Extraterrestrial Life and Baptist Theology

Personally, I've always felt that God's creativeness would find outlets in areas above and beyond earth, after all, our world is such a small and insignifigant part of the cosmos. That said, in personal conversation with most religous folks, I find, to my surprise, they don't usually agree. This in spite of the fact that angels, for example, cannot possibly be terrestrial life forms.

But I've always felt that when the Lord spoke of leaving the ninety and nine that were safe in the fold and going after the one lost sheep - He was explaining why he came to earth.

 

Yes, if intelligent, non-earth life was found in the universe it would have an adverse effect on my faith, possibly destroying it, unless this intelligent, non-earth life had a great explanation for its existence as we do in the Bible.

Ken

 

That was interesting Brother Paul.

I believe in the Sovereignty of God, so it is possible that he could create life (extra-terrestial) some place other than earth.

I do not think to discover this as fact would upset my faith. God has delivered to us His revealed will for us in Scripture.

to paraphrase:

Can He not do what he wants with His own?

God Bless
Bro. Dallas

 

======
I certainly hope my faith is strong enough to endure something as possible as meeting another creature created by my Creator--Jesus Christ.
======

I believe this statement is considered heresy, Phillip. Jesus is not a created being.

======
Is advanced life possible and if so was sin only a problem on earth because this is where Satan was banished from heaven?
======

Advanced life elsewhere is possible, though I think unlikely, and should hardly demolish the faith of Christians simply because it's not mentioned in the Bible.

Also, sin is quite possible without the presense of Satan. I think he gets a lot more blame for sin that what he is really responsible for.
"The devil made me do it" and all that.
If you read the Book of Revelation, you will see that rebellion against the Lord will happen when the devil is locked in the Abyss for a thousand years.

MR

 

Remember I said if they came with a Bible similar to ours, I wouldn't have a problem.

Ken

 

Einstein proved beyond theory that man cannot travel faster than the speed of light--thus Gene Roddenbury and George Lucus has entered into the world of "Make Believe" when they have this Warp drive and Hyperspace stuff--although in the mind it is quiet "facinating!"

Distance between heavenly bodies are so vast--that it would require something more faster that "Take us to Warp 10, Mister Sulu!" It is just beyond reason for other folks(extra-trestial) to visit us and for us to visit them.

When Moses wrote the account of creation--he was writing what was on God's mind! Obviously, the Earth was on His mind--us humans! Just a passing glance is given by God to Moses concerning the realm beyond the moon--Genesis 1: 16 says, "And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: He made the stars also."---BUT---There is a Gene Roddenberry and George Lucas inside everyone of us--vivid imaginations, I say!

If you were able to travel beyond the realm of our Solar System alone--you will probably be surprised that there is not much company out there!

Now, now! I ain't gonna put a "damper" on our imaginations, mind you! I just like Roddenberry and Lucas' minds and modern day camera work and computer generations that paint for the screen what may be on our minds!

So, throw the Rod and Reel of your minds out there and see if you can get a strike!!

Your friend,
Blackbird

 

If there are people in another world, then who died for them since Christ, the only Son of God died once in this world for all sin for all time?

 

If we suppose ourselves into a situation, we best suppose ourselves out of it.

The Bible is the story of redemption for God's chosen people. In the Old Testament, Israel. In the New Testament, the new Israel; the church.

The Bible does not tell all, but where it does speak, it speaks the truths of God. Nothing can change that. Faith is an established truth; the gift of an eternal God. It is not a leap into the void, but a journey into the mystery of God, unfolding as we grow and will be finally revealed in His presence.

Once more we travel back to the beginning where we read: "In the beginning God...."

Cheers in Him,

Jim

[ October 06, 2002, 12:21 PM: Message edited by: Jim1999 ]

 

Do you remember why Galileo came up with his theories? It was because of his faith! Interesting, huh?

God can do as He pleases. All I know is that I am responsible for life on this planet. I realize this may be a bit of simple "fideism," but this is how I view the matter.

Other than that, I really enjoy the creative genius of the "X-Files" (at least in the earlier episodes).

Rev. G

 

I do not believe it will ever be proven, becasue they do not exsist. Too much in scripture that tells me it is impossible. As in for al have sinned, Who? us and them or just? Did Jesus die for them also? Or just us? If for them also did He also die on their planet? Then His death would not have been once and for all would it, seeing as how it would hvae had to be on more then one planet. No man is God's special creation, made in HIs image, for fellowshiping with Him, worshipping Him, not man and a bunch of others on muliple planets. Too much in scripture that argues against it. The belief in peoples on other planets is a worldly view which denys the exsistance of God, a lie fabricated by satan.

 

The Bible says, "in six days God created the heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is." This happened about 6,000 years ago.

We know this creation included angels who are called the "heavenly host" and "principalities and powers in heavenly places." So we do know that, in that respect, there is "extra-terrestrial" life. I, however, would not use that term because to the average mind that conjures up ideas of science fiction stuff, the likes of which grown men ought not even been discussing with a straight face.

Mark Osgatharp

 

Here's a thought, pending that the universe is as large as scientists say it is: Could it be that God is pulling a huge gag on us humans, creating a massive, multi-galaxied universe, with allegedly billions of planets and stars, and then making us the only ones in it!

Here's another thought, more to my own position: scientists always tell me that we've been to the moon, that our universe is humongous, and that we are just insignifant peons on the evolutionary scale. Also, they say our world is billions of years old and that the earth goes around the sun.

Well now, how do I know that they are telling me the truth?

How do I know that they are not lying to me, or deceiving me, or really know what they are talking about? How do I know that their science proves anything?

Ah, I have to just believe what they say, because they have PhD's or Master's Degrees (big deal; I have one of those!) and so are the "intellectuals" of our world. Baloney! They are telling me to believe them with no convicing evidence in my eyes. If I am a "reasonable" and "rational" man, according to them and the media that backs them, then I will never question what they tell me. Again, baloney.

I suppose that I could just accept what they say based on, what, "faith?" Ah, there you go! Faith. Oh, but we are not supposed to do that! Too Christian.

In the end, I can only believe based on what I have experienced (Subjectivism? Oh no, not that, say my old philosophy professors). That is faith. And in my faith, I have come to accept my KJV Bible, and what it tells me about God, Creation, Law, History, Ethics, Morality, Salvation, and what I am meant to be as a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Word that created me and that I can survey (John, Ch. 1).

And that is good enough for me. Extraterrestials? Irrelevant.

mozier

 

"And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea." Rev. 20.7-8

God Bless

Brother Dallas
Glasgow, KY

[ October 06, 2002, 06:55 PM: Message edited by: Frogman ]