So where are all the aliens? And did you know that science fiction is not really fiction?
The Fermi Paradox, a scientific puzzle, was made famous by the Italian-American physicist Enrico Fermi. The theory is that the universe must be filled with alien species, extra-terrestrials, and the paradox is that we haven’t made contact yet. Enrico Fermi is considered one of the great minds of the twentieth century, from the era of Einstein, and he is credited with the invention of the nuclear reactor. He also gave us the Fermi Paradox.
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Imagine that Darwin’s theory of evolution is true, as it is commonly taught. Many millions of years ago, the universe exploded into being through the Big Bang and stars, planets, and galaxies were spewed across the empty universe. On one planet, among millions or billions, a reaction happened in some primordial ooze, and life emerged; living cells formed and began to reproduce from their own genetic material. Over vast spans of time, multi-celled plants and animals emerged, and then vertebrate animals, and then we have images of fish crawling out of the water using their fins as legs, and then many prehistoric animals evolving on the Earth. Eventually, apes in trees, in Africa, climbed down to the ground and evolved into us.
That is my rapid summary of secular thinking. In many university faculties, every professor with tenure must claim to believe something like that. God the creator of the universe is not welcome.
Enrico Fermi worked in that environment, and developed his paradox. The question is, why did the formation of life happen only once? We know the universe is vast beyond our ability to measure, and there must be many other planets where primordial ooze could develop. By the laws of probability, it is impossible for humans to be the only intelligent species in the universe.
One stream in popular science fiction is really speculation about Fermi’s Paradox. E.T., Star Trek, and Star Wars contain E.T.s, Klingons, and Wookies, other intelligent species. “The Dark Forest” is a science fiction novel, now a series, from China by the author Liu Cixin. It was first published in China was 2008 and in English in 2015, and it is becoming very popular. The basic idea is that the universe is a dangerous place, like a dark forest, and other intelligent species are hiding from us and watching us.
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Science fiction is not really fiction; it is speculation about scientific ideas, “What would happen if …?” Behind the fictional stories are strong beliefs and devout convictions.
If we believe in the evolution of life, without God, then we must accept the Fermi Paradox. We are not alone, but why haven’t we met the others? That explains the popularity of “Star Trek”, “Star Wars”, “E.T.”, and “The Dark Forest.” People are intelligent and they take ideas to their logical conclusion. It’s not hard to understand how the religion of Scientology was developed by a science fiction writer.
Here’s another idea; “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) and then “he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”” (Revelation 21:5)
Between those two points is the Bible with God the creator, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, prophets, apostles, and millions of believers. The logical conclusion for me, is me. In my experience, it is good to follow Jesus, and I don’t need to be ashamed, or uneducated to say that.
The common faith of atheist academics is speculative and fantastic at its conclusion, and it does not make us better people.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law, day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither; whatever they do prospers.
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. (Psalm 1)