God, Angels, and Aliens?

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I’m sure this question has been asked previously. I’m not at all a believer in aliens, but I would like to ask you guys how to intepret God…

In Genesis it states: 'And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: …]. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Uhm, I think it’s very clear that this means that we look like God and that we are like God? I mean, if this text would state only once ‘in His own image’ then you might say…oh well, that’s metaphorical or something, but in this case…I mean, really, own image,
own likeness and again own image…

Then a little further, it states “the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose” I mean if angels are spiritual beings, how come they would be physically attracted to them, take them as wifes, and have children with them…?

So, my question is, are God and the angels some spiritual beings, or are they like us (physically speaking).
 
roelblomsma said:
I’m sure this question has been asked previously. I’m not at all a believer in aliens, but I would like to ask you guys how to intepret God…

In Genesis it states: 'And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: …]. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Uhm, I think it’s very clear that this means that we look like God and that we are like God? I mean, if this text would state only once ‘in His own image’ then you might say…oh well, that’s metaphorical or something, but in this case…I mean, really, own image,
own likeness and again own image…

Then a little further, it states “the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose” I mean if angels are spiritual beings, how come they would be physically attracted to them, take them as wifes, and have children with them…?

So, my question is, are God and the angels some spiritual beings, or are they like us (physically speaking).
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Being made in the image of God means that we humans have been created with an immortal soul, with an intellect and will, and therefore the ability to know and love. This reflects God, who is infinite Spirit. Angels are pure spirit, with the ability to know and love. God does not have a body.

As to the statement in Genesis, there are many theories on what this means. The Church recognizes that the first chapters of Genesis have been written with figurative language (Catechism says this). So we must be careful not interpret this as a word-for-word theological or historical treatise.
 
roelblomsma said:
In Genesis it states: 'And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: …]. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Uhm, I think it’s very clear that this means that we look like God and that we are like God? I mean, if this text would state only once ‘in His own image’ then you might say…oh well, that’s metaphorical or something, but in this case…I mean, really, own image,
own likeness and again own image…
Click to expand...
I think the statement above is based on a misconception of who/what God is.

God is a purly spiritual being. He has no created parts, no physical attributes. God has no depth, no weight, no size, no color. God is pure spirit, eternal and immortal.

Man on the other hand has created parts - depth and hight and weight and color and size and shape. Like all created things and unlike God, you can break man into parts (but please don’t try this at home!). Man also has a spirit, which will live on after his created body ceases to function and even after his created body ceases to exist. Man’s soul is pure spirit, immortal, just like God. So it is the spirit which is created in God’s image, not the body, for God (aside from his incarnation in Jesus) does not have a body. We are like God in that our spirit can love, is immortal and has free will.

-Tim-
 
catholic1seeks said:
Being made in the image of God means that we humans have been created with an immortal soul, with an intellect and will, and therefore the ability to know and love. This reflects God, who is infinite Spirit. Angels are pure spirit, with the ability to know and love. God does not have a body.

As to the statement in Genesis, there are many theories on what this means. The Church recognizes that the first chapters of Genesis have been written with figurative language (Catechism says this). So we must be careful not interpret this as a word-for-word theological or historical treatise.
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Thanks for answering my thread. I think the part of the love, intellect, and will is interesting, though it seems to me that that part would have been included in ‘likeness’. Why would the Bible repeat ‘own image’ twice.

Furthermore, well, you might argue the metaphorical intepretation of many aspects of the Bible, but some parts are just to elaborated to be considered figurative. I mean, ‘the sons of God came down on earth and took the beautiful human daughters as wifes…’ How could you intepret this as figurative or metaphorical? Or is it some fiction?
 
FCEGM said:
Regarding the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men”, this post in a previous thread sheds some light:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=7483365&postcount=2
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Well, I read your comment, but what about:
Genesis 6:4. There were giants [nephilim] in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

I mean…really. How should I intepret this part.

And don’t tell me ‘gaints’ should be considered as ‘great man’. Golaiath (the one of David) was such a Giant and there was another king mentioned somewhere in the Bible. And the part in which some scoutes of Moises told him that they seemed like ‘grashoppers’ in their sight.
 
KShaft said:
“God, Angels, and Aliens?”

OH MY!
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Please read my comment and the parts of the Bible that I refer to. Then, if you still think I’m being silly, please tell me how I should intepret these parts.
 
You may want to consult Jewish scholarship on the “Giants”, etc. - after all, it’s their scripture 🙂

Just a personal note - I believe in ufo’s, i.e., a rare class of anomalous events in the atmosphere and in space. But anomalous does not necessarily equate to “alien spacecraft”. Nor does the abuction literature convince me.

Another thought: if the Bible speaks of alien-human interaction in pre-scientific terms, nothing changes except perhaps our view of human-alien contact. The Bible is still “the Word” and its presentation of salvation history is unaffected by an “alien presence” if such exists 🙂
 
steveb1 said:
You may want to consult Jewish scholarship on the “Giants”, etc. - after all, it’s their scripture 🙂

Just a personal note - I believe in ufo’s, i.e., a rare class of anomalous events in the atmosphere and in space. But anomalous does not necessarily equate to “alien spacecraft”. Nor does the abuction literature convince me.

Another thought: if the Bible speaks of alien-human interaction in pre-scientific terms, nothing changes except perhaps our view of human-alien contact. The Bible is still “the Word” and its presentation of salvation history is unaffected by an “alien presence” if such exists 🙂
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The thing is, if God were an alien, then the whole intepretation of the Bible changes.In that case, I think we are just decenia away from understanding ‘God’s’ technology etc…
 
roelblomsma said:
I’m sure this question has been asked previously. I’m not at all a believer in aliens, but I would like to ask you guys how to intepret God…

In Genesis it states: 'And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: …]. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Uhm, I think it’s very clear that this means that we look like God and that we are like God? I mean, if this text would state only once ‘in His own image’ then you might say…oh well, that’s metaphorical or something, but in this case…I mean, really, own image,
own likeness and again own image…

Then a little further, it states “the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose” I mean if angels are spiritual beings, how come they would be physically attracted to them, take them as wifes, and have children with them…?

So, my question is, are God and the angels some spiritual beings, or are they like us (physically speaking).
Click to expand...
For me, ‘in His own image’ is yes. intellectual beings, but could it mean more. The Trinity existed in some way in eternity. God remember became a man in Jesus Christ. He ascended body and soul into heaven. He will have a body as we will in the next life. Could this passage have anticipated the Incarnation and drew an analogy of this in Genesis?

Angels are pure spirits but could manifest themselves in the form of men if they want, I think. Not real bodies, images of bodies. Angels can also occupy a human being’s body, as in ‘possessed by the devil.’

The sons of God for me always meant men. They in turn chose wives as we do today. God here shows how man procreated according to His will.

As for the giants, well, I think one of the genesis visionaries ( Katerine Emmerich I think) ‘saw’ creation at the beginning. Everything was bigger, better and more beautiful before the Fall. After the fall and after the Flood, all things, humans, flora and fauna deteriorated in every way. Given men lived to great ages in the beginning, their first ‘21’ years of growth as now could have lasted longer leading to bigger men.

That is my simple understanding of it Roel.
 
We are created in the image and likeness of God so the Incarnation is, well…do-able. It’s an easy fit for Jesus to take on our human nature.

Angels are not the sons of God. Neanderthal/Neandertal development parallels the Biblical story. They were “watchers” if their caves above pathways is any indication. The “classical” Neandertals were short and squat. Did they mate with humans? They are very close genetically. Then the Neandertals became taller and more gracile. But they were still monstrous strong, possibly the genesis of the violence and rapine before the Flood. Noah had not polluted his “generations.” Noah didn’t mate with the near-man.

Aliens are fallen angels and every culture and every age has stories of these nasty tricksters–leprechauns are the wee “grays”–who vex humanity. They are the false miracles of the air spoken of in the Bible somewhere. Jacques Valle, the great UFO researcher, says they always lie and hurt people and also suggests they are the fallen angels.
 
nordskoven said:
We are created in the image and likeness of God so the Incarnation is, well…do-able. It’s an easy fit for Jesus to take on our human nature.

Angels are not the sons of God. Neanderthal/Neandertal development parallels the Biblical story. They were “watchers” if their caves above pathways is any indication. The “classical” Neandertals were short and squat. Did they mate with humans? They are very close genetically. Then the Neandertals became taller and more gracile. But they were still monstrous strong, possibly the genesis of the violence and rapine before the Flood. Noah had not polluted his “generations.” Noah didn’t mate with the near-man.

Aliens are fallen angels and every culture and every age has stories of these nasty tricksters–leprechauns are the wee “grays”–who vex humanity. They are the false miracles of the air spoken of in the Bible somewhere. Jacques Valle, the great UFO researcher, says they always lie and hurt people and also suggests they are the fallen angels.
Click to expand...
Well, I’m not really convinced about the Neanderthal theory. :o
 
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