Is it OK to believe in aliens from outerspace?

[infinitelord1]

I believe in the possibility of intelligent life forms on other planets. My friend is trying to tell me that it is not ok to believe this. Any Comments?

[Melchisedec]

[quote name='infinitelord1' date='Apr 21 2005, 11:21 PM'] I believe in the possibility of intelligent life forms on other planets. My friend is trying to tell me that it is not ok to believe this. Any Comments? [/quote]
Dont think its allowed.

[Aloysius]

ooo... this was one of my very very first topics when I came on to PhatMass... the nature of aliens in the Christian worldview... ahhh the nostalgia.

I have often speculated that there may be a world out there in which there never was a fall, with a whole alien adam and eve and a whole alien garden of eden... okay so maybe that's far-fetched

the questions that arise are: does this alien race of immortal souls or are they basiclaly animals? are they self aware? seing as they are not sons of Adam, were they in need of redemption (i.e. was there a fall of their species?)? If so, did Christ have to be incarnated on every planet with life and be sacrificed (this is not my favorite idea and I definitely don't see it as real)?

Thus, the only possibilities that I personally see as viable are these:

1) They were created with immortal souls and never sinned and thus live on a perfect worldwide eden paradise in perfect unity with the Creator

2) They have mortal souls like animals, this means it's not so much intelligent life but animal life

If 1 is true, I find it likely that they are humanoid in form, the only basic difference I could see as likely is skin color. If 2 is true I have no idea what they look like, they could be big green blobs.

now, I personally don't see many other viable ways within the Christian idea. IF they ever sinned, they are in need of redemption. Jesus Christ came to Earth to undo Adam's sin, to save the sons of adam and daughters of eve...

And then there's option number 3 that I have yet to come up with which is probably the real explanation for intelligent life.

and option number 4 that there is none and that God created the universe for the sole purpose of teaching mankind how insignificant we are compared to Him and helping introduce us to the concept of infinity or at least vast sizes

I honestly don't know, but God never said he didn't create life on any other planets. who knows.

[infinitelord1]

i have often pondered the idea that these little grey men with big eyes and big heads are really humanoids further along in the process of evolution. And that the same jesus christ came to them In their same day as he did in our day (Their year of 0 A.D. might have been like 500,000 B.C. for us). They say that if we were to spend too much time in space that our muscles would deteriorate over time. If their race was forced to seek refuge from there planet for any reason, and live in space ships cuz they couldnt find an immediate habital planet, then it seems that over time they would evolve into little grey men. Grey Skin because there would be no atmosphere to capture radiation from the sun to maintain a normal skin color. Small, skinny bodies because there muscles would deteriorate from being in space too long. Big heads because of the lack of physical strength they would have to depend on their minds more (making their brains grow larger).


I have no proof of any of this other than people claiming to have encounters with aliens.

[argent_paladin]

Read CS Lewis's Planet Trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandria and That Hideous Strength". This is the best Christian treatment of the possibility of life on other planets in all of fiction.

There are two possibilities, all life in the universe came from one source. Therefore, if we find intelligent life on other planets, they would be genetically related to us. We would have a common Adam and Eve. Thus, their situation would be identical to the situation of the indigenous people of the New World. They would be fundamentally human beings and under the same revelation, saved by the same Christ, etc.

The other possibility is a separate origin. They would still, of course, have been created by God. But, of the Fall, we don't know. Therefore, we wouldn't know anything about the necessity of redemption.

I would say that they are both possibilities. There are so many variables that it is difficult to make a definite judgment.