Alien Ideas: Christianity and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life

CRISIS magazine via CERC ^ | BENJAMIN D. WIKER

[Polycarp]

A final, related point: Christians should not be cowed by the materialist’s logic of probability, which had its birth in Epicurus and Lucretius. The logic runs thus: Our sun is a star; since the number of stars is so vast, sheer probability demands that there must be other inhabited planets beyond our solar system. But probability does not demand any such thing, unless we think (with Epicurus) that the universe is governed by chance, and that, of course, would be a reason to give up our Christianity, not to rerig its cosmology.

I can already hear the parting objection: "But what would you do if extraterrestrials actually show up? It is possible, after all. And the Church hasn’t pronounced one way or the other."

I am as prepared for the arrival of extraterrestrials as I am for that of elves, and for the same reason: All evidence points to their nonexistence, and yet it remains a very, very remote possibility — so remote that to change our central doctrines to accommodate either possibility would be folly.

(Impatiently awaiting the Lord of the Rings The Two Towers arrival of the elves )

ping... ;-)

[Desdemona]

I am as prepared for the arrival of extraterrestrials as I am for that of elves,

I don't know about you, but I'm prepared for the Oompa-Loompas.

[My2Cents]

There's probably a greater likelihood that elves are real than the likelihood that extraterrestrials are real.

[crystalk]

The Bible doesn't tell Christians to "go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every person."

It says "go ye into all the COSMOS, and preach the gospel to every CREATURE."

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

John 10
¹⁶   And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

[sitetest]

Dear Polycarp,

"(Impatiently awaiting the Lord of the Rings The Two Towers arrival of the elves )"

Indeed. I took tomorrow off for the grand event.


sitetest

[My2Cents]

Watching the 20-hours maxi-series "Taken" on SciFi channel last week, it occurred to me that people who have rejected traditional concepts of God and religion are largely those who look to the skies most hopefully for visitors. It's always that some entities from another world will invade our own, show us the path to enlightenment or at least save us from ourselves. They don't put the name "Jesus" to their beliefs, but the story is much the same.

One thing that many UFOlogists haven't considered (at least most of them haven't considered) is that the various sitings of UFO may be spiritual in origin -- manifestations of spirit beings. The "experiences" of being abducted may be an elaborate psychic hoax perpetrated by spiritual beings on gullible humans dedicated to keeping people from the truth of the gospel of Christ. This I'm willing to believe.

[jimt]

John 14:2 says "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." The speaker is Jesus. I've always taken that as a statement that we're not alone.

I don't see a conflict between our having neighbors in the universe and Christianity, the article notwithstanding.

Where in the Bible does it say this is the only peopled world in the universe?

[RightWhale]

The priest who used to be on radio a couple years ago said that there was no other intelligent life in the Milky Way except us on earth, but there could be some other intelligent life in other galaxies.

However, it is likely that every rocky planet is infested with microbial life whether there is a sun or not, and that would include all rocky planets in the galaxy and all other galaxies. The trick is to realize that life doesn't need air; maybe we do, but not all life needs air or water. Think about it, though, oxygen powers our cars, heats our homes, and provides energy for us and our neural systems. High energy, about the highest energy system there is until the nuclear stage. Microbes living in rocks don't have that kind of energy available, so don't have the extra energy for mental processes.

Conclusion: Alien life, yes; aliens, no.

[jimt]

Excellent. I'd forgotten that one.

[onedoug]

Interesting post. Thanks.

It would be interesting to compare notes on whether another (extraterrestrial)intelligence perceived of a deity in existence.

[galt-jw]

ping

[Karsus]

God, having created 1,000,000,000+ galaxies each with 1,000,000,000 solar-systems. And God only put life on Earth?

[galt-jw]

Considering that the universe is without limit, to say that life evolved only here is beyond reason, and odds, for that matter.

[Karsus]

That should have been:

"God, having created 1,000,000,000+ galaxies, each with 1,000,000,000 solar-systmes, decided to only put life on Earth?

[Asclepius]

And God only put life on Earth?

Well, why not here? He had to put it somewhere.

[galt-jw]

If no other life could exist anywhere in the universe would mean the universe is sterile. That we exists proves the universe is not sterile, but fertile. There would have to be overwhelming proof of the entire universe being sterile in order to completely negate the possibility of other life elsewhere.

There is no such proof.

[The Grammarian]

It says "go ye into all the COSMOS, and preach the gospel to every CREATURE."

The Greek word kosmos is correctly translated by the KJV (which you quote) as "world," not "cosmos" as many moderns use the term.

[aruanan]

I don't understand how someone can say so much and know so little.