RE: C.S. Lewis on ETs and theology

From: Glenn Morton (glennmorton@entouch.net)
Date: Mon Sep 22 2003 - 21:33:52 EDT

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    Hi Ted,

    One could turn this around. If life is everywhere, then God designed a
    universe where life arises quickly and this proves religion. If life is
    unique on earth, then we are special creatures in a special place contrary
    to modern Copernican principles and that proves the Bible true.

    >Behalf Of Ted Davis
    >Sent: Monday, September 22, 2003 1:43 PM

    >
    >C.S. Lewis, "Dogma and the Universe," in The Grand Miracle and Other
    >Essays on Theology and Ethics from 'God in the Dock,' ed. by W. Hooper
    >(New York: Ballantine Books, 1990), p. 14:
    >
    >"If we discover other bodies, they must be habitable or uninhabitable: and
    >the odd thing is that both these hypotheses are used as grounds for
    >rejecting Christianity. If the universe is teeming with life, this, we are
    >told, reduces to absurdity the Christian claim--or what is thought to be
    >the
    >Christian claim--that man is unique, and the Christian doctrine that to
    >this
    >one planet God came down and was incarnate for us men and our salvation.
    >If, on the other hand, the earth is really unique, then that proves that
    >life is only an accidental by-product in the universe, and so again
    >disproves our religion. Really, we are hard to please."
    >
    >
    >

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