Re: [asa] [ASA] Life on Mars

Would the discovery of extraterrestrial life (even recognizably
intelligent life) be any different from previous theological shakeups?
That we aren't at the center of the universe ---- and that our sun
isn't even at the center, those things aren't recognized as threatening
to faith any more. But our easy and sophisticated assimilation of that
into our world view isn't an indicator of superior intellect. It is
rather an indicator of our historical distance from those major paradigm
shifts.

It is easy to imagine a couple more stages happening: the discovery of
non-terrestrial life, and then beyond that, the discovery of other
intelligent life. Both would invoke a round of 'ahas!' and 'toldyouso'
from every different side (all of whom would, of course, wax eloquent
about how great this new evidence is for what they already thought
anyway). And then a century or two after all the rumpus subsides, we
will have Christians still evangelizing and wondering why the existence
of alien life used to be such a big deal, and we would also still have
atheists happily declaring that Christianity is being refuted by
everything that comes into their field of vision.

Here is what would, to me, be the bigger surprise: what if we explore
out into the galaxy (full-fledged Star Trek style) and discover
...... exactly NOTHING. No life ---- not so much as a microbe
---- no anomalous sentient entities to zap a starship for trespassing
... NADA. That, to me would be an even bigger shakeup to the way I
think because it would be an apparent break from the inertia of
dethroning our every "we're so special" sentiment. It has never been
enough to just accept that we're special because God loves us. We keep
wanting to hearken to some physical evidence of our uniqueness, but I'm
wondering of these are mostly doomed to be overturned as some have
already dramatically been.

   To think that we could be alone in the galaxy (let alone the
universe) is a rather staggering thought rather akin to thinking
ourselves the center of it. Of course the negative proposition can
never be proved until every corner is explored (so either we do meet new
life, or we will be left wondering...) Faith goes on either way, and
scientific (evolutionary) thought will assimilate either future as
well. My how adaptable it all is!

--merv

George Murphy wrote:
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Johan Jammart" <j_jammart@yahoo.fr>
>> I just heard about this news:
>>
>> "Two dark gullies turned bright as NASA's now-lost Mars Global
>> Surveyor looked on, suggesting liquid water still flows on the Red
>> Planet "
>>
>> http://www.asa3.org:16080/weblog/jackhaas/2006/12/06/WaterflowsonMarsbeforeourver.html
>>
>>
>> Of course presence of water doesn't mean presence of extraterrestrial
>> life, but speculation usually abound with such news.
>>
>> If presence of life would be found on mars, would it shake your
>> faith? I would like to have your opinions on this! Many thanks in
>> advance!
>
> The existence of intelligent life elsewhere (which is unlikely on
> Mars!) would require some theological work but there's no reason why
> the type of life which might exist on Mars (now or in the past) should
> shake anyone's faith.
>
> My most reason "Handiwork" column for the journal _Lutheran Partners_
> deals with this issue. It can be found at
> http://www.elca.org/lutheranpartners/handiwork/past/070102.html . (I
> hope my references to my own writings don't seem too self-promoting
> but it seems more sensible to do that than to write the same things
> over & over, especially if articles are on the web.)
>
> Shalom
> George
> http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
>

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Received on Sun Jan 7 17:10:39 2007