Aliens Visit Earth?

We are not alone in the universe – at least according to one NASA astronaut.

In 1971 Edgar Mitchell became one of a very small and prestigious club. He and 11 others have been the only humans to physically set foot on the moon. Mitchell’s trip was part of the Apollo 14, a journey that has altered his beliefs on the existence of aliens from outer space.

Speaking on Kerrang Radio out of Britain, Mitchell recently stated that he is convinced the UFO phenomenon is real. The former astronaut grew up in Roswell, NM, the site where some feel the government covered up a crash of an alien ship in 1945. He maintains that this secrecy has been going on for some time and that some officials know that planet earth has been visited repeatedly by other forms of life. In addition to Mitchell’s views, it seems that several of our astronaut ‘moon men’ have developed certain spiritual and philosophical leanings due to their space travel and by gazing upon their own planet from that unique and privileged perspective.

Seeing the earth from space should especially create a sense of wonder and the Bible speaks in Romans chapter one about the majesty of the heavens. In verse 20 we read, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”

As far as our not being alone in the universe, that is true on several distinct levels.

First, Paul speaks about the negative side as he instructed Christians for spiritual battle. In his letter to the church at Ephesus he wrote, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesian 6:11-12) The unseen spirit world is real but the forces of darkness are not ‘unidentified' to those who know and study God’s word.

On the other end of the spectrum, believers know instinctively from the heart that they are part of an exclusive club. The are never alone regardless of where their physical body may be. Jesus made this abundantly clear when he said, "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans ; I will come to you.". (John 14:16-18)

Edgar Mitchell may, or may not, be right about the existence, or even the cover up, of UFO’s. On that issue, the jury is still out. For Christians, however, it is not about life on other planets, but new life in Jesus Christ. They are living proof that we need not be alone in the world, but can possess both salvation and the constant help and companionship of the Creator Himself.

Bill Breckenridge