What if alien life was found on another planet?

TheInquisitor

What would this mean for religion in general?

AtomicHorror

This one has been done a couple of times pretty recently, and it was both more topical and more specific. Summary being, most Christians won't have an issue with it.

PDN

It would interesting. But I don't see that it has any significance for or against religion in general, or Christianity in particular.

Mickeroo

It would indeed be interesting,but unlikely to have much impact on religion, if god created so many planets why put life on only one of them etc.

It's interesting though, some scientisits think it's possible life started here after a meteor impact, that there could have been some small organic matter in the meteors that kick started it all. Some people think there's also evidence to suggest that there's already an extraterrestrial living among us in the guise of The Venus Fly-Trap, due to how unique that plants physiology is and how it only occurs in an area with a 100 mile radius in north and south carolina, and at the centre of this area there is supposedly several impact craters from a meteor shower. I'm pretty sure this is absolute codswallop though

bluecell99

TheInquisitor wrote: »

What would this mean for religion in general?

I think it would turn christianity on its head and be the final nail in the coffin.

Its a vast subject and extrtemely interesting.There are certain tantalising signs that the early christians left pretty firm evidence of their contact with the "Gods who came from the Sky".

Was Jesus just aother charismatic man in a spacesuit whose "ascent into heaven"was merely his return to his own planet?

Maybe when we finally have access to the long hidden and secret files in some governments possession then we can begin to understand our own and the planets history.

O'Coonassa

TheInquisitor wrote: »

What would this mean for religion in general?

Fine for the deists. The theists are going to have a hard time explaining this one though when it happens. Given that we don't destroy ourselves because of them before it happens.

Sacrificial atonement for the original sin of seeking the fruit of the tree of Knowledge, multiplied by as many beings with consciousness as there are in vastness of space. :rolleyes:

PDN

O'Coonassa wrote: »

Fine for the deists. The theists are going to have a hard time explaining this one though when it happens. Given that we don't destroy ourselves because of them before it happens.

Sacrificial atonement for the original sin of seeking the fruit of the tree of Knowledge, multiplied by as many beings with consciousness as there are in vastness of space. :rolleyes:

Why would this be a problem for theists? If we find life on another planet it has no more significance than finding another bacteria on this planet.

ScumLord

It was I who brought this up before and the general consensus was that it would mean nothing as it seems likely that life on other planets would have jumped to the same conclusions we did (that something designed life). After discussing it here it turned me to thinking that it's very probable they'd have their own God that may be similar to our own version and that could be argued as either prove god exists or just the way intelligent life would interpret the universe and life.

This is a horrible impasse that we face, for now god is impossible to prove either way. I'll admit there could be a god but the bible is still just a book. An outdated one at that.

We just have to find a way to live with conflicting interests. I think atheists could live with religion if god would just let us be, if we're wrong, we're wrong, there's no need to hold it against us.

Mickeroo wrote: »

It's interesting though, some scientisits think it's possible life started here after a meteor impact, that there could have been some small organic matter in the meteors that kick started it all.

I find that highly unlikely, given the heat and huge forces involved I don't see how any organic matter could survive either the flight through space or the impact.

dvpower

TheInquisitor wrote: »

What would this mean for religion in general?

Depends. Would they be religious aliens?

O'Coonassa

PDN wrote: »

Why would this be a problem for theists? If we find life on another planet it has no more significance than finding another bacteria on this planet.

Seemingly you discount the possibility of sentient 'men' elsewhere in hugeness of it all. They too are presumably dirty with the original sin against Jehovahgod and must atone for it. He (sic) must have so loved them too that He sacrificed himself to redeem them.

PDN

O'Coonassa wrote: »

Seemingly you discount the possibility of sentient 'men' elsewhere in hugeness of it all. They too are presumably dirty with the original sin against Jehovahgod and must atone for it. He (sic) must have so loved them too that He sacrificed himself to redeem them.

That's a lot of presuming you're doing there - about me, about the universe and about God.

Mickeroo

ScumLord wrote: »

I find that highly unlikely, given the heat and huge forces involved I don't see how any organic matter could survive either the flight through space or the impact.

It's unlikely,but life is more resilient than you give it credit. Look into the organisms that were found surviving around the highly toxic volcanic undersea vents, the concepts of the conditions necessary for life were radically changed,there was a type of worm, one end of it in the boiling hot poisonous water of the vent the other in the sub-zero water around it and not a bother on it, and these are complex organisms, i dont think its impossible that there could have been some very basic organisms dormant within the rocks, improbable but not impossible.

ScumLord

Mickeroo wrote: »

It's unlikely,but life is more resilient than you give it credit. Look into the organisms that were found surviving around the highly toxic volcanic undersea vents, the concepts of the conditions necessary for life were radically changed,there was a type of worm, one end of it in the boiling hot poisonous water of the vent the other in the sub-zero water around it and not a bother on it, and these are complex organisms, i dont think its impossible that there could have been some very basic organisms dormant within the rocks, improbable but not impossible.

There is live around volcanic vents that will probably ensure life on earth no matter what happens on the surface. But still, the forces involved with an asteroid strike are massive! I still can't see how life could survive that kind of force.

Mickeroo

ScumLord wrote: »

There is live around volcanic vents that will probably ensure life on earth no matter what happens on the surface. But still, the forces involved with an asteroid strike are massive! I still can't see how life could survive that kind of force.

Nobody could see how life could survive around the vents either,until they found it there,but yea a meteor impact is a different ball game altogether. Er, anyway off topic yadda yadda

wolfsbane

TheInquisitor wrote: »

What would this mean for religion in general?

A bit of a boost for any religion that incorporated that possibility in its theology. The demise of Christianity, at least the Biblical sort.

A big boost for atheism and its evolutionist explanation of life, as life would be seen to be less of an amazing coincidence.

santing

wolfsbane wrote: »

A bit of a boost for any religion that incorporated that possibility in its theology. The demise of Christianity, at least the Biblical sort.

A big boost for atheism and its evolutionist explanation of life, as life would be seen to be less of an amazing coincidence.

Although I don't expect to find any life on another planet, I fail to see how it conflicts with Christianity.
The Bible actively says that there is more in life than we see, e.g. angels. One way of explaining life on another planet would be that an angel (probably a bad one) would have taken life from Earth and planted it there. Its just wild speculation but a possibility.
Remember, the Bible focuses on God's dealing with His people on earth. I can't imagine that God created another universe, or life on another planet. But just because I cannot imagine it doesn't mean that God cannot do it.... He is beyond my imagination (and surprises me quite often!)

Job 37:23-24 ESV The Almighty--we cannot find him; he is great in power; justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate. (24) Therefore men fear him; he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit."

AtomicHorror

wolfsbane wrote: »

A bit of a boost for any religion that incorporated that possibility in its theology. The demise of Christianity, at least the Biblical sort.

A big boost for atheism and its evolutionist explanation of life, as life would be seen to be less of an amazing coincidence.

Does this mean that identifying native bacteria on say Mars, Titan or Europa would cause you to abandon your faith?

philologos

How is this even relevant to God's existence? It would make the creation more extraordinary and amazing.

studiorat

Jakkass wrote: »

How is this even relevant to God's existence? It would make the creation more extraordinary and amazing.

Unless of course they are still living in Paradise and had not "Fallen". Of course I'm sure they would be delighted and honored to meet a race of people whom god had sent his only son to save, would they think us undeserving? Surely they might be a little miffed with all the attention we had gotten considering we are the black sheep of creation or maybe we'd be the "special needs" bunch of creation... Then again maybe they could be Jewish Aliens and also see themselves as gods chosen people too.

Daft Thread IMO.

wolfsbane

AtomicHorror wrote: »

Does this mean that identifying native bacteria on say Mars, Titan or Europa would cause you to abandon your faith?

It would certainly drive me to the most basic of my beliefs - everything else built on an understanding of the Bible would be meaningless. For God to have ommited the fact of life elsewhere, while the Bible at least implied life was only on earth, that would question my understanding of it all.

wolfsbane

santing wrote: »

Although I don't expect to find any life on another planet, I fail to see how it conflicts with Christianity.
The Bible actively says that there is more in life than we see, e.g. angels. One way of explaining life on another planet would be that an angel (probably a bad one) would have taken life from Earth and planted it there. Its just wild speculation but a possibility.
Remember, the Bible focuses on God's dealing with His people on earth. I can't imagine that God created another universe, or life on another planet. But just because I cannot imagine it doesn't mean that God cannot do it.... He is beyond my imagination (and surprises me quite often!)

It would be to lose the focus of the big picture - the universe as the vehicle for man's walk with God, and the sun, moon and stars created to serve that end.

I'm sure it would be no problem for theistic evolutionists, as they have reinterpreted the Biblical account to allow for most anything in the universe. But it, like evolution being proved, would drastically alter my understanding of the Bible. It would become an incomprehensible mess, open to any interpretation.

Mickeroo

wolfsbane wrote: »

It would certainly drive me to the most basic of my beliefs - everything else built on an understanding of the Bible would be meaningless. For God to have ommited the fact of life elsewhere, while the Bible at least implied life was only on earth, that would question my understanding of it all.

Does the bible even imply the existence of other planets?

wolfsbane wrote: »

But it, like evolution being proved, would drastically alter my understanding of the Bible. It would become an incomprehensible mess, open to any interpretation.

Something tells me it wouldn't phase you all that much.

Húrin

wolfsbane wrote: »

It would certainly drive me to the most basic of my beliefs - everything else built on an understanding of the Bible would be meaningless. For God to have ommited the fact of life elsewhere, while the Bible at least implied life was only on earth, that would question my understanding of it all.

Where does the Bible imply that life is only on earth? Why would there be any need for the Bible to state that life existed elsewhere if it does?

wolfsbane

Mickeroo said:

Originally Posted by wolfsbane
It would certainly drive me to the most basic of my beliefs - everything else built on an understanding of the Bible would be meaningless. For God to have ommited the fact of life elsewhere, while the Bible at least implied life was only on earth, that would question my understanding of it all.
Does the bible even imply the existence of other planets?

It does not distinguish between the observed lights in the sky, other than the sun and moon. Stars and planets (like Venus) are just called 'stars'.

Quote:
Originally Posted by wolfsbane
But it, like evolution being proved, would drastically alter my understanding of the Bible. It would become an incomprehensible mess, open to any interpretation.
Something tells me it wouldn't phase you all that much.

It would certainly prevent me from commenting on most of what the Bible says. If it can mean anything, what's the point of discussing its meaning?

wolfsbane

Húrin wrote: »

Where does the Bible imply that life is only on earth? Why would there be any need for the Bible to state that life existed elsewhere if it does?

The whole story given in the Bible is of God creating our biosphere here on earth. The sun, moon and stars were created for us:
Genesis 1:14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.

God also reveals the existence of other intelligent beings - the angels and demons.

It would be an enormous ommission not to have mentioned life elsewhere - like failing to tell us there is another person in the Godhead beside Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Mickeroo

wolfsbane wrote: »

Mickeroo said:

It does not distinguish between the observed lights in the sky, other than the sun and moon. Stars and planets (like Venus) are just called 'stars'.

But when the bible, particularly the old testemant, was written man's knowledge of what the sun,stars and moon actually were was pretty limited compared to what we know now,for example the bible doesn't say that the sun is a star.......does it?

wolfsbane

Mickeroo wrote: »

But when the bible, particularly the old testemant, was written man's knowledge of what the sun,stars and moon actually were was pretty limited compared to what we know now,for example the bible doesn't say that the sun is a star.......does it?

No, it just singles the sun and moon out as the main sources of light and calls all the rest stars.

Modern man has developed his own definition of star, one that is not identical to the Biblical use. Not that the Bible is saying we shouldn't change our meaning; it is just important to remember the proper use in its context.

A Primal Nut

One problem could be that humans are supposed to be special, the only species with a soul, etc., and have control over all other animals. If we come into contact with a species more intellgent or advanced than ourselves, well then whos to say God hasn't given them a soul too. Is there a seperate heavens for both species?