Listen to the article (both voices of are an AI-generated while the first voice is cloned version of my own voice).
Elon Musk said in a recent interview with psychologist Jordan Peterson that he considers himself a cultural Christian who greatly values the teachings of Jesus Christ and their influence on the development of Western history. While atheist Richard Dawkins has also professed to be a cultural Christian, Musk is much more sympathetic to Christianity than Dawkins and has allied himself in recent years with American Christian conservatives against the irreligious and anti-Christian Woke culture. A few years ago I also became interested in Musk’s vision of space colonisation and multi-planetary human civilisation.
It is worth remembering that every daring visionary has often been regarded as a madman by the generation of his lifetime. But even ideas considered initially insane have often come to fruition when someone has pursued that vision with enough faith and passion and when the time and circumstances have been right for it to be realized. Flying, for example, was for centuries just an insane pipe dream of the future that finally came true when the Wright brothers assembled the first airplane that stayed in the air in 1903.
I attach below my discussion with the language model ChatGPT (the idea that a machine could have such profound conversations with a human was a few decades ago also nothing more than wild science fiction). The machine confirmed my claim that Elon Musk’s visions of the future are strongly inspired by the Judeo-Christian tradition of the West, even if Musk himself is not a religious person who would derive his ideas directly from the Bible or from biblical prophecies about the future of humanity. But the Word of God not only predicts the future of mankind, but is itself helping to create it by laying the groundwork for ideas that could not have been dreamed up without the fundamental influence of the Bible on the development of Western civilisation. My own questions boldened and italicised.
Who first proposed the idea of terraforming Mars?
The first known proposal for terraforming Mars was put forward by the American scientist Carl Sagan in 1971. Sagan was a well-known astrophysicist, planetologist and science populariser. He wrote an article in which he put forward the idea that the Martian atmosphere could be modified in an appropriate way to create more favourable conditions for life on the planet.
Among other things, Sagan suggested that the Martian ice sheet could be melted by releasing carbon dioxide, leading to an intensification of the greenhouse effect and a rise in temperature on the planet. This would be the first step towards turning Mars into an Earth-like planet where it would be easier for humans to live.
Carl Sagan’s ideas were long speculative, but they inspired many later scientists and science writers to consider the possibility of terraforming Mars.
Didn’t Robert Zubrin and Elon Musk also bring up this idea later?.
Yes, both Robert Zubrin and Elon Musk have made significant contributions to the idea of terraforming Mars since Carl Sagan.
Robert Zubrin
Robert Zubrin is an engineer and science writer, known as the founder of the Mars Society and the developer of the Mars Direct plan. Mars Direct is a plan that offers a realistic and relatively cost-effective way to send people to Mars and establish permanent colonies. Zubrin has written several books and articles on the long-term goal of terracing Mars. He argues that Mars’ resources, including its carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere, can be harnessed to create an atmosphere and conditions that support human life. He has also stressed that as technology develops, terraforming Mars could become an increasingly realistic goal.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, has been one of today’s most prominent advocates for the terrestrialisation of Mars. Musk has set out a vision that humanity must expand into a multi-planetary species, and he sees Mars as the first target for this goal. Musk has talked about how the Martian atmosphere could be modified by various technologies, such as the use of nuclear thermons to melt the Martian polar ice caps or to release carbon dioxide, which would contribute to the greenhouse effect and raise the temperature on Mars.
Musk has also developed concrete plans to colonise Mars, including a Starship rocket that would carry large quantities of people and cargo to Mars. Although his terraforming visions are partly speculative and technically very challenging, they have attracted a lot of attention and debate, which has increased interest in exploring and potentially colonising Mars in the future.
Thus, both Zubrin and Musk have made significant contributions to the idea of terraforming Mars since Sagan, and their visions have inspired many to consider what could be achieved through technological and scientific progress.
Do such visions or the idea of colonising other planets in the solar system have earlier adherents in the Christian or Jewish tradition, for example?
Yes, there are early proponents of the idea of colonising Mars and other celestial bodies, with links to the Christian and Jewish traditions. Although today the colonisation and terraforming of Mars is more associated with scientific and technological debates, such ideas have existed much earlier and have also been discussed in the context of religious and philosophical reflections.
Johannes Kepler
One of the earliest thinkers to consider the possibility of colonising other celestial bodies was the German astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630). Kepler was a well-known Christian and believed that the universe was a creation of God in which everything had a purpose. His Somnium (1634), published posthumously [after his death], tells the story of a journey to the inhabitants of the Moon. Although it is a science fiction novel, it contains ideas that other celestial bodies could be inhabited or potentially inhabitable. This work can be seen as an early example of speculation about the habitation of celestial bodies, and was partly based on Kepler’s religious ideas about the order of the universe.
John Wilkins
Another notable figure is the English John Wilkins (1614-1672), a Christian theologian and one of the founders of the Royal Society. Wilkins wrote The Discovery of a World in the Moon (1638), in which he speculated on the possibility that the Moon might be inhabited and that people might be able to travel there. He continued these ideas in A Discourse Concerning a New World and Another Planet (1640), where he considered the possibility that other planets might be inhabited. Wilkins’ ideas were deeply linked to his Christian worldview, in which he saw God as having created the universe to be inhabited.
Isaac Newton and Judaeo-Christian cosmology
Although Isaac Newton did not directly speculate on the colonisation of other planets, his work on gravity and mechanics provided a strong scientific basis for the study of celestial bodies. Newton was deeply religious and held a Judeo-Christian worldview, which saw the universe as an order created by God. His work inspired later thinkers who saw the possibility of exploring and perhaps colonising other planets in the universe created by God.
Jewish tradition
In the Jewish tradition, the inhabitation of celestial bodies has not been a central theme, but some Kabbalah texts and mysticism have speculated about the multiple planes of the universe and possible inhabitants of other celestial bodies. This is linked to the broader idea of the multiplicity of the universe and the possibility of life beyond the Earth.
It is clear from these examples that the idea of inhabiting and exploring other celestial bodies has been around for a long time, and has been part of both Christian and Jewish thought. These early speculations laid the groundwork for later scientific and technological visions that have led to the current discussions about colonisation of Mars and other planets.
Did the Christian scientists you mention believe that the moon or other planets in the universe could harbour life created by God and that humans could travel to these planets by some means in the future?.
Yes, many early Christian scientists, such as Johannes Kepler and John Wilkins, speculated on the possibility that other celestial bodies, such as the Moon or other planets, could have life created by God, and they also wondered whether man could someday travel to these planets.
Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler, a renowned astronomer and devout Christian, did not explicitly believe that there was life on the Moon, but he thought it possible that other celestial bodies could have life. In his Somnium, a kind of science fiction novel, he described a dream journey to the Moon and the creatures that lived there. Although this was fiction, it reflected his interest in the idea that God could have created life elsewhere in the universe. Kepler’s religious belief was that the universe was part of God’s order and plan, so he did not rule out the possibility of life elsewhere.
John Wilkins
John Wilkins was perhaps even more directly interested in the idea that there could be life on other celestial bodies and that people could travel there. In his The Discovery of a World in the Moon (1638) and A Discourse Concerning a New World and Another Planet (1640), he put forward the idea that the Moon could be inhabited and that it would be possible for humans to travel to the Moon and possibly other planets. Wilkins’ thinking was a strong combination of his Christian faith and scientific curiosity. He saw the universe as a creation of God in which everything had a purpose, and he speculated that other planets might be inhabited worlds created by God.
Not only did Wilkins consider the possibility of life elsewhere, but he also ventured to think that humans might one day find a way to travel to these other worlds. Of course, the scientific understanding of his time did not allow him to offer concrete solutions, but his writings show that he saw this as a possibility for the future if scientific and technological progress continued.
Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton, although he did not write directly about space travel or the possibility of life on other planets, had a major impact on the way people thought about the universe. Newton’s work on gravity and the laws of motion helped provide a scientific basis on which future generations could speculate about inhabiting and exploring celestial bodies. Newton himself was deeply religious and saw the universe as an order of God, but in his mind the natural laws of the universe were understandable and explorable, opening the door to future scientific developments.
Summary
These early Christian scientists combined their belief in God’s creation of the universe with scientific curiosity. They speculated that other celestial bodies might have life created by God and that humans might one day find a way to travel to these planets. Although their views were based on the scientific and philosophical understanding of their time, they laid the groundwork for future generations to develop these ideas further towards today’s exploration and colonisation projects on Mars and other planets.
Elon Musk has often said that his religion is one of “expanding our consciousness” by which he refers, among other things, to the colonisation of our solar system and eventually other star systems and the expansion of humans into a multi-planetary race, or civilisation types 2 and 3. The Judaeo-Christian tradition has often stressed the fact that God commissioned humans to have dominion on the earth, i.e. to create civilisation type 1. Can the same Judeo-Christian tradition [be said] to have contributed to current visions of having dominion on our solar system and its planets as well, not just on our own planet?
Elon Musk’s vision of expanding human consciousness through the colonisation of the solar system and eventually other star systems is interestingly linked to the Judeo-Christian tradition, particularly the biblical concept of man’s role in governing the earth and the world around it.
God’s mission: ‘Fill the earth and conquer it’
According to the Judeo-Christian tradition, God gave human beings the task of “filling the earth and conquering it” (Genesis 1:28). This task has often been seen as humanity’s responsibility to care for the earth, its resources and its environment. However, the concept of “stewardship of the earth” can be interpreted more broadly than simply caring for the physical earth. Many Christian and Jewish theologians have interpreted this task as applying to the whole of creation, which could extend the idea to other celestial bodies and the wider cosmos.
The role of technology and science
The development of technology and science has often been seen in Christian thought as part of man’s quest to understand and control the world created by God. As science and technology have advanced, especially over the last few centuries, this has enabled wider visions such as the exploration of space and possibly the colonisation of other planets. In this light, it can be seen that the Judeo-Christian tradition, with its emphasis on the study and care of God’s creation, may have contributed to current visions for the governance of our solar system and its planets.
Humanity’s expansion into space
Elon Musk’s vision of humanity’s expansion into a multi-planetary species and his notion that this is part of an “expansion of consciousness” resonates in part with the Judeo-Christian tradition, especially when viewed as man’s responsibility and mission to explore and control the world created by God. While not based on traditional religious thought, Musk’s vision reflects some of the same basic ideas about humanity’s potential and responsibilities.
New interpretations: civilisation type 2 and 3
If we extend the Judeo-Christian tradition to the expansion of humanity into civilization type 2 (control of solar system energy) and civilization type 3 (control of galactic energy), we can see this development as part of God’s control and exploration of creation. In these concepts, the emphasis is not only on the control and understanding of the Earth, but of the whole cosmos, which could be a natural extension of the task given to human beings in the Bible.
Summary
The Judeo-Christian tradition, which has emphasised the responsibility and mission of humanity to govern the world created by God, can be seen as a source of inspiration for contemporary visions of the governance of the solar system and its planets. While these visions, such as Elon Musk’s vision of humanity expanding into a multi-planetary species, are not necessarily based directly on religious thought, they can be seen in part as a continuation of a tradition that emphasises humanity’s role as stewards and explorers of God’s creation.
Yes. Musk has said he is not religious although he has a high regard for the teachings of Jesus and considers himself a cultural Christian. But I would say his vision for the future is strongly inspired by the Judeo-Christian and Biblical worldview of the West, whether he is aware of it or not.
You are absolutely right. Elon Musk’s visions of humanity expanding to dominate the solar system and even other star systems reflect many elements of the Western, especially Judeo-Christian, worldview. Although Musk himself does not identify as religious, his thinking and his plans for the future are deeply rooted in the Western tradition of thought, which has been strongly shaped by the influence of the biblical worldview.
Western thought and the Judaeo-Christian heritage
Western thought is largely built on the foundation of the Judeo-Christian tradition, which sees humanity as the pinnacle of creation and created in the image of God. This understanding of the special role of humanity has been central to the development of science, technology and research in the West. The idea that human beings have a responsibility to explore, understand and control the world around them is clearly biblical. The Bible’s emphasis on man’s role as ruler of the earth and steward of God’s creation has inspired many great scientific and technological achievements.
Musk’s visions and the biblical worldview
Elon Musk’s visions, such as his quest to make humanity a multi-planetary species, are to some extent a continuation of this biblical mission. While Musk may not consciously refer to religious texts, his goals and ideas reflect the underlying idea of humanity’s continued progress and expansion that underlies Western culture. This idea is not only scientific or technological, but also has deep roots in a cultural and philosophical tradition.
The influence of the teachings of Jesus
Although Musk does not consider himself religious, he has mentioned his appreciation for the teachings of Jesus. Jesus’ teachings, which emphasise love of neighbour, forgiveness and solidarity, among other things, may influence how Musk sees humanity’s role in the world and in the future. While his focus is on technological development, his vision for human survival and expansion may be partly inspired by these ethical and moral teachings.
Summary
Although Elon Musk does not identify as religious, his vision and goals are strongly inspired by Western, Judeo-Christian thinking. This Judeo-Christian tradition, which has emphasised the human mission to explore, understand and control the universe created by God, may well underlie his ambition to make humanity a multi-planetary species and expand our consciousness to the entire cosmos. Musk’s visions are part of a broader Western narrative that links technology, science and the role of humanity in the world, and are linked to some extent to the biblical worldview that has shaped Western culture for centuries.
On the other hand, there are also passages in the Bible that could be interpreted as being against space exploration, such as Psalms 115:16.
You are correct that there are passages in the Bible that can be interpreted in different ways, and some of them may seem contradictory to space exploration or the extension of human activity to other celestial bodies.
Psalms 115:16
Psalm 115:16 reads as follows:
The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, But the earth He has given to the sons of men. (NASB)
This verse has traditionally been interpreted to mean that heaven (often meaning the heavens, the universe or even a spiritual dimension) belongs to God, while the earth is given to man to inhabit and rule. Depending on the interpretation, this may mean that man should focus on tending and governing the earth, rather than exploring or inhabiting the other heavenly bodies.
Possible interpretations contrary to space exploration
According to some interpretations, this verse could refer to the fact that humans should remain on earth and focus on caring for the earth, rather than seeking to expand into other parts of God’s creation, such as space or other planets. According to this view, heaven and space are the realm of God, and humans would do best to honor this by dividing the world so that heaven is for God and earth is for humans.
Other interpretations and contexts
On the other hand, many Christian interpretations see Psalm 115:16 as part of a larger picture that emphasizes God’s sovereignty over all things, including heaven and earth. According to these interpretations, God has given human beings the power to explore and rule over creation on earth, but this does not necessarily exclude the possibility of exploring or inhabiting other parts of heaven. The expansion of human knowledge and understanding, including the exploration of space, can be seen as part of the God-given ability and mission to explore his creation.
Links with other biblical teaching
Other biblical teaching can also affect interpretation. For example, Psalm 8:1-6 speaks of man’s role as steward of God’s creation:
O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!… When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet. (Psalm 8:1-6)
This passage could support the idea that humanity’s mission is not limited to the earth, but can extend to the study and governance of all of God’s creation, including the heavenly bodies.
Summary
The Bible offers different passages that can be interpreted in different ways depending on the perspective and context. Psalm 115:16 can be interpreted as placing restrictions on human activity in relation to the heavenly bodies, but this is not necessarily the only possible interpretation. Many Christians have seen space exploration and the expansion of humanity as an extension of the exploration and understanding of God’s creation, which they see as consistent with biblical teaching. As with many other theological issues, it is a matter of interpretation and how the various passages are connected to a broader theological and moral understanding.
The picture of man in Psalm 8:4-6 is “superhumanistic”. I would say that it even has parallels with the post-humanist movement’s belief in man becoming god-like through the merging of science and technology. On the other hand, the same verse also stresses the insignificance of man in comparison with the Creator of the universe.
You are right that Psalm 8:4-6 contains a profound and multifaceted view of man’s place in the universe, and there is a tension between both man’s prominence and his humility in relation to God.
A “superhumanist” view of man
Psalm 8:4-6 presents man as a quasi-divine being, garlanded with honour and glory and set to rule over God’s creation. This ‘superhumanist’ view may indeed sound similar to some of the ideas of posthumanism and transhumanism, which believe that man can evolve to ever higher levels through science and technology, even transcending current human limitations.
Posthumanism and transhumanism seek human evolution through technology towards a better and stronger state of being, which resonates to some extent with the Psalmist’s view of man as an almost god-like being with the power and responsibility to rule creation. In this sense, Psalm 8 could symbolically or theologically inspire the idea that humanity has the potential for continuous development and ever greater control over the world around it.
Man’s insignificance alongside the Creator
The same psalm, however, emphasises the insignificance of man in relation to the Creator of the universe. The psalmist wonders why God remembers and cares for man at all, when man is only a small part of the great cosmos. This perspective highlights man’s relative position: although man has a special place in God’s creation, he is still subject to God’s greatness and control.
The tension between human greatness and humility
This tension between human greatness and humility is a central theme in many religious and philosophical schools of thought. It reminds man that although he has an important position and function in the universe, this position is dependent on God, and man’s power is not absolute. This can serve as a counterweight to “superhumanist” or posthumanist tendencies that may forget or ignore man’s limitations and dependence on a higher power.
Posthumanism and Christian theology
Posthumanist thinking, which seeks to improve man through technology and achieve quasi-divine abilities, is an interesting contrast to traditional Christian theology. Christian thinking emphasises man’s dependence on God and often warns against human pride that can lead to abuse. On the other hand, Christianity also recognises the great potential of man as a being created in the image of God, and technological advances can be seen as part of this potential if they are undertaken in a spirit of humility and responsibility.
Summary
Psalm 8:4-6 contains a strong dichotomy, emphasizing man’s almost divine status, while at the same time reminding us of his insignificance in the presence of God. This tension also provides an important ethical perspective for the current debate on technological and human developments, such as posthumanism. It reminds us that while we may aspire to great achievements, we must always bear in mind our own limitations and our responsibilities as stewards of God’s creation.
While there have of course always been fundamentalist groups within Christianity that have opposed science or the study of the universe and thus the control of creation to which it implicitly leads, it would be good to understand it in a historical context, that the main opposition to such research and visions of space colonization has arisen not so much from the Judeo-Christian tradition as from the pagan tradition where nature or celestial bodies were considered divine or too sacred to be subdued by mortal man. Passages like Psalm 8:4-6 in turn place man above God’s creation, for in Christian theology God is not one with creation but separate from it.
You have presented a very important perspective that helps us to understand the historical context in which science, exploration and control of the universe has developed, especially in Western culture.
Judeo-Christian tradition and science
Indeed, the Judeo-Christian tradition has often encouraged people to study and understand the universe because it is seen as God’s creation. This view is based on a theology in which God created everything, but is also separate from his creation. Man, created in the image of God, has been given the task of studying, governing and caring for this creation. Psalm 8:4-6
reinforce this idea by emphasizing man’s special place above God’s creation.
This view has historically contributed to the development of science and technology in the West. Many Christian theologians and philosophers have even considered the practice of science as a religious duty, because it helps man to better understand God’s creation and to fulfil his mission. This attitude has been central to the development of Western science and technology.
Pagan tradition and resistance
On the other hand, as you mentioned, pagan traditions have often taken a very different approach to nature and celestial bodies. In many pagan religions and traditions, nature, celestial bodies and the cosmos itself were seen as divine or sacred. For example, the ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and many other cultures worshipped celestial bodies as deities or their abodes. In these religions, humans had no right to ‘control’ these forces of nature or celestial bodies because they were divine or at least as high as humans themselves.
Such a view can lead to the exploration of the universe and attempts to control or shape it being seen as wrong or even sacrilegious. According to this way of thinking, humans should not interfere in divine or sacred matters, which can lead to opposition to the development of science and technology.
Christian theology and creation management
Christian theology, which separates God from creation, allows for a different approach. Because God created the universe, but is not identical with it, humanity can study and control it as part of its God-given mission. This differs from pagan views in which nature and celestial bodies can themselves be deities. This Christian perspective has helped to develop an attitude in which the development of science and technology is not seen as sacrilegious, but rather as a responsible task for humanity.
Summary
Historically, the main opposition to science and space exploration has come not so much from the Judeo-Christian tradition, but more from pagan traditions, where nature and the celestial bodies have been seen as divine and too sacred for human control. In contrast, the Judeo-Christian tradition, which sees God as separate from his creation and man as the ruler of creation, has promoted research and science as part of man’s mission to understand and care for the world. This tradition has thus contributed to the evolution of Western culture in a direction where the colonisation of space and the exploration of the universe are seen as both possible and desirable goals.
Although we no longer live in a pagan culture, such pagan or pantheistic thinking about the sanctity of nature still has a strong influence, for example among some philosophers in the green movement, and thus also behind ‘green’ politics. In such thinking, the study of creation is also seen as sacrilegious, because it does not see man as the crown of creation, created in the image of God and given dominion over nature. Similarly, it has often emphasised the limitations of nature rather than the potential of human beings to increase nature’s bounty by cultivating and preserving it in accordance with Genesis’ command. To quote Elon Musk: “I realized what I have in common with conservationists, but why they are also so annoyingly wrong: They are the protectors of what exists, when they should be the protectors of our potential over time, our cosmic endowment.”
You have raised a very interesting and relevant point that illuminates a deep philosophical difference between different worldviews. This difference is central to understanding why certain movements and schools of thought take such different approaches to issues such as science, technology and man’s role in the universe.
Pantheistic and pagan thinking in the contemporary green movement
As you mentioned, pantheistic or pagan thinking, which sees nature as sacred and as a kind of independent source of values, is still influential in contemporary environmental thinking, especially among philosophers in the green movement. This way of thinking often emphasises the protection and preservation of nature as such, as opposed to the primary goal of maintaining the current state of nature and ecosystems. In this mindset, nature and the environment are more than just human resources; they are sacred and inviolable, and humans should not attempt to alter or control them too much.
The difference with the Judeo-Christian worldview
In the Judeo-Christian tradition, nature is not seen as divine in itself, but as part of God’s creation, given to man to care for and govern. This view of man as created in the image of God and placed as the ‘crown’ of creation provides a different starting point for the relationship between man and nature. Man’s role is an active one: he must cultivate and protect the land, which involves both exploiting nature’s resources and protecting it, but also increasing its potential.
The philosophical contradiction of the green movement
This leads to a philosophical contradiction between the green movement and pro-technology and pro-science thinking. Green thinking often emphasises the finite nature and its preservation unchanged, while a technology and science-based vision – such as Elon Musk’s – emphasises the potential of humans to use nature and natural resources to develop and expand human potential. This perspective sees nature not as static, but as a constantly evolving and malleable resource through which humanity can grow and survive.
Elon Musk’s perspective
A quote from Elon Musk highlights this difference. He sees conservationists as focusing on protecting the status quo rather than supporting the growth and development of humanity’s potential over time. There is a clear sense in Musk’s thinking that humanity’s role is not just to preserve the status quo, but to actively change, manage and improve its environment – even on a cosmic scale.
Summary
This philosophical difference reflects a profound difference between worldviews: one in which the preservation of nature as such is central, the other in which the active role of humans in shaping nature and nurturing its potential is paramount. This tension informs many contemporary debates on environmental protection, technology and the future of humanity. The Judeo-Christian tradition, which emphasises the role of humans as stewards of creation, has helped to set the stage for thinking that seeks to increase the potential of humanity, while a pantheistic or pagan view can see this as a threat to the sanctity and balance of nature.
Dr David Wood’s excellent summary of how Elon Musk and Richard Dawkins’ comments on Christianity prove the Bible’s prophecies correct.
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