Pizzaguy and Caludya BOTH missed the first sentences of the Wiki article
The Drake equation is a mathematical equation used to estimate the number of detectable extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy. It is used in the field of the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence (SETI). The equation was devised in 1961 by Frank Drake while at the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center.
Note the limitations:
Only the Milky Way Galaxy
Only life forms that are detectible at present
Only the life forms that construct a civilization
And of course, it is an estimate.
It is an estimate based upon seven INDEPENDENT and IMMEASURABLE variables. Therefore it is nonsense.
In the theological sense, I believe that it is an absurdity as well as an impossibility.
That is because to create a civilization that is sufficiently sophisticated requires beings that have will, intellect and emotion, In other words a person but not necessarily a human body. (having a human body is an impossibility, as you will discover shortly) Because Each member of the Triinity have will, intellect and emotion, Each are described as Persons who have a spiritual Nature, excepting Jesus who has both a spiritual and human nature.
As Christians, we believe that Jesus Christ added to himself (See
Philippians 2:6 ff) a human nature. Why was that done? It is because as the Second Adam, He took upon Himself the nature of a human and be in all ways like us, but without sin. In this way, Jesus was able to provide a full and substitutionary (vicarious) Atonement that satisfied the requirement for the penalty for all sins of every human, stated in Genesis 3: death. "The soul that sinneth shall die" says Isaiah.
The observant Christian says, "True, but what does that have to do with ETs? Scripture tells us that humans are created in "the image of God". So when Jesus "took upon Himself the form of a servant" he did not take upon Himself the form and nature of Fido the dog, or Fluffy the cat. He took upon Himself the form and nature of the ONLY creation of God to bear his image. In one respect, it was not really a gigantic "step down". Due to the Fall of Adam, the first human, the Atonement required a second, but sinless Human to take the penalty for the sin of Adam that is passed down upon all humans. Good's wrath and judgment against sin was satisfied in the death of Jesus. It is the Resurrection that proved the forgiveness of sins was final. Thus when Christians place their faith in the nature and extent of the Atonement of Jesus, they are saved, forever.For that, we all rejoice.
Hebrews 13:13 says Jesus Christ is "the same, yesterday, today and forever." EACH of the Trinity are immutable, meaning never-changing, ever. For God to permit intelligent beings on other planets, it would require that they are physical beings with bodies, according to the rules of the Drake "Equation". They could not be spiritual bodies such as angels posess because they would have to organize, and create and build technology capable of communicating with other beings with the same attributes. (For the sake of argument and convenience, I will call them ETs) So exactly would those ETs be like?
It is my opinion that they could not be other humans existing anywhere in the Universe. The reason for that has to do with the Atonement on Calvary. It was a once-in -eternity event. Since Satan was defeated at Calvary, and the extent of that defeat extends to the heavenlies, it is illogical and impossible for the Crucifixion to be repeated. What was done on Earth c 33 AD was a sufficient event to affect EVERYTHING that God created.
It is my opinion that God did not create anything resembling a Ferengi, a Romulan, a Kilngon or a Wookue. While all of those fictional characters possess personhood, if they did exist, then it must be that they have a sinless nature, or else there is salvation available outside of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. In other words, Jesus would have to be as a Vulcan, or a Cardassian or a Yoda or whatever in order to provide salvation for them, also. (The use of the implausible helps to make a point in a humurous way.) Equally improbible is the idea that the ETs would have knowledge of what happened on earth during the Crucifixion and Resurrection.
All that is to demonstrate that in order to have any alien civilization that is capable of doing as SETI presupposes is to do great damage to Scripture, and to the plan of salvation. In fact the belief of ETs existing trashes God and everything He created. Thus I believe that it is only a gullible or naive Christian can believe in any sort of ET.
On this I reserve the right to be wrong.
Live well and prosper!
