As a sometimes listener to Coast to Coast (google it if you need to), I want your thoughts. Aliens and Christianity? Are they contradictory propositions or not?
| Vatican: Alien belief doesn’t contradict faith |
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VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican’s chief astronomer says that believing in aliens does not contradict faith in God.
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The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, says that the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.
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In an interview published Tuesday by Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Funes says that such a notion “doesn’t contradict our faith” because aliens would still be God’s creatures.
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The interview was headlined “The extraterrestrial is my brother.” Funes said that ruling out the existence of aliens would be like “putting limits” on God’s creative freedom.
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I believe that Elvis is still alive.
Phil,
O Lord how manifest are Thy works! In wisdom thou hast made them all, says Psalm 104 (103 LXX). I daresay that one believing that aliens exist is not contradictory to the faith, but if one were to believe it to the point of X-files conspiratorial extent, then one has gone too far. God’s creation is both visible and invisible, which includes also the things which we cannot immediately perceive with our senses or those which are technological distinctiveness has yet be able to bring forth to our common knowledge.
Thus it is not contradictory. ONly when aliens become the object of one’s faith instead of another manifestation of the creation of God, then it becomes a problem.
Chris,
It never surprises me to find your thoughts in line with the Vatican. 🙂 But seriously, I think I agree with you on this one. However, I feel that if there are other creatures created by our heavenly father living somewhere, we will never encounter them. I believe this because I don’t think the Scriptures give us any guidance on to how we would we would deal with that encounter. No doubt, the story of the Scriptures as we have them deals only with the heavens and the earth you and I see each day, and the creatures that dwell there on and there in.
It is not inconceivable to me that God would have other creations. However, I tend to doubt it for many reasons. would these other creations possibly have remained perfect? If not, could Jesus enter into their sphere of existence and redeem them as well?
With an uncle working at NASA often on the SETI project, I have always been interested in this topic. If he ever tells me he found something, you all will be the first to know.
Phil,
You wrote: “I don’t think the Scriptures give us any guidance on to how we would we would deal with that encounter”. My question to you is: Should they? Should the Scritptures give us information on all of this?
Our God is a God who reveals Himself (and not just in Scripture, mind you) and that is why the Eastern Orthodox speak apophatically in terms of what we God not to be instead of putting Him into nice, convenient, even “logical” categories. I think you would agree that the Scriptures are to bring us to Christ, not be a science book. Granted, the Scriptures can open many doorways into those areas, but once we take the Christ focus out of the Scriptures, then we change the faith into a science. And if we do that, then we would take all of the Scriptures that are relevatory in nature and cast them aside and use the residue as the basis. That basis would be nothing more than morality with a tincture of theism and I know we all agree that Chrisitan faith, true Christian faith is more than simply being a good person.
If aliens were to find us one day, what will you do, Phil? Will you say, “The Scriptures tell us nothing about this so let’s ignore it?” or “Glory to God for all things! In wisdom, He hast made them all?”
One more thing. If my thinking happens to agree with the Vatican, then I should not be labeled as a papist!
My point was that God would surely prepare us for such an encounter if he planned one. Unless, you want to grasp a hold of the UCC mantra, “God is still speaking” which means his current revelation to individuals overrules the understanding of God’s revelation throughout the history of the church.
My point is around this idea, if aliens show up, there is much more to ponder than their creator (that is the easy one). First and foremost would be the question of their salvation. First do they need to be saved? Are they to be regarded as animals to be subdued or those also given authority over creation? And if they are in need of salvation, is Jesus the means of their salvation?
And lastly, you were the one who told the SMNW journalists that you had catholic tendencies. 🙂
Phil,
You wrote: “And lastly, you were the one who told the SMNW journalists that you had catholic tendencies.” Phil, that was what, 14 years ago? Get over it. Besides I’m EO. My Catholic tendencies were tempered.
You honestly believe that the first thing we should do if aliens arrive is ask if they have been saved or if they need to be saved? Phil, I think you need to take a step back and really put things in God’s hands. God saves whom He wishes (I”ve said that to you many times over). That should not be our concern. Our concern is to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.
Chris,
How does God save who he wishes? Also, the last comment was a joke (u might have noticed the smiley face), so if someone needs to get over it…u make the call.
HOw does God save whom He wishes? I don’t know. Ask Him. My point is that one’s salvation (whether he be human or alien) is not for me to determine whether it is lacking or otherwise, but Christ our Saviour and Judge. Why not be content to let such things into his hands instead of speculating otherwise?
Chris,
Your comments are so far from scriptural that I will just let them stand. Your words suppose little is revealed about how God saves. That is crazy.
Oh, I love when I drag my feet on visiting the blog and then jump in after the discussions have already escalated. 🙂
I find the concept of alien life hard to believe… but not impossible to resolve with faith. I’ve questioned the same issues you brought up, Phil (Would the aliens be perfect, or would Jesus have saved them too?)
To play this out theoretically, my mind goes to the issue of “all creation” groaning, which makes me think that the fall into sin impacted not just this planet but everything God created. But then John 3:16 talks about God’s love for the world, and Acts talks about us being God’s witnesses to the ends of the earth, so it doesn’t seem like God’s salvation plan extends beyond this planet. Maybe “world” and “ends of earth” were synonymous at the time with “all of creation”… I don’t know. I do know that the church freaked out when it turned out that the earth was not the center of the universe, because it threatened their entire concept of our relationship with God and his creation, and I think the topic of aliens brings the same freak-out tendencies.
I also think that, in what God *has* chosen to reveal to us, he shows his wide range of creativity in making living things… from animals and plants and people on earth, to seraphim and cherubim with extra eyes and wings and whatever. So it wouldn’t surprise me if, in his creative genius, he spun some very cool creatures elsewhere too.
(OK, honestly, I probably *would* be surprised if I met an alien.)
And I can’t believe you actually listen to Coast to Coast. Jason HATES it since it’s always what ends the post-game Indians discussions on Cleveland talk radio.
Phil,
Your presumption to judge one’s salvation is also far from scriptural. Are you doubting that our God saves us? Why are you assuming you know whom He will save and whom He will not? How is such humility, such lack of judgment, such entrusting all things to God possibly be anti-scriptural? I look forward to how you can respond to that!
I have the opposite problem. They always preempt my CTC to air Royals game. Much rather here about aliens at the grocery store than the Royals losing another in the ninth.