Posted on 10/11/2002 6:10:44 AM PDT by apackof2
Scientific Approach
The founder of Reasons to Believe presents a rational Christian look at UFOs and extraterrestrials.
Hugh Ross has a B.S, Physics, University of British Columbia; M.S. & Ph.D., Astronomy, University of Toronto.
Mr. Ross is the co-author of, Lights in the Sky & Little Green Men (NavPress, 2002)
Hugh has been stargazing since he was a young boy, and by the age of 17, he had become director of observations for the Royal Astronomical Society in Canada. As an astronomer, Hugh has logged thousands of observation time and has learned that science can and does address the possibility of life’s existence elsewhere in the universe. In the mid-'70s, Hugh was assigned the task of processing UFO reports at CalTech. At the same time, Hugh began an intense study of the Bible. "Secular society is gullible about the possibility that extraterrestrial life exists without having scientific evidence to prove it," says Hugh. "The motivation for this book is the need to communicate clear, satisfying explanations from scientific, theological, philosophical, and political standpoints."
Hugh says that he uses the scientific approach called "the process of elimination" to answer the question Is there a place where extraterrestrials could live in the universe? Over the years, science has made some significant advances. "The number of candidates for life sites within the Milky Way grows smaller each day," says Hugh. At one time, biologists speculated that extraterrestrial life forms might be based on exotic chemistry, not carbon as earthly life is. But today the conclusion is that all conceivable life forms must be carbon-based. And if life forms exist on other planets, they must be planets like Earth, orbiting a star like the sun in a galaxy like the Milky Way. "Ongoing research shows that this seems less possible as each year passes," says Hugh.
Residual UFOs
Most people think UFOs are physical. "But they can’t be physical," says Hugh, "because they defy gravity." While Hugh does not say that UFOs aren’t real, no physical object can move like UFOs have been reported to move. Respected UFOolgists agree that there must be something real at the bottom of some UFO reports. Residual UFOs (RUFOs) is a terminology that refers to the UFOs that are left over after all the others are explained away. There is quite a bit of evidence that UFOs are real, such as crash sites. There are over 1,000 sites where allegedly the UFOs have crashed. "The ground is depressed, the trees and grass are burnt," says Hugh. "In these scenarios, we are dealing with non-physical reality." What this evidence suggests is that RUFOs are capable of producing physical effects, such as burnt grass, but are not physical themselves.
Hugh says the Bible proclaims the existence of a personal Creator who can act independently outside the cosmos and who is not restricted by the four, large space-time dimensions (length, width, height or time). The Bible also describes the spirit realm (the realm beyond matter, energy and space-time dimensions) and declares the existence of God and two or more distinct creatures: humans and angels. Hugh explains that humans remain physically restricted to the dimensions of the cosmos and cannot account for the unexplained phenomena. Angels, or fallen angels, remain as possible links. Fallen angels, or demons, intent on distorting God’s authority and purpose, draw attention away from God and the gospel and are an identifiable source of explanation.
The conclusion that demons are behind the RUFOs phenomenon is testable. According to the Bible, demons attack only those individuals who invite the attacks. "All that is necessary to further prove the conclusion of demonic involvements," says Hugh, "is to continue surveying people to ascertain who has encounters with RUFOs and who does not." Researchers continue to observe a correlation between the degree of invitations in a person’s life to demonic attacks (séance, Ouija boards, astrology, witchcraft, palm or psychic reading). One reason why research scientists may be reluctant to say specifically that demons exist behind the RUFOs is because that answer points too directly to a Christian interpretation of the problem.
Reasons to Believe is an interdenominational ministry that communicates the basis for belief in the Bible as the true Word of God.
www.reasons.org
1CO 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Well for one thing demons exist, wood nymphs and water sprites don't
JOB 1:6 One day the angels* came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan* also came with them. [7] The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."
And best of luck with that karma thing............and those love beads, flowers in your hair, incense, communal living and free love........
Well for one thing demons exist, wood nymphs and water sprites don'tRight. OK. And you offer as evidence the following text.
JOB 1:6 One day the angels* came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan* also came with them. [7] The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."'kay. I can produce texts too. So, if I admit that demons exist on the basis of your text, you have to admit that nymphs exist on the basis of my text--this is taken from Ovid's Metamorphosis:
Well actually Satan's only tool is deception,
he seems to have you "believing" that he doesn't exist!
That must be it. What else could explain RUFOs? Nothing else, that's right, nothing else. Demons from . . . from, uh, . . . from wherever demons come from. It's about time that mystery was solved, so let's catch one of them and his RUFO and figure out how they work and build some of our own and chase those demons out of here. Should be easy now that we know what they are.
Well here is the difference you produce "text", I am producing the Truth
1CO 3:18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. [19] For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"* ; [20] and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."
Why don't you tell us?
6000, 10,000, whichever it is.
As to your 'changing my mind,' I'm not sure what you're referring to. The only point with which I would disagree is that the word for 'day' in Genesis 1, is the word than means a 24 hour period, i.e, day/night. I'm not saying that it definitively means that it was a 6 day creation. I'm (once again) saying that I have no reason to believe it was not a 6 day creation. And once again, I did not say I believed in a 6000 year old earth, which you continue to say that I did. And I most certainly did not say, or even remotely imply that if you didn't believe in a 6000 year old earth, that you must not believe in much of the Bible. Please reread what I really said.
You said that the bible bible must be believed on the simplist literary terms. I believe that the bible was written to be understood by those willing to gain wisdom.
As to andy, I completely agree that he cannot understand the depth and breadth of the truth of Scripture. The only difference is that I chose not to argue the technicalities (though you are right to do so), because regardless of the truth and logic of what we say, he will just argue with and make fun of it, and I don't particularly enjoy hitting my head against brick walls.
I don't care whether he makes fun of it. If Andy and I were just talking to each other in a bar or something, I wouldn't waste my time throwing pearls before swine, but I think it's important to put out another viewpoint when someone like Andy says what he says in a forum read by the public.
Carry on trying to communicate the truth. You are doing a fine job of it. We are on the same side, #3Fan, and I hope you see that you have read things into my comments which were not intended. The nuances with which we disagree are not important in relationship to the truth which we both understand.
That's true. I didn't want the impression to stand that since I don't believe in the 6000 year old earth that I don't take anything in the bible in the simplist literal terms. Some things are meant to be simple, some require wisdom to understand. I think every verse is important and means something.
... Well here is the difference you produce "text", I am producing the Truth ...So you say. And so do our Muslim friends, who also have a text that declares its own infallibility and rectitude. Why is your claim any stronger than theirs or anyone else's?
You got a problem?
1. John 10:14-16
I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
2. Matthew 24:30-31
"At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
3. Mark 13:26-27
"At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
Each of these verses could be interpreted to refer to collection of God's elect from places other than earth which would seem to indicate that either 1) God's elect may now be in locations other than earth (i.e. aliens know of and have received Christ) or 2) that we on earth will at some time in the future inhabit extraterrestrial locations (the heavens or another sheep pen) prior to the second coming.
Good one. :^)
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