Another Earth?

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Faith1960

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I just heard on the news that scientists discovered a new planet that might be Earth-like and could be habitable. If so, does that affect our faith in any way?
 
Faith1960 said:
I just heard on the news that scientists discovered a new planet that might be Earth-like and could be habitable. If so, does that affect our faith in any way?
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Can’t think of a good scenario how this discovery affects our faith either positively or negatively. If anything, it may enhance my faith in the sense that it helps me appreciate the vastness of God’s creation.
 
Stylteralmaldo said:
Can’t think of a good scenario how this discovery affects our faith either positively or negatively. If anything, it may enhance my faith in the sense that it helps me appreciate the vastness of God’s creation.
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I just wondered if life on another planet, a planet much like ours would impact our teachings and faith negatively.
 
Faith1960 said:
I just wondered if life on another planet, a planet much like ours would impact our teachings and faith negatively.
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I wouldn’t think it would negatively impact our faith. Finding life in and of itself wouldn’t have much of an impact at all. With that said, if intelligent life were discovered on another planet, that could have an impact on our faith, but it couldn’t be negative. I think questions such as whether or not alien intelligent life forms (for example) are in need of salvation could be asked. For example, we know we, as humans, are in need of Jesus Christ in order to be saved due to our fallen nature. However, who’s to say that other intelligent beings are fallen in nature and thus in need of salvation. These are questions that could arise, but really wouldn’t impact in the least negatively the truth of our Catholic faith.
 
Stylteralmaldo said:
I wouldn’t think it would negatively impact our faith. Finding life in and of itself wouldn’t have much of an impact at all. With that said, if intelligent life were discovered on another planet, that could have an impact on our faith, but it couldn’t be negative. I think questions such as whether or not alien intelligent life forms (for example) are in need of salvation could be asked. For example, we know we, as humans, are in need of Jesus Christ in order to be saved due to our fallen nature. However, who’s to say that other intelligent beings are fallen in nature and thus in need of salvation. These are questions that could arise, but really wouldn’t impact in the least negatively he truth of our Catholic faith.
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I found a similar question I asked a long theme ago, about ETs and you said it wouldn’t negatively impact our faith, so I guess it’s all good. 🙂

What do you mean that if intelligent life were discovered on another planet, it could impact our faith but it couldn’t be negative? Could you explain further?

Anyone else want to chime in?
 
Out of 700 Quintillion Other Planets, Earth Might Be Totally Unique

Kelly Dickerson February 23, 2016

A new model of the universe suggests there could be as many as 700 quintillion other planets out there, and Earth doesn’t look like any of them.

This is huge news because it runs contrary to everything we know about our place in the universe.

yahoo.com/news/700-quintillion-other-planets-earth-220300041.html
 
MugenOne said:
Out of 700 Quintillion Other Planets, Earth Might Be Totally Unique

Kelly Dickerson February 23, 2016

A new model of the universe suggests there could be as many as 700 quintillion other planets out there, and Earth doesn’t look like any of them.

This is huge news because it runs contrary to everything we know about our place in the universe.

yahoo.com/news/700-quintillion-other-planets-earth-220300041.html
Click to expand...
What if there’s water, life and ETs? What impact would that have on our faith?
 
Faith1960 said:
What do you mean that if intelligent life were discovered on another planet, it could impact our faith but it couldn’t be negative? Could you explain further?
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My Catholic faith would be unaffected by the discovery or lack of a discovery of intelligent alien life as my faith teaches me what I, as a human being, needs for salvation - namely, Jesus Christ. Therefore no negative impact can occur by the discovery of an intelligent species from another planet.

My faith could be impacted (although I would not characterize it as neither positive nor negative) if alien life is discovered and I’ll give an example: If an intelligent alien species is discovered, I could ponder whether those aliens could attain the beatific vision like a human being can. Perhaps I would be of the opinion that such alien species can in fact go to Heaven. This could be something I hold dear as a matter of faith. I don’t see that as something that would be positive or negative. Of course the intelligent alien species may have a differing opinion as to whether they can be saved and it may matter very much to them having an answer to that question. 😉
 
With various planets discovered, similar language keeps being used regarding them being Earth like planets… but drill down into the findings and has any planet that has been discovered have the combination of things which make life so liveable, which Earth has?
 
MugenOne said:
Out of 700 Quintillion Other Planets, Earth Might Be Totally Unique

Kelly Dickerson February 23, 2016

A new model of the universe suggests there could be as many as 700 quintillion other planets out there, and Earth doesn’t look like any of them.

This is huge news because it runs contrary to everything we know about our place in the universe.

yahoo.com/news/700-quintillion-other-planets-earth-220300041.html
Click to expand...
I do find it fascinating that the Earth is as unique as it is considering all the discoveries they have made thus far. So many things would need to line up, not only our position from the sun, the fact we have a seemingly unique moon in comparison to our planet, have protection from asteroids by the gas giants, being in a single-star solar system - also a minority among stars, etc.

Still, with all those things that have to go right in order for it to work, it could happen. Perhaps it is as likely as someone being born with my exact DNA (knowing I was not born as an identical twin). I know it’s theoretically possible, although seemingly unlikely. Maybe 1 in 700 quintillion. Who knows?
 
Stylteralmaldo said:
I wouldn’t think it would negatively impact our faith. Finding life in and of itself wouldn’t have much of an impact at all. With that said, if intelligent life were discovered on another planet, that could have an impact on our faith, but it couldn’t be negative. I think questions such as whether or not alien intelligent life forms (for example) are in need of salvation could be asked. For example, we know we, as humans, are in need of Jesus Christ in order to be saved due to our fallen nature. However, who’s to say that other intelligent beings are fallen in nature and thus in need of salvation. These are questions that could arise, but really wouldn’t impact in the least negatively the truth of our Catholic faith.
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If you watch the History channel on Fri. night…they are saying Aliens are the “gods” who created human beings.
This is very dangerous to our Faith! :eek:
 
_Abyssinia said:
but drill down into the findings and has any planet that has been discovered have the combination of things which make life so liveable, which Earth has?
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A lot of information that is floating around about the planets inferred from fluctuations in star brightness is speculative. Those that are a part of the discover do qualify that some of what they are sharing is speculative and contingent on other unknown factors. There’s not much that can actually confidently be said about these other planets.
Faith1960 said:
What if there’s water, life and ETs? What impact would that have on our faith?
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It will take a while before we can even have so much as a view of the planet. It took 9 or 10 years to get a probe to Pluto. (4.67 billion miles away). Proxima Centuri is 4.23 light years away (24.9 trillion miles). It’s not a mission that could be completed in the life times of any of us alive today or even in the life times of our children.
 
truetofaith said:
If you watch the History channel on Fri. night…they are saying Aliens are the “gods” who created human beings.
This is very dangerous to our Faith! :eek:
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Maybe as dangerous as (for example) the rise of New-agism. However, though those ideas are a threat to individuals faith, it doesn’t threaten the Christian Faith’s viability.
 
Stylteralmaldo said:
Maybe as dangerous as (for example) the rise of New-agism. However, though those ideas are a threat to individuals faith, it doesn’t threaten the Christian Faith’s viability.
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So if ETs are found, intelligent or not, it wouldn’t have a negative impact on our faith?
 
Faith1960 said:
I just heard on the news that scientists discovered a new planet that might be Earth-like and could be habitable. If so, does that affect our faith in any way?
Click to expand...
No , it changes nothing , if several Spacecrafts landed and it was full of traveling Aliens
It would still change nothing , it would only enhance our knowledge of the Universe ,
If you could see a Picture of the entire Universe , you wouldn’t even be able to find our local group of Galaxies , the Universe is so huge it’s size is difficult to comprehend ,
Sadly I Doubt humanity will ever venture that far simply because we are in rush to destroy what we already have
 
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