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Are there or can there be other beings?

LilChrist

Member
I'll try to respond to these one at a time:

LilChrist.. darlin.. now I'm in my 12th year of Catholic schooling. So I'm pretty well versed in Bible interpretation. I am hoping to God that you know that much of it, like the creation story, is not meant literally. you may want to try thinking for yourself and not just quoting the bible. I see where your coming from with the whole seek God and He'll let you know. But what if he does not want us to know? There could be things in this universe we cannot possibly imagine because our mind does not have ht capability to comprehend them. It's like trying to understand time, or how everything came to be. We mostly likely haven't found an answer because we can't understand. There could be beings that are completely unlike us in that they share no similar qualities. Made of something other than matter. Just because we can't comprehend it, and because God has yet to fill us in, doesn't mean it does not exist.

How do you know if God meant it literally or figuratively? I think for myself in what I quote and if I believe it. I don't think from what I was taught about it. I think from what I believe about it. You didn't finish my quote. Seek God and He'll let you know if you need to. God is the only thing our minds can not comprehend, except comprehending the human mind with itself. Just listen to what God says about how everything to be...after that it's quite simple. Why would God wait until we die before telling us about other beings? Does it destroy His plan if we know? It might drive fear into some peoples' hearts, but it can be dispelled by thinking of God's protection. How else can the creation story be taken? If figuratively, how? Please explain, for this is, like you say, beyond my comprehension.
 

LilChrist

Member
Here's the second:

LilChrist--

How do you know that God ever said anything that is contained in the Bible? As far I understand it, the Bible has been written gradually over time by several mortals, not one god. Meaning God may never have said anything in the Bible and the writers of the Bible may merely have claimed that He did. Yet if you believe that God exists and that the Bible was written by God because the Bible SAYS it was written by God... well, then you have a bit of a dilemna. In order for this to even possibly be true, two things must stand as undenyable fact: God must exist. The Bible must be true. If either one of these two premises is proved false (and neither, I remind you, has ever been proved true), then they automatically invalidate one another. Now, many things in the Bible have been proven to be false (such as the age of the Earth as determined by the timeline of events covered in the Bible). Many liberal Christians have made up for this by claiming that the Bible was written figuratively rather than literally. Yet even here we have a problem. If the Bible was written figuratively, then ANYTHING within it can be metaphor instead of reality. Including any accepted "truths" about God, Satan, Heaven, Hell, Jesus, and anything else contained within those pages.

So, with this in mind, I hardly find the Bible a good authority on whether or not there are other planets or other life out there. It didn't even bother to tell early Europeans that there are a whole other two continants on THIS planet filled with intellegent human beings (North and South America)... so how could it possibly be an authority on whether or not there is life on OTHER planets?

Well, this may make you think I need to be in an asylum, but I've heard His voice. Not audibly, but how else could you explain a person knowing what a persons' next sentence is going to be? Especially when it related to the subjet of Christianity. Many close friends of mine have heard His voice, and EVERY SINGLE TIME it lined up with the Bible. True, it has been written by many humans, but at one point you'll find that it says, "All scripture is written under inspiration of God," literally, God-breathed. I know you can argue that just because someone says they're telling the truth, doesn't mean they are and you're right. But, again, think about what I said, I know many people that have heard His voice, and every single time, it agreed with the Bible, never drifting outside the perimators of what the Bible said. Now, relating to God being true; there was a study performed by a professor at Cambridge University about the chances of a world coming to be without a greater being, God. His findings (to be exact, I'll copy and paste) 1;100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
(Over 2 and a half googols; studies by Dr. Penrose of Cambridge University)
These are not exaggerated, I promise. Furthermore, here's the time it would take for our ordered universe just coming to be.
100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years
(Over 7 googols; studies by Dr. Penrose of Cambridge University)
To me, that's more than staggering, but that's just me. I repeat, this is not exaggerated. It would probably look more belivable in its original form, although it comes to the same number, but I lost that document. That was my arguement about God existing. chances are more than slim of there not being a God. According to what I understand of the Bible, only small portions are meant figuratively, and those were mainly in the book of Revelation, the prophecy of what will happen. So there, we can not be too sure. With this in mind, I find the Bible pretty close to believable. For one, they did not have the complete Bible back during early Eurpoians' times. But, that still does not excuse it. However, this next point may. There is an extremely good chance that early Europians did not even have that portion of the Bible.
 

LilChrist

Member
My third:

… and the Earth is only 6000 years old and dinosaurs never existed, right?

Okay, where in the Bible does it say the Earth is only 6,000 years old?
Don't try to pin this quote on me, "the Earth, scientifically, can only be ten thousand years old...and that's being extremely fair." I can not back it up, unfortunately, since I am not exactly a top scientist, but based on the evidence, I think that statement canbe verified. Also, where in the Bible does it say dinosaurs never existed? I personally believe dinosuars existed. It's pretty hard not to, considering, in a way, many lizards are miniature dinosuars. Also, the leviathan, I believe, is a dinosaur. You can find more information about it in Job 41.
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
***MOD POST***

LilChrist: Please edit the large numbers in your last post so you're not expanding the screen or I will delete the numbers. :roll:

Thank you.
Maize
 

anders

Well-Known Member
In what field was that Cambridge guy a professor? Alchemy? Religion?

It is utterly ridiculous to use statstics in that way, especially when you don't quote his premises, so that they can be properly discussed. You could equally well try to calculate the odds against myself being me, with exactly this combination of molecules. Using the professor's methods, that number would probably be at least as big as the ones quoted - and yet, here I am.

And the Bible (or any other sacred scripture) is not a science textbook.
 

LilChrist

Member
Are you sure the Bible isn't a science book? Well, I guess it isn't, however, much of it has been proven scientifically accurate. Prof. Penrose, although I regretfully didn't read more about him, he was either a professor in arithmatic or science. Which exactly, I can't remember. The best I could do was quote his findings. When I say in their original format, I mean not written scientifically. ANd what about the one about time? If it really took that much time to evolve, its own recources would have been exhausted before the first fishy even swam the sea. Oh, and to the Catholic with about twelve years in schooling that wants me to think for myself, in all that schooling, I assume you've read Proverbs 16:25 ("There is a way that seems right to man but in the end it leads to death"[NIV]) and Proverbs 3:5 ("Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;"[NIV] and in another version [TLB] "...trust the Lord completely; don't ever trust yourself."), which, if you haven't before, and that would be an incredible shock, you have now.
 

painted wolf

Grey Muzzle
mr spinkles

the idea is that there are large areas of the atmosphere that simply behave in an odd fashon.. one explation may be that microbes living in the sulpuric acids may be metabolizing enough to change the atmosphere...
much like how plants change the atmosphere here on Earth

an article on the subject:
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992843

They are hoping to find a way to 'sample' the clouds at some point in the future... It will be fun to find out if this theory is right or not

wa:-do
 

painted wolf

Grey Muzzle
sorry for the duble post ... but runt.. you forgot Austrailia... so thats 3 contenents that the bible forgot about.

not that I mind being left out of the bible and I'm shure that the Indigenous people of Australia and S.America agree... :lol:

wa:-do
 

Runt

Well-Known Member
The Bible covered about 6000 years of history. Before Christians knew how old the earth was, they ASSUMED that the Bible covered the totatlity of human history, and thus assumed that the earth was only about 6000 years old.

As for the continents... the point IS that any reference to continents is omitted... you said that there cannot be life on other planets because the Bible does not mention it... well, then there cannot be other continents other than the ones where Biblical events transpire because no other continents are mentioned.
 

LilChrist

Member
Wouldn't God have told us in the Bible, which is God-breathed, whether there is other life(assuming the referrence here is to life simular or the same as humanity) or not on other plantes? But then, I guess other life is kind of like Santa...many believe it, many detest it, yet, even though it's ridiculous, it can't really be proven. I've seen enormous evidence against it, and little for it, and I've seen the same with other beings. Well, as a conclusion to my little comment, I say, seek God, and if you really need to know, He'll tell you.
 

Runt

Well-Known Member
LilChrist--

I have to admit, that was one of the funniest posts I've read in a while. You condemn those who believe there may be other life by saying that it is ridiculous to believe this because there is no proof... right after citing the Bible (which has no proof of being from God, has no proof of the existance of God, and has no proof of being a valid authority on the unknown) as "evidence" of your views because within it "God" does not describe other life.

Now, lets use some logic here. Look at the sky. Look how many stars there are. Now consider the fact that the one closest to us actually has planets around it. Perhaps not planets that can support life, but planets nevertheless. Consider how many other stars have a similar thing. How many of them might have planets? Planets that can support life? Life?

Now I'll pretend that your Bible is a valid authority. Look at the lines "God created the heavens and the earth." Hmm... heavenS (plural) and earth (singular)... it only mentions one planet... nowhere does it describe other earths (planets). Using your logic, no other planets could exist because they are not mentioned in the Bible. Yet we have PROVEN that there are other planets... there are others in our solar system, there are planets around our nearest neighboring star... how many other things did the Bible omit that still might exist? How about other life?
 

LilChrist

Member
First of all, relating to evidence abot the Bible being from God...isn't it interesting that everything God says is in the Bible? The Bible omitted nothing. In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) Heavens include other planets, stars, etc. In the Hebrew, that word (which is actually heaven) is shamayim shamed:
The second form of being dual of an unused singular; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky(as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding the visible arch in which clouds move, as well as to higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve):-air, X astrologer, heaven.
The Bible is reliable.
 
LilChrist said:
First of all, relating to evidence abot the Bible being from God...isn't it interesting that everything God says is in the Bible? The Bible omitted nothing. In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) Heavens include other planets, stars, etc. In the Hebrew, that word (which is actually heaven) is shamayim shamed:
The second form of being dual of an unused singular; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky(as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding the visible arch in which clouds move, as well as to higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve):-air, X astrologer, heaven.
The Bible is reliable.

LilChrist.. darlin.. now I'm in my 12th year of Catholic schooling. So I'm pretty well versed in Bible interpretation. I am hoping to God that you know that much of it, like the creation story, is not meant literally. you may want to try thinking for yourself and not just quoting the bible. I see where your coming from with the whole seek God and He'll let you know. But what if he does not want us to know? There could be things in this universe we cannot possibly imagine because our mind does not have ht capability to comprehend them. It's like trying to understand time, or how everything came to be. We mostly likely haven't found an answer because we can't understand. There could be beings that are completely unlike us in that they share no similar qualities. Made of something other than matter. Just because we can't comprehend it, and because God has yet to fill us in, doesn't mean it does not exist.
 

Runt

Well-Known Member
LilChrist--

How do you know that God ever said anything that is contained in the Bible? As far I understand it, the Bible has been written gradually over time by several mortals, not one god. Meaning God may never have said anything in the Bible and the writers of the Bible may merely have claimed that He did. Yet if you believe that God exists and that the Bible was written by God because the Bible SAYS it was written by God... well, then you have a bit of a dilemna. In order for this to even possibly be true, two things must stand as undenyable fact: God must exist. The Bible must be true. If either one of these two premises is proved false (and neither, I remind you, has ever been proved true), then they automatically invalidate one another. Now, many things in the Bible have been proven to be false (such as the age of the Earth as determined by the timeline of events covered in the Bible). Many liberal Christians have made up for this by claiming that the Bible was written figuratively rather than literally. Yet even here we have a problem. If the Bible was written figuratively, then ANYTHING within it can be metaphor instead of reality. Including any accepted "truths" about God, Satan, Heaven, Hell, Jesus, and anything else contained within those pages.

So, with this in mind, I hardly find the Bible a good authority on whether or not there are other planets or other life out there. It didn't even bother to tell early Europeans that there are a whole other two continants on THIS planet filled with intellegent human beings (North and South America)... so how could it possibly be an authority on whether or not there is life on OTHER planets?
 

(Q)

Active Member
The Bible omitted nothing… The Bible is reliable.

… and the Earth is only 6000 years old and dinosaurs never existed, right?
 
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