Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!uwm.edu!psuvax1!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: BINDNER@auvm.auvm.edu Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Extra-terrestrial worlds Message-ID: Date: 7 Oct 90 01:36:34 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: The American University - University Computing Center Lines: 31 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu I don't think there are any "official statements" as the matter has never been proposed as a serious possibility. I would tend to be guided by Christ's instruction to baptize even unto the ends of the earth. The earth is man's. Assuming other civilizations exist (a necessary assumption for one with knowledge of astro-physics) I would favor a hands off policy. If other civilizations (if/when found) wish to accept Christ, they should be allowed to. We should not fight any interplanetary wars for the Lord. In reference to the fall of Adam, this is allegory which points out man's sinful nature especially regarding blame (Eve made me eat the apple, God made me naked and without the knowledge of good and evil). It may or may not apply to other planets, though I feel it is probably a universal condition among intelligent beings. As far as this planet being a universal staging arena for Christ's passion I would argue (somewhat heretically) that it is more likely Christ lived and died simultaneously (though in different times) in all intelligent worlds (as God the Son He is beyond time). Finally, I would cite as an example of proper inter-world contact the story of the great flood (which is the oldest verifiable biblical event - the Ark does exist on Ararat). God commanded the flood because beings thought to be sons of God (beings from the sky) had married the daughters of man, producing the heros of old. Might these have been astronauts from another culture? Note the Lord's reaction to the interaction. I would advise the same if/when we become a space faring race. Until later, Michael