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    excon's Avatar
    excon Posts: 21,482, Reputation: 2992
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    #1

    Oct 2, 2010, 07:34 AM
    ET is out there
    Hello religious people:

    We're discovering new planets all the time. Just yesterday, they found one that is pretty darn close to Earth. Science estimates that there are BILLIONS of planets out there, so odds are, that we'll find one exactly like Earth.

    Do you BELIEVE that there are BILLIONS of planets? If so, do you think there's intelligent life on any of them? I certainly think there is. Out of BILLIONS, why would Earth be the only one with life? If you think there IS intelligent life out there, how does that sit with your religious beliefs? Does it take any adjustments?

    excon
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    joypulv Posts: 21,591, Reputation: 2941
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    #2

    Oct 2, 2010, 08:55 AM
    I chanced upon your question, but am not religious. I just wanted to say that the planet in the news recently is 20 light years away, not close by any stretch. Too bad, right? Anyway, I would hope that all people will be open to the idea that we are not the center of the universe. I wonder what the official view of the Catholic Church is, having recently apologized about the way they treated Galileo.
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    bleusong52 Posts: 239, Reputation: 46
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    #3

    Oct 2, 2010, 02:22 PM
    My religious beliefs stay the same, even if there is other life out in the universe - which is likely. Citizens or inhabitants or whatever you wish to call the residents of this Earth should not be so full of themselves as to deny that there could be other intelligent life out there. We may be surprised some day. But whatever happens, it does not impact my own religious beliefs.
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    Wondergirl Posts: 39,354, Reputation: 5431
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    #4

    Oct 2, 2010, 02:30 PM

    I grew up in a fundie church situation and was taught that God created humans as a unique life form (i.e. the only life form in the universe) and put us on this planet. I guess that was so we'd feel special and very much loved.

    I've long since tossed the notion that we are the only life form in the universe and even the only humans. If we find out there are more forms/humans out there, I want to be the head of the intergalactic picnic committee.
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    Alty Posts: 28,317, Reputation: 5972
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    #5

    Oct 2, 2010, 02:39 PM

    I'm not religious, so it wouldn't effect my beliefs, but I've long since believed that there are other intelligent creatures out there.

    Why would we be the only ones? Why would there be other planets if there's no life to sustain them?

    I've never seen a UFO, or been abducted or met a creature from a distant star, but I do believe they're out there. Maybe they're just shy. ;)

    WG, I'll bring cookies to the picnic. :)
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    shazamataz Posts: 6,642, Reputation: 1244
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    #6

    Oct 2, 2010, 05:03 PM

    Of course there is, out of all those planets what would be the odds of us being the only life? Not just intelligent life, but life in general.

    I don't think we will be seeing any alien visitors, not in our lifetime, maybe not ever, but that doesn't mean they aren't out there.
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    bahamut Posts: 64, Reputation: 6
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    #7

    Oct 2, 2010, 05:11 PM

    Im not religious in any way shape or form, just wanted to drop my two cents in

    You have to think outside the square a bit here too, what if our definition of life, does not cover beings (single cell or other) from another world, but have to agree with Shaz, I highly doubt we will ever see any in our life time
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
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    #8

    Oct 2, 2010, 06:15 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by excon View Post
    Hello religious people:

    We're discovering new planets all the time. Just yesterday, they found one that is pretty darn close to Earth. Science estimates that there are BILLIONS of planets out there, so odds are, that we'll find one exactly like Earth.

    Do you BELIEVE that there are BILLIONS of planets? If so, do you think there's intelligent life on any of them? I certainly think there is. Out of BILLIONS, why would Earth be the only one with life? If you think there IS intelligent life out there, how does that sit with your religious beliefs? Does it take any adjustments?

    excon
    One could debate if there is intelligent life on this planet but at least the bible I use and read does not say God did not create other life on other worlds or planets when he created everything. The bible at creation is merely the history of our planet and most of the OT is merely the history of the Hewbrew nation ( even starting with Adam and following his line though Jesus) All the other nations would be lines of Adam follow the idea of creation but the bible does not address them, but follows the theme of the Hewbrew nations travels and history.
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    JoeCanada76 Posts: 6,669, Reputation: 1707
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    #9

    Oct 2, 2010, 07:36 PM

    I think it is naïve and fairly daring by religious people to think that out of billions and billions of planets that God only created life on this one planet. Why would that be?

    I believe there are tons and tons of planets out there with intelligent life out there. There is no doubt in my mind if people have a faith and belief in God. Why can they not believe the possibility of other life forms out there?

    As far as what religions or religious people believe who really cares. For some to think we are the center of the universe is very limited thinking.

    I do not consider myself religious but spiritual. Have my beliefs but that does not stop me from being open to the possibilities that are out there, which are limitless.

    As well I think that even for the religious it should not change anything at all, if life exists else where. It just means that we belong to a bigger family then just here on earth. That is all.
    cdad's Avatar
    cdad Posts: 12,700, Reputation: 1438
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    #10

    Oct 8, 2010, 06:39 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by excon View Post
    Hello religious people:

    We're discovering new planets all the time. Just yesterday, they found one that is pretty darn close to Earth. Science estimates that there are BILLIONS of planets out there, so odds are, that we'll find one exactly like Earth.

    Do you BELIEVE that there are BILLIONS of planets? If so, do you think there's intelligent life on any of them? I certainly think there is. Out of BILLIONS, why would Earth be the only one with life? If you think there IS intelligent life out there, how does that sit with your religious beliefs? Does it take any adjustments?

    excon
    Doesn't go against anything I believe. I do think others are out there. As far as how developed they are its hard to say. Look how far we could have been had science been allowed to flourish instead of suppressed. We have lost maybe more then we will ever know even at the rate we are going at now.
    paraclete's Avatar
    paraclete Posts: 2,706, Reputation: 173
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    #11

    Oct 9, 2010, 05:48 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by excon View Post
    Hello religious people:

    We're discovering new planets all the time. Just yesterday, they found one that is pretty darn close to Earth. Science estimates that there are BILLIONS of planets out there, so odds are, that we'll find one exactly like Earth.

    Do you BELIEVE that there are BILLIONS of planets? If so, do you think there's intelligent life on any of them? I certainly think there is. Out of BILLIONS, why would Earth be the only one with life? If you think there IS intelligent life out there, how does that sit with your religious beliefs? Does it take any adjustments?

    excon
    You think that planet is close, why don't we just nip over there for a Sunday afternoon drive? What makes you think there might be intelligent life there? Is it because if it were there you could then deny the need for God? What I say is if we found intelligent life it would be reason to rejoice for God did not leave us alone. Just as he didn't leave Adam alone.

    We are desperately searching for intelligent life elsewhere because we want someone to show us the way out and what did Christ say, no sign shall be given to them but the sign of Jonah. The answer isn't in the stars, because we will not reach them, but in the Word of God, in Jesus Christ.

    You want to know why we haven't found evidence of intelligent life yet, it is because it might not be there. The Universe is a dangerous place and Gamma ray bursts can wipe out all life within 1000 light years and these things happen frequently enough to do major damage throughout the Universe, so you should be thanking God that it hasn't happened here and get on with enjoying the life you have.
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    Enigma1999 Posts: 2,223, Reputation: 1077
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    #12

    Oct 9, 2010, 06:27 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by paraclete View Post
    you think that planet is close, why don't we just nip over there for a sunday afternoon drive? What makes you think there might be intelligent life there? Is it because if it were there you could then deny the need for God? What I say is if we found intelligent life it would be reason to rejoice for God did not leave us alone. Just as he didn't leave Adam alone.

    We are desperately searching for intelligent life elsewhere because we want someone to show us the way out and what did Christ say, no sign shall be given to them but the sign of Jonah. The answer isn't in the stars, because we will not reach them, but in the Word of God, in Jesus Christ.

    You want to know why we haven't found evidence of intelligent life yet, it is because it might not be there. The Universe is a dangerous place and Gamma ray bursts can wipe out all life within 1000 light years and these things happen frequently enough to do major damage throughout the Universe, so you should be thanking God that it hasn't happened here and get on with enjoying the life you have.
    So, you're saying that there might not be life out there, other than us? I just want to make sure I read this right.

    If that is what you are saying, then don't you think that is pretty closed minded to think that WE are the only ones out there/here?

    I for one believe that there is life out there. We can't be the only ones.
    paraclete's Avatar
    paraclete Posts: 2,706, Reputation: 173
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    #13

    Oct 10, 2010, 05:08 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Enigma1999 View Post
    So, you're saying that there might not be life out there, other than us? I just want to make sure I read this right.

    If that is what you are saying, then don't you think that is pretty closed minded to think that WE are the only ones out there/here?

    I for one believe that there is life out there. We can't be the only ones.
    What I am saying to you is there are a number of reasons we might not find life and that doesn't say anything about creation or whether it existed or didn't exist. Our own planet has been subject to many ELE, according to science, our near neighbour Mars is to all current observations sterile. (you might ask yourself why?). Now I was also answering a specific question in the original question, and that was whether it changed my view of God.

    What we know is we were created by God and he created the universe so he might have chosen to create life anywhere, he has no obligation to tell us about it, and from a review of the results of life on earth, that might be a really good choice.

    It will take some really spectacular breakthroughs for us to get to the far reaches of our own system, so I think expending our energies at this time in a search for ET in other systems is pure fantasy and a tremendous waste of resources when we have some big problems to solve. Perhaps we should concentrate that resource on NEO and identify the 10% we don't know about yet
    cdad's Avatar
    cdad Posts: 12,700, Reputation: 1438
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    #14

    Oct 10, 2010, 06:45 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by paraclete View Post
    What I am saying to you is there are a number of reasons we might not find life and that doesn't say anything about creation or whether it existed or didn't exist. Our own planet has been subject to many ELE, according to science, our near neighbour Mars is to all current observations sterile. (you might ask yourself why?). Now I was also answering a specific question in the original question, and that was whether it changed my view of God.

    What we know is we were created by God and he created the universe so he might have chosen to create life anywhere, he has no obligation to tell us about it, and from a review of the results of life on earth, that might be a really good choice.

    It will take some really spectacular breakthroughs for us to get to the far reaches of our own system, so I think expending our energies at this time in a search for ET in other systems is pure fantasy and a tremendous waste of resources when we have some big problems to solve. Perhaps we should concentrate that resource on NEO and identify the 10% we don't know about yet
    They have found evidence that at one time mars was alive. And it will be alive again someday as that is the next target. Since we have already been to the moon. As far as NEO is concerned getting out there and putting up a system to search for them is about the only option. But within the next 100 years I believe we will have the ability to go much faster then we can now and if we can unlock a gravity well we can go beyond the speed of light by bending space. Who would have thought we would be anywhere near where we are in 1910? Information is doubling every 2 years and going faster. At the rate its going we don't even know how to absorb it all.
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    excon Posts: 21,482, Reputation: 2992
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    #15

    Oct 10, 2010, 07:02 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by paraclete View Post
    What I am saying to you is there are a number of reasons we might not find life and that doesn't say anything about creation or whether it existed or didn't exist.
    Hello again, clete:

    There's only one reason why we should, and that's the numbers... In our own galaxy there are over a billion stars... There are over a billion other galaxy's out there... Even if there's only ONE inhabitable planet in each galaxy, that's quite a few planets... QUITE a few.

    That's not to say they have life, or that we'll go there, or that we'll even know about them. But, they're there, or were there, or will be there... Of that, there's no doubt. Course, I'm not a religious man.

    excon
    paraclete's Avatar
    paraclete Posts: 2,706, Reputation: 173
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    #16

    Oct 10, 2010, 02:48 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by califdadof3 View Post
    They have found evidence that at one time mars was alive. And it will be alive again someday as that is the next target. Since we have already been to the moon. As far as NEO is concerned getting out there and putting up a system to search for them is about the only option. But within the next 100 years I believe we will have the ability to go much faster then we can now and if we can unlock a gravity well we can go beyond the speed of light by bending space. Who would have thought we would be anywhere near where we are in 1910? Information is doubling every 2 years and going faster. At the rate its going we dont even know how to absorb it all.
    Yes at one time Mars might have had a deeper atmosphere and surface water but its current condition actually makes my point. The existence of Earth is no reason to think that planets in the habitable zone are actually habitable.

    Ex's point about there being one per galazy also makes the point, if that were true then of what consequence is it to us? Gravity wells and worm holes, etc are the stuff of science fiction. We made a brilliant start to space exploration and despite the advances of the last fifty years we are no further ahead and given the problems we now face I cannot see the resource being put into developments that will make a great difference in the next 100 years and the reason actually is that there are no answers out there to the problems we face here. Space exploration will not solve our population expansion and coming food shortages, Space exploration will not provide new fuels when oil ultimately peaks. Have a look at the design of common objects about you. How much has the basic design changed in fifty years? We made a great leap forward and then we have incremental improvement waiting for the next great leap forward. More information just means more people have access to knowledge. We haven't even worked out yet what drove the first great leap forward. Perhaps it was war and we have contained that so it cannot happen without total destruction
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
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    #17

    Oct 10, 2010, 03:12 PM

    And we are somewhat narrow minded in of course what we call life and the areas that it can live. We are judging life in a context that we live, at temp and air that fits us.

    Why not life that only lives at 400 degrees and so on.
    paraclete's Avatar
    paraclete Posts: 2,706, Reputation: 173
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    #18

    Oct 10, 2010, 03:32 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by excon View Post
    Hello again, clete:

    There's only one reason why we should, and that's the numbers.... In our own galaxy there are over a billion stars... There are over a billion other galaxy's out there... Even if there's only ONE inhabitable planet in each galaxy, that's quite a few planets.... QUITE a few.

    That's not to say they have life, or that we'll go there, or that we'll even know about them. But, they're there, or were there, or will be there.... Of that, there's no doubt. Course, I'm not a religious man.

    excon
    Ex the numbers also tell us something else, what we are looking at is not the present, when we look out into the universe we are looking back in time, so those billions we see may not exist today. From a scientific point of view life only existed on earth relatively recently, so you can start reducing the possibilities by an order of magnitude. Even that is a very large number but more importantly is the distances involved. Our mind cannot actual comprehend the distances or time spans involved. If you started travelling today at the speed of light you would never reach some of those objects we see that are receding from us almost as fast as we would be travelling, so we need to ask ourselves what are we actually looking at? Possible habitable worlds, no, I don't think so. Not in most instances
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    juzzi71 Posts: 11, Reputation: 2
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    #19

    Jun 29, 2011, 04:07 PM
    Here Here This planet we call earth was here long before God came into the picture Religion was a way of controlling people to live by certain rules and order with this there is disorder. Now humans from that era were not as intelligent as man today and feared God and some religions still try to put that fear into people who follow them We are hear to Evolve not from monkeys or even early man cause if the humans of today came from them we would still be more caveman than human . You only have to look around are planet and observe the clues left behind by the other planetary beings who built them in such magnitude for our knowledge of who we are and were we come from .They kick started early humans into intelligent beings and the proof is slapping us in the face and religion has held humans back from seeing it . I am amazed at some peoples believe in god to throw quotes at you from a book that man wrote in such a I AM WRITE YOUR WRONG way.. We should have evolved from that by now ,therefore we don't even have the knowledge of the stars and planets that the ancient greats did... I find it quite sad really as so much effort was put into making sure we knew were we come from and Yes I do believe that something is returning and soon enough we will be enlightened by our advanced beings. Take A look at the pictures of the planets that they carved it's the same the world over Two suns, now look at earths history It has all ways had huge global shifts that has wiped out most life on it... I don't think that the human race is about to be wiped out I think that a large portion of us will and If we learn from the warnings we have been left the ones who understand them will know were they should be when our planet once again gos through a massive change They don't tell us it's the end of the world they tell us that we will all know the truth I can't wait personally and I know were I'm going to be when it starts DO YOU??
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    paraclete Posts: 2,706, Reputation: 173
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    #20

    Jun 29, 2011, 09:36 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by juzzi71 View Post
    I know were I'm going to be when it starts DO YOU ??????
    Yes indeed that God you distain so much has told me where I will be. I have said it before and I will say it again. We have been in contact with extraterrestrial intelligence for a long time, but we are too stupid to see it. That extraterrestrial intelligence is what we have come to call God. You can say he kick started our intelligence and our society if you like, it is just a slight twist on the story, he refers to us as dust. Science has confirmed that we are made of cosmic dust. You can say we screwed it all up, you might be right, but one day you are going to have to relate to him the way he wants you to.

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