# Non-intelligent extra-terrestrial life



## thbslawson (Jun 8, 2012)

Had a very interesting discussion with a pastor friend of mine last night. Pretty much all confessional Presbyterians we know would say that the Biblical creation account precludes the possibility or humanoid or intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, that man is the crown of God's creation and holds a special place. But does Scripture preclude the possibility of non-intelligent extra-terrestrial life such as microscopic organisms, animals, or insects? This led to another question as to whether the cultural mandate applies only to the earth or to all of creation.

As we talked about it we realized that there are more implications than what we thought of at first. For instance, if it _is_ Biblical to say that there is the possibility of other types of life elsewhere in the universe, and the cultural mandate _does_ extend past the boundaries of our world, then Christians should support space exploration and even probes that search for life such as is being done currently on Mars, Europa (one of Jupiter's moons) or Titan (one of Saturn's moons), in that it's part of creation and possibly contains life that we're called to subdue. 

I'd be interested to hear other thoughts here. I'm not completely sure what I think at this point.


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## Miss Marple (Jun 8, 2012)

I've always thought that "creation" included biologically alive life forms as well as minerals and etc.; so I don't think it's wrong to accept that idea that mold or dust mites or whatever might be on some other planet. But nothing with a soul.


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## ProtestantBankie (Jun 8, 2012)

All I know for a certainty was that He took not on Himself the form on angels or any other life - but the form of a man. 

There may be fields of green on other planets.
Maybe even creatures of some size and use.
But no soul, and nothing in the covenant. ANd nothing redeemed.


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## Peairtach (Jun 8, 2012)

There's plenty of unintelligent life among the chattering classes of Great Britain, so why shouldn't there be some on distant planets.

Only Man is made in God's Image.

*Thomas*


> then Christians should support space exploration and even probes that search for life such as is being done currently



Does it matter whether Christians support it or not? Some Christians will, including for other reasons than whether there is life there or not, and other Christians won't, e.g. because of cost, etc.



> in that it's part of creation and possibly contains life that we're called to subdue.



Jupiter and its Moons are part of the creation, and we're called to subdue the creation, so does that mean we must go there? Probably not. Any life forms out there have been getting on quite well without our sin-tainted subduing. "Subduing" doesn't mean that we have to try and do something with everything God has given us. Some parts of the world can be pretty well left to themselves and to God's providence.


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## Andres (Jun 8, 2012)

Peairtach said:


> Jupiter and its Moons are part of the creation, and we're called to subdue the creation, and any life forms out there have been getting on quite well without our sin-tainted subduing. "Subduing" doesn't mean that we have to try and do something with everything God has given us. Some parts of the world can be pretty well left to themselves and to God's providence.



Exactly. I'm fine leaving Antarctica the way it is.


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## JennyG (Jun 9, 2012)

It's counter-intuitive, Biblically speaking, to expect that there is life on other planets (any kind of life). Whereas the whole order of creation on Earth is described in loving detail, the rest of the Universe is thrown in like an afterthought...."he made the stars also".
And even if there were life, it wouldn't follow that we ought to be out there looking for it, as Richard and Andrew pointed out.
I'm one of those who feel it's difficult to justify probing into such questions, at such enormous cost of resources.
God *did* tell us to care for the poor right here - he *didn't* tell us to do our level best not to be limited to the planet he put us on.


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## thbslawson (Jun 9, 2012)

JennyG said:


> It's counter-intuitive, Biblically speaking, to expect that there is life on other planets (any kind of life). Whereas the whole order of creation on Earth is described in loving detail, the rest of the Universe is thrown in like an afterthought...."he made the stars also".
> And even if there were life, it wouldn't follow that we ought to be out there looking for it, as Richard and Andrew pointed out.
> I'm one of those who feel it's difficult to justify probing into such questions, at such enormous cost of resources.
> God *did* tell us to care for the poor right here - he *didn't* tell us to do our level best not to be limited to the planet he put us on.



I'm not sure if I would consider the brevity by which the stars are mentioned in the creation account to be an indicator that they should be an afterthought to us. On the contrary they are mentioned in Scripture elsewhere in rather significant ways, namely in reference to the number of Abraham's descendants (Genesis 15, 22, 26, etc.) , the "Glory of God" (Psalm 19), the wonder of God (Psalm 8), and many other examples. 

I see where you're coming from but at the same time our perspective can often times be clouded by the scope of our knowledge. At one point in time people thought the world was flat and therefore considered it pointless if not dangerous to sail too far on the seas. One could have even argued that Queen Isabella's funding of Columbus' voyage was a waste. Surely she could have used those resources to help the poor. I have no problem with using resources to explore God's creation either on this world or another. It is the handiwork of God and displays his majesty, therefore I believe it is valuable to explore it. Even it it's atheistic scientists doing the exploration, the elect still reap the benefits. There may yet be some purpose for man in the plan of God out there among the celestial creation.


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## ProtestantBankie (Jun 9, 2012)

While the creation account of the earth is more detailed, one cannot escape the fact that God knows every single star and has a level of care for it (Psalm 147:4) and indeed, the "earth" is not the place where our resources are when we consider the external input from the sun which causes so much to happen. Recent ideas of mining asteroids or planets for resources are not works of fiction but are being seriously considered by valid business ventures.


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## JennyG (Jun 9, 2012)

thbslawson said:


> I'm not sure if I would consider the brevity by which the stars are mentioned in the creation account to be an indicator that they should be an afterthought to us. On the contrary they are mentioned in Scripture elsewhere in rather significant ways, namely in reference to the number of Abraham's descendants (Genesis 15, 22, 26, etc.) , the "Glory of God" (Psalm 19), the wonder of God (Psalm 8), and many other examples.


ok - it was just my thought, and I certainly wouldn't want to push it too far. You could well be right. Though now I come to think of it, the stars being significant with reference to Abraham's descendants does rather reinforce the idea that they are *not* significant, except in their relation to us!


thbslawson said:


> At one point in time people thought the world was flat and therefore considered it pointless if not dangerous to sail too far on the seas.


I don't think that really was ever believed - I think it's a myth, and kept up mainly for its usefulness as a _reductio ad absurdum_ in argument


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