Are Martian colonies compatible with our origins?

We the human race are on the edge of a revolution in space technologies. NASA are developing the Ares launch vehicle and space travel is even becoming commercial. We have satellite companies like Sky, space cargo companies like Space X,space tourism companies like Virgin Galactica. We appear to be on our way to Mars and beyond.

But is such talk compatible with who we are. I see three ways of looking at Mars in terms of our origins. In the end I suppose these three views are not just scientific theories about the universe but ways of understanding who we are as human beings and what our purpose is in this universe.

1) EARTHBOUND DESIGN
God designed us for the earth and the earth for us. There is nothing remotely comparable to the miracle of life on our planet out there. So we should stay on this planet , keep our feet on the ground and concentrate on the lives God gave us rather than pie in the sky fantasies about space travel and what we could become.

2) NATURAL EVOLUTION - NEW FORMS OF LIFE - GOING BEYOND THE HUMAN DESIGN
Human life has adapted to the challenges it has faced from its very beginnings and space travel is merely the latest chapter in that story of adapation , survival and growth. As we explore the universe we learn things that extend what we can be and do as human beings. Mars is a life stimulating challenge and part of our long term survival plan as a species.

3) TERRAN EXPANSION- MAKING THE DESERTS BLOOM WITH THE LIFE GOD GAVE US
Life is fundamentally terran in its design and origins, but humans can take it with them to make the barren cosmic deserts bloom. We reach out to Mars and beyond not to find new life or create new forms of life there but to extend the reach of the life we already have. Our growth to the stars has earthly roots and like a transplanetary plant we grow because it is the nature of life to grow. Our origins are in fertile Terran soil but God has imposed no limits on how far out there we can go once we have overcome the physical tests of doing so. Mars is simply another barren empty desert world into which life can grow.

Which position is closest to your own and why?

mark kennedy said:

That's me right there, if there is life on other planets we can't get there from here. I have no problem with exploration but some idle fantasy that we are going to go on some Star Trek is pure undiluted fiction.

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Actually solar system planets like Mars or just our own moon are very accessible with current technology.

Nor is it idle fantasy to talk about industrial complexes, hotels, or even retirement homes for extremely wealthly people with brittle bones on the moon.

Journeys to Mars and even Mars bases are increasingly possible given the presence of water on the planet also.

max1120 said:

I believe that 2 and 3 best suite my belief of what we are doing. I hope we are able to soon begin such a journey!

Max

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Could you give any kind of biblical or theological defence of the desire to do space travel though?

The Barbarian said:

God gave us curiosity and intelligence. We are expected to be good stewards of the gifts He gives us. So we are expected to learn and explore. But there is no theological or moral aspect to colonizing Mars, other than our responsibility to leave it undamaged if there should be anything living there.

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I would say the question of whether there is life on Mars is pretty much settled. There is none - the toxicity of the soil, low atmospheric presssure, exposure to the suns radiation and excess of carbon dioxide in atmosphere mean life is extremely unlikely. The NASA scientists now seem to be asking if there was life or if the conditions were ever such on Mars that life could have emerged there. Both questions are a futile waste of money in my view as I do not believe in Ubiogenesis as a starting point anyway. We should be spending resources on getting humans there not speculating about why macro evolution/ubiogenesis apparently fails the Martian test. Mars is a proof against ubiogenesis and macro-evolution. The absoluteness of its barreness testifies to the wonder of the miracle of life on earth.

Also if we did discover life its likely to be very low end microbe type stuff. Humanity will add far more to Mars than those ever will.

max1120 said:

Who says we can't go on a Star Trek? Maybe we should boldly go where no man has gone before!

Max

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I think I have a step by step approach to this whole Star Trek theme. The moon and Mars are feasible as are mines in the asteroid belts and massive solar power stations in space also. For the distant future the jump in scientific understanding that will have to occur before the stars are within our reach is truly colossal. I suppose a quick meeting with God could drag my understanding on a few centuries with a few key inspirations and ideas for new technologies but star drives and star ships are not things I foresee in my lifetime.

shernren said:

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Earth first.

We'll strip-mine the other planets later.

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I am kind of hopeful that the asteroid belt and the moon will be all we need for minerals for the foreseeable future and that Mars could be a second home as a result. The moon is ideal for heavy industry once it is possible to transport products too and fro from earth in a cheap and ecofriendly manner (space elevators probably).

It would be less economical for miners to be caught in the gravity well of a planet with their products.

My real interest in this thread is how our view of origins effects our perspective on how we should be looking at the solar system.

My view is that the barreness of the solar system , thus far explored testifies to the rare and precious nature of life on earth and the improbability of ubiogenesis and evolution ever being successful.

Those who believe in evolution are often wary of trampling on life they consider must be emerging all over Gods creation from rocks and chemical reactions!!! At the same time many have a view of adapt , survive etc that may give them the instinct that space travel is a part of the inevitable development of the human species. Surely it must be a shock to many of them that therefore there is no life out there and that evolution by itself does not seem to be enough to inspire human beings to take the enormous risk on dangerous trips and colonisation efforts to other worlds. It will require faith, religious vision and good sound economics to make this happen. The science by declaring reasons to check every stone before we tread on it can seem to some to simply be in the way of the human ambition.