One thing I never quite understood about Christianity.. (can some Christians explain this... their views, etc)

Question

In regards to the vastness of the universe and the incredibly high probability of there being countless other life-harboring planets in existence... how can one say that "the Son" of a/the GOD came down to our lonely little sphere in order to preach to US. Furthermore, how can we assume that we are so special and presume that we should be favored over any other equally intelligent sentient lifeforms?

In my view, you can resolve this in two ways, the first being the admittance that Jesus was not the direct creation of an omni-creator... thus rejecting any sort of divine aspect of him. You can also counter the anti-divinity by presenting abbelarch's (sp?) fully-human fully-divine teach us how to live argument... but the you must accept the Godlike nature of other spiritually enlightened persons/beings.



Am I missing something here? What causes us to honestly think we are so special?

1) The number of galaxies. An estimated 50 billion galaxies are visible with modern telescopes and the total number in the universe must surely exceed this number by a huge factor, but we will be conservative and simply double it. That's 100,000,000,000 galaxies in the universe.

2) The number of stars in an average galaxy. As many as hundreds of billions in each galaxy.

Lets call it just 100 billion.

That's 100,000,000,000 stars per galaxy.

3)The number of stars in the universe.

So the total number of stars in the universe is roughly 100 billion x 100 billion.

That's 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars, 10 thousand, billion, billion. Properly known as 10 sextillion. And that's a very conservative estimate.

4) The number of stars that have planetary systems. The original extra-solar system planet hunting technology dictated that a star needed to be to close to us for a planet to be detected, usually by the stars 'wobble'.

Better technology that allows us to measure the dimming of a stars brightness when a planet crosses its disk has now revolutionised planet hunting and new planets are being discovered at an ever increasing rate. So far (August 2003) around 100 have been discovered so we have very little data to work on for this estimate. Even so, most cosmologists believe that planetary formation around a star is quite common place. For the sake of argument let us say it's not and rate it at only one in a million and only one planet in each system, as we want a conservative estimate, not an exaggerated one. That calculation results in:

10,000,000,000,000,000 planets in the universe. Ten million, billion, as a conservative estimate.

5) The number planets capable of supporting life. Let's assume that this is very rare among planets and rate it at only one in a million. Simple division results in:

10,000,000,000 planets in the universe capable of producing life. Ten billion!

You can say that the Christ visits other worlds but does that not downplay his significance? If he suffers and dies on the cross ten-billion times does that not make a single effort all but meaningless? Is it not Dogma that Jesus took the sins of the world unto himself in suffering?

If you choose to look at the biblical Christ as multiple does that not mean that there is no longer a single son of God? And if that be true, cannot anyone preaching love and peace be considered Divine by Christian standards?

Answer 1

By statistical standards, the probability of life existing at all, based upon our knowledge of the universe, is a number well beyond what is generally considered statistically impossible.

I would be interested in seeing the statistical studies to which you refer, becasue they would have to be recent and invovle a radically different understanding of the size of our universe and the length of time that it has existed.

Christianity is not about the things you mention here anyway, It is about love. Loving God and loving our neighbors, and loving one-another.

You might like to read the 14th and 15th chapters of Romans to understand that these kinds of speculations are not worth arguning about.

There are lots of hypotheses or guesses, but face it, no one knows.

Answer 2

You have given a pretty solid reason for not believing that Jesus was the son of God and sent to save mankind.

When the bible was written people thought that the earth was flat and a few hundred miles across, that the sky was just out of reach and that heaven was above it. The church resisted the findings of astronomy tooth and nail because they demoted the central place of man in the universe.

Answer 3

I think God believes we are special to Him. I do not assume there are no other sentient beings on other planets. Perhaps they have their own God, or the same God created them and things have been different there.
The bible speaks of what has happened here on our planet, not on others, but I don't believe it says anywhere that there are no other planets with intelligent beings.
I do not see how it would make a difference if there were or were not, in that why would it change my faith?

Answer 4

John 10: 16
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Who does Christ refer to in this verse? After he was resurrected, Mormon's believe he visited the American continent and taught the native people there.

Science tells us it is HIGHLY likely that there is other life in this universe.

Where is Christ today? If he truly were resurrected, he has a body and must be somewhere. Where?

No one knows the answer to that question, but is he fulfilling promises to other worlds?

I don't know, but I for one don't think we are that special and believe that there are countless other worlds. That simply strengthens my belief in our Father in Heaven and his son Jesus Christ.

Answer 5

actually a couple things. first there is no proof that life exist any were else. they think but they have not found any. and places they thought there was life because there being water or what not they have not found any either. second even if there were any the Bible does not say we are Gods only creation. also noted the Bible says God manifested himself in the flesh and came to earth.

Answer 6

Perhaps it was needed cause WE are the only ones in need of a visit by Jesus?

The bible doesn`t really mention much about other worlds, maybe because the bible is an instruction book for us here on earth.

It`s one of the huge list of questions i have for God.
It`s also one that i`ll need to be patient about to get answered.

Answer 7

I absolutely love your question. You're right, this universe is immensely vast, making us beyond minuscule in size. It's vastness and our smallness does not suggest God is anything but vast. From my Christian perspective, what I understand when i look at the enormity of our universe is a God who is even bigger - able to create and maintain all that is in existence. The Bible teaches us that God is love - with that much love in existence it isn't difficult to believe that God would care about us so much as to come and pay our price for sin.

Also, the Bible says that we were created in His own image. If God is love and He loves all that is good and He is good He must love Himself. If He has created us in His image (and we are a small reflection of Himself) it wouldn't be strange to suggest that He would love us (after all, He is love AND spans the galaxies - that's a lot of love.)

As for the lovely point that we are so insignificantly small, you're absolutely right. I've often found myself wondering that, as well. How could we be so special in a place this huge? Then I'm reminded of the small things God has created - flowers, tiny bugs, the microscopic organisms. All so beautifully and intricately made - all this suggests to me that this is a God who cares very deeply regardless of size.

Knowing all that, it isn't difficult at all for me to understand and believe in such love for someone even as insignificant as myself. Ultimately I know that I'm not insignificant because a great God took time to make me in His image. Also, it isn't hard for me to believe that there would be other life out there and that He would love them as entirely as He has loved us. God's too big to be concerned with sizes or amounts. There could be a billion other planets out there with higher life forms filled with beings who didn't screw up as nearly as much as I and I would still believe that God loved all of us entirely and completely. He is after all big enough to create and maintain such of a huge galaxy and is love. May I say it again? - that is a lot of love.

I hope this helps you understand it a little better from a christian perspective, or at least mine.

Answer 8

Can you physically see God? -No.

But that is no reason to not beleive in Him.

Our entire religion is based upon being brave enough to believe in things that we can't see. Just as all other religions are.
If we were so material that we believed in only things that e could see we wouldn't beleive wind existed and you wouldn't be presenting this idea of intelligent life outside earth becuase you can't see it.

Answer 9

Take your focus off us and put it on Jesus. Read the word of God, the bible. That will answer these questions alot better.

Answer 10

Jesus coming to earth to preach to US, why not? I have no idea about aliens or other life forms who knows. I do know the Lord and that's all that matters to me.