Friday Night Theology

Fear of aliens, fear of God

19 February 2010

Aliens and UFOs form the backbone of many books, films and TV series, and questions regarding their existence are never far away. For some, conversations regarding the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe are nothing more than light-hearted discussions that take place in the local pub to pass time. For others, the search for extraterrestrial life is what they choose to dedicate their life to.

This week, the release of over 6000 pages of reports that outline sightings of UFOs, provides fuel for both the light-hearted conversations and serious UFO research. The pages, released by the National Archives, provide details of 1000s of UFO sightings reported between 1994 and 2000 in the UK. One sighting that has received considerable media coverage is of a UFO that hovered over Michael Howard's Folkestone home in 1997.

Amongst Christians, there are a variety of views concerning aliens and UFOs. At one end of the spectrum there are those who confidently believe that what the Bible has to say about creation, humanity, salvation and the end times categorically rules out the possibility of intelligent extraterrestrial life. While at the other end of the spectrum there are Christians who believe that extraterrestrial life is highly likely, theologically possible, and would provide yet more evidence that God is great, unfathomable and extremely creative!

Discussions on such views would be interesting, but an FNT article does not provide the necessary scope to do so. Instead, let us consider what the interest generated by UFOs reveals about people's fears.

As science has revealed more and more about the size and wonder of the universe, people have reacted in different ways. For many Christians it reveals the awesomeness of God and leads to praise and adoration of our amazing Creator God. However, there are those for whom discoveries about the universe causes fear. Some fear attack, they fear that 'we are not alone' and that other more intelligent life may one day do things to us that aren't very friendly. While others are confronted with the fear of insignificance; the universe is so big, and we are so small, it's been around for so long, and we are here for but a moment. And then, it gets worse, there might be more intelligent life elsewhere, making our existence even less significant.

The Bible has much to say about these fears.

Firstly, the size and wonder of the universe should cause us to be fearful. It should cause us to fear God, the eternal and mighty Creator and Ruler of the universe. As the Psalmist said, "For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods." (Psalm 96:4)If you do believe that there might be life out there, you shouldn't fear it, God is Creator and Ruler of entire universe, not just part of it. Fear God, nothing else.

Secondly, it's good to know our place in the universe. We are small and we are only here for a moment, just take a look at the book of Ecclesiastes! However, that does not mean we are insignificant. It is certainly not our size, number of years, or even our intelligence that gives us our significance - our significance comes from our Creator. We are significant because we are made in 'the image of God', to be representatives of God in, and to, this world (Genesis 1:26-31).

Don't fear aliens; fear God, in whom we find our significance. "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (Psalm 139:14)

Phil Green, Public Theology Research Assistant