How would the major religions be affected by the discovery of life on Mars?

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stinkycheese

Member
Nov 9, 2003
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I think it would be hard for Christianity to explain such an event. My understanding is that Christianity says life was created here on Earth, and nowhere else, by a higher being.

For those interested, here's an older and strongly biased article on the topic. I think it reflects some of the problems Christianity faces with the possibility of life on Mars. The writer mostly focuses on the lack of proof of life rather than the hypothetical question he claims to be addressing in the fourth paragraph.

Anyone with more knowledge of Christianity or other religions please let me know what you think.

Edit: Thanks Mod for moving it for me.
 
JC

JC

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2000
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They'd find some way to reinterpret the bible to cover it.
 
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jst0ney

Platinum Member
Feb 20, 2003
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My views of Christianity don't rule out life on Mars. Religion is a complex thing. It grows with time, technology, and comprehension. As the views of the world expand so do the thinkings of Biblical scholars. Many people see this a spin job by religions. I don't really want to get into it furter but most Christians do not believe that God only created life on Earth. They believe that Earth was the first to sin/fall. Having life go extinct is harder to explain then simply that there was life in the first place, I'll leave that one for the scholars.
 
Banana

Banana

Diamond Member
Jun 3, 2001
3,132
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Good question, Stinky!

Religionists would always be able to "explain" anything by invoking a god's omnipotence. For example, why would a beneficent god allow young children to suffer, then die? "God has a plan . . . "
rolleye.gif
 
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xizor

Platinum Member
Apr 10, 2000
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As my campus pastor says, Jesus died for our sins, if there is any other lifeforms, I'm sure he died for them too. The Bible explains how life was created on Earth, life on Mars has absolutely no change to Christianity.
 
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BatmanNate

Lifer
Jul 12, 2000
12,444
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That's an excellent question. I gave this a great deal of thought after having read C.S. Lewis's book "Out of the Silent Planet" and if you are interested in how a scholar of the Christian faith views the possibility, you might give the whole trilogy a read. It is fiction obviously, and it is not preachy. (I myself am not religious, just a big scifi fan :))

EDIT: The second book is entitled "Perelandra" and the third "That Hideous Strength."
 
PowerEngineer

PowerEngineer

Diamond Member
Oct 22, 2001
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I haven't heard Christians actually claim "nowhere else", and wouldn't expect that life in the form of simple bacteria, plants or even animals would be too difficult to accomodate. Finding other intelligent life would be a whole different problem. It'd seem to undermine the claim that man was created in the image of god, and that we are the "apple of god's eye". That said, Christian author C.S. Lewis considers the implications of intellegent life on Mars in his book "Out of the Silent Planet". (and Batman beat me to it!!!) I'm sure Christians would adapt.
 
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Flyermax2k3

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2003
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Did I hear someone call my name? :p j/k, I won't go too far off the deep-end on this one ;) My theory on all this is that it's just part of the deception of the end times spoken of in Revelation. I think mankind will be fooled into believing that life was created by Martians and that aliens will come to live among us. Of course, these aliens will in fact, be demons but who cares about small things like that? Don't remember where I was going with this one... Something about the end of the world again... Anyway... :beer: :p
 
Hayabusa Rider

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
50,879
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Originally posted by: BatmanNate
That's an excellent question. I gave this a great deal of thought after having read C.S. Lewis's book "Out of the Silent Planet" and if you are interested in how a scholar of the Christian faith views the possibility, you might give the whole trilogy a read. It is fiction obviously, and it is not preachy. (I myself am not religious, just a big scifi fan :))

EDIT: The second book is entitled "Perelandra" and the third "That Hideous Strength."
Click to expand...

Oh oh, I read them. Quite enjoyable. :D
 
Red Dawn

Red Dawn

Elite Member
Jun 4, 2001
57,530
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Originally posted by: Flyermax2k3
Did I hear someone call my name? :p j/k, I won't go too far off the deep-end on this one ;) My theory on all this is that it's just part of the deception of the end times spoken of in Revelation. I think mankind will be fooled into believing that life was created by Martians and that aliens will come to live among us. Of course, these aliens will in fact, be demons but who cares about small things like that? Don't remember where I was going with this one... Something about the end of the world again... Anyway... :beer: :p
Click to expand...
Fools like you would never be convinced by the truth!
 
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matt426malm

Golden Member
Nov 14, 2003
1,280
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Originally posted by: Flyermax2k3
Did I hear someone call my name? :p j/k, I won't go too far off the deep-end on this one ;) My theory on all this is that it's just part of the deception of the end times spoken of in Revelation. I think mankind will be fooled into believing that life was created by Martians and that aliens will come to live among us. Of course, these aliens will in fact, be demons but who cares about small things like that? Don't remember where I was going with this one... Something about the end of the world again... Anyway... :beer: :p
Click to expand...

Your online persona can not be what you actually think, got to be some sort of joke. Ha,ha. NO ONE can be serious about the stuff you talk about.

When we say life on Mars we are talking about bacteria stuff like that. No one is expecting little green men.
 
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Flyermax2k3

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2003
3,204
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Originally posted by: matt426malm


Your online persona can not be what you actually think, got to be some sort of joke. Ha,ha. NO ONE can be serious about the stuff you talk about.

When we say life on Mars we are talking about bacteria stuff like that. No one is expecting little green men.
Click to expand...

Sorry to say this is not a joke. I sure do laugh about it though :) You gotta be crazy when you know the end of the world is coming any day ;)
 
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Amorphus

Diamond Member
Mar 31, 2003
5,561
1
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If every explanation is, for you, an "excuse", then why should we bother explaining it? Cynicism to extremes bordering on thickheaded stupidity cannot be swayed by even the best of logic. Every cynical remark about Christianity can full well be explained with scriptural evidence, but of course, it is an "excuse", so it's not valid, right?

I'm tired of this unfounded blind-faith-in-infidelis Christianity-bashing. Man.
 
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stinkycheese

Member
Nov 9, 2003
143
0
76
BatmanNate - Thanks for the recommendation.

It seems like most of the familiarity here is with Christianity. I'm curious to find out if anyone knows how this question relates to other religions.
 
Vic

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,415
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Only some Fundie whackos would be upset. Some major religions have already accepted the likelihood that God created life on other planets (Catholicism for example).
God does not change. Only our imperfect human perception of Him and the universe He created does.
 
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