100 Billion Planets in our Galaxy

[Wesrock]

ProdglArchitect:

Freddy:

So it’s a bit like my present to you.

No, it’s not, at all. You’re making the mistake of conflating what we’re currently capable of with what is possible. Given enough time, there is no reason we couldn’t explore the entire expanse of the universe.

Even if that is impossible, that itself can tell us something about it’s creator, namely that He is beyond full comprehension.

Yes, it’s physically impossible. And we aren’t talking about the creator. We’re talking about what you say He created and whether it serves any purpose. But you don’t know what it is, you can’t access it and it could possibly be infinite. So we have an infinite amount of something which you know nothing about.

Seems useless to me.

Sounds very self-centric.

 

[Freddy]

Freddy:

ProdglArchitect:

Freddy:

So it’s a bit like my present to you.

No, it’s not, at all. You’re making the mistake of conflating what we’re currently capable of with what is possible. Given enough time, there is no reason we couldn’t explore the entire expanse of the universe.

Even if that is impossible, that itself can tell us something about it’s creator, namely that He is beyond full comprehension.

Yes, it’s physically impossible. And we aren’t talking about the creator. We’re talking about what you say He created and whether it serves any purpose. But you don’t know what it is, you can’t access it and it could possibly be infinite. So we have an infinite amount of something which you know nothing about.

Seems useless to me.

Sounds very self-centric.

It is. I can only give my opinion. I can’t give yours. If you find the ‘unobservable (and physically unknowable and unreachable) universe’ useful then I’m at a loss as to how. But it’s your call.

 

[SunSeeker]

I took a university course in astronomy. On the last day, the teacher ended his lecture early and told us he would stick around to discuss the scientific theories behind extraterrestrial life. One of his key points that I remember well was a Star Trek joke:

“United Federation of Planets? United Federation of Plankton is probably closer to the mark.”

His point was that while life outside of Earth is not impossible, for every planet we find with life, there will likely be millions without. And for every planet we find with life that is comparable, even remotely, with us, there will likely be thousands of life-planets with nothing more than single celled organisms.

I find it hard to believe, given how many planets are in our galaxy, and how many galaxies are in the universe, that we are completely alone. I certainly would not find my faith challenged by aliens, though I’m not sure how they would fit into salvation.

Maybe they’re never Fallen? No immortal souls? I have also heard that Jesus could save others in ways other than his sacrifice here. I’ve also heard what I call the “Aslan” theory (Based on The chronicles of Narnia). It says that Jesus could have died for others on their planets in a body they would know, because while Jesus is the only Son of God, if He’s God, He could be the same person (soul) in multiple or simultaneous bodies? I don’t think this is fully sound with theology, though reminds me of the theory behind the Eucharist.

If we are the special ones, the only ones God appeared to, the ones who must spread the Good news “Universally”, well, we could be. Someone would have to be the special planet in that scenario. There’s 7 billion people on this planet (More!). Only one is Queen now. Only one is Pope. I think these people must sometimes marvel at the incredible odds that brought them to where they are. Just because we don’t seem to be anything special… Just because we aren’t anywhere spectacular in the universe… Remember the festive Octave we just celebrated. Christ did not show up in a palace. He showed up in a lowly manger in a town that was basically the middle of no where.

 

[tafan2]

I understood your point. The answer is obviously no. I was just trying to skip a step in the conversation to save time. I suppose that backfired due to your desire for satisfaction. Oh well. Let’s continue.

So your point is that the universe is a waste because we have no use for it?

 

[Dan_Defender]

The vastness of the universe, to me, points to the infinity and omnipotence of God.

 

[Freddy]

I understood your point. The answer is obviously no. I was just trying to skip a step in the conversation to save time. I suppose that backfired due to your desire for satisfaction. Oh well. Let’s continue.

So your point is that the universe is a waste because we have no use for it?

I class something that has no use as useless.

 

[tafan2]

@Freddy, I mentioned the water at the bottom of the ocean and the Antarctica ice, if that was useless. It is part opf our world, which sustains us. As does the sun. What else do we need? I am not a physicist to say for sure, but I suspect our solar system may not be able to exist on its own, within the laws of physics, without the surrounding galaxy. I suspect the Milky Way sustains us also. Taking it further, are you claiming the Milky Way would be stable without the surrounding galaxies? And would those galaxies be stable without the rest?

Are you so sure that the universe, as it exists, does not contribute to our sustenance? If it sustains us, how is it useless?

Perhaps you have better theoretical physics knowledge than I.

 

[SPBlitz]

It is very difficult to fathom that we are the only ones out there when you compare this pale blue dot (as coined by Carl Sagan) to the enormity of the Universe.

I don’t see why God couldn’t have made other life out in the universe. It’s not even that new of an idea - CS Lewis wrote a science fiction book called Out of the Silent Planet that depicted intelligent life on Mars that were equally children of God. I don’t know why many Christians believe that God made the universe for humans and only humans. Also, just because it isn’t useful to humans doesn’t mean it lacks a use. There may be many things in the universe that God is interested in that we are not.

 

[Freddy]

@Freddy, I mentioned the water at the bottom of the ocean and the Antarctica ice, if that was useless. It is part opf our world, which sustains us. As does the sun. What else do we need? I am not a physicist to say for sure, but I suspect our solar system may not be able to exist on its own, within the laws of physics, without the surrounding galaxy. I suspect the Milky Way sustains us also. Taking it further, are you claiming the Milky Way would be stable without the surrounding galaxies? And would those galaxies be stable without the rest?

Are you so sure that the universe, as it exists, does not contribute to our sustenance? If it sustains us, how is it useless?

Perhaps you have better theoretical physics knowledge than I.

There is no connection between the observable universe and that which is beyond the boundary. It literally cannot affect us in any way, by definition. The ocean water and the antarctic ice form part of the environment and that environment would change if neither existed (as we might find out to our cost if the antarctic ice keeps dissapearing). So they do contribute to our existence. As does everything on the planet. It is all interlinked. All useful.

The ‘unobservable universe’ has no use to us.

 

[Benadam]

Most of the universe is this dark stuff. Come to find that it may be what holds the remaining sensible matter in place. Then there’s quantum entanglement. That kinda connects things no matter how distant. There is so much we don’t know we can’t know whether or not the universe needs to be a large as it is for life to exist.

I think that there is so much room for intelligent rational beings in this universe that we should have detected each other. Since that hasn’t happened I say in defiance of Eric Von Daniken, We Are The First.

Correction: Andrew Tomas is the author of the book WE ARE NOT THE FIRST not Eric Von Daniken who wrote CHARIOTS OF THE GODS.

 

[Leferdion]

I share your opinion. I think it is possible there is life in other planets or galaxies, but purely an animal/plantlike unintelligent form without rational souls. Mankind was created in God’s image because of our spiritual dimension. In the whole universe, or in all of creation there are just 2 spiritual groups or categories of created beings - the angels (who in number are way more than us, and are comprised of different species as according to St. Augustine) and man. Angels do not have bodies, and are thus immaterial. They can however act on matter and I am very sure some angels, for various reasons, could be acting on other parts of this universe, other planets for example…who knows…
As far as material/animal beings with spirit like man are concerned, I think we are found only on this earth. It also testifies how much God loved us, He who is the Infinite Almighty One, to incarnate Himself into this lump of flesh inorder to redeem our race. It could also probably explain the reaction of Satan and the bad angels, who out of pride, could not get to terms with something like the Incarnation.

 

[tafan2]

You could very well be right, as I said, I am no physicist, so I do not know why the universe expanded at the rate it did (does).

 

[ProVobis]

Since that hasn’t happened I say in defiance of Eric Von Daniken, We Are The First.

And how do we know this? It would take billions of years to cover the entire universe to find out for sure.

 

[buffalo]

How many were there in the beginning?

How many cells were there in your body in the beginning?

 

[BigRon]

100 billion planets

I’m guessing at least one was accidentally counted twice.

 

[EndTimes]

There are, at the very least, around 100 billion planets in the Milky Way Galaxy. Do you ever wonder why the Earth is so important and the human race in general? I understand how amazing the human race is due to God creating us all but how could there only be one planet out of the hundreds of billions (and probably even trillions) in the entire Universe with God’s people on it? Nothing of this is church teaching but definitely falls in the philosophical category. Do you think God could have made other children out there in the vastness of space?

He may have.

However, even Atheist? Carl was understandbly extremely disappointed when with Drake, he/they sought to prove Drake’s equation at call it SETI - and came up with nothing but noise and more noise.

This question often comes up from those who present is as a Challenge to Christianity Itself.

LIFE? Not even Earth’s Abiogenesis Investigators have any actual scientific notion of how Life on Earth emerged from Non-Life - WILD THEORIES abound which do not even come close to the Answer they undoubtedly seek,

Numbers? Sounds plausible . Yet some not theorize an Infinite Number of Universes as being a response to the almost infinitesimal probability of LIFE forming via CHANCE…

Thing is. For Believers… We Know how Life came to be; yes?

_

 

[Benadam]

And how do we know this? It would take billions of years to cover the entire universe to find out for sure.

If the universe was populated in the numbers considered likely by optimists I think the technology to overcome the distances between intelligent species would only take centuries not eons. Technology advances exponentially. For another intelligence to precede us by a thousand years would be well within the odds if intellect were a product of natural processes. Plenty of time for technology to
become capable of overcoming the vastness of space. IMO

 

[EndTimes]

If the universe was populated in the numbers considered likely by optimists I think the technology to overcome the distances between intelligent species would only take centuries not eons. Technology advances exponentially. For another intelligence to precede us by a thousand years would be well within the odds if intellect were a product of natural processes. Plenty of time for technology to
become capable of overcoming the vastness of space. IMO

Several Speculations are at play here.

Including a presumption that our Lord Jesus shall not Return sooner…

 

[Benadam]

Several Speculations are at play here.

Including a presumption that our Lord Jesus shall not Return sooner…

Indeed. Which emphasizes the mootness of the point.

 

[LilyM]

tafan2:

@Freddy, I mentioned the water at the bottom of the ocean and the Antarctica ice, if that was useless. It is part opf our world, which sustains us. As does the sun. What else do we need? I am not a physicist to say for sure, but I suspect our solar system may not be able to exist on its own, within the laws of physics, without the surrounding galaxy. I suspect the Milky Way sustains us also. Taking it further, are you claiming the Milky Way would be stable without the surrounding galaxies? And would those galaxies be stable without the rest?

Are you so sure that the universe, as it exists, does not contribute to our sustenance? If it sustains us, how is it useless?

Perhaps you have better theoretical physics knowledge than I.

There is no connection between the observable universe and that which is beyond the boundary. It literally cannot affect us in any way, by definition. The ocean water and the antarctic ice form part of the environment and that environment would change if neither existed (as we might find out to our cost if the antarctic ice keeps dissapearing). So they do contribute to our existence. As does everything on the planet. It is all interlinked. All useful.

The ‘unobservable universe’ has no use to us.

Why on earth should something be useless to us just because we have not (yet) observed it?

Any why does it matter if it is useless to US? God loves and cares for all creation, from the lowloest atom.of inanimate matter upwards.

If something is useful to any part of creation in any way, you can be sure it matters to Him.