Extraterrestrial Life and Baptist Theology

[latterrain77]

There is nothing in the Bible to even hint that there is life on other planets (or in the great universe that GOD created). From all that I read in the Bible, "planet earth" is where all of the action takes place and MANKIND (for whatever reason) is the object of GOD's merciful plan of salvation.

latterrain77

 

[blackbird]

I believe in Latterrain's corner! Nothing here but us humans in the physical world. Angels are spirit beings and belong in the spirit world which is invisable--but from time to time will invade the physical world of man as messengers from God.

But--although no one will be able to convince me there is extra's--I still like the vivid imaginations of Gene Roddenbery, Captain Kirk, Scotty, Spock, Captain Picard, Number 1--

Kirk--"Scotty! I need Warp 9 in 30 seconds or we're all dead!"

Scotty--"I can't, Captain! Why the dirty Klingon's tampered with the Dilethiem crystals--and the Matter/Anti-matter Transducers are shot! If I had 3 years--I still can't give you Warp!!"

But he always came through for his Captain, didn't he!

Your friend,
Blackbird

 

[Johnv]

If intelligent life existed elaewhere, it would neither solidify nor shake my Christian faith.

Whether or not life exists out there besides us in irrelevant to the point.

 

[Phillip]

Originally posted by Johnv:
If intelligent life existed elaewhere, it would neither solidify nor shake my Christian faith.

Whether or not life exists out there besides us in irrelevant to the point.

That was my point and intent, exactly, when I started this subject.

I did find it amusing that Dr. Carl Sagan lived his life trying to destroy God through the use of "the possibility of others", but his faith didn't need to be shaken, he had none.

Back to answering my original question--like you said---my faith would remain as strong as it is now. The existence or lack-thereof is irrelevant.

 

[Ruth]

Phillip - A really interesting subject! I had never given this much serious thought, but since reading this thread, I find myself with certain ideas about this:

1. No, it would not impact my faith in any way. God is taking care of us in the way we need and that is all that matters.

2. For those that mentioned the lack of biblical references for this possibility, it seems to me that the Bible was written for us - not angels, not demons, and not any other possible creation of His. He does not provide us with everything He knows and does - and why should He? We cannot understand Him completely in this form, but He has given us His words for our earthly life. The Bible was not intended to be a reference library of everything he has done, just a guide for humans to return to the loving relationship He always wanted us to have with Him.

3. I do not live in fear that there are, or are not, other intelligent creations of His "out there". If they are there, He put them there. If there are no others, then He knows why not. We live in His universe, and as a daughter of the King, I trust Him to always know what is best.

Ruth

 

[Helen]

I think the Bible does give us some clues, actually.

We know that all creation suffers bondage to decay because of man's sin. If there were volitional, intelligent physical life somewhere "out there" then they would be suffering for something they never did.

But God is both just and merciful -- how would that fit either?

There may be bacteria of some kind 'out there.' But the other point I would want to make is that the conditions supporting life as we know it are so precise and finely balanced that there is no place known to science yet in all of the seen universe which shows evidence of life-compatibility.

On a personal level, if there is life out there that is intelligent and volitional, I will be very curious to see whatever provision God has made for it/them/?. But dampen my faith in God? Not at all. I know Him. I have walked with Him too long now to doubt Him.

I sure wish that the money being spent on the SETI project could be used for other, much more needed things, though!

 

[Bro. Curtis]

I see. The sin dooms all creation, but Christ's death only attones for the sins of mankind. A seperate sacrifice would be needed....

And if we were ever visited by an ET lifeform, we do have a commandment...Colossians 1:23

As far as bacteria...can it be that Adams sin gave bacteria a lifespan also ? The wages of sin is death, our Bible tells us.

I watched the shuttle launch today. I see on the news that the longshoreman lock-out will cost the U.S. about $1Billion a day. But we have money to spend on this. Somethings wrong.

 

[LadyEagle]

OK, what about UFOs? What about the grays? Area 51? What about the Hollow Earth? What is Stone Henge? What about the Bermuda Triangle? What about Easter Island? What about crop circles?

Are they all connected? Are they perhaps....demons or fallen angels? Are they ETs?

Are they part of the "delusion" that will be sent after the Rapture of the Church?

 

[Don]

What if? What if? What if?

(sigh)

Question: What if worms had machine guns?

Answer: Birds wouldn't mess with 'em.

 

[C.S. Murphy]

I have long felt that if people have truly seen aliens and spacecraft that it is nothing more than a ploy of satan to encourage doubt among Christians.
Murph

 

[Johnv]

There may be bacteria of some kind 'out there.' But the other point I would want to make is that the conditions supporting life as we know it are so precise and finely balanced that there is no place known to science yet in all of the seen universe which shows evidence of life-compatibility.

In actuality, a few months ago, a planet was identified that would be in that star's zone that is similar to the zone our own earth is in. There will no doubt be more discovered over time. What that means is anyone's guess. My own guess is that God' creation is much greater than we think, or that we can comprehend.

what about UFOs? The term UFO simply means a flying object that has not been identified. That's a far cry from alien visitors from the planet Microsoftia.

What about the grays? I fail to see what rare marine mammals have to so with the subject.

Area 51? Theory, conjecture, and the basis for a really good Deep Space Nine episode.

What about the Hollow Earth? No such thing. The earth has a core of liquid metal. So unless aliens are going to look like Robert Patrick, I highly doubt any hollow earth.

What is Stone Henge? A high tech (for the time) astromonical instrument.

What about the Bermuda Triangle? It happens to also be the heaviest area of air and sea traffic. So it will also have the highest rate of air and sea casualties.

What about Easter Island? What about it? They've got cool statues. So what?

What about crop circles?Man made.

Are they all connected? I wouldn't hold my breath.

Are they perhaps....demons or fallen angels? Demons and angels are not physical beings.

Are they ETs? No. ET's would be physical beings.

 

[Bible Believing Bill]

Would it shake my faith in God if E.T.s appeared. Of course not! Since God is omnipotent he could easily create intelligent life somewhere besides earth.

Is it likely we will ever meet E.T.s. No it is not likely. Since there are none in our own solar system then the distances involved in interstellar travel pretty much eliminate the possiblity of us meeting.

The Bible was God's Word to man, not God's Word to all living things. The Bible does tell us God is creative, he created the heavens and the earth, he created the plants, he created the animals, he created man. Just as artists and writers continue to create, God would continue to create.

This is all just my opinion.

Bill

 

[jerryMschneider]

Where does scripture fit into all this?

Genesis 3
20 Now the man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.

 

[w_fortenberry]

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?

A very good question, mozier. Allow me to add to it.

One of the foundational presuppositions of this debate is that the earth is not the center of the universe, for if the earth were the center, it would then assume a special and significant place in God's ceation.

Remember, the reaction of the church to Gallileo's theories that the earth was not the center of the galaxy.

There is no conclusive proof of the validity of Gallileo's theories and much conclusive proof of the geocentric theory found in both science and Scripture. Why then must Christians believe Gallileo and not God? The world desires to believe Gallileo because the geocentric view demands a creator, but why do Christians hold to the same belief?

 

[donnA]

First, you assume that the "race" has fallen from grace, the way mankind has. (see the remark made by C.S. Lewis above).

Second, you assume they were made in the image of God or at least given a free will. Obviously, the angels had a certain amount of free will, but Jesus did not die for them.

Third, just because a lifeform is "intelligent" does not necessarily give it a "soul" as man has. My little dog is quite smart, and has very STRONG emotions (sadness, depression, happiness, loneliness, sense of needing to belong), but he has no soul

Since God is creator of the universe, then this would all amount to a major booboo on His part.

If they hadn't fallen from grace they'd be perfect. Since only God/Jesus is perfect, I doubt that then. So if they did exsist, and had fallen from grace, wouldn't they need a savior also, so is Jesus death here on earth good for them too, or did Jesus die there too? So the question then would become, just how many times did Jesus die for someones(planets) sins?
Biblically ET's make no sense.

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by jerryMschneider:
Where does scripture fit into all this?

Genesis 3
20 Now the man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.

You're inferring the Bible where it was not intended. This refers to our earth. Genesis focuses on our earth, and our existence. Genesis was written for that purpose, not for the purpose of excluding life from other planets (especially since they didn't even have a concept of other planets, let alone the concept of a solar system).

 

[Johnv]

just because a lifeform is "intelligent" does not necessarily give it a "soul" as man has

Okay, here's a hypothetical... I submit that if a lifeform can concieve of the awareness of a Creator, then that lifeform has a soul. As far as we know, we're the only creatures on earth that can concieve as such. If life elsewhere in the universe can concieve as such, then I would accept that they would have a soul.

Funny how we're trying to keep ourselves the center of the universe even today. You'd think God couldn't exists otherwise.

 

[Bartholomew]

Originally posted by w_fortenberry:
There is no conclusive proof of the validity of Gallileo's theories and much conclusive proof of the geocentric theory found in both science and Scripture. Why then must Christians believe Gallileo and not God? The world desires to believe Gallileo because the geocentric view demands a creator, but why do Christians hold to the same belief?

Wow! I can't believe my eyes! Amen, w_fortenberry!!! I remember being involved in this debate some time ago here on Baptist Board - didn't seem to get any support, though. It is an historically verifiable fact that discussions of extra-terrestrial life only really starated to go anywhere after the publication, in the mid-1500s, of Copernicus' book, 'De Revolutionibus', in which he argued that the earth went around the sun. Of course, if the earth is just a little rock, orbitting an ordinary star, amongst the incomprehensibly vast galaxy and universe, then why shouldn't there be life elsewhere? In fact, why should the earth or man be special at all? But if God created the earth before any of the planets or stars, if the incomprehensibly massive universe rotates about the earth every day, and if God came to die on earth (as the Bible claims), then that's a whole different picture. Galileo has never been proved right; the biggest error the Papists made in that affair was to change their minds and claim he was right after all. He wasn't.

However, I am also convinced that mankind will one day "make contact" with "aliens"; although (I believe) they will be devils. I think Satan is using all these films and TV programmes about ETs to stir up interest in them (it has certainly worked so far). And then when the 'aliens' finally do turn up, who knows what will happen...?

Your friend and brother,

Bartholomew

 

[Phillip]

Uh, am I really understanding what I am reading? I am taking some prescription medication, but was under the understanding it would not mess up my reasoning (at least as much as I think it is.)

Do I understand at least two people making posts stating that the Sun revolves around the earth? Do I read that the earth is considered the center of the entire universe?

What do our telescopes see? Illusions by Satan to make us think there is more out there? Is this what I'm really reading here?

Boy, does this limit God's creation.

Christians don't have to change observations in order for the science to fit the bible literally. This is not the same as an unprovable "hypothesis" such as evolution.

Helen, you have a good point.

 

[w_fortenberry]

Do I understand at least two people making posts stating that the Sun revolves around the earth? Do I read that the earth is considered the center of the entire universe?

What do our telescopes see? Illusions by Satan to make us think there is more out there? Is this what I'm really reading here?

I have made three statements. First, I accurately stated that Gallileo's theories have been assumed valid. I then stated that that assumption is made without conclusive proof. My third statement was that there is conclusive proof of the geocentric model.