Who Will Save E.T.'s Soul?

In my Judaism, Christianity, and Islam class on Tuesday we talked about the Gnostic Gospel of Phillip. It was an interesting discussion on Gnosticism, but what really got me thinking was when the conversation sidetracked to the salvation of alien life. I don't remember exactly how we got onto the topic but it got me thinking: will E.T. be saved?

When I was a young lad (7, maybe 8 years old) I remember being told a very interesting idea on Sin and alien life. In SDA belief, God had placed the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil on every planet with sentient life to test their faithfulness and obedience to Him. Every single planet had passed the test and now continue to live in paradise except for one: Earth. We are the only planet that has fallen and the entire universe is now watching our history unfold.

[Jesus on Mars by Philip José Farmer. I love the monkey in the space suit sitting on Jesus' cross.]

As a young boy fascinated with science (I wanted to be an astronomer when I grew up) this idea that unfallen extraterrestrial lifeforms were watching me both intrigued and scared me. I initially envisioned aliens looking down at us like the doctors that observe a surgery in stadium seats. Since I thought aliens, and God, watched my every move I would periodically stop, look up, and wave hello. It seems silly now but I was 8, what would you do if aliens, and God, were watching your every move?

But what would happen if we did indeed make contact with alien life? What if their religion were completely different than ours? What if they have no religion or have evolved without it abandoning religion completely for science? The list of questions can go on and on. How would this affect mankind's view on God and the universe knowing that we are not alone? Adventists believe that Sin would never leave this solar system to spread like a virus, God simply wouldn't allow it, which means no alien contact.

In Jesus on Mars by Philip José Farmer, an unmanned probe finds an alien ship buried on Mars. And, as the title suggests, a manned expedition lands on Mars and finds an alien race living harmoniously with humans along with Jesus himself. Not only do these Martians (the aliens crashed there escaping from another alien race) believe in Jesus Christ they actually live with him! I stumbled upon this book the other day and I kept wondering if any sentient alien life had religious practices.

If we do come in contact with alien life our religious leaders would be very nervous that the aliens might state views on religion contrary to our own. Of course then the masses will get out their torches and pitchforks calling the aliens blasphemers and demons. Hopefully, if an interstellar war were averted, we will be able to learn something from these visitors before we attempt to convert them, that is if they didn't come here to convert us first. All hail Xenu, the Galactic Lord of the Universe!

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[Update (3/27/09): I ordered a used copy of Jesus on Mars by Philip José Farmer (it is no longer in print) and it just came in today. I'm currently reading Calculating God by Robert Sawyer and I'll move on to Jesus on Mars when I'm done.]