I personally have not witnessed any evidence to prove there is life on other planets. I do think life on other planets is not only possible but probable.
I agree that life on other planets is probable. If life is found on other planets, would you believe that it was directly created by God or would you be any more willing to accept a purely naturalistic origin?
It all depends on you definition of "directly created by God" and "purely naturalistic origin." I don't know that it has to be either one or the other. Similar to how I believe it is likely that God created everything using evolution. (There is no way for me to know for sure so I try not to use absolutes).
I realized that I overly polarized the options in my presenting "direct creation" versus "purely naturalist origins." Being that you have accommodating evolution into your theism, let me ask you a different question. How do you think other Christians would deal with life on other planets? I am not not referring to intelligent life as we define it.
I don't like to put people groups into a box nor do I think I know what anyone elses thoughts are. That said I would speculate reactions would range from claims of the proof of life being fabricated to God created life on other planets. Haven't they found evidence of single cell organisms on the polar caps of Mars already?
Zee: I believe I read that astronomers were studying methane in Mars' atmosphere and said that the amount of methane was consistent with what they'd expect from organic life... presumably microbes living under the soil. But we'll probably have to wait until our next visit to Mars before that hypothesis can be confirmed. As you say, some will probably say the evidence was fabricated, and some will say it's part of God's creation.
Scrip: In answer to the question, even if we allowed the most infinitesimal odds, say a trillion to one, for extra-terrestrial life (let alone intelligence), the universe is so mind-numbingly large that such odds would translate into large numbers of civilizations. But I don't think that they're existence would settle any debates regarding the existence of God.
I agree that the chances of there being life on another planet is high relative to the size of the cosmos. I am not sure, though, as to what the meaning of such life has relative to religion. Tomorrow's Sound Off will crack open that question.
I personally have not witnessed any evidence to prove there is life on other planets. I do think life on other planets is not only possible but probable.
ReplyDeleteHello Zee,
ReplyDeleteI agree that life on other planets is probable. If life is found on other planets, would you believe that it was directly created by God or would you be any more willing to accept a purely naturalistic origin?
It all depends on you definition of "directly created by God" and "purely naturalistic origin." I don't know that it has to be either one or the other. Similar to how I believe it is likely that God created everything using evolution. (There is no way for me to know for sure so I try not to use absolutes).
ReplyDeleteHey Zee,
ReplyDeleteI realized that I overly polarized the options in my presenting "direct creation" versus "purely naturalist origins." Being that you have accommodating evolution into your theism, let me ask you a different question. How do you think other Christians would deal with life on other planets? I am not not referring to intelligent life as we define it.
I don't like to put people groups into a box nor do I think I know what anyone elses thoughts are. That said I would speculate reactions would range from claims of the proof of life being fabricated to God created life on other planets. Haven't they found evidence of single cell organisms on the polar caps of Mars already?
ReplyDeleteZee: I believe I read that astronomers were studying methane in Mars' atmosphere and said that the amount of methane was consistent with what they'd expect from organic life... presumably microbes living under the soil. But we'll probably have to wait until our next visit to Mars before that hypothesis can be confirmed. As you say, some will probably say the evidence was fabricated, and some will say it's part of God's creation.
ReplyDeleteScrip: In answer to the question, even if we allowed the most infinitesimal odds, say a trillion to one, for extra-terrestrial life (let alone intelligence), the universe is so mind-numbingly large that such odds would translate into large numbers of civilizations. But I don't think that they're existence would settle any debates regarding the existence of God.
~Eric
Hello Philosobot,
ReplyDeleteI agree that the chances of there being life on another planet is high relative to the size of the cosmos. I am not sure, though, as to what the meaning of such life has relative to religion. Tomorrow's Sound Off will crack open that question.