For those of you not familiar with the term, SETI stands for the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence and this program is one that lets you donate the idle processing time of your PC to the cause of science.
It set off a bit of light-hearted banter across the office and a few comments were made along the lines of "Aliens that fly thousands of light-years across space just to graffiti wheat fields can't be all that intelligent can they?" We had a laugh but I'd like to reassure any walk-ins listening in that these comments about crop circles were in no way intended to besmirch their artistic merit.
Seriously though, the question: "Could non-human intelligence possibly exist?" is one that many scientists take seriously as is obviously evidenced by the existence of this program. Upon reflection it struck me how little serious attention Christian leaders give to this question. I've come across some statistics that indicate more Aussies believe in aliens than in God - supposedly 80% of Aussies believe in the existence of aliens somewhere in space and 74% believe in God. The source wasn't one I have particular confidence in, and please email me if you have more reliable sources, but my own experience with people suggests these figures could possibly be close to the truth. So why don't we treat this question with respect?
I suspect the reason is some Christians fear it may undermine Christian theology, particularly in so far as it relates to salvation, but I don't think this need be so. Consider that the people of New Guinea were as isolated from the gospel as any alien until earlier this century. Yet Christians don’t see that as theologically problematic.
I have reasons for doubting the existence of extra-terrestrial intelligences but it is not for theological reasons. Instead it's for reasons associated with the Fermi paradox. So there is nothing in my spirituality that precludes their existence; and my disagreement is tempered by the awareness that I could be wrong and I respect the question as a valid one to ask.
More pertinent in my mind is the possibility of non-human intelligences arising on earth in the form of artificial intelligence. Again I have some doubts with Hard-AI lines of argument and suspect socialization pressures will come into play but if I'm proven wrong I can live with it. We should know within 30 years.
In short, I'm arguing here that we should treat this question seriously, even if we have differences of opinion. I have met many people who have experienced UFO encounters and alien abductions; I've even met a few Raelians; yet I suspect most people with these questions have lived pretty average lives and are just wondering … What if? … Are we alone? … Isn't there more to the universe than just us? …
Aren't these the sort of questions theology is supposed to ask?
PS. Saw the trailer for Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy yesterday. Can't wait for it to come out.
PPS. Check out these alien Jesus pics
PPPS. This isn't the serious part. I didn't draw them.
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