If you could prove that life existed on other planets, would that prove that there is no God...?

Question

...or would it just show that God really is everywhere?
I watched a movie called "Contact" the other day, starring Jodie Foster.
In the movie, the character she played had entered a competition to be the first human to make contact with alien life. She lost the competition at the last minute when she admitted to the world that she did not believe in God.

Why would that matter?

I know this is technically three questions but that part of the film still baffles me.

Answer 1

I thought Contact was a brilliant film. It didn't get that many good reviews though.

To me it just showed how infinitely vast the universe is and how insignificant yet precious we are. I think it posed more questions than it gave answers. Wouldn't it be fabulous if we really made contact? It could change the whole way we think about just about everything.

Anyway in answer to your questions, I don't think it would prove or disprove God's existence. In the film they said that the representative of humanity should reflect the view ( apparently of 95 per cent of the population) that God exists. In reality I think it would be most likely that someone with scientific expertise would go and this would take precedence over faith. Absolutely as it should be in my view.

Answer 2

"God", it's questionable whether some would accept that or not.

But if such a discovery were to be made, it would most certainly discredit the bible.

Now, if advanced life were to be contacted, then yes "God" would finally be disproven beyond any reasonable doubt.

Chances are, they will have the technology to find answers that we are still searching for. Once our questions are answered, "God" will dissipate in the minds of everyone.

Great movie by the way. The guy who ended up going first lied about believing in "God" just so he could go.

Answer 3

Carl Sagan wrote "Contact", and the movie was, in my opinion, vastly inferior to the book. But since we're discussing the movie:

Jodie Foster's character discovered the signal, but was not sent because she was an atheist. That was a political decision. It was believed that the country would not want the first person to make contact with alien life to be an atheist. It was meant to illustrate the extent to which members of the scientific community can be ostracized because of their lack of belief in god(s) or the supernatural. Atheism is interpreted, by some, as too narrow-minded a mindset to be objective, which to me is a real contradiction, since science is not about faith, it is about knowledge, and by necessity it must be narrow in focus.

Answer 4

Carl Sagan wrote that story, and the part you mention was put in there to show how many Christians have worked hard to stifle true scientific efforts to seek the truth in their own way. Some Christians throughout history have burned scientific libraries, and still today do whatever they can to stop science and scientists, like Jodie Foster's character Ellie, out of the fear that science somehow is a threat to their faith and truth. In the movie, these Christians even have the ear of the President , and influence policy decisions, as they do in our political reality today. Science is not about proving, or not, the existence of God, and is no threat, except to those who fear openness and free inquiry.

Answer 5

No we have not. " Their result would not advise we are on my own — in user-friendly terms that there is not any reason to think of in any different case. "[A] Bayesian fanatic of extraterrestrial existence must be heavily inspired by skill of the speedy visual charm of existence on the early Earth yet won't be in a position of be especially confident on that foundation," the authors end. Our very own existence implies little or no approximately what share different situations existence has arisen" that should require us to discover the full universe - we will not even hit upon the photograph voltaic gadget. So there in no conclusive evidence that we are the only existence interior the universe in user-friendly terms some diagnosis that shows it is way less basic thatpn the unique Drake equation anticipated. you fairly ought to examine 7fc56270e7a7fa81a5935b72eacbe29LL the words in an editorial and then comprehend what they are saying earlier you bypass posting something as incorrect as this.

Answer 6

`Contact`, the film, showed that religious society considers all creation to be the handy-work of an invisible supernatural being, and that religious beliefs taint the pursuit of scientific discovery. Jodie Foster "believing", was of more importance than scientific endeavour or outcome. It was considered that the highly evolved `alien time machine`was from an advanced culture, and religion deemed it vital to have "one of their own" make first `Contact`, thereby claiming them for God. If "life" on other planets was poorly evolved , that would be claimed as " God`s work in progress", if they ate babies, that would be the " Devil`s work". Anything human like, would be given a Bible.

Answer 7

Hm, never saw that movie, but for me personally, I wouldnt be surprised if there were life on other planets. But I dont see how God existing makes a difference. In fact, I would think it would be easier to believe there were life on other planets if you didnt believe in God because God doesnt reveal that in the bible.

Interesting thought though.... I'll have to check out the movie now.

Answer 8

NO... Only that God is everywhere! If you have FAITH.
You did not understand that movie at all.
Hey! she did not lose... Hadden provided her the adventure.
Get the story right!!
She acknowledged "She didn't know it was so beautiful" but it was not recorded, nothing of the adventure was. Beauty = GOD?
The selection committee was steered to Faith.. by Palmer Joss who's fear of loss of Ellie,, made God the Issue.
If all your experience is bad and the only success is your hard work and frustration... God is hard to accept.
(the book says HE said 'he who helps himself.)
But since it took a "machine' to make the trip possible it was not about God,, but the contact.
You watch TV and the magic,, how will you judge a true God like miracle??
Why do pople comment,not seeing the movie?

Answer 9

I have not seen this movie however, I firmly believe that God is everywhere, yet I believe in Alliens for want of a better word also. However, this then contradicts a lot of what I have read in the bible in some shape or form, but last week I was in Capetown and saw the Comet and was lost in my own world of mystic whilst seeing the Comet, I sure believe in both though.

Answer 10

Actually, it would rattle many religions. Especially those built around the creation theory. There would be people who would deny the findings, say they were staged or something. Then there would be those would would embrace the findings and simple accept them as real. But either way, finding life on another planet, even if we just find bones or something during an exploration, would shake the foundations of many religions.