Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Discussion about scientific issues as they relate to God and Christianity including archaeology, origins of life, the universe, intelligent design, evolution, etc.
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Philip
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Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by Philip »

I thought this was a cool use of a "You are Here" map of where we live in the Milky Way Galaxy.

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Some mind-blowing facts:
NASA estimates that the Milky Way is between 100,000 – 120,000 light-years in diameter – though some information suggests it may be as much as 150,000 – 180,000 light-years across - that's 590 quadrillion miles) to 700 septendecillion miles across. The Milky Way is also estimated to contain 100–400 billion stars, (although that could be as high as one trillion), and may have as many as 100 billion planets.

And yet God loves us, as insignificant as galactic geography and distances would make it seem.
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Re: Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by IceMobster »

What if we find extraterrestrial beings? Wouldn't that hurt Christianity a bit/a lot?
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me.

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Re: Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by Philip »

What if we find extraterrestrial beings? Wouldn't that hurt Christianity a bit/a lot?
Not a bit. The Bible is directed at mankind, on planet earth. As vast as the universe is, as long as we've been searching signals, it would appear that IF there are other planets with intelligent beings - and there might be - we quite likely will never encounter them. If this is the case, it could be that God has already told us all we truly NEED to know, concerning any possible aliens. As if we will never encounter them, this is not a must-know thing. God doesn't tell us everything. But I believe that IF, in the present age, we would one day encounter or communicate with aliens, that He would have prepared us for that in His Word.

The other thing, concerning other physical beings God MIGHT have created - THIS universe and THIS time are, as I've redundantly said, could well be just one book of countless ones God has authored, amongst the countless bookshelves and bookcases He also has filled. God's characteristics, in Scripture, reveal an ETERNAL Being whom is constantly active and loves to create, redeem and restore. ONE 14 billion year span of time is but a coffee break for God. What do we think He was doing in all eternity past? Was the Father, Son and Holy Spirit sitting around bored and playing checkers, anxiously awaiting that future day when He would create THIS universe, time, world and mankind? As His characteristics have not changed, I would imagine He has constantly FOREVER created. So, who knows how many times and universes have come and gone. OR, perhaps, God's other creations have been NON-physical, and thus were in other dimensions or spiritual realms. We might be the ONLY physical creations God has ever made, OR, just the latest in an endless chain of such beings that some either still exist, or no longer exist. It is possible that are other life forms - even intelligent ones - that God has placed in THIS universe - or maybe NOT. There might even be other universes, unconnected, and which we have no ability to detect, that exist now. Or not. God is omnipresent - what does that say about Him existing amongst His own people in Heaven, forever, while also, simultaneously, being active in other places, just as He was in Heaven while the Incarnation walked the earth?

So, just because the Bible is silent on some things, doesn't mean they don't exist or that there aren't many things God has not told us. He told us, all that, in His infinite wisdom, He has deemed appropriate. We so much look at God from a viewpoint of human narcissism - as in, "it's all about us and our time." We just so often fail to realize God has no limits to what He can do or has done in eternity past. Eternity that goes INFINITELY the other way on the timeline of history. As if that doesn't boggle the mind enough, just imagine what a Being with unlimited power and creativity might have been doing in that eternity past. Of course, I'm referencing this as time, which God transcends. As for myself, I'm agnostic on the existence of aliens elsewhere in the universe. Perhaps they are only dust worms on some moon somewhere?
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Re: Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by EssentialSacrifice »

all that being said by philip, with which i agree, there's this ... :ebiggrin:

http://www.reasons.org/articles/why-are ... ens-silent

i have no problem with other life. i see everything God has done and look at the quantities and distances he deals with ... everything He does is big ... we're made in His image spiritually. i could make a case for others, in a galaxy far far away being another legitimate family of the Sons of God. I could just as easily make a case for the specialness of us, in the eyes of God. either way, my faith is in a God of life ... the living, and His creation knows no bounds.
Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence. -St Augustine
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Re: Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by Philip »

ES: all that being said by philip, with which i agree, there's this ... :ebiggrin:

http://www.reasons.org/articles/why-are ... ens-silent

i have no problem with other life. i see everything God has done and look at the quantities and distances he deals with ... everything He does is big ... we're made in His image spiritually. i could make a case for others, in a galaxy far far away being another legitimate family of the Sons of God. I could just as easily make a case for the specialness of us, in the eyes of God. either way, my faith is in a God of life ... the living, and His creation knows no bounds.
Well, ES, my point of all of that is not some romantic sci-fi or New Age fantasy, but, mostly, that our God does not have ANY bounds that bind Him - His capabilities are endless. He never changes. And because He is constantly active and loves to create, it makes every bit of sense that He's done so for eternity past - whether in other physical realms, in other dimensions/spiritual realms, or even especially remote in our own universe. And as He's created a universe so vast - I mean, we don't even know how big OUR galaxy is or how many stars it might include - this means all bets are off as to what He MIGHT have created in this universe. We just can't read into Scripture that what is not explained doesn't exist. But as our universe is so huge, even if there are other civilizations that God created, it's entirely possible that we'll never discover them. I do think that, if we were going to have contact with such, that God would have prepared us for that through Scripture.

But this whole understanding that God is eternal is why I find it so laughable that people get hung up over supposed time constraints or necessities concerning God. He has absolutely NO reasons to be in a hurry. He simply is, and does what He does, when He does it, per His glorious purposes. He must find it hilarious (if a bit sad) that Christians fight over the amount of time in Creation days.

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Re: Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by EssentialSacrifice »

Isn't it sad i actually remember that movie poster in it's original marquee :esurprised: :) :D
I do think that, if we were going to have contact with such, that God would have prepared us for that through Scripture.

My thought exactly for some time now Philip. Provisions have been made for so many other of life's uncertainties that it would be expected to be prepared for the possibility. it's certainly possible we could be introduced to another sentient being but, it feels less and less likely. life, for all it's abundance on the earth is skeptically scarce so far everywhere else we have looked ... so far. :ewink:
Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence. -St Augustine
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Re: Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by Philip »

ES, I was born the year that movie came out :esurprised: . But how old are YOU??? :shock: :lol:
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Re: Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by EssentialSacrifice »

Think of dirt .... that the dinosaurs walked on ! :esurprised: y:O2
Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence. -St Augustine
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Re: Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by Philip »

Think of dirt .... that the dinosaurs walked on ! :esurprised: y:O2
:lol:
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Re: Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by Audie »

Good stuff Phil, thanks!
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Re: Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by crochet1949 »

I've found this thread intriguing.

We Do know there's a spirit world -- angels / demons.

Way back when I was in high school and speech class I did a 5 minute speech on UFO's. Part of my info was from Reader's Digest articles. WAY back before Internet information was available.

Phillip has some really good points. God tells us what we Need to know -- He is in charge, we aren't.

And with the whole universe out there -- the thought of other life forms -- other people existing -- "for God so loved the World...." -- and we are responsible for what God tells Us -- about Himself - this world that We are in. He's told us all we really need to know and we question Everything He tells us. Lots of people don't Want to / refuse to give Him credit for being The Creator Of.
Christianity is because of Jesus Christ dying and being a Risen Savior. Choices we make and how we live our lives as a result.
I guess it's all the More intriguing because there are Lots of people who Have had encounters with 'alien beings' -- but what are 'they'? Well -- all we can do is speculate AND IF any of us have contact with one of 'them' -- share the Gospel with them? that is After we get over the shock of what we Are experiencing.
Star Trek Next Generation had a field day with all the other people's that they encountered from other planets. Their make-up artists must have Loved creating all those people.
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Re: Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by bippy123 »

EssentialSacrifice wrote:Think of dirt .... that the dinosaurs walked on ! :esurprised: y:O2
I'm the stuff below the dirt ;)
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Re: Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by bippy123 »

crochet1949 wrote:I've found this thread intriguing.

We Do know there's a spirit world -- angels / demons.

Way back when I was in high school and speech class I did a 5 minute speech on UFO's. Part of my info was from Reader's Digest articles. WAY back before Internet information was available.

Phillip has some really good points. God tells us what we Need to know -- He is in charge, we aren't.

And with the whole universe out there -- the thought of other life forms -- other people existing -- "for God so loved the World...." -- and we are responsible for what God tells Us -- about Himself - this world that We are in. He's told us all we really need to know and we question Everything He tells us. Lots of people don't Want to / refuse to give Him credit for being The Creator Of.
Christianity is because of Jesus Christ dying and being a Risen Savior. Choices we make and how we live our lives as a result.
I guess it's all the More intriguing because there are Lots of people who Have had encounters with 'alien beings' -- but what are 'they'? Well -- all we can do is speculate AND IF any of us have contact with one of 'them' -- share the Gospel with them? that is After we get over the shock of what we Are experiencing.
Star Trek Next Generation had a field day with all the other people's that they encountered from other planets. Their make-up artists must have Loved creating all those people.

Im a big time Trekkie and I've seen all the different episodes , but my dream is to debate that young punk kid Wesley from the next generation, that is when I found out he was a member of the freedom from religion organization . It's biopsy job to know these things ;)

Captain Picard is a humanist in real life but he is friends with many high up in the Anglican Church .
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Re: Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by Philip »

Captain Picard is a humanist in real life but he is friends with many high up in the Anglican Church .
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Picard was a Weirdo!
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Re: Home Sweet Home: The Milky Way

Post by bippy123 »

Philip wrote:
Captain Picard is a humanist in real life but he is friends with many high up in the Anglican Church .
Image

Picard was a Weirdo!
Hehe where do you find those clips at Philip lol
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