Christian Only: View on extraterrestrials

[Terrywoodenpic]

Unless we share DNA with all aliens, there is little likelihood that they look anything like us.
all animals on this world share a majority of our DNA and look very little like us.

Where the Bible says we are made in God's image could well be an inexact view of how things really are. Most Religions that do not share the Old Testament are unlikely to have a view on this particular point.
most of such ideas come from stone and Iron age religious thinking, and whilst reasonable at the time have no regard for modern knowledge of the universe or the creation of suns and planets, nor their flora and fauna; of which man is a very small but egotistical part.

 

[jacquie4000]

Does it state anywhere in the bible that we are the only intelligent life that exists? What if it's found that there are numerous "earths" floating around in the universe? Would that fact contradict your beliefs? I'm just curious.

It would be hard for me to believe that their is not other life with as vast as the universe is. This in no way contradicts any of my beliefs.

 

[Reverend Rick]

It would be hard for me to believe that their is not other life with as vast as the universe is. This in no way contradicts any of my beliefs.

Just how vast our universe is relevant to what we can comprehend. An atom looks like a solar system to me. Our whole universe may just be a petre dish in God's laboratory for all we know.

 

[rojse]

Unless we share DNA with all aliens, there is little likelihood that they look anything like us.
all animals on this world share a majority of our DNA and look very little like us.

Where the Bible says we are made in God's image could well be an inexact view of how things really are. Most Religions that do not share the Old Testament are unlikely to have a view on this particular point.
most of such ideas come from stone and Iron age religious thinking, and whilst reasonable at the time have no regard for modern knowledge of the universe or the creation of suns and planets, nor their flora and fauna; of which man is a very small but egotistical part.

For an alien to be able to reach us, it needs to be able to travel through vast depths of space. Apart from quite fantastical ideas, such as gas monsters or sentient machines, the best way to do this is build a spaceship. If they are incapable of this, they could take any form. But if they are able to do this, they need a lot of basic anatomy that we have - hands and fingers to manipulate machines, eyes to see the materials, and so forth.

No matter that our design is quite unique in our world, with only monkeys and apes sharing a similar design, it is quite efficient in being able to use tools.

Obviously, a lot of conjecture on my part, and there is quite a range of potential designs that could eventuate within this range of requirements, but if they do exist, I think they will take a noticeably similar form to us.

Secondly, in regards to DNA, there has been some speculation about other basic biochemistries that do not include carbon, nor would they include DNA.

 

[rocka21]

we believe there are definitely multiple earths.

Why? who taught you this?

 

[SoyLeche]

Why? who taught you this?

Moses, just not in any of the books you accept.

 

[silvermoon383]

And the laws of probability.

 

[SoyLeche]

And the laws of probability.

The laws of probability don't say that they are all "earths" though

They don't say much about "definately" either - they can just do "probably".

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I'm open to the possibility. I do not propose that "We Are Alone" as any article of the faith but rather to point out that those who insist "We Are Not Alone" do hold it as an article of faith...because there is nothing else to go on. Their arguments are purely aesthetic, beginning with phrases like "Surely, you don’t believe" or "How can a universe this big." I think that is more telling.

Either way, it wouldn't change the plan of salvation.

I pretty much agree. I've often said that the Bible - and Christianity for that matter - are humanity-centered. The question of multiple worlds (etc) is not addressed or considered by Christianity, it is entirely focused on the redemption of humanity...

 

[Comprehend]

Why? who taught you this?

God said so. That's good enough for me.

 

[sandy whitelinger]

The only "extraterrestials" that I believe in are angels and demons.

Don't leave out God as extra terrestrial intellegent life. Cherubim count as well do they not?

 

[athanasius]

Personally my view on extratesticles is this. I was born with a few extra ones myself so that can't always be bad.

 

[spiritually inclined]

Technically, I've not been initiated into the Christian religion yet, and due to past experiences, I'm not sure if I can make the final step. Still, I read the Bible and think of the main themes of Christianity in metaphorical terms, so I guess that qualifies me to participate in this thread.

I don't believe the Bible is correct in every aspect. Nor do I think all of the stories about Jesus were intended to be taken literally; they evolved over time. Compare the resurrection accounts -- they become more complex, and contradictory.

That being said, the existence of ETs would not be harmful to my "faith". I think that they probably exist. To me, religion is about metaphor and inner experience. It's about subjective human experience. Science, on the other hand, is concerned with the natural world and universe, why things happen, how things came to be. Because I realize that religion and science address two different human needs, it doesn't destroy my faith, either, when scientific evidence points to the earth as being a sort of globe, even though the Bible often mentions the "four corners of the earth".

James

 

[Diogenes]

Personally, I don't feel my faith would be damaged by any new or sudden revelation about life on other planets. We are still finding out about new life on this earth-its very abundance despite our destructive tendancies do hint at many different Universal possibilities. As for our current 'UFO mythos'- I believe that it is a kind of sign of the times. Aliens fit better into our purely scientific-materialist world view than the gnomes, trolls and faeries of ages past. These 'visitors' have always been with us, and apparently like to wear a large variety of masks.

 

[spiritually inclined]

I've known people who claim to have seen UFOs. I really don't know what to think of the phenomenon. The human mind is an amazing thing and does not provide an objective view of reality. Perhaps there is a different explanation for this than space travelers, though it might be just as fascinating, at least to me. Some people explain at least some of these events by sleep paralysis. Susan Blackmore advocates this at least in some cases.

It's hard to believe that ETs would be able to travel the vast distances required to travel to this planet from some other life-supporting galaxy or planet.

James

 

[SilverOrb]

Does it state anywhere in the bible that we are the only intelligent life that exists? What if it's found that there are numerous "earths" floating around in the universe? Would that fact contradict your beliefs? I'm just curious.

I believe now and have for a while that we are not alone. I know there is something out there somewhere. I just can't say what it is.

 

[12jtartar]

Does it state anywhere in the bible that we are the only intelligent life that exists? What if it's found that there are numerous "earths" floating around in the universe? Would that fact contradict your beliefs? I'm just curious.

yayoi,
The Bible tells us that there are millions, and perhaps trillions of intelligent beings besides people living on earth.
The Bible tells about many angels, all far more intelligent than humans are.
You have probably heard that humans use about 2 or 3% of our brain, Einstein about 5%. That means that we have lost about 97% of our brain power, that our first parents, Adam and Eve, had. Adam was created in 4026BC, over 6 thousand years ago. That means that we lose around 17% of our brain power every thousand years. We are definitely not evolving to a higher form of life, but are degenerating every day.
The Bible does not mention other intelligent life besides Angels and humans. That does not mean that here are no other intelligent beings.
Theologians believe that we are the only intelligent beings living on planets. Their reasoning is: since, when God judges this earth, by His Son, Jesus, Satan will also be destroyed. They reason that other planets with intelligent life would not be at the same point in history, the same point in degeneration into immorality, so that Satan and his demons could be destroyed. The time of Satan's destruction would not be appropriate for all planets, at the same time.
Of course, if you do a little ratiocination, who would see that there could be intelligent beings on many, many planets, who did not rebell against God, so the time of the destruction of Satan and his demons would mean nothing to real intelligent people, because Satan has no hold on them.
Another point to remember, the Bible tells us that Satan and his demons have been thrown down to earth, and confined here on earth, until Jesus comes, to throw them into The Abyss for 1,000 years, Rev 12:7-12, 20:1-3. Satan is to be destroyed 1,000 years later, Rev 20:7-10.
Since Satan will then be destroyed, that means; if there are people living on other planets, they have remained perfect since their creation, and all the problems we have faced has not affected them.
So there could be intelligent people living on other planets, and if there is we will certainly be in contact with them in the future, after Satan and hid demons are gone.

 

[Yoshua]

Does it state anywhere in the bible that we are the only intelligent life that exists? What if it's found that there are numerous "earths" floating around in the universe? Would that fact contradict your beliefs? I'm just curious.

If there are any other entity, monsters, and spirit beings other than angels and demons; one thing for sure that God is still the Creator of the universe. He is still the powerful God. Aliens or any other intelligent life (if there is) cannot be more powerful than the Living God.

Thanks

 

[sojourner]

The statistical likely hood is, that one day we will have to face up to the existence of extra terrestrials.

As long as they look like Rachel Nichols, I'm all in!