Do you believe there is life on other planets?
- Thread starter Nathon Detroit
- Start date
66 books written over centuries by about 40 authors. There were many authors, but what they wrote included revelation from the one Divine author, God. He superintended the formation of His Word. The authors wrote as they were moved on by the Holy Spirit. This is not transcription. Their personalities and styles came through (human element). Inspiration= God=breathed= God ensured that what He wanted recorded was recorded accurately. We now need illumination to understand the inspired revelation.
The lone author is ultimately God Himself. He progressively revealed truth through men across cultures and centuries. The unity, accuracy, prophecy, etc. of the Bible points to Divine origins. This does not negate the use of men who were moved by the Spirit. It is infallible (original autographs) and authoritative. It has everything we need to know for abundant and eternal life. It does not include every fact of science, etc. It is His Story (God's history with man).
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Aimiel
Well-known member
If there is any life on other planets, it will be put in a drawer, when their purpose has passed.
Psalm 102 says: "Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end."
...and in Revelation, "And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places."
I just picture The Lord rolling up the heavens, putting them in a drawer, and getting out The New Heavens and The New Earth.
Psalm 102 says: "Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end."
...and in Revelation, "And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places."
I just picture The Lord rolling up the heavens, putting them in a drawer, and getting out The New Heavens and The New Earth.
Such genealogies are contradictory (like Jesus') and I'm not sure what time tables you're referring to. In any event Bishop Ussher tried this and came up with 4004 years, if I'm not mistaken. But there's no solid way to use scripture to figure out how old the earth is. And really, it doesn't matter all that much.
Evolution thinks that long time periods makes the impossible possible (something coming from nothing; non-life giving rise to life; life giving rise to morals and intelligence, etc.).
TIME + chance + matter= universe/life.
Young earth creation scientists feel the scientific evidence points to a younger universe. If this is true, evolution is impossible (humanistic explanation for origins).
Theistic evolution (God used evolution to create) is neither biblical nor scientific.
If Genesis is not accepted literally, then there is no reason to accept much of the rest of the Bible literally, including the plan of redemption. The order of creation in Genesis 1 contradicts the evolutionary model. The Hebrew use of the word 'day' in this passage is a 24 hour day, and not a long era.
Jesus affirmed the Genesis account (in beginning made man).
Apart from God or the Bible, there are strong arguments for a young universe (catastrophism vs uniformitarianism).
TIME + chance + matter= universe/life.
Young earth creation scientists feel the scientific evidence points to a younger universe. If this is true, evolution is impossible (humanistic explanation for origins).
Theistic evolution (God used evolution to create) is neither biblical nor scientific.
If Genesis is not accepted literally, then there is no reason to accept much of the rest of the Bible literally, including the plan of redemption. The order of creation in Genesis 1 contradicts the evolutionary model. The Hebrew use of the word 'day' in this passage is a 24 hour day, and not a long era.
Jesus affirmed the Genesis account (in beginning made man).
Apart from God or the Bible, there are strong arguments for a young universe (catastrophism vs uniformitarianism).
One Eyed Jack
New member
He came up with 4,004 BC as the year the Earth was created, which would put the Earth at just over 6,000 years old.
firechyld
New member
Christine:
I'm curious as to where this opinion stems from in someone like you. Do you base that viewpoint on anything specific (a text, or maybe another source...) or is it just something you accept as "common knowledge"?
Godrulz
Same question as I directed to Christine.
I'm not necessarily challenging either of you... I don't have some deep belief that the Bible was definitely NOT inspired by God.
I'm curious as to where this opinion stems from in someone like you. Do you base that viewpoint on anything specific (a text, or maybe another source...) or is it just something you accept as "common knowledge"?
Godrulz
Same question as I directed to Christine.
I'm not necessarily challenging either of you... I don't have some deep belief that the Bible was definitely NOT inspired by God.
firechyld
New member
I gave it a "maybe". Given the scope of the universe, I imagine that SOME form of life exists SOMEWHERE other than our planet.
But we don't really know. We could be the only one, or we could be one of millions. And yes, the theological implications are vast.
I don't feel that there's evidence to make a firm decision either way, from any source.
Fence sitting again, I guess. *shrug*
But we don't really know. We could be the only one, or we could be one of millions. And yes, the theological implications are vast.
I don't feel that there's evidence to make a firm decision either way, from any source.
Fence sitting again, I guess. *shrug*
Lovejoy
Active member
The population of the universe is: zero. While there appear to be populated planets, they are finite in number. There are, however, and infinite number of planets total. And, as we all know, any finite number divided by an infinite number equals a number so close to zero as to make no odds. So, anyone you happen to meet today is just a product of your deranged imagination. (with apologies to the late Douglas Adams)
Sozo
New member
The question of "life" on other planets, is rather vague. Are we talking about all life, or intelligent life? Do I know if God has angels attending another planet? No.
If you mean to say "life" as in, likness to ours... No (Unless of course thay were once here, and upon their death, God has now placed their souls there). The universe is created by God, and made at the same time that he created man here. It was created for our benefit, and at some point it will be redone for our benefit.
If you mean to say "life" as in, likness to ours... No (Unless of course thay were once here, and upon their death, God has now placed their souls there). The universe is created by God, and made at the same time that he created man here. It was created for our benefit, and at some point it will be redone for our benefit.
"If you mean to say 'life' as in, likness to ours... No."
But why not? Nothing in scripture speaks directly to this topic, so, we only have silence to work with. Man was created in God's image and is unique to the creation HERE. But, the possibility remains that mankind is not unique UNIVERSALLY.
But why not? Nothing in scripture speaks directly to this topic, so, we only have silence to work with. Man was created in God's image and is unique to the creation HERE. But, the possibility remains that mankind is not unique UNIVERSALLY.
The reason life elsewhere in the universe couldn't possibly be similar to any of Earths higher life forms is because life on Earth was formed over hundreds of millions of years of random evolution. This pattern of evolution is unique to earth and evolution on another planet would yield entirely different life forms based on whatever forces [climate, atmospheric chemistry, available food sources] caused each specie to evolve. Even if the same basic chemicals required for life were seeded throughout the universe, each planet would eventually be inhabited by 'life' entirely unique to itself.
The only place you'll find humans, elephants, or even oak trees is Earth.
Lovejoy
Active member
Even with all the biology I have been forced into taking, I can't imagine an alternative to basic nucleic acids as the foundation of life. But then, a few years ago no one believed that a protein could be a contagious disease agent (prion), and few decades before that no one believed that a piece of RNA could wander around and do the same thing (virus). Funny thing, life.
I think that archaen extremophiles might be a good place to base a possible alien life form on. They are pretty weird.
I think that archaen extremophiles might be a good place to base a possible alien life form on. They are pretty weird.