Atheists and Belief in the Existence of Extraterrestrials

[waterdrinker]

Is there anything that can reasonably be called "evidence" to support the view that there are intelligent aliens on other planets?

In the absence of evidence, is it foolish to spend money searching for signals from such aliens?

Let us assume, for the sake of argument, that there is no evidence to support the view that God exists.

Why should those who pioneered the SETI program be considered visionaries and heroes of science?

[waterdrinker]

My point was that people say the search for extraterrestrial intelligence is praiseworthy.

However, unless there is some evidence that extraterrestrial intelligence exists, we might want to re-examine a certain anti-religion argument ("We can't see God. We can't hear God." etc.)

[Hellstar]

The question is rather, what the hell do we have evidence on?
It seems the things we somehow "united recognize" ( are the same things we discuss over and over and same things are source to endless debate) what the hell do we know?

I agree, I see those specific space programs you refer to as total detrimental for our spiritualities.

[waterdrinker]

Originally posted by HELLSTAR
I agree, I see those specific space programs you refer to as total detrimental for our spiritualities.

I did not intend to suggest, "Science must stop because it is making people lose their faith." If a given faith is threatened by truths revealed by science then that faith is a false faith.

Let us compare SETI and fusion research. Billions of tax dollars have been spent on fusion research. It is always claimed that there will be results within thirty years. However, there is no controversy here because religions don't make claims about whether or not it is possible for human beings to create controlled fusion reactions.

Imagine that as much time and money had been devoted to SETI as has been devoted to attempting to produce controlled fusion reactions. The question could then arise: are there any intelligent extraterrestrials to be found?

There are phony UFO reports and there are phony reports of miracles. However, SETI research goes on (although government funding may have been cut off). Why shouldn't people apply effort to try to authenticate claims regarding miracles? Why is it acceptable to dismiss such claims out of hand? This is a question for any people here who disbelieve in God.

Isn't there an atheist agenda to not only show that false miracle claims are made, but to convince us that there has never been and never will be a miracle?

[loki666]

don't be so stupid this earth didn't get filled with life from some great god!science shows that all of our cromozones have the same makeup of clones!there are proven facts including those who worked for and with the majestic 12!all you have to do is find old airforce perrrsonel from the 50's,60's and70's from such bases as area 51,nellis and cali locations and you'll have your proof!and as far as money to space programs no!try feeding the starving kids in this country!and i',m not talking about all the illeagels either!just try some whites welfare!some people tell me we should just let people from mexico walk right in and i tell them i'll vote to have them shot as they fall let them rot ,so the next couple of centries worth of aliens see and don't cross our borders,so goes with space aliens!.SMARTASS

[kaleun]

Originally posted by waterdrinker


In the absence of evidence, is it foolish to spend money searching for signals from such aliens?

No. I want to know just what forms of life there might be out there in space on other planets. Man is always seeking knowledge.
I also think there should be more spent on investigating our own world - in particular the seas and looking for evidence of other civilisations that we know nothing about.

[Kaotiksoul6sic6]

In the absence of evidence, is it foolish to spend money searching for signals from such aliens?

no it is not foolish to spend money even though we do not have evidence yet everything starts with nothing in the old days who would have thought that glass could be made from sand there was no evidence until people experimented experiments will lead you to evidence because you will get evidence that they dont or do exist because right now there is no evidence that says there isnt aliens and there is no evidence saying there are aliens

[vimaranes88]

The absence of evidence means not that there's none! It means only that it hasn't yet been found!

[Siebenbürgerin]

I've a question for/about atheists who believe in the existence of extraterrestrials. Atheists usually cite lack of empirical/tangible evidence to deny the existence of God. Since God can't be seen, felt, touched and so on, detected with the senses, God doesn't exist in their view. But at the same time, how can they believe extraterrestrials exist, since there is no tangible evidence about them either? There are peoples who claim to have seen UFOs, but in many cases they turned out to be military aircrafts, weather balloons or other earthly objects, in other cases illusions. We've to remember there are "witnesses" who think they saw God too. So how's it possible to deny the existence of God but believe in extraterrestrials, although you've not seen any unbreakable proof for them? I'm curious what your view is about that.

[Stormraaf]

The secular approach to determine how our planet and life thereon came into being has given us some strong theories based on the interlinked disciplines of mathematics, probability theory, astrophysics, geology, et cetera. It is simply by extension of these theories that we can conclude that it's near impossible for us to be the only intelligent life in the universe. What's more, Christians ought not to have qualms about such an approach either, because it's not about an atheist belief, but science.