Religious Implications of the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life
By Kimberly Coates
In his New York Times Bestseller science fiction novel, Contact, Carl Sagan delves into the uncharted but often examined topic of discovering intelligent extraterrestrial life. The main character, a female protagonist named Eleanor “Ellie” Arroway, directs Project Argus, a radio telescope survey of the sky for SETI (the search for extraterrestrial intelligence) based in New Mexico (Wikipedia, Contact). While under political pressures to find evidence of extraterrestrial life or face the prospect of loosing funding, a signal containing a pattern of prime numbers is received from the star Vega. It is discovered that within the pattern of numbers there is encrypted a message that is later found to be detailed instructions for building a mysterious machine which seems to be intended for five humans to travel through space and/or time. Over a period of several years the political climate of the world shifts from Cold War to hesitant cooperation to build the machine and agree upon its international passengers. But the climate change is not only political, it is societal and religious as well. Ellie's faith (a self-proclaimed agnostic) and the general faith of the world is brought into question at the event of extraterrestrial life. As her journey proceeds from searching for extraterrestrial life to becoming one of “the Five” to travel aboard the machine and actually witness intelligent extraterrestrial life, Ellie becomes increasingly more spiritual when humbled by scientific and religious views foreign to her.
In the event of the discovery of extraterrestrial life there are many religious implications. After members of the Space Science Board of the National Academy of Sciences reviewed a study concerning the implications of the discovery of extraterrestrial life conducted in 1961 by the Brookings Institute, they responded that, “The scientific question at stake in exobiology is, in the opinion of many, the most exciting, challenging, and profound issue, not only of this century but of the whole naturalistic movement that has characterized the history of Western thought for three hundred years. What is at stake is the chance to gain a new perspective on man's place in nature, a new level of discussion on the meaning and nature of life” (Dick 1990, p. 238). A multitudinous array of questions stems from the event of discovering intelligent extraterrestrial life. Is God a universal creator or just a creator of humans? If we are created in his image is this congruent with the existence of alien species? Which of the many god's presented in Earth's religions is a best fit for a universe full of intelligent beings? But perhaps the most preliminary question concerning the religious implications of the existence of extraterrestrials is whether finding extraterrestrial life would negate the existence of God and religion. A Center for SETI Research director, Jill Tarter, is quoted as having said extraterrestrial life would be “inconsistent with the existence of God or at least organized religions" (Keim). Another SETI director, Douglas Vakoch, suggests that an alien race may not find the need for religion, and if such extraterrestrials were found it could pose a threat to religion (Keim). Past and present evidence suggests this is not the case, and that religion would thrive despite the discovery of extraterrestrials. Many scholars and theologians support the view that searching for intelligent extraterrestrial is an extension of man's attempt to understand God. Theologian and President of Notre Dame University, Theodore Hesburgh, supported the latter notion and his view that “Finding others than ourselves would mean knowing Him better” (Dick 1990, p. 243).
The uncertainty of the place of religion and science in society, as well as of science in religion and of religion in science, is a recurring theme presented in Contact. Ellie engages in heated exchanges with religious pundits Palmer Joss and Billy Jo Rankin concerning the relevance of religion and the place of science in spirituality. Both sides are presented at extremes and thoroughly discussed, but never is there a unanimous conclusion. A quote from William James from The Varieties of Religious Experience used by Carl Sagan in Contact expresses the kind of God that could be in agreement with science: “The God whom science recognizes must be a God of universal laws exclusively, a God who does a wholesale, not a retail business. He cannot accommodate his processes to the convenience of individuals” (Sagan 1997, p. 277).
Juxtaposed in their ideology, science and religion have always been at odds with one another, and in the event of major scientific discovery, even more so. For instance, Galileo was imprisoned by the Catholic Church for his heliocentric model of the solar system (Keim). The Inquisition charged him with heresy twice, once in 1616 and again in 1632, for supposedly opposing the church by publishing papers on heliocentricity. In the first instance he was found not guilty, but the second time was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment which he served under house arrest (Dejoie). Galileo had a history of controversial opinions on religion. He is quoted as having said, “The Bible tells you how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go” (Tyson 2007, p. 352). He did not denounce God, but rather specified the situations in which he found religion appropriate: “In my mind God wrote two books. The first book is the Bible, where humans can find the answers to their questions on values and morals. The second book of God is the book of nature, which allows humans to use observation and experiment to answer our own questions about the universe” (Tyson 2007, p. 352). The sentiment Galileo expressed in these quotes is not uncommon amongst religious scientists. This idea of a separation of religion and science, similar to a Church and State concept, is favored by some, but difficult to put into practice. The very basis of science is the scientific method, in which a hypothesis is tested and either proved or disproved. With this in mind, one could say that religion, whose foundation lies in faith, is the antipode of science. Yet many people find themselves somewhere comfortably in between the two. In the case of extraterrestrial life though, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly where the concepts of science and religion overlap since, as mentioned previously, it raises so many questions.
Despite the apparent conflicts, such as Darwinism vs. Creationism, religion still exists among the scientific community. Forty percent of all scientists nationwide declare themselves to be religious, compared to 90 percent amongst the general American population (Tyson 2007, p. 350). In a more specific poll, it was found that only 22 percent of physics and astronomers consider themselves to be religious (Tyson 2007, p. 350). An original poll was conducted specifically on the effect of the discovery of intelligent extraterrestrial life, phrased “If concrete evidence was found for the existence of intelligent extraterrestrial life, would you still believe in God?” with the choices “Yes, I would still have faith in my religion/God,” “No, I would no longer believe in God,” “My idea of god would change but I'd still believe,” “I'm not sure,” and “I already do not believe in god” (Coates 2010). Of the 58 people who participated, 55.2 percent chose that they would still have faith in their given religion or God. Furthermore, none chose the option, “No, I would would no longer believe in God,” 24.1 percent already did not believe in God, 13.8 percent would change their beliefs but still believe God in some form, and 6.9 percent were unsure (Coates 2010). This directly indicates that there is not a necessarily large disconnect between religion and the existence of extraterrestrial life.
While by no means all, or even most, some of humankind's greatest scientists have been deeply religious, if not in their own very specific ways. Probably one of the most famous examples is Albert Einstein. While hereditarily Jewish, at a young age he gave up Judaism, and his own personal religious views became deviant of common religions (Isaacson). In one instance when questioned about his faith by Cardinal William Henry O'Connell, he explained, "I believe in Spinoza's God, who reveals himself in the lawful harmony of all that exists, but not in a God who concerns himself with the fate and the doings of mankind” (Isaacson). Numerous quotes from Albert Einstein reflect the intertwinement of his faith and science: “I maintain that the cosmic religious feeling is the strongest and noblest motive for scientific research” (Sagan 1997, p. 143). What Einstein has described in this quote is the numinous quality of science. Numinous is defined as “appealing to the higher emotions or to the aesthetic sense” (Merriam-Webster 2010). While the word itself generally refers to a spiritual sensation in relation to an appreciation of a divinity or a religious context, it is used in Contact to describe the awe that one feels in response to science and scientific research, and in this case, in contacting extraterrestrial life. In Contact, “the numinous” is referenced repeatedly and bridges the gap between science and religion, providing Ellie a concession toward religion (Sagan 1997, p. 153). When Ellie asks of Eda whether he has ever experienced a “transforming religious experience,” he replies that has never had such an experience apart from science (Sagan 1997, p. 315-316).
This apparent link between a feeling of awe found in both science and religion is not a new concept. Respected scientists from all times throughout history have been moved by this feeling of the numinous to the point of crediting God with many of the scientific conundrums not yet understood. Others still, so inspired, found no option other than a Higher Power to explain the existence of those phenomenon that are understood but that are so grand and magnificent as to be on the fringe of human comprehension. Indeed Isaac Newton himself, arguably one of the greatest scientific minds in the history of humanity, even felt the need to attribute to God the stable orbits of the planets when he could not decipher the physical mechanisms needed to keep them in tow (Tyson 2007, 354).
Currently, most people generally accept the idea that life likely exists outside of Earth and even outside of our solar system and galaxy. This acceptance has been found in the scientific community for at least the last several decades. In 1961 during the heat of the space race, the Brookings Institution, with funding from NASA, completed a study on the implications of the discovery of extraterrestrial life (Dick 1990, p. 237). In review of their findings, they suggested that extraterrestrial life (not necessarily intelligent extraterrestrial life), if found, would probably loose its initial unfamiliarity and not be as alarming to the general public (Dick 1990, p. 237). In the 1972 symposium on “Life Beyond Earth and the mind of Man,” in which Carl Sagan participated, Richard Berendzen reasoned that the probability of life existing elsewhere in space is so large that it is more a matter of when it will be discovered and where it will be found rather than if it exists (Berendzen 1973, p. 1-2). With better technology continually being developed and the rate of discovery of planets similar to Earth (such as the recent discovery of Gliese 581g) increasing, it seems as though the chance of finding life is growing exponentially. Because of this present general acceptance of extraterrestrial life, it is possible that many people are already comfortable enough with the idea of life existing outside of Earth that it does not challenge their religious views or they have already addressed ways to reconcile their views of religion and extraterrestrials. This in itself is good evidence that the discovery of extraterrestrial life would not demolish religion for most people. If it did, it probably already would have taken affect and caused significant changes in the world's adherence to religion. Still, knowing the statistical probability for the existence of life somewhere else in the universe is not the same as concrete evidence, such as a decodable signal from outer space as presented in Contact, showing that intelligent extraterrestrial life is eminent within our galactic neighborhood. Such evidence could affect the human psyche more acutely, possibly invoking a more spiritual reaction. With something as philosophical as the concept of extraterrestrial intelligence (or even the implications of there not being extraterrestrials), the issues involved transcend just science and religion, they become emotional as well.
In Contact, there is mention of the extraterrestrial presence being a manifestation of the Devil or a herald of the end of the world brought by the wrath of God (Sagan 1997, p. 119). Conversely, the idea that they could be a positive embodiment of God is also presented. It was speculated by Hadden that the machine instructions sent in the message to Earth was sent by God for the purpose of uniting Earth together to build it to ease the international tensions causing the Cold War to save humans from nuclear destruction (Sagan 1997, p. 286). In the novel, religions of all denominations were revived world-wide out of fear for an impending second coming as well as inspiration and wonder. These elements of the novel suggest that in the event of discovering extraterrestrial intelligence, humans may try to explain it through religion, rather than abandon religion in its presence.
Christianity has been exploring the topic of extraterrestrials for centuries. The idea alone that the there could be extraterrestrials has sparked debate for even longer. Even before the onset of Christianity, the basis of the extraterrestrial existence argument began in the idea of the plurality of worlds brought about by the ancient Greek atomist view that the universe is composed of an infinite number of atoms and thus can encompass and infinite number of worlds (Dick 1982, p. 6-10). Some centuries later, as the concepts implied in atomism came to full bloom, Italian philosopher and iconoclast Giordano Bruno argued that, by the metaphysical concept of unity and the atomist “principle of plentitude,” nature inherently produces a universe comprised of inhabited worlds (Dick 1990, p. 10). With an omnipotent, omniscient God, Christianity, in the broadest sense at least, has no interdiction of a universal God that could theoretically have domain over all living beings throughout the universe, even when a infinite universe, such as the atomist's, is considered. In fact, if God is truly omnipresent, His ubiquity throughout the universe is a given, and an extension of his province to include all creatures, not just those indigenous to Earth, is consistent with Christian ideology. The main issue within Christianity with respect to extraterrestrials is not whether God could create other inhabited worlds, but how God would handle the salvation of these worlds, and specifically, whether the event of the Incarnation occurs on all worlds (Dick 1990, p. 248). This itself does not negate the existence of Christianity, but raises questions of how God and religion may operate on Earth and elsewhere, supporting Hesburgh's opinion that finding intelligent extraterrestrial life could be an opportunity for humans to better understand God.
The consideration of implications of the discovery of extraterrestrial life should not be limited to just Christianity and its variations. While, with 2.1 billion followers, the largest of the major religions is Christianity (and all of its various denominations), Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism are followed by 21 percent, 20 percent, 19 percent of the world population respectively, not to mention the 1.1 billion people who consider themselves to be atheists or agnostic (Wikipedia, “List of Religious Populations”). Theologians of most religions, not just Christianity, hold that their theologies should not be terminally affected by the discovery of intelligent extraterrestrial life, and that it is generally the opinions of those outside of a given religion that believe it will bring about its demise (Dick 1990, p. 247). Agnostics should have the easiest time of all belief systems in reconciling God and exobiology sense their consideration of God is inherently mostly tentative, however it is possible that the discovery of intelligent extraterrestrial life could sway their views enough to convert them to pure atheism. Judaism has rejected the idea of humanity being unique since Medieval times, as long as humanity is not considered insignificant, according to Rabbi Norman Lamm (Dick 1990, p. 251). As such, as long as the presence of exobiology does not make it compulsory to consider humans insignificant to God, Judaism and extraterrestrial life are thought to be capable of co-existing. A general consensus within religions is that they will come to adapt to the presence of intelligent extraterrestrial life. Moreover, it is thought that since their salvation relies on personal enlightenment, non-Adamist religions (religions without a direct link to a godhead), such as Hinduism and Buddhism, should have little trouble adjusting to the implications of extraterrestrial life if Adamist religions, such as Christianity and Islam, are capable of adjusting (Dick 1990, p. 251).
It is crucial to realize that religions change over time to accommodate current accepted knowledge and ideals. Through this process some religions fade, such as the ancient mythology of the Greeks Others adapt, such as present-day Christianity. Known for Project Cyclops, a study designed to research a process for discovering intelligent extraterrestrial life, Bernard Oliver suggested that communication by way of radio transmissions with an intelligent extraterrestrial civilization , which is thought to be the most likely means of communication with an extraterrestrial race, would be such a time consuming process that humans would have ample time to adapt to the idea of the existence of exobiology (Dick 1990, p. 224 and p. 242). Just as there was controversy in the past of how to interpret the Bible, there is still turmoil, with political, scientific, and spiritual repercussions, over passages that the meanings of are not unanimously clear. With so many varying degrees of religion, there is not likely to ever be a unanimous, world-wide agreement on the status of extraterrestrials in the eye of God and the mind of man. Instead, it appears that over time, gradual acceptance and adaptation as more information becomes known about the possibilities of extraterrestrial intelligence will lead religions toward generally accepted reconciliations of science and theology with respect to extraterrestrials.
While many, maybe even most, religions and belief systems may take no issue with the presence of extraterrestrial intelligence, it is likely that in the event of discovery of extraterrestrials there would still be various religious sects that would reject the idea of aliens and God coexisting. There are two ways in which these sects could potentially reject the simultaneous existence of God and extraterrestrials. They could abandon the idea of God and become atheists in the face of proof of beings from another planet. Alternatively, they could refute the existence of extraterrestrials, even in the midst of concrete evidence. At first, the latter seems counter intuitive and misguided. However, skepticism and denial are both crucial reactions to situations beyond human comprehension. Without skepticism, the scientific method would flounder, where as denial tends to hinder scientific progress and encourage ignorance, another natural human condition. Many Christians who take the Bible literally believe that the Earth is only 6000 years old, and that humans and dinosaurs existed concurrently despite abundant evidence of the contrary in the fossil record and through extensive radiocarbon dating (Bennet and Shostak 2007). There will be skeptics and conspiracy theorists who simply will not believe in extraterrestrials despite clears evidence of their existence, just as there are people who believe that Elvis is still alive, that humans have not landed on the Moon, and that the United States government was behind the attack on the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001. In the novel, even Drumlin is skeptical of the evidence of the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence, although upon further investigation and confirmation he comes to believe it (Sagan 1997). While limited in number, some portion of the world community will always be made up of sects and individuals whose beliefs are contrary to the currently accepted views of both the scientific and the religious communities, regardless of evidence.
Until human kind is faced with absolute, unquestionable, and conclusive evidence of intelligence elsewhere in the universe, there is no way of truly knowing how humanity as a whole will respond, religiously or otherwise. However, since science and faith, or at least spirituality, seem to be capable of co-existing, it would be limiting to believe that finding intelligent extraterrestrial life through the course of science would be detrimental to the existence of religion. Although, it is not to say that some of the world's major organized religions may have to adapt and evolve to include extraterrestrial life and its consequences in their credos, or that individuals may choose to seek different definitions of their God in such an event. With the many years, prevailing philosophies, political climates, and scientific advancements that world's religions have weathered, it seems unlikely that the discovery of intelligent extraterrestrial life could shake the faith of so many as to destroy terrestrial religions in their entirety.
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