| Author | Message | ||
| Jim02 Registered user Username: Jim02 Post Number: 1233 Registered: 5-2007 |
Part of the EGW teachings is the reference to inhabitants of other worlds. Is there Scripture either way regarding the existance of higher life forms on other worlds. We already know that Angels exist. I watched parts of a UFO documentary on History Channel. Seen some of it before. I consider most of it speculation. Much of it explainable. But there are many instances and historical records that are not easily dismissed. If anything I am extremely skeptic and usually set it aside. But how do we frame what appears to be legitimate un explained sightings or encounters. The prevailing theories aside. Are these demonic or satanic deceptions? Does this question belong on the forum? If not why not? Since SDA accept that there are other populated worlds. It seems a practical question. | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 7460 Registered: 9-2006  |
A person might assume that God has other populated worlds, however the Bible does not speak of the existence of such places. One thing science has concluded with the aid of the space telescope is that the distances between us and any possible planet with habitation is astronomically long, pardon the pun. No one has produced any tangible evidence of alien space craft, or an alien, but it seems one would have to exceed the speed of light to get from there to here. As to the question, are these demonic or satanic deceptions? The only way it would seem we could prove that is to capture one, and that is pretty hopeless. The only place in the Bible that I can think of that might indicate these are satanic deceptions is in Acts 2:19 And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: But that is weak and I mean weak and it would take a lot of assumption to interpret that with UFO sightings. I'm still waiting for a dead alien or a crashed space craft. As for as I or anybody else can tell, SDA's are all wet with their imaginations. Although ufo freaks and Adventist seem to make great bed partners. River | ||
| Wiredog Registered user Username: Wiredog Post Number: 249 Registered: 8-2010  |
Interesting that you say that. As a kid I used to be interested in UFO's, Bigfoot, the Lochness Monster, Abominable Snowman. I remember being told or allowed to believe that these are probably demons and evil spirits. Today I don't have answers and still find them intriguing. However if I think about it, how little did my childhood beliefs differ from those of the American Indians regarding Bigfoot of the Tibetans concerning the Abominable Snowman. | ||
| Skeeter Registered user Username: Skeeter Post Number: 1581 Registered: 12-2007 |
I neither believe or disbelieve in "beings" of some sort on other planets. In a way I think that since God is definitely a God who is very creative.... it is kinda hard to think that He stopped with this one little speck of a planet in His vast universe. We are very blessed that He chose this planet to come to and live as one of us and to offer Himself for us. I believe that IF there are indeed other planets out there somewhere where there are life forms of some kind,,, that THIS is the only one where sin has raised it's ugly head... and I do not believe that God would allow any of His other created beings to come into contact with this sinful world. But then... who can know the mind of God...? It is enough to know He loves us and has a purpose for us. Bigfoot, abominable snowman, loch ness monster...etc.While I very much doubt it... still I suppose it is possible. I have to remember that there are still once in a while before unknown creatures discovered in the wild and in our oceans etc. so while I don't think it is probable,, I cant say it is impossible. | ||
| Asurprise Registered user Username: Asurprise Post Number: 2040 Registered: 7-2007 |
I heard about a lady who, while she was driving somewhere, saw a UFO off to one side. She was a Christian so she was open to what the Lord would say to her and the Holy Spirit told her not to look at the UFO. She was curious though, so she looked. One thing she noticed about the UFO were moving lights going around the outside of the UFO. (I guess the outside rim of the UFO.) After that she had the hardest time reading the Bible because every time she tried to read it, she would see those lights in her vision. (She did finally get freed by the Lord from the results of the door she opened by looking at the UFO.) | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 3769 Registered: 10-2004  |
"For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited)," (Isaiah 45:18 NASB.) This seems to me to indicate that the earth is the only planet that was formed to be inhabited, unlike the heavens. Jeremy | ||
| Jim02 Registered user Username: Jim02 Post Number: 1235 Registered: 5-2007 |
The way I have always taken it was this planet is quite logically quaruntined from exposure to other unfallen worlds. That if there is a sighting or close encounter is is likely explainable, fraud or demonic. As for end time deceptions. I would say UFO or alien visitations, ghosts or what have you certainly could be used for deception. Here is a more basic question. Let's say a Alien craft actually landed and made contact with us. You can bet there would be interviews, media coverage and a circus. Now depending upon the interview and comunications, this vistor could provide off world information. Religous leaders would be faced with interpreting this new information to fit the models of their religious beliefs. What if the new information was in addition to or in in conflict with our beliefs? What do we do when we see and hear something we simply cannot frame in our view of the universe? You see, people are misdirected and pulled away from faith in Christ by any number of external concepts. Including evolution, chaos, abandonment, humanism, scientific speculations and so on. The thing about deception is it tends to be convincing, real and widely accepted. If it were possible, the very elect will be decieved. In my thinking, I do not rule out the possibility of other populated planets. God is infinite. Romans 8:38-39 New International Version (NIV) 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. | ||
| Jim02 Registered user Username: Jim02 Post Number: 1236 Registered: 5-2007 |
Hi Jeremy, I do not see anything in Isiah 45:18 that precludes life on other planets. Just the opposite. The concept, God formed this planet to be inhabited could be taken as a normative for God's creative nature. They are discovering planets circling other stars all the time. Some within the life supporting range to their Sun. Obviously this is speculation and conjecture as a topic. The real question remains, how do we as Christians maintain our faith if we should be faced with seemingly shattering information to our beliefs? Because this question is happening with or without UFO's . We live in a society with increasing tendancies to deny that God even exists. | ||
| Freedom55 Registered user Username: Freedom55 Post Number: 74 Registered: 3-2008 |
I note in 1 Cor 4:9 Paul says something to the effect that we are a spectacle to the universe, to angels and to men (NIV). Other translations use "world" instead of universe. But if we accept the NIV it would imply that more than just angels are watching us. Just another thought. | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 7467 Registered: 9-2006 |
I don't get that at all from 1Cor 4:9, I think the correct context of the word is world, or more exactly, society. It seems to indicate that both men and angels are spectators, but angels are part of Gods Kingdom in heaven. I just looked it up in three different translations and they all use the word world. River | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 7468 Registered: 9-2006 |
Of course that is just my opinion too.  | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 12872 Registered: 12-2003  |
Romans 8:20-25 is clear that God subjected all creation to decay by divine fiat. Revelation and Peter also tell us that the heavens and the earth will be destroyed, melted by fervent heat, and recreated new. There is no part of "creation" that is left out of the statement that "creation" was subjected to decay. There is further no hint (except in extra-biblical writings...eg EGW) that there are inhabitants on other planets. For an excellent, well-researched article on this subject by our own MartinC (who is an astronomer in his own right), see this in the Jan/Feb 2008 issue of Proclamation: http://www.lifeassuranceministries.org/proclamation/2008/1/martincarey.html Colleen | ||
| Jim02 Registered user Username: Jim02 Post Number: 1237 Registered: 5-2007 |
Romans 8:20-25 could be interpreted to mean "whole = all the universe, or it could mean, the earth and it's atmosphere. The Bible talks of The third Heaven. One= Atmosphere Two= Stars Three= God's Heaven. If Whole means All 100% everywhere and everything that exists, then the new city of Jerusalem would also be erased as well. Till the heavens (our atmosphere) and Earth. Still fits. But lets look at the position itself. If there is no other inhabitants (by ommision of information) then what do you do when faced with a development that contradicts that belief? What is your failsafe? What is your protocol? | ||
| Butterfly_poette Registered user Username: Butterfly_poette Post Number: 61 Registered: 5-2011 |
I would guess that other planets can have life. Yet, they don't come here and we can't contact them. I am curious to know what other planets look like and what is there. There are 1 million galaxies in the bowl of the Big Dipper alone. | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 3773 Registered: 10-2004 |
Jim, The New Jerusalem does not exist until after the heavens and earth (the physical creation/universe) passes away. Jeremy | ||
| Philharris Registered user Username: Philharris Post Number: 2566 Registered: 5-2007  |
The point I think Colleen may have been alluding to is that if there was life simular to that of human life here on earth, that life would be under the same curse as we are even thought they have never sinned. The whole universe is under the curse of sin because of Adam's sin. For another race of people to be free of the curse of sin they would have to be elsewhere than within the physical universe. Fearless Phil | ||
| Jim02 Registered user Username: Jim02 Post Number: 1239 Registered: 5-2007 |
Phil, I grant you, the question of sin being confined to one planet is debatable in if itself. Apparently, on some other planet, place or plane of existance, prior created beings (angels) existed and rebelled against God. Satan's appearance here on earth was after the fact of the 6 days of creation here on the then new earth. How long Satan and his species existed , or where is not clear. Another information ommission, yet we know the angels predate earth. Thus God's creation of life forms was in force before earth. Also, Genesis opens with, God moved upon the face of the waters and the (existing) mass of Earth was without form and void. I suspect that if there are other worlds, their Adam and Eve did not fall. But that is conjecture. If that is the case, then Earth itself was probably the first one to fall follwing the rebellion of Satan and 1/3 of the angels. Possibly then, no other worlds have been created since. Nevertheless, I can see where it gets to be a mess if we have the potential for multiple fallen worlds either past, present or future. We do not have the facts. I trust that God has these things well in hand. Jeremy, Jesus said I go and prepare a place for you. In my Father's House ............ That implies a present action commencing with Christ's ascension. None of this is salvational. Granted. God does not do things in vain. I find it hard to fathom that the billions of stars, are all just a passing thought. That earth is a speck compared to the universe. | ||
| Jim02 Registered user Username: Jim02 Post Number: 1240 Registered: 5-2007 |
My what if question has not been answered. What if there appeared something, being or information that defies your model of belief with contradictory information. What will you do with seemingly empericial evidence? What is your protocol? Why is this important? Because there will be deception and people will believe a lie. Whether it is a UFO, Teacher, Prophet, Healer, Spirit(Ghost) or what have you. | ||
| Asurprise Registered user Username: Asurprise Post Number: 2053 Registered: 7-2007 |
That's why we need to go by the Word of God only! | ||
| Mjcmcook Registered user Username: Mjcmcook Post Number: 85 Registered: 2-2011 |
~I would like to offer another site for you all to explore, what to me is an interesting topic~Perhaps some of you have heard about or read articles & books on this subject written by the Christin author~Chuck Missler? Here is the site http://www.khouse.org/topical_bible-study/nephilim/ ~mj~ | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 12877 Registered: 12-2003 |
Jim, do you know of any empirical evidence that there is some part of creation that is not bound to decay? "Creation", by definition, is everything that has been made. It never refers to our universe or to our solar system but to everything that has been made. John 1:1-3 emphasizes this fact: Through Him (the Word) all things came into being; apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. ALL creation has been bound to decay. Even the angels have sin in their race. When Scripture says all creation has been bound, it means all creation. It does not leave a loophole...nor have years of attempts to gather evidence of extra-terrestrial life ever been successful. The Very Large Array of radio-telescopes that have been scanning for signals from space have consistently failed to yield evidence of any intelligence... Similarly, when Peter and Revelation talk about the elements melting with fervent heat, and heaven and earth being destroyed and a new heaven and earth being created, this means all creation. Heaven and earth. All. My protocol is that God cannot lie, and His word cannot fail. Never has science succeeded in producing evidence that contradicts His word. His word does not tell us all the details of science, but science does not contradict His word. What Jesus said about His Father's house is meant to be understood metaphorically. God is eternal and above and beyond creation. He does not dwell in a "house". What Jesus is preparing for us is a promise, but it is not "known" or defined. That promise may refer to anything from our glorified bodies to a heavenly "dwelling". It is something that we can't define or experience until we are released from our "mortal tents" and He returns. By the way, did you read the article to which I posted a link above, Jim? Colleen | ||
| Mjcmcook Registered user Username: Mjcmcook Post Number: 89 Registered: 2-2011 |
~I suggest, that if you have the remotest interest concerning what is going on in America, you go to this site http://www.wnd.com/?pageld=334589 then click on "It's the destruction of humanity..." the page is in html and contains information, if true,that sounds eerily familiar to what may have been going on in Genesis chapter 6~ tinkering around with DNA etc...and who knows what else! ~mj~ | ||
| Jim02 Registered user Username: Jim02 Post Number: 1241 Registered: 5-2007 |
Hi Colleen, Yes , I read the article. The problem with metaphorical applications is that it becomes a subjective opinion. I took it as literal. Earth is a grain of sand compared to the universe. So we are to deduce that God created inumeral stars so that earth could exist in the midst of it all? Either way, not salavtional. My main point is , there will be many things that we did not see coming, new twists, new stunning deceptions. Asurprise hit the nail on the head. My own answer is, if they speak not according to scripture, there is no light in them. |
