So what if there are other inteligent beings on other planets. What does that change?

[MindOverMatter2]

So what if there are other intelligent beings on other planets or in parallel universes. What does that change?

 

[GaryTaylor]

I’m sure you as I have pondered this many times. I fail to see how it changes anything.

For that matter, were pretty certain from the Bible there are other Supernatural being’s also. Still doesn’t change Christs instruction. The four words still remain, I believe in GOD.

God Bless you and yours my Brother.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

I’m sure you as I have pondered this many times. I fail to see how it changes anything.

For that matter, were pretty certain from the Bible there are other Supernatural being’s also. Still doesn’t change Christs instruction. The four words still remain, I believe in GOD.

God Bless you and yours my Brother.

It really changes nothing---------------there is still a God.

 

[danserr]

So what if there are other intelligent beings on other planets or in parallel universes. What does that change?

C.S Lewis has a short essay on this “Religion and Rocketry” in his book “the world’s last night and other essays.” I can’t put my hands on it at the moment, so I am working from memory, but he says something like this.

It is not a problem. It only becomes a problem if we find that the following are true:

1). Sentient life elsewhere exists (bacteria are irrelevant).
2). They are a fallen species
3). Their redemption must be in the same manner as ours
4). redemption in this manner has been denied them.

Since it is hard to imagine all the above being true, we really have no cause for concern. He includes somewhere a quotation from St Augustine who wondered about the existence of satyrs, fauns, and other such creatures and what the implications of their existence would be for Christianity. He thought about it and decided we can wait to worry about it till we find out they exist. Some of the same principle is at play here.

 

[marchoi]

It really changes nothing---------------there is still a God.

Ss. Thomas Aquinas and Augustine would beg to differ… For Thomas, our rationality represents the “image of God”; quoting Augustine, he writes: “‘Man’s excellence consists in the fact that God made him to His own image by giving him an intellectual soul, which raises him above the beasts of the field.’ Therefore things without intellect are not made to God’s image.” (ST I, 93.2).

If there were to be rational/intelligent creatures aside from man, then they must also be made in the image of God… then why does Jesus come as man? Are these rational creatures too included in the plan of salvation? Are they too called to communion with God?

Yes, there is still a God, but there would certainly be interesting ramifications for our understanding of the purpose and end of man…

 

[mcs7474]

C.S Lewis has a short essay on this “Religion and Rocketry” in his book “the world’s last night and other essays.” I can’t put my hands on it at the moment, so I am working from memory, but he says something like this.

It is not a problem. It only becomes a problem if we find that the following are true:

1). Sentient life elsewhere exists (bacteria are irrelevant).
2). They are a fallen species
3). Their redemption must be in the same manner as ours
4). redemption in this manner has been denied them.

Since it is hard to imagine all the above being true, we really have no cause for concern. He includes somewhere a quotation from St Augustine who wondered about the existence of satyrs, fauns, and other such creatures and what the implications of their existence would be for Christianity. He thought about it and decided we can wait to worry about it till we find out they exist. Some of the same principle is at play here.

If there were other intelligent lifeforms out there and they are fallen, then they would need a Christ figure for their species right? This would mean that there are many differant Christ like figures in the universe and in Heaven…

How would any of that work? God the Father, 1000’s of Son’s that are 100% God and 100% whatever species they are, and the Holy Spirit… Sounds a bit strange to me.

 

[AndrewA]

If there were other intelligent lifeforms out there and they are fallen, then they would need a Christ figure for their species right? This would mean that there are many differant Christ like figures in the universe and in Heaven…

How would any of that work? God the Father, 1000’s of Son’s that are 100% God and 100% whatever species they are, and the Holy Spirit… Sounds a bit strange to me.

Or God could redeem them another way.
More interesting is if they are not fallen. Beings who did what we where unable to do. :grouphug: <<<

 

[MindOverMatter2]

Ss. Thomas Aquinas and Augustine would beg to differ… For Thomas, our rationality represents the “image of God”; quoting Augustine, he writes: “‘Man’s excellence consists in the fact that God made him to His own image by giving him an intellectual soul, which raises him above the beasts of the field.’ Therefore things without intellect are not made to God’s image.” (ST I, 93.2).

If there were to be rational/intelligent creatures aside from man, then they must also be made in the image of God… then why does Jesus come as man? Are these rational creatures too included in the plan of salvation? Are they too called to communion with God?

Yes, there is still a God, but there would certainly be interesting ramifications for our understanding of the purpose and end of man…

Why couldn’t there be several Jesus events? Or why couldn’t there be one event which includes the entire universe?

Also, what if we found out that the Grays were real, and that they were really abducting people and doing experiments on them? Would that bother your faith?

 

[MindOverMatter2]

Or God could redeem them another way.
More interesting is if they are not fallen. Beings who did what we where unable to do. :grouphug: <<<

What if the Gray aliens are real, and they are abducting people?

Worser still, what if they came to earth with a different gospel, and they had their own infallible Pope?

 

[MindOverMatter2]

C.S Lewis has a short essay on this “Religion and Rocketry” in his book “the world’s last night and other essays.” I can’t put my hands on it at the moment, so I am working from memory, but he says something like this.

It is not a problem. It only becomes a problem if we find that the following are true:

1). Sentient life elsewhere exists (bacteria are irrelevant).
2). They are a fallen species
3). Their redemption must be in the same manner as ours
4). redemption in this manner has been denied them.

Since it is hard to imagine all the above being true, we really have no cause for concern. He includes somewhere a quotation from St Augustine who wondered about the existence of satyrs, fauns, and other such creatures and what the implications of their existence would be for Christianity. He thought about it and decided we can wait to worry about it till we find out they exist. Some of the same principle is at play here.

I don’t buy that kind of thinking. If the possibility exits I think we should at least try figure out what that would mean, no?

 

[MindOverMatter2]

C.S Lewis has a short essay on this “Religion and Rocketry” in his book “the world’s last night and other essays.” I can’t put my hands on it at the moment, so I am working from memory, but he says something like this.

It is not a problem. It only becomes a problem if we find that the following are true:

1). Sentient life elsewhere exists (bacteria are irrelevant).
2). They are a fallen species
3). Their redemption must be in the same manner as ours
4). redemption in this manner has been denied them.

Since it is hard to imagine all the above being true, we really have no cause for concern. He includes somewhere a quotation from St Augustine who wondered about the existence of satyrs, fauns, and other such creatures and what the implications of their existence would be for Christianity. He thought about it and decided we can wait to worry about it till we find out they exist. Some of the same principle is at play here.

I don’t buy that kind of thinking. If the possibility exists I think we should at least try figure out what that would mean, no?

 

[JDaniel]

So what if there are other intelligent beings on other planets or in parallel universes. What does that change?

MoM:

Well, it could mean that Holy Scripture is wrong. Or, it could mean that we are not the numero uno exigencies in the universe that God intended us to be. Or, it could mean that more than one Passion took place in this universe. Or it could mean that Christ has more than one Covenant with the creatures of the universe. Etc.

I think it’s rather important.

God bless,
jd

 

[The_Exodus]

I can see no difficulty in supposing other intelligent beings exist in the universe. In fact, Scripture tells us such beings do: angels. Some in the Church have held that there are actually more angels than humans; and the majority of the Doctors hold that there are hierarchies of angels, which make them different “races” so to speak among themselves. (Lucifer, according to St. Thomas, was a Cherubim btw).

If you ask to wonder whether or not Christ became any of these other races, I think it prudent to answer no; though it can by no means be proven beyond all doubt. Christ is now seated at the right hand of the father as a human (presumably) - indeed, he is the Son of Man. Also, it does not appear entirely impossible for the merits of Christ to be applied to other races, without him becoming those other races; though, if God willed the contrary (as in the case of the angels) he has every right to do so. Finally, we have never been given any positive information, from Scripture or from the Fathers, that any other intelligent life in the universe has fallen and been offered salvation through Christ.

 

[Pieman333272]

It depends. If they had no idea we existed, then nothing.
If, however, they revealed that they created us, THEN there would be something. I think you can figure out what.

But the all-out, full-scale Worst Case Scenario is Zecharia Sitchin is right!

(For those not familiar with pseudohistory and “Aliens in the Bible” just quickly google the name)

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

Ss. Thomas Aquinas and Augustine would beg to differ… For Thomas, our rationality represents the “image of God”; quoting Augustine, he writes: “‘Man’s excellence consists in the fact that God made him to His own image by giving him an intellectual soul, which raises him above the beasts of the field.’ Therefore things without intellect are not made to God’s image.” (ST I, 93.2).

If there were to be rational/intelligent creatures aside from man, then they must also be made in the image of God… then why does Jesus come as man? Are these rational creatures too included in the plan of salvation? Are they too called to communion with God?

Yes, there is still a God, but there would certainly be interesting ramifications for our understanding of the purpose and end of man…

Some of those questions ARE indeed relevant-------however, the idea that we are made “in the image of God” can still “survive” if one accepts the idea that God can take wathever form/image He desires—if one accepts that God’s image can be Human, but it can ALSO be an infinite number of other forms; He chose to mafiest a “Human” image in this planet.In other planets he manifests other forms. I am not presumptous enough to know to know what God’s image is or is not. He can be a Force and also a Being. So He can be whatever He wants. If that is too “accepting” or “lazy” for some people, then so be it.

Whether these Intelligent creatures are included in God’s plan to me goes without saying----if the entire Universe was created by God and everything reflects His Glory and Image, then it stands to reason that these beings (Extraterrestrials) would be part of that Plan, since WE are part of that Plan.

I would say they are included God’s plan of salvation in their OWN way—but I admit that is an opinion of mine and subject to “change.”

I just wanted to state that reducing God to a Human paradigm EXCLUSIVELY does not work for the purposes of this discussion.

God most probably has different plans and ways of salvation for those in other planets that we as Humans may find out someday if there is finally “Contact.” We and they may know the same God, but simply by another name and description. We will cross that bridge when we get to it.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

It depends. If they had no idea we existed, then nothing.
If, however, they revealed that they created us, THEN there would be something. I think you can figure out what.

But the all-out, full-scale Worst Case Scenario is Zecharia Sitchin is right!

(For those not familiar with pseudohistory and “Aliens in the Bible” just quickly google the name)

I know Zechariah Sitchin from my New Age years and have read several of his works. And I agree, it would be SOMETHING (IF) we found that out. However, let’s not “go there” on this forum, Ok?

Sitchin is a learned man and a talented writer, but His writings are WRONG and against the Faith and Church. Ironically, he claims to be a Christian.

More New Age Nonsense masquerading as “Alternate Science and History.”

 

[Pieman333272]

I know Zechariah Sitchin from my New Age years and have read several of his works. And I agree, it would be SOMETHING (IF) we found that out. However, let’s not “go there” on his forum, Ok?

Of course, I was kidding with the last one anyway. Only the first two were the real questions (and, possibly, problems).

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

What if the Gray aliens are real, and they are abducting people?

Worser still, what if they came to earth with a different gospel, and they had their own infallible Pope?

That would be something that would shake A LOT of people’s faiths, I would think. God’s will be done though. We will find out when we find out. Maybe it is part of God’s plans—who knows? Maybe Not. Maybe these “Grays” are Devil-Inspired.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

Of course, I was kidding with the last one anyway. Only the first two were the real questions (and, possibly, problems).

 

[Tenofovir]

So what if there are other intelligent beings on other planets or in parallel universes. What does that change?

It doesn’t change anything unless we assume that God revealed everything there is to us.