[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... ;-)

[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.

[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.

[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

[galt-jw]

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

[aruanan]

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

[Citizen Tom Paine]

John 10:16 (RSV) And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice.

[Telit Likitis]

Time to dust off "Perelandra", "Out of the Silent Planet" and "That Hideous Strength"

-Telit

[TopQuark]

I nice overview of history, but the premise is very, very weak, and reliance on it for conclusion is probably harmful:

To be blunt, since it was the negative result of a century-long search for aliens, the absence of evidence is evidence for absence. What else would it be?

If this discussion were about the shape of the Earth and if it were conducted in XIII century, say, the author would conclude: "Since it was the negative result of a century-long search for the end of the world, the absence of evidence is evidence for absence: the Earth is flat and infinite."

The argument that one century of effort is somehow a definitive amount is pathetically wrong, and I am sorry to see a well-read asuthor to rely on it.

[TopQuark]

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.

So far we have built magnificent devices, from computers to microscopes, assuming quantum mechanics; that is, that the universe is governed by chance. Here is something that is positive after one century of effort, hence by author's criterion must be accepted, yet he does not even allude to this fundamental theory.

[TopQuark]

a humbling lesson for those inclined to hitch theological doctrines to the science of the day:

I would submit to you that the reason for a steady decline of religion in Europe is precisely this reactive posture, as a result of which the Church is always late. The laters failure is recent: to provide a properly strong response to the pill.

It appears that even as Europe proudly refers to itself as "post-Christian," the most learned representatives of the Church are not even aware of the necessity to be pro active and develope religious reponse to the changing environement in a timely fashion. And so the march of godlessness continues...

[DallasMike]

Fourth, Christians should be equally wary of the idea that God would somehow be a second-rate deity if He allowed human beings to be the only intelligent embodied beings in the universe, since that would mean a lot of wasted space. What frightens us into making such claims is, I believe, the immensity of space itself. But while the vastness of the universe rightly humbles us, its size means nothing to God, an immaterial intelligence. Since He has no size, it is all the same to Him whether He makes the universe as big as a pin or a pin as big as the universe.

Some people use similar logic to further their belief that the universe is only 6,000 years old.

[Pahuanui]

Only by the beginning of the 20th century was science advanced enough to move from speculation to the actual search for hard evidence. As amply documented by Steven Dick in Life on Other Worlds: The 20th Century Extraterrestrial Life Debate, by the end of the 20th century, scientists had demonstrated to all but the most zealously intransigent that — humble Earth excepted — our solar system was devoid of intelligent life and most likely devoid of any life. Further, as biologists discovered the ever-greater complexity of living organisms and the delicate balance of conditions that make them possible, it became clearer and clearer that fewer and fewer places in the universe could meet the conditions required for even the most rudimentary forms of life.

I'm sorry, but that is such a pig-ignorant, arrogant statement it almost defies belief.

We, at this stage in the development of our technologies and the understanding we have of the universe, know so profoundly little about even our own solar system that the presumptions inherent to the above statements comment only on the author, not the possibility of extraterrestrial life or intelligence.

[oprahstheantichrist]

Bump for later

[concerned about politics]

UFO's in ancient art. Interesting!

[concerned about politics]

In the Bible, the angels rode "chariots of fire."
In Ezekiel, he saw something similar to a UFO the color of berl (sp) and that's silver, or berillium.

Now, many have claimed to have been abducted by "grays." They're experimented on. According to the Bible, Satan will eventually inhabit a human body. That human will have the "soul" of Satan, and be called the Anti-Christ.
Also, the Bible says the Jews will crusify christ, but accept the Anti-Christ. Right now, the Israelites think the "grays" are angels!

After the flood of Noah, God took the ability of Satans minions to take on human form. Before that, they could become human if they wished, and bread with human females. Could the "grays" be those Demons attempting to regain their ability through experimentation?

Why can't we see angels? Because man kind has a tendancy to bow down andworship them. A no no. They can , however, take human form and walk amoung us. An angel could be standing next to anyone at anytime. Jesus said to be nice to people, for they could be angels of God.

This is a strange subject. Could there be good aliens and bad aliens running around? Are they angels, or just space creatures? According to ancient art, especially religious art, they had a lot of contact with humans, and weren't afraid to be seen.

[Varda]

bump for later cause I haven't read the article but this gave me pause;

"Benjamin D. Wiker, a fellow with Discovery Institute, teaches theology and science at Franciscan University."

Wiker teaches creationism (aka intelligent design) and philosophy of science at Franciscan not theology and science.