Aliens and God: Extra Theology for Extraterrestrials?

Recent UFO Congressional Hearing

In the July 26 congressional  hearing on UAP (unidentified aerial phenomena), three former military officials told Congress that the government is hiding information about possible encounters with aliens.  There has always been an American mythology surrounding UFO sightings and alien encounters, most of it hearsay and anecdotal. What happened on July 26 was different. We had men with serious credentials testifying before congress that they know of someone or have personally encountered UAPs. themselves. One of the men, David Grusch, a former U.S. intelligence official claims to have gained knowledge, through interviews with eyewitnesses, of a crash site of an alien craft that contained non-human biological remains. He also claims the government has the UAP craft and is studying its technology. 

A former Navy commander, David Fravor, said he and three fellow military pilots spotted a white Tic-Tac-shaped object flying at supersonic speeds in patterns that are impossible for human aircraft. As to whether the UAPs present a danger, Grusch told the panel that he knows of "multiple colleagues" who were injured by UAPs.

Theological Implications

If this testimony were true, then there are major theological implications. Not since Galileo and the switch from a geocentric solar system to a heliocentric one, have the stakes been so high. That was an ‘uh oh moment' for the Church who at the time aligned with the theory of geo-centrism because it seemed to fit the biblical narrative. Galileo was one of the first to assert a heliocentric solar system and the Church wanted him to check his facts. The Church handled the Galileo affair poorly (though not as bad as most textbooks indicate). To this day, because of what happened with Galileo, many people think that the Church is opposed to science and that the Bible itself is anti-science.

If these experts are telling the truth and these so-called UAPs are flown by  intelligent, non-human aliens, who are more advanced than humans, then the Church must be ready to give an answer to the many questions that this would pose. We don't want another 'uh oh moment'.  

We don’t have anything explicitly about aliens in the Deposit of Faith, the body of Church doctrine given by Jesus and the Apostles. The Bible is a Christocentric narrative that unfolds on a geocentric stage. It is mostly about what happens on earth between God and humans. There are references to heaven, hell, angels, demons and animals, but no aliens. 

Aliens That Have Superior Intelligence

The aliens fly in supersonic, other-worldly, technologically superior craft. This suggests that they are highly intelligent and superior to humans. Are they more intelligent than humans or has their technology had more time to evolve? Compared to humans who are just now getting deep into artificial intelligence, the aliens may have been through that stage of development hundreds of years ago. They also may have access to energy resources, or unknown matter to construct craft that can withstand the physics of long distance space travel. They may be equally intelligent as humans but with better circumstances. Higher intelligence separates humans from animals but it is not a criteria for being made in the image of God. Humans are not equal in intelligence. For example, those who have disabilities may lack intelligence but they are no less made in the image of God. Intelligence doesn't  equate to Imago Dei, therefore these aliens are not threatening our status as, 'crown of creation'.

Aliens With Reason and Free Will

Do these aliens have free will? If they do, are they like angels who decide once and for all because they are outside of space and time or not bound by it? Do they waiver back and forth in their decision making like us? Do they weigh the consequences and think things through? If they have free will and they have reason then this is getting closer to being in the image of God. 

Aliens and Sin

If they have free will and reason. but not divine revelation, then they would be subject to Natural Law, the innate, common sense moral compass built into creatures with reason. If they choose to violate that law, then it would be considered a disruption of the order of the cosmos and a violation of God’s will, therefore it is sin. If they have revealed law then they are held accountable for obeying those laws as well. 

We know from the testimony, that they can die. Since the craft recovered had dead bodies, then death is part of their reality. Theologically, that would mean they are subject to the effects of original sin, death being one of them. 

Was there an original sin in the alien species or did the fall of our first parents on earth bring sin and fallenness to them? Does the fall affect not just our world but the whole cosmos? Maybe they were not fallen and in a state of original innocence, but by entering our world they become subject to the spiritual laws of our world. The aliens crashing and dying in this earthly, fallen world may have been their first taste of death. They may have had, like Adam and Eve, preternatural gifts intact. Those gifts that were lost in sin were no pain, immortality, moral integrity and infused knowledge. The fact that they made a mistake and crashed also points to their imperfection. They make mistakes and they die, so we know they cannot be divine. 

Ok they aren’t gods, but was life seeded on earth by them? Is our world a simulation for their entertainment - one giant reality tv series? Are they just checking in on their project? There would be no way to rectify this theory of panspermia with divine revelation. It also brings us back to ‘the first cause’ question, who created them? It’s philosophically untenable. 

Alien Ethics

They must have some sort of language, because in order to have that level of technological sophistication there must be communication and societal structure. Long term, multigenerational planning suggests a high level of vision, commitment and discipline. It takes an ethical code to generate that kind of civilized achievement among the alien society. We know that the cooperation and hierarchical structure that NASA or the military have, necessitates a code of conduct. 

If they have an ethical code then why aren’t they trying to meet with us. Aren’t they ethically obligated to communicate with us rather than remain mostly incognito? They would owe us an explanation as to why they are in our airspace. Are the aliens spying on us because they are ultimately unethical and power hungry, intent on conquest? 

Are they explorers or conquerors? Have they come in peace or are they here to colonize and enslave humans? Are they here to extract our resources, our energy? What do they want? The fact that they haven’t communicated any of this is troubling. 

We do have the testimony that they have been aggressive and some people have been injured. However, no one has been reported to have been killed by an alien. Obviously, they have the power to make that happen probably on a grand scale. Yet they haven’t. They have shown restraint. Is that due to benevolence or could it be a military strategy? 

Is Jesus their Redeemer Too?

Jesus is king of the cosmos, not just our world. Does the redemption he brings to earth extend to everything in the cosmos, or would the Word of God as Savior have to become flesh in an alien body and dwell among them? We know that Jesus could become a different kind of body, natural, resurrected, ecclesial or mystical, eucharistic and veiled.

One major objection to this thought experiment would be that there would have to be another Mary or many Marys. We know that Mary was spared from sin and uniquely chosen by God for her most pivotal role in salvation history. That would be weird to think that she would have to be repeated for every alien species. The point is, God wouldn’t just barge into a world. There needs to be an invitation, something like Mary’s ‘yes’ to the alien Incarnation. 

Could these UAPs be Demons?

Is this UAP thing an extra-terrestrial problem or a supernatural phenomenon? We know they wouldn’t be good angels. Angels don’t need to fly in space craft. Good angels would announce themselves or otherwise be hidden. So, are these aliens demons in disguise? We know that demons are tech savvy. Electronic interference is one of their go to attacks. Demons could manipulate the material world but to manifest as a species of aliens with spacecraft would be unlikely. Based on their limits and the pattern of behavior that they have already demonstrated, this would be a radical departure. 

Instead, the way demons are involved is they are feeding the hysteria and confusion that some people experience when questioning aliens. They may encourage people to get carried away with the alien thing, sowing doubt about the doctrinal truths for those without a grounding in the Deposit of Faith. 

Final Thoughts

We can be certain that what the doctrine the Catholic Faith proposes as true is enough for our salvation. Since aliens didn’t make the cut, knowledge of them is not necessary for our salvation. Jesus is enough. He said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”. We also know that God created everything, the whole cosmos, out of nothing. He’s not just God of earth. Every star and every planet, and any extraterrestrial living thing out there has God as their Master.

On aliens, I myself remain skeptical. On UAPs there must be some explanation. But again, I will play along. If we encounter aliens what should we do?

Are we commanded to love aliens as our neighbors? That depends on whether they qualify as being our neighbor. The word neighbor, so far, has only been applied to other human beings.Our responsibility here is unclear. Unlike animals which we care for as stewards, scripture does not say we have dominion or that we are stewards over other planetary life.

If somehow we have rebellious, fallen and evil aliens that eventually attack earth and harm humans, then we must repent and turn back to God. The only reason that would happen is because they are permitted by God to do us harm as a way of bringing about moral correction. That’s what we call the mystery of evil, God using that evil and turning it into some good. We must also resist evil aliens, with force if necessary. We would be obligated to defend others. 

You might be thinking that we don't stand a chance. Wrong! If you want to know how to kick some alien butt, I recommend you watch the film, Independence Day. Finally, until we have undeniable proof, please don’t forget to keep a sense of humor on this alien thing.