Alien Ideas: Christianity and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life

CRISIS magazine via CERC ^ | BENJAMIN D. WIKER

[My2Cents]

Thanks for the tip. I'll look into it. Frankly, I heard this explanation of unexplained UFO appearances years ago -- that they were extra-dimensional spirit beings, or manifestations of such beings. One of the results of living in a completely secularized society is that folks are more likely to accept that such appearances are extraterrestrials from somewhere else in the galaxy rather than that they are spirit beings with an agenda.

[longshadow]

With C being the fundamental limit (speed) of communication, "talking" with another race would be quite impracticable. Not much of a conversation if you have to wait 3000 years for a reply to your hello.

Can you imagine the first interstellar post card we get back from the space aliens after we contact them.... we wait 3000 years for the response, and finally it arrives. We hurridly translate it, only to discover that it reads: "Having a good time; wish you were her."

What a bummer, man!

[Doctor Stochastic]

Physicists (and most scientists) are generally of the belief that we're well on the way to having discovered a great portion of all that there is to discover.

Not really. A more accurate statement would be: "Non-scientists believe that most scientists are of the opinion that they have discovered a great portion of all that there is to discover." The "public's" understanding of science is no better than that shown of FreeRepublic.

[PatrickHenry]

A more accurate statement would be: "Non-scientists believe that most scientists are of the opinion that they have discovered a great portion of all that there is to discover."

Right. Usually, someone makes an incorrect statement, and another poster will set the record straight. The response, instead of "Thanks for the info," is "You guys think you know everything."

[MEGoody]

"I will not be shocked if my great-great grandchildren have minds made of transistors."

If you are still alive then, I would hope you would at least be terribly sad for them. If not, then I'm terribly sad for you.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Well, I may not know everything, but I do know my limitations.

[Aracelis]

Wonderful post as always, RA. Thank you for taking the time to explain the situation so clearly.

[agrace]

I totally agree. There are extraterrestrials - spiritual ones, bent on deception, and I have no doubt that so-called alien encounters do happen. They just aren't what UFOlogists think they are. He is the prince of the power of the air, after all, and we wrestle not against flesh and blood.

[Aracelis]

Thank you for the ping and the graph!

[My2Cents]

Not that I'm an expert, but Satan's main field of battle is in the minds of human beings. He can create delusions, visions, if you will. People under demonic attach "see" things that others do not. It is real, but it is in their heads. Hence, elaborate abduction scenarios are not dreams, and not actual abductions, but complex projections in people's minds planted there by spiritual beings.

[RightWhale]

Stapleton sure had his own ideas. Mind-trip stuff.

[RightWhale]

life is rare in the universe

There is independent confirmation today that the stratospheric microbes are possibly raining down from interplanetary space. Got to say "possibly" at this time, of course.

[js1138]

I've seen the thread. More likely, in my opinion, to be rising from the surface. It sems likely the life can get a jump start this way, but I'm skeptical of anything approaching the complexity of a cell drifting in space.

Then again, supernovae may push organic matter into space without killing everything. Someone should crunch the numbers on this. Perhaps stardust contains the remnants of living systems.

[DreamWeaver]

Ping.

[RightWhale]

These microbes wouldn't be cells. More like viruses.

[stuartcr]

If there are other populations, would they require salvation also?

[stuartcr]

If they don't suffer the effects of original sin, do they have a hell?

[agrace]

I hear you and don't disagree with your point. However, I don't think he is restricted to deception of the mind (not that you said that of course). Like I said, he is called prince of the power of the air, and we wrestle against "principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." High places in this sense means -according to Strong's rendering of the Greek - "existing in heaven, of heavenly origin or nature."

Angels have been known to take physical form, we are warned that they walk among us. The nature of spiritual beings as described in scripture and alien beings/craft as described by those claiming to experience them are notably compatible.

That said though, I do believe that the two operate closely together - deception of the mind coupled with use of the spirit realm itself.

[KevinDavis]

I disagree, however the universe is more like B5 in which I mean there are going to be some major league bad guys out there who is just plain evil.