Judging by what happened on earth, once “intelligent” life arises it may spend several tens of thousands of years in a primitive state, but once it moves beyond the fighting-to-stay-alive stage, then progress is very rapid, especially when compared to the time life has existed on the earth. If that happens elsewhere in the universe, making first contact with them in a primitive state, or even a state about the same as we now are at, is very unlikely. It is far more likely that they would have reached our level many millennia ago.
toldailytopic: Extraterrestrials. Do you believe there is life on other planets in th
- Thread starter Nathon Detroit
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Ask Mr. Religion
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I would say no. The vastness of the universe is but a testimony to the outpouring of the power and glory of God for our sole benefit. It is not a "waste of space".
AMR
AMR
The conditions were just right for life to evolve here. That being said, it could be possible that life could have evolved on other planets and even in conditions that we would consider uninhabitable.
It cannot be denied that extraterrestrials are among us, according to this proof-positive evidence.
Thunder's Muse
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I'm open to the possibility.
Son of Jack
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Thunder's Muse
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assuranceagent
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Silent Hunter
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The universe contains absolutely NO intelligent life... anywhere.
I was a skeptic.
...past tense.lain:
So you were an uptight skeptic then.
lain:And I believe in extracurricular life forms, which means my position is flexible...as is my schedule.
The Graphite
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I highly doubt the existence of intelligent life outside of earth (and outside of the Trinity and the elect & fallen angels of course), and I certainly agree with many here that we shouldn't waste copious amounts of money searching for it, nor should we encourage people who become obsessed with this idea.
I will say, though, that I depart from many of my compatriots in my own theological circle who hold a dogmatic view that there cannot be intelligent life outside of earth. And here is my reasoning, which won't mean a lot to anyone who isn't mid-Acts dispensational and open view.
From a Mid-Acts/Open perspective, the 7-year tribulation was supposed to happen almost 2,000 years ago, however it was cut short. If that hadn't been cut short, and Christ had returned then, would the gospel as we know it ever have been delivered to the native American tribes? No. They didn't know that a whole other group of people lived beyond what they thought was the edge of the world, the limits of their perceived universe. If you'd told them there was a whole different land mass over there with multiple nations and scores of unique cultures of peoples, they would have thought you were nutty. It would have been an alien world with alien cultures, to them.
It seems to me we have the same situation today. If there were other peoples beyond the earth, how would this invalidate the Bible or the gospel, itself? I can't see how it would. If we found out there are "aliens" living out there, it certainly wouldn't harm my faith or invalidate what I know from scripture. And our Creator would hold them accountable based on what they know, just as He held native Americans accountable based on the extent of the gospel that they knew (ie. Romans 1 & 2).
I see no significant difference, but I stand to be corrected. (And I still have no belief in any likelihood of intelligent alien life, and I doubt that will change.)
I will say, though, that I depart from many of my compatriots in my own theological circle who hold a dogmatic view that there cannot be intelligent life outside of earth. And here is my reasoning, which won't mean a lot to anyone who isn't mid-Acts dispensational and open view.
From a Mid-Acts/Open perspective, the 7-year tribulation was supposed to happen almost 2,000 years ago, however it was cut short. If that hadn't been cut short, and Christ had returned then, would the gospel as we know it ever have been delivered to the native American tribes? No. They didn't know that a whole other group of people lived beyond what they thought was the edge of the world, the limits of their perceived universe. If you'd told them there was a whole different land mass over there with multiple nations and scores of unique cultures of peoples, they would have thought you were nutty. It would have been an alien world with alien cultures, to them.
It seems to me we have the same situation today. If there were other peoples beyond the earth, how would this invalidate the Bible or the gospel, itself? I can't see how it would. If we found out there are "aliens" living out there, it certainly wouldn't harm my faith or invalidate what I know from scripture. And our Creator would hold them accountable based on what they know, just as He held native Americans accountable based on the extent of the gospel that they knew (ie. Romans 1 & 2).
I see no significant difference, but I stand to be corrected. (And I still have no belief in any likelihood of intelligent alien life, and I doubt that will change.)
The Berean
Well-known member
Gee, whenever the topic of intelligent life comes up this same tired joke gets posted.
Ok. And?
Logically why does there have to?
I agree.
The Berean
Well-known member
Why is it far more likely if for most of man's history we have been in a "primitive state"? Shoot, some would argue we are still a primitive state today.
Though in fairness, they mostly live in Mississippi and can't be blamed for it.
lain:
The Berean
Well-known member
Though in fairness, they mostly live in Mississippi and can't be blamed for it.
Actually I was thinking of Hollywood. :chuckle:
No one had any conception of the size of the universe until less than a century ago. What a misguided jokester your God must be to create something so big and empty and no one before the 20th century had any idea. A miserable waste of space, just so He can say to us, “Ain’t I neat?”
The Berean
Well-known member
Are you sure about that? :think:
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