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The question of whether an extraterrestrial civilization, or any race capable of forming such an institution, is compatible or incompatible with the [[Bible]], is in sharp dispute. Those insisting that the Bible is entirely compatible with extraterrestrial races hold that the Bible contains no verse that says directly that man is the only sentient race in the universe. Still others quote this verse:{{Bible quote|I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.|book=John|chap=10|verses=16|version=NASB}}

The question of whether an extraterrestrial civilization, or any race capable of forming such an institution, is compatible or incompatible with the [[Bible]], is in sharp dispute. Those insisting that the Bible is entirely compatible with extraterrestrial races hold that the Bible contains no verse that says directly that man is the only sentient race in the universe. Still others quote this verse:{{Bible quote|I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.|book=John|chap=10|verses=16|version=NASB}}

[[Christian]] critics of this position point out that that verse probably referred to the distinction between [[Judaism|Jew]] and Gentile that [[Jesus]], and the Apostles after him, often made. Eventually, these Apostles, and especially [[Paul]], hoped to make that a distinction without a difference--a hope that many Christians today still cherish. But more to the point, these Christian critics reject the proposition that "other sheep" might include extraterrestrial races. They hold that the presence of such a race would give the lie to the claim of [[Jesus|Jesus Christ]] that He came to take away the sin of the world.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=I_John|chap=2|verses=2|version=NASB}}</ref>, and that He died once and only once to bring this about. As far as they are concerned, the only Kingdom that is not of this earth is the Kingdom of Heaven (''Please note: neither of these two passages contains any reference to this claim'')<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Genesis|chap=1|verses=26-28|version=NASB}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=Romans|chap=5|verses=14|version=NASB}}</ref>--and that Kingdom is also not of this universe, or "cosmos".

[[Christian]] critics of this position point out that that verse probably referred to the distinction between [[Judaism|Jew]] and Gentile that [[Jesus]], and the Apostles after him, often made. Eventually, these Apostles, and especially [[Paul]], hoped to make that a distinction without a difference--a hope that many Christians today still cherish. But more to the point, these Christian critics reject the proposition that "other sheep" might include extraterrestrial races. They hold that the presence of such a race would give the lie to the claim of [[Jesus|Jesus Christ]] that He came to take away the sin of the world.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=I_John|chap=2|verses=2|version=NASB}}</ref>, and that He died once and only once to bring this about. As far as they are concerned, the only Kingdom that is not of this earth is the Kingdom of Heaven<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Genesis|chap=1|verses=26-28|version=NASB}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=Romans|chap=5|verses=14|version=NASB}}</ref>--and that Kingdom is also not of this universe, or "cosmos".<ref>Although defenders of the compatibility position might insist that neither of the two verses speaks directly to the uniqueness claim, the use of definite article adjectives and references to a specific person named [[Adam]] (and another, named [[Jesus]]), with no hint that either Adam or Jesus had any counterpart elsewhere in the cosmos, militates in favor of uniqueness almost as well as any direct negation of plurality might.</ref>

That other ''non''-Christians not only acknowledge, but indeed explicitly ''declare'', that the Bible and extraterrestrial civilization are incompatible, must also figure in any consideration of such "compatibility."

That other ''non''-Christians not only acknowledge, but indeed explicitly ''declare'', that the Bible and extraterrestrial civilization are incompatible, must also figure in any consideration of such "compatibility."