomes intelligent that it stays intelligent.

...Sounds like half the Republic...

[Ken H]

The last possibility is that a species can become so intelligent and cerebral that they care no for their physical selves anymore or evolve into a G-dlike state ["2001 - A Space Odyssey").

Or end up like the Krell in 'Forbidden Planet'.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

What if they're nanobots riding on mosquitoes ...

or invading hotel beds across the world.