SETI – Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence. This generally represents a wide array of people & organizations pursuing such cosmic quests. One organization's website (SETI Institute) says, “SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, is an exploratory science that seeks evidence of life in the universe by looking for some signature of its technology.” This is largely done by searching for anything remotely resembling a pattern or structure within the various signals of the cosmos.
One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that this would imply:
If SETI discovered some radio, light or any other structured signal, it would not only mean that intelligence existed outside our planet, but also that it had the technology, knowledge & power to deliver it. While there have been no signs of alien life emitting from ET sources, there are intelligible patterns all around us. So what does this mean? Should these patterns be so quickly dismissed? Doesn't this indicate there is intelligence behind them? Consider these:
One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that this would imply:
- Patterns are Intentional & Recognizable: They are not random, but are either produced intentionally (i.e. rhythmic sound of knocking on a door) or are the byproduct of an intentional action (i.e. walking in the mud leaves a pattern of footprints). Patterns disturb normalcy & are thus identifiable.
- Patterns Signify Intelligence & Life: In order for something to be done intentionally, there must be a will & a reason for doing it. These require some measure of intelligence which requires life. And life is also required to physically initiate & produce the pattern.
If SETI discovered some radio, light or any other structured signal, it would not only mean that intelligence existed outside our planet, but also that it had the technology, knowledge & power to deliver it. While there have been no signs of alien life emitting from ET sources, there are intelligible patterns all around us. So what does this mean? Should these patterns be so quickly dismissed? Doesn't this indicate there is intelligence behind them? Consider these:
The basis for the belief that intelligent life exists “out there” primarily hinges on the big bang theory & Darwinian evolution. They suggest that if the “bang” occurred at the center of the universe & spewed out the right conditions & elements on Earth to give rise to intelligent life, then surely life has sprung up elsewhere in the universe where conditions were favorable. That might be more persuasive if one could get past the scientific & rational problems of those theories.
The big bang theory & its Darwinian macro-evolution counterpart empower eons of time & random chance as the blind guiding forces that not only engineer all the structures & ordered patterns we observe & depend on, but also to create life from non-living elements. But we know – just as with the underlying presumptions behind SETI – that these require an intelligent mind. And one that is much more intelligent than the human mind. This, of course, is the main thrust behind the Intelligent Design (ID) movement. However, ID stops short of assigning the role of Intelligent Designer to any particular deity. But I will not – it is your Maker, the God of the Bible.
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. – Rom 1.20
Some people may point to genetics, instincts or the laws of physics which determine patterns in nature. And they would be right, but the question is why do they do so? To answer “That’s just the way they are” is not intellectually satisfying, rational or scientific.
The big bang theory & its Darwinian macro-evolution counterpart empower eons of time & random chance as the blind guiding forces that not only engineer all the structures & ordered patterns we observe & depend on, but also to create life from non-living elements. But we know – just as with the underlying presumptions behind SETI – that these require an intelligent mind. And one that is much more intelligent than the human mind. This, of course, is the main thrust behind the Intelligent Design (ID) movement. However, ID stops short of assigning the role of Intelligent Designer to any particular deity. But I will not – it is your Maker, the God of the Bible.
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. – Rom 1.20
Some people may point to genetics, instincts or the laws of physics which determine patterns in nature. And they would be right, but the question is why do they do so? To answer “That’s just the way they are” is not intellectually satisfying, rational or scientific.
Genetics
For instance, genetics involves deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) which encodes genetic instructions for the cells of all living organisms. When a cell divides during an organism’s growth, the DNA must replicate itself & teams up with ribonucleic acid (RNA) that translates & copies the genetic information, complete with proof-reading the code (built-in quality control). This works much like computer code that not only requires intelligence for the design of the code itself, but also for the creation of the computer to interpret it so that it’s useful. Where & how did the structured genetic language & its complex interpretive technology originate? And how did it get this ability to do so? It was because God, the Creator of life, made it so.
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible…all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. – Col 1.16-17
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible…all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. – Col 1.16-17
Instinctive Behavior
Likewise, how do creatures “know” unlearned, instinctive behavior? Where did they get that information? Who gave them their knowledge? Where did spiders learn to build their webs or even know how to use their various web materials? Why do geese know how to fly in a “V”, but starlings fly in a mob? And similarly, how are living organisms automatically able to perform involuntary (autonomic) functions such as breathing, digest food, regulate heart rate, etc. – without being taught? Where did specific nervous signal designs come from & why do the organs know how to interpret them? The only reasonable answer is that an all-knowing God pre-programmed them that way. In fact, He knew that such instinctive, involuntary & reflex behaviors were necessary for life.
How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. – Ps 104.24
But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. – Job 12.7-10
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. – Ps 51.6
How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. – Ps 104.24
But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. – Job 12.7-10
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. – Ps 51.6
Physical Laws
In science, you first start with a hypothesis which is your
estimation of how something works based upon your initial observations &
presuppositions. You can then design experiments to test your hypothesis,
collecting data & making correlations from results to formulate a
theory. If the theory proves to be
observable & repeatable, then the theory becomes a law – or to be more
correct, you discovered a law that already existed. And the very reason you were able to find it
is because you identified the pattern of a cause-effect relationship through
observation.
If such relationships were random, we would never be able to
discover anything conclusive or reliable – sometimes it would work &
sometimes it wouldn’t. That would make them
rather difficult to recognize. The
repeatability of physical laws means they cannot be influenced by time. The laws work the same 1,000 years ago, today
or 1,000 years in the future. This
reliability provides us the ability to design useful things like buildings,
machines & electronics that we can depend on consistently. And while
many physical or scientific laws use variables such as time & mass
properties which can affect various outcomes, they do not affect the behaviors
of laws themselves.
Thus, the physical universe operates in a hierarchy. That is, physical matter must always submit to physical laws, but the physical laws are not influenced by physical matter. If a rock is dropped from a cliff, the law of gravity will dictate what happens to it no matter how insubordinate it wishes to be or when the event takes place. If things didn’t operate in this manner, you likewise would not be able to discover anything. Therefore, if matter & time cannot define or affect the behavior of a law, then there must be something outside of them & upstream in hierarchy which established the law. In other words, if there are physical laws, then there must be a Law-maker. And that Law-maker is not influenced by matter or time or the laws themselves. Similarly, a painter dictates the strokes of a paintbrush (laws) which then directs the paint (matter). The paint does not direct the paintbrush; nor does the brush control the painter.
This divine Law-giver is the Eternal God Almighty. He established the laws of motion (Newton’s), gravitation, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, etc. to maintain the cosmos & He gave mankind the mental capability to discover, understand & use them.
The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon. It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter. – Ps 74.16-17
Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you. – Ps 119.89-91
If time & matter cannot affect or cause physical laws, then the Big Bang & Darwinian evolution are in trouble because that’s all they’ve got. After all, they are merely theories. They are not laws because they have never been observed, nor repeated which means they are technically not even scientific, but are only naturalistic – attempting to hypothesize origins without a deity. Observable variation within a particular species or genus (micro-evolution) such as varying beak sizes, color patterns or size is far from Darwin’s evolution (macro-evolution) of changing from one kind of creature to another (i.e. monkey to man) & even farther from transitioning from non-life to life. As we have seen, life in general as well as specific organs, traits & features require specific organized information that cannot be created by randomness. Yet, ironically many in the scientific community maintain the Big Bang & Darwinian evolutionary theories as fact.
Then there’s something in the SETI community known as the Fermi Paradox which goes like this: “The size and age of the universe incline us to believe that many technologically advanced civilizations must exist. However, this belief seems logically inconsistent with our lack of observational evidence to support it. Either (1) the initial assumption is incorrect and technologically advanced intelligent life is much rarer than we believe, or (2) our current observations are incomplete and we simply have not detected them yet, or (3) our search methodologies are flawed and we are not searching for the correct indicators.” (Source: Wikipedia).
So what is the truth?
For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (He is God!), who formed the earth and made it (He established it; He did not create it empty, He formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other. - Isa 45.18
Thus, the physical universe operates in a hierarchy. That is, physical matter must always submit to physical laws, but the physical laws are not influenced by physical matter. If a rock is dropped from a cliff, the law of gravity will dictate what happens to it no matter how insubordinate it wishes to be or when the event takes place. If things didn’t operate in this manner, you likewise would not be able to discover anything. Therefore, if matter & time cannot define or affect the behavior of a law, then there must be something outside of them & upstream in hierarchy which established the law. In other words, if there are physical laws, then there must be a Law-maker. And that Law-maker is not influenced by matter or time or the laws themselves. Similarly, a painter dictates the strokes of a paintbrush (laws) which then directs the paint (matter). The paint does not direct the paintbrush; nor does the brush control the painter.
This divine Law-giver is the Eternal God Almighty. He established the laws of motion (Newton’s), gravitation, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, etc. to maintain the cosmos & He gave mankind the mental capability to discover, understand & use them.
The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon. It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter. – Ps 74.16-17
Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you. – Ps 119.89-91
If time & matter cannot affect or cause physical laws, then the Big Bang & Darwinian evolution are in trouble because that’s all they’ve got. After all, they are merely theories. They are not laws because they have never been observed, nor repeated which means they are technically not even scientific, but are only naturalistic – attempting to hypothesize origins without a deity. Observable variation within a particular species or genus (micro-evolution) such as varying beak sizes, color patterns or size is far from Darwin’s evolution (macro-evolution) of changing from one kind of creature to another (i.e. monkey to man) & even farther from transitioning from non-life to life. As we have seen, life in general as well as specific organs, traits & features require specific organized information that cannot be created by randomness. Yet, ironically many in the scientific community maintain the Big Bang & Darwinian evolutionary theories as fact.
Then there’s something in the SETI community known as the Fermi Paradox which goes like this: “The size and age of the universe incline us to believe that many technologically advanced civilizations must exist. However, this belief seems logically inconsistent with our lack of observational evidence to support it. Either (1) the initial assumption is incorrect and technologically advanced intelligent life is much rarer than we believe, or (2) our current observations are incomplete and we simply have not detected them yet, or (3) our search methodologies are flawed and we are not searching for the correct indicators.” (Source: Wikipedia).
So what is the truth?
For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (He is God!), who formed the earth and made it (He established it; He did not create it empty, He formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other. - Isa 45.18
Here's the message being transmitted:
All these patterns we witness in our universe & beyond are evidence of God’s supreme intelligence. Genetics, instinctive behavior & physical laws are some examples of His marvelous technology & design. When we acknowledge this we should be reassured that God does indeed exist. And this should cause us to seek Him out. If you aren't convinced, ask Him to show you if He’s real & to reveal His truth.
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. – Heb 11.6
God explains that when we see all He’s made, we have no excuse for denying Him. From our understanding & experience of the physical realm, we should realize that God is the Master of it & the power sustaining it. And since God is higher than physical laws & matter & time, we should realize that God is eternal. Not only so, but when we observe all the intricate design, engineering & information that’s in & around our world, we should realize that God’s powerful mind is behind it.
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. – Rom 1.20
But God has also given us another law that bears witness to His existence. And just as His physical laws are unchanging, this law never changes. It is His moral law – the gold standard of right & wrong that humanity best operates on. He has engrained this within us on our consciences. Con-science actually means “with knowledge” of this moral law.
For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness… – Rom 2.14-15a
God also explains in the Bible that humanity has a condition that suppresses the conscience. In the absence of such divine moral guidance, we seek to establish our own moral standard of right & wrong. This condition is our sinful nature (original sin) & when our actions violate God’s moral law, it’s called sin (1 Jn 3.4). No one is exempt; we have all missed God’s holy moral standard (Eccl 7.20, Rom 3.23). It is so holy that if one aspect of God’s law is broken at all, you are as guilty as breaking all of it (Jas 2.10). And to some degree everyone has either lied, stolen, lusted, used God’s name as a curse word, or disrespected their parents to name a few. We are all law-breakers.
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. – 1 Jn 1.8
In other words, we ALL have a major problem because God is going to judge us by His holy standard of right & wrong (Heb 9.27). Just as there is a cause & effect relationship for God’s physical laws, there is a cause & effect for God’s moral law. Because God is absolutely holy & just, He must punish law-breakers. And He graciously warns us that the ultimate consequence is a literal, horrible & eternal hell.
It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. – Heb 10.31
The Son of Man (Jesus) will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. – Mt 13.41-42
God’s power that sustains the universe will be focused in His wrath against sin. You do not want to experience the wrath of Almighty God for a second, let alone an eternity. Fortunately, He is not only a God of justice, but He is loving. He has made a way to satisfy His justice for violating His moral law & spare us from His wrath.
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. – Heb 11.6
God explains that when we see all He’s made, we have no excuse for denying Him. From our understanding & experience of the physical realm, we should realize that God is the Master of it & the power sustaining it. And since God is higher than physical laws & matter & time, we should realize that God is eternal. Not only so, but when we observe all the intricate design, engineering & information that’s in & around our world, we should realize that God’s powerful mind is behind it.
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. – Rom 1.20
But God has also given us another law that bears witness to His existence. And just as His physical laws are unchanging, this law never changes. It is His moral law – the gold standard of right & wrong that humanity best operates on. He has engrained this within us on our consciences. Con-science actually means “with knowledge” of this moral law.
For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness… – Rom 2.14-15a
God also explains in the Bible that humanity has a condition that suppresses the conscience. In the absence of such divine moral guidance, we seek to establish our own moral standard of right & wrong. This condition is our sinful nature (original sin) & when our actions violate God’s moral law, it’s called sin (1 Jn 3.4). No one is exempt; we have all missed God’s holy moral standard (Eccl 7.20, Rom 3.23). It is so holy that if one aspect of God’s law is broken at all, you are as guilty as breaking all of it (Jas 2.10). And to some degree everyone has either lied, stolen, lusted, used God’s name as a curse word, or disrespected their parents to name a few. We are all law-breakers.
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. – 1 Jn 1.8
In other words, we ALL have a major problem because God is going to judge us by His holy standard of right & wrong (Heb 9.27). Just as there is a cause & effect relationship for God’s physical laws, there is a cause & effect for God’s moral law. Because God is absolutely holy & just, He must punish law-breakers. And He graciously warns us that the ultimate consequence is a literal, horrible & eternal hell.
It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. – Heb 10.31
The Son of Man (Jesus) will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. – Mt 13.41-42
God’s power that sustains the universe will be focused in His wrath against sin. You do not want to experience the wrath of Almighty God for a second, let alone an eternity. Fortunately, He is not only a God of justice, but He is loving. He has made a way to satisfy His justice for violating His moral law & spare us from His wrath.
GOOD NEWS!
The word Gospel means “Good News”. Here’s why. God cannot contradict Himself. He must maintain justice & at the same time He loves you. He doesn’t want you to face His eternal wrath. In order to make a way for escape, God sent His only Son – Jesus Christ. He came & lived the perfect moral life that we could never live. Yet, He was betrayed & died a brutal death by crucifixion. He did that to take the punishment for your sin. But to prove He has power over sin & death, God raised Him from the dead as was witnessed by over 500 people (1 Cor 15.3-8). God gives us the promise of this Gospel Law.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. – Jn 3.16-18
If we combine this knowledge with faith & believe that Christ did this for us & that we can only enter heaven by His perfect life, we will most certainly be saved! We will then have eternal life & know the the Maker of the universe. This is a close encounter with the Supreme Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence. How gracious, merciful & kind! Now that is Good News!
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. – Jn 3.16-18
If we combine this knowledge with faith & believe that Christ did this for us & that we can only enter heaven by His perfect life, we will most certainly be saved! We will then have eternal life & know the the Maker of the universe. This is a close encounter with the Supreme Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence. How gracious, merciful & kind! Now that is Good News!
Related Pages
Note: Some of the book & DVD resources below can be found in grouped packages for a better deal. These are just shown so you'll be familiar with the titles & covers.
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Psalm 19.1-4
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. |
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