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Life Forms & Exoplanets

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  • shunyadragon
    replied
    Originally posted by Scrawly View Post
    Do you know of any Christian's who held to the same view in times of old?
    Much later some cited Lucretius, for possibly believing in this 'many worlds.' If I find these citations I will post. Independently at the time around this period, no.

    I believe much later Islamic philosophers/ theologians cited him and shared his views.
    Last edited by shunyadragon; 08-20-2014, 11:26 AM.

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  • Scrawly
    replied
    Originally posted by shunyadragon View Post
    For the first specific clear description of the possibility many solar systems and worlds check out the Roman phiilosopher Lucretius ~99BCE to ~35 BCE
    Do you know of any Christian's who held to the same view in times of old?

    Leave a comment:


  • shunyadragon
    replied
    For the first specific clear description of the possibility many solar systems and worlds check out the Roman phiilosopher Lucretius ~99BCE to ~35 BCE

    Leave a comment:


  • whag
    replied
    Originally posted by Scrawly View Post
    Yes it certainly is a challenge. At this point in time some Christian's are still holding on to the fact that "we have absolutely no evidence of life forms on other planets", so the above simply isn't an issue. Well, I think the ground they are standing on will increasingly shrink as progress is made so I would encourage them not to be smug on this matter and repeat the mistakes of history. I think it's reasonable to assume if I were to go back in time and talk with say John Calvin (a geocentrist) and tell him, "actually not only is heliocentrism true but there are trillions and trillions of stars just like our sun with planets revolving around them and many of them are earth-like planets as well!" I am quite sure he would point out that there is absolutely no evidence for such wild speculation and secular fables that are more appropriate for a godless, random, naturalistic worldview than the one derived from revelation.
    I love that these discoveries have legitimized what once would've been thought of as "crazy questions." There's lots of freedom now to believe different things in Christianity, thanks to these incredible findings (we are evolved primates, there are lots of habitable worlds in the universe, etc).

    One thing that really solved the Christian question for me was the exoplanets. If the first couple fell here, what would be the chances of the same thing happening elsewhere under similar conditions? Probably likely. Other worlds would have to match the obstacles people face on earth. If not, they are at a distinct advantage.
    Last edited by whag; 08-18-2014, 11:19 AM.

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  • Scrawly
    replied
    Originally posted by whag View Post
    Some Christians are uncomfortable with the idea of other exoplanet civilizations enduring the same dramatic unfolding that earth and its inhabitants have experienced. Such environments--if under the same stresses--would likely necessitate a similar salvation plan as supposedly occurred here, but that takes away from the uniqueness of the earthly passion play. It bakes one's noodle to posit Jesus-type manifestations occurring on exoplanets.
    Yes it certainly is a challenge. At this point in time some Christian's are still holding on to the fact that "we have absolutely no evidence of life forms on other planets", so the above simply isn't an issue. Well, I think the ground they are standing on will increasingly shrink as progress is made so I would encourage them not to be smug on this matter and repeat the mistakes of history. I think it's reasonable to assume if I were to go back in time and talk with say John Calvin (a geocentrist) and tell him, "actually not only is heliocentrism true but there are trillions and trillions of stars just like our sun with planets revolving around them and many of them are earth-like planets as well!" I am quite sure he would point out that there is absolutely no evidence for such wild speculation and secular fables that are more appropriate for a godless, random, naturalistic worldview than the one derived from revelation.
    Last edited by Scrawly; 08-18-2014, 09:40 AM.

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  • whag
    replied
    Originally posted by seanD View Post

    Isaiah 9:7 proclaims that Jesus' kingdom will forever increase. Daniel 7:27 states that all of heaven and earth will be given to the saints. Certain hints and clues such as these, though anecdotal, support the theory. I also believe that God's promise to Abraham's seed numbering the stars of the heavens wasn't just hyperbole.
    From a stock of 2 billion heaven-bound souls (the current number of Christians on the planet), 100 octillion new people, or 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 souls will come. That's probably hyperbole. If not, there will be a staggering amount of reproduction in heaven.


    Originally posted by seanD View Post
    As to your second question, I think that heaven is a physical place out there somewhere,
    You said that saints will rule their own planets. That sounds like a plurality of worlds, not just one place.

    Originally posted by seanD View Post
    but I was assuming you were speaking of random intelligent life. Nothing is random under God's creation. That wouldn't be Christianity; that would be deism. Though it's highly possible that the declaration (or manifestation) of random intelligent life may be the catalyst of the coming deception.
    Some Christians are uncomfortable with the idea of other exoplanet civilizations enduring the same dramatic unfolding that earth and its inhabitants have experienced. Such environments--if under the same stresses--would likely necessitate a similar salvation plan as supposedly occurred here, but that takes away from the uniqueness of the earthly passion play. It bakes one's noodle to posit Jesus-type manifestations occurring on exoplanets.

    Leave a comment:


  • seanD
    replied
    Possibly. Possibly in another dimension

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  • Scrawly
    replied
    So you believe that "heaven" is essentially the visible universe?

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  • seanD
    replied
    As to your first question, that would have to be filed under the long list of things that are a mystery right now. Perhaps those are universes yet to be born (Rev states that God will create a new heaven and earth as the former one passes away). Isaiah 9:7 proclaims that Jesus' kingdom will forever increase. Daniel 7:27 states that all of heaven and earth will be given to the saints. Certain hints and clues such as these, though anecdotal, support the theory. I also believe that God's promise to Abraham's seed numbering the stars of the heavens wasn't just hyperbole.

    As to your second question, I think that heaven is a physical place out there somewhere, but I was assuming you were speaking of random intelligent life. Nothing is random under God's creation. That wouldn't be Christianity; that would be deism. Though it's highly possible that the declaration (or manifestation) of random intelligent life may be the catalyst of the coming deception.

    Leave a comment:


  • Scrawly
    replied
    Originally posted by seanD View Post
    My theory is that in the "new age" to come, these planets will be inhabited (this was probably God's plan for Adam's descendants prior to the fall) and the heirs of Christ will rule over these populated planets.
    Billions of planets are uninhabitable being too far or too close to the host star. Many are also gas giants. So no life can be sustained on billions of other planets. Why do you think God created all those?

    Let me make clear though; I don't believe there is intelligent life yet. If such a discovery is asserted, it will be a deception.
    So out of all the potentially trillions of planets out there, you believe little planet earth in the backwater galaxy of the milky way is the only life-bearing planet in the cosmos?

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  • seanD
    replied
    My theory is that in the "new age" to come, these planets will be inhabited (this was probably God's plan for Adam's descendants prior to the fall) and the heirs of Christ will rule over these populated planets.

    Let me make clear though; I don't believe there is intelligent life yet. If such a discovery is asserted, it will be a deception.

    Leave a comment:


  • Scrawly
    started a topic Life Forms & Exoplanets

    Life Forms & Exoplanets

    I watched the attached video a few days ago. It got me thinking about the reality that somewhere in the cosmos something exists probably very similar to what is depicted in the video. I think with the sheer number of planets out there, not to mention potentially earth-like planets in habitable zones, it is almost certain that there are other life forms living such an existence.

    I am interested in an explanation for such phenomena from a Christian pov. Of course participation and feedback from others is equally appreciated.

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