The Milky Way Galaxy
100-400 billion stars (suns)
Est. 8 trillion planets (Earth is 1)
Galaxies
Observable Universe: Est. 200 billion to 2 trillion
Faint, un-observable: 6 to 20 trillion
Given these estimates, only fools and idiots could even entertain the idea the earth and its inhabitants are the only living species.
The math: the probability of us NOT being alone is a statistical “absolute”! We aren’t alone.
This leads us to only one question: Who, on earth, is preventing us from full disclosure? What are their names? Where are their signatures on what documents preventing it? It is time they are all identified and forced to step aside. Relieve them of all responsibility, all power, all control mechanisms.
Anyone disagree?
You forgot us devout Christians who believe as others as believed from before the advent of Christ. Here's our alternative theory:
God made the Universe to help man understand how much greater, powerful, and perfect he is, to help us understand just how much we need the Creator for life and salvation.
Anything less than a universe that appears to be limitless wouldn't suffice in helping us understand how infinite our Creator truly is.
I don't share to change your mind. I share b/c someone needs to.
PS Can I make a friendly suggestion?
So, are you saying, that God created the entire universe of physical matter, unoccupied by intelligent life... just to make a point to us Humans? Did I get this correct?
I don't necessarily disagree with this from the perspective of dichotomy. That being, in order to define something, something else must exist to compare it to. You can't have left without right or cold without hot, etc. However, to my point, assuming that God created all the universe only to make a point... that is, how infinite and powerful he is and in-turn only create one intelligent species and put them on one planet... well, that would seem to be an inrrational assumption. Furture, an unusual attribute to ascribe to God. He doesn't need to prove himself to that which he created.
And yes, I welcome your suggestions.
According to most theologians (up until critical theory wrecked that area of study as well), it was agreed upon that Man is the pinnacle of God's creation, the only creature made in His own image.
It isn't that God needed to prove himself to anyone. It's that the pride of man is without limit, so much so that we would never put ourselves under the power and grandeur and righteousness of God had he not placed us in a universe so vast and complex that we couldn't ever create for ourselves.
That being true, he could have done this with one galaxy. We could never, not ever, create a galaxy. He didn't need 100s of billions of galaxies.
That's one interpretation, yes. Had you been God instead of you, you would've stopped after one galaxy.
Another is that we mortals can't begin to fathom the mind of an infinite god outside of what he directly communicated to us in Scripture.
If it took no more effort on His part to create 1 galaxy or 100 billion galaxies, why limit yourself?