Extraterrestrial, Microbes, bacteria, outer space, universe, exoplanets, Mars, Phoenix Lander, Mars landrover, meteorites, panspermia

EXTRATERRESTRIAL MICROBES?

Hi everyone,

Recently some of the kids in my youth group asked about extraterrestrial life, namely bacteria and viruses “found” to have come from outer space. Unfortunately, none of them had heard of “the rest of the story”. Here are some of the most prominent stories about life from outer space:

1) Exoplanets (planets outside of our solar system); “Recently a news story broke that ‘Earthlike planets covered with deep oceans that could harbor life may be found in as many as a third of solar systems discovered outside of our own.’ But as one reads the story, it is obvious that this

supposed science news is based only on pure conjecture. The story states that these unknown, unobserved planets ‘could harbor life.’ Sean Raymond, a University of Colorado researcher goes on to say, ‘We now think there is a new class of . . . possibly habitable planets in solar systems unlike our own’ (emphasis added). And how do the researchers form their hypotheses? By observation? No, rather they make their assertions based on computer simulations of various types of solar systems forming. Creationists question how the researchers know the way these solar systems formed, knowing of course, that the simulations are based upon evolutionary theory. The only scientific fact in this news story is that there are planets out there called gas giants or ‘Hot Jupiters.’ Such planets, scientists admit, are extremely inhospitable. As for the alleged earth-like planets, these secular scientists can only hypothesize and speculate if these planets really satisfy the many conditions that would make them like Earth.”¹

2)  Mars; “The objective of the Phoenix Lander is two-fold:

first, to explore geological evidence for water; and second, to find a ‘habitable zone’ between soil and ice that may contain microbial life. The five previous successful American landings on Mars have produced no evidence of life or even the conditions that may support life, but scientists are evidently optimistic that it must be there somewhere…(But) because the planet has been discovered to be inhospitable to any life, expectations have been lowered dramatically. Whereas once we were entertaining thoughts of Martians invading earth,

now we have relegated our investigation to merely looking for evidence that Mars may have once supported living organisms.”²

3) Bacteria in meterorites; “Because the meteorite (from the 2013 Perseid meteor shower) was tracked by weather radar and SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) observers, a hastily mounted aerial search directed the recovery of over 20 fragments. These were distributed to several laboratory

scientists experienced in meteorite chemistry. Since fragments were collected quickly, scientists hoped any fragile molecules that might be present could be identified before exposure to earth’s environment degraded them.”³ Sandra Pizzarello’s (a biochemist from Arizona State University in Tempe) stated that scientific teams would soon determined that water-soluble compounds found in several other

carbonaceous meteorites were unfortunately unquestionably depleted. Pizzarello continued saying it was a disappointment.

3) Extraterrestrial life; “Evolutionists are convinced they’ll find life in outer space because if evolution occurred here on Earth, then it must have occurred somewhere else. According to secularists, Earth is not special. In their view, it’s just one of many places where, over the supposed billions of years of the universe’s history, life managed to come from non-life and begin the process of evolution. Despite a lack of evidence, scientists are becoming increasingly convinced that life will be found soon. There is supposed ‘water in the interstellar clouds from which planetary systems and stellar

systems “form”.’ Of course, water and other molecules do not mean life! Life is very complex and has never—not even once—been observed to come from non-life. Life is also built on a language system and information, and matter by itself can never produce a language or information.³ So has alien bacteria or viruses really been found on a meteorite? A recent title in Nature News provides the answer…”The aliens haven't landed." The article gives an all encompassing rejection of NASA scientist Richard Hoover's claim that extraterrestrial microscopic bacteria fossils were found in the carbonaceous meteorite.⁴

4) Panspermia; Panspermia is the notion that life on earth evolved from space microbes or extraterrestrial biochemicals. But if that were true, the alien influence is subject to the same laws of nature as life on earth (because we supposedly came from the aliens and therefore would have identical natural laws). Therefore these alien microbes or biochemicals would not have survived the extreme temperatures of outer space. However,“In biblical creation, the ‘alien’(that is, God who is a supernatural being) is outside nature altogether, but perfectly able to interact within it. (Scripture says), ‘The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.’”⁵

“The Bible, in sharp contrast to the secular worldview, teaches that earth was specially created, that it is unique and the focus of God’s attention (Isaiah 66:1 and Psalm 115:16). Life did not evolve but was specially created by God, as Genesis clearly teaches. Christians certainly shouldn’t expect alien life to be cropping up across the universe. The Genesis account of creation remains consistent with what we observe and is the only satisfactory explanation for the presence of life…on earth. And I do believe there can’t be other intelligent beings in outer space because of the meaning of the gospel. You see, the Bible makes it clear that Adam’s sin affected the whole universe (Romans 8:20-22; For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;  because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now). This means that any aliens would also be affected by Adam’s sin, but because they are not Adam’s descendants, they can’t have salvation. One day, the whole universe will be judged by fire, and there will be a new heavens and earth. God’s Son stepped into history to be Jesus Christ, the “Godman,” to be our relative, and to be the perfect sacrifice for sin—the Savior of mankind.”⁶

“Jesus did not become the ‘GodKlingon’ or the ‘GodMartian’!  Only descendants of Adam can be saved. God’s Son remains the ‘Godman’ as our Savior.  In fact, the Bible makes it clear that we see the Father through the Son (and we see the Son through His Word).  To suggest that aliens could respond to the gospel is just totally wrong.

“An understanding of the gospel makes it clear that salvation through Christ is only for the Adamic race—human beings who are all descendants of Adam.”⁷

Until next time, God bless and take care!

Willow Dressel

References:

¹http://www.icr.org/article/universe-crowded-with-earthlike-planets

²http://www.icr.org/article/searching-for-elusive-man-from-mars/ 

³https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2015/05/06/alien-life-a-decade-away-from-discovery/

⁴http://www.icr.org/article/6028/

⁵http://www.icr.org/article/4744/

⁶https://answersingenesis.org/origin-of-life/panspermia/sutters-mill-meteorite-harbors-a-wealth-of-elusive-organics/

7https://answersingenesis.org/ministry-news/core-ministry/who-are-the-real-aliens/