Extraterrestrial Life

[theculturewarrior]

Is there the possibility of intelligent extraterrestrial life, and what does this mean for Christianity?

[kenrockthefirst]

[quote name='theculturewarrior' post='1217665' date='Mar 23 2007, 10:40 AM']Is there the possibility of intelligent extraterrestrial life, and what does this mean for Christianity?[/quote]

Why not, and what indeed? If there's one thing we know, God is creative, and there's a big, big universe out there. "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

Check out CS Lewis' "The Space Trilogy" ("Out of the Silent Planet," "Perelandra," and "That Hideous Strength").

[Anomaly]

Of course there is probably extraterrestrial life given the number of galaxies, solar systems, and planets. As far as what it means for Christiantity, it depends upon how you define Christianity. If Christianity is an understanding and acceptance of an Omniscient God who Loves His Creation, only arrogance would claim we are the sole loved ones. If God's love defies geography and time, meaning God provides salvific grace to natives in South America who lived and died before Jesus walked the earth, then there is not a logistic problem. If your version of Christianity believes God created humans with no hope of salvation, and those who lived on other continents before Christ were created and predestined to damnation, extraterrestials are just more kindling for the fires of hell.

[Groo the Wanderer]

Yep - certainly possible.

It's #2 on my LIST of questions for the Lord when I get to Heaven I wanna know for sure!

[prose]

Out of curiosity, why wouldn't it be possible?

[desertwoman]

Bible only people usually don't believe in aliens because God doesn't mention it in the Bible. Since its not in the Bible, therefore its not true.

[theculturewarrior]

[quote name='desertwoman' post='1217679' date='Mar 23 2007, 12:07 PM']Bible only people usually don't believe in aliens because God doesn't mention it in the Bible. Since its not in the Bible, therefore its not true.[/quote]

The Bible doesn't say anything about tennis either. :

Edited March 23, 2007 by theculturewarrior

[desertwoman]

[quote name='theculturewarrior' post='1217681' date='Mar 23 2007, 01:11 PM']The Bible doesn't say anything about tennis either. :[/quote]


LOL

I knew that Serena and Venus were heretics.

[theculturewarrior]

[Azriel]

that was great!

[Mateo el Feo]

[quote name='Anomaly' post='1217673' date='Mar 23 2007, 12:57 PM']Of course there is probably extraterrestrial life given the number of galaxies, solar systems, and planets.[/quote]Words like "of course" and "probably" just rub me the wrong way when it comes to extraterrestrial life. Based on the experts, the probability of E.T. being out there is somewhere between 0 and 100%, depending on who you ask and what they had for breakfast.

[Anomaly]

[quote name='Mateo el Feo' post='1217724' date='Mar 23 2007, 02:27 PM']Words like "of course" and "probably" just rub me the wrong way when it comes to extraterrestrial life. Based on the experts, the probability of E.T. being out there is somewhere between 0 and 100%, depending on who you ask and what they had for breakfast.[/quote]
I'm sure you could come up with theological reasons why the sun revolves around the Earth.
Of course, there is probably a God. Choosing to go with the perponderance of reason and probablitity is pretty much what logic and reason is built upon. There is very little that is proven beyond any doubt. How many people know for a fact the earth is spherical? Did they perform experiments and make the observations required, or do they say, of course, based on the logic and reason provided by others, the earth is probably a spere.

[TruthSeeker777]

[quote name='desertwoman' post='1217679' date='Mar 23 2007, 07:07 PM']Bible only people usually don't believe in aliens because God doesn't mention it in the Bible. Since its not in the Bible, therefore its not true.[/quote]

Read the following verses:

Psalm 135:15-18 (King James Version)

15The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

16They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;

17They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.

18They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.

[b]Think about Alien abdutions[/b]:

[u]Joel 2:9 (King James Version)
9They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.


[b]The question is not if there are BUT what to know about them as Christians.[/b]

Abductions are very real and there is to many coincidenses to deny this.
Aliens are an end time deception from satan himself and Christians should be informed about the thread of these evil buggers.

Abductees confirmed over and over,they smell like [b]SULPHUR[/b]

[kujo]

Here's the theological question...

If these "ETs" exist, do they have free will? If there are "ET's," are they in need of the redemptive suffering of Jesus?

I sometimes wonder if there are human beings on other planets. And, if so, did they eat of the tree? Did they reject God like we did? And did Jesus' paschal suffering apply to them as well?

[Mateo el Feo]

[quote name='Anomaly' post='1217728' date='Mar 23 2007, 02:31 PM']I'm sure you could come up with theological reasons why the sun revolves around the Earth. [/quote]To be precise, the sun and the earth revolve around eachother relative to the solar system's center of gravity (ignoring the other planets' pulling, of course). Each body exerts the same amount of force on the other. That's basic gravitational physics.

To address your comparison, I made no mention of the theological reasons for or against E.T.
[quote name='Anomaly' post='1217728' date='Mar 23 2007, 02:31 PM']Of course, there is probably a God.[/quote]Apples and oranges. God can be shown from logical philosophical arguments (e.g. first cause, etc). There is no logical reasoning which has E.T. as an answer or necessity.

[quote name='Anomaly' post='1217728' date='Mar 23 2007, 02:31 PM']Choosing to go with the perponderance of reason and probablitity is pretty much what logic and reason is built upon.[/quote]Fair enough. Belief in E.T. is a matter of faith, not reason. Using words like "preponderance of reason" is just a pretty facade covering an empty argument.

[quote name='Anomaly' post='1217728' date='Mar 23 2007, 02:31 PM']There is very little that is proven beyond any doubt.[/quote]Ummm. Today, there is zero proof of E.T. It is a matter of FAITH to believe that we can assign a probability to the existence of E.T.

[quote name='Anomaly' post='1217728' date='Mar 23 2007, 02:31 PM']How many people know for a fact the earth is spherical? Did they perform experiments and make the observations required, or do they say, of course, based on the logic and reason provided by others, the earth is probably a spere.[/quote]The surface of the earth is best approximated as being ellipsoidal. We measured it.

So, what "experiments and observations" would you perform on an extraterrestrial which has only been known to exist in science fiction? Based on faith, people are supporting SETI projects, but we are no closer to determining a percentage chance that these theoretical beings exist.