"I look forward with horror to contact with the other inhabited planets, if there are such. We would only transport to them all of our sin and our acquisitiveness, and establish a new colonialism. I can’t bear to think of it. But if we on earth were to get right with God, of course, all would be changed. Once we find ourselves spiritually awakened, we can go to outer space and take the good things with us. That is quite a different matter." -- C.S. Lewis in an interview first published in the September 1963 issue of Decision Magazine and made available on the CBN website.
There is a much better quote from C.S. Lewis out there on this topic, but I can't seem to find it. The sentiment is essentially the same, in any event. While it was C.S. Lewis' work that revived my faith after a very difficult time in life, I don't feel obligated to agree with him on all points. This is one of those areas where I have to disagree to a certain extent.
Regarding the fallen state of humanity I can only say that Mr. Lewis was correct. Were we to find sentient life in the universe, with us in our present state, the consequences for the other beings would likely be disastrous. Unless, of course, they could outgun us.
Even not locating sentient life on other worlds, our impact on uninhabited planets could be terrible. We have a tendency to waste and abuse natural resources, and once human life becomes common beyond our world I see no reason why these habits would change. It's just as likely we'd ravage Mars as terraform it properly.
On the other hand, we seem to be creatures made for exploration. I see no reason why we shouldn't, in due time, make our way out into other parts of our solar system. Further, since there seems to be no sentient life nearby, there isn't much risk of colonialism. Only waste and devastation remain as concerns, and considering how unpleasant most other locations are in our solar system, I'm not too concerned about them becoming tourist hot spots. Even if we do trash them up a bit, the other worlds aren't that great to begin with.
Further, C.S. Lewis seemed to fall quite often into the mistaken idea that a disembodied state is our ultimate goal, including heaven, and that the only way we'd still be in this world materially would be before death in either a fallen or redeemed state. He seemed to forget rather often the promise of resurrection and New Heavens/New Earth.
Jesus spoke of himself as the source of resurrection:
"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?'" (John 11:25-26 NRSV).
Consistent with this, elsewhere in the Scriptures the apostle Paul speaks of Jesus as "the firstborn from the dead." In other words, what God the Father did in and for Jesus, He will also do in and for us.
"For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling— if indeed, when we have taken it off we will not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan under our burden, because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life"
(2 Corinthians 5:1-4 NRSV).
Again we see that the Christian hope is not a lack of physicality, but actually being more real than we are at present. Paul elaborated, as best he could, on the nature of our resurrection hope in his first letter to the Corinthians:
"Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 'Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:51-57 NRSV).
Besides resurrection, the Scriptures speak often of new heavens and new earth.
"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home" (2 Peter 3:10-13 NRSV).
Sometimes New Heavens/New Earth is misunderstood as a return to Eden, and common as well is the misconception (derived largely from the passage above) that the present universe will be annihilated. In fact, neither view is entirely accurate.
We can never return to Eden. The birth of humanity and its subsequent fall into sin which led to all creation (whether only this planet or the entire cosmos I can't say) being subjected to bondage all took place within what we might call "stage one." Contrary to popular opinion, God's purposes were never thwarted. Instead, we have taken a far bloodier and more miserable path, one that included the crucifixion and resurrection of the Son of God. We took a horrible detour, but God's plan wasn't derailed. We will not return to our Edenic state, however that was, but rather reach our ultimate (notice I didn't say "final") goal through resurrection and New Heavens/New Earth.
The idea that our present world will be utterly destroyed in the process of fulfilling God's plan has little solid basis in Scripture. Much of the language that gives modern (or post-modern) readers this idea is actually prophetic apocalyptic speech. The ancients, especially the Hebrews, wouldn't have understood this as referring to the collapse of space-time, but rather as speaking of a radical change from the present system. Further, it may help you to know that the word Peter used for "elements" was the same that Paul used, frequently, when condemning false teachings and sinful philosophies. The corruptions of humanity will be purged and creation set free at the revealing of the children of God.
So, for me I have no objections to space exploration. In my opinion, we'll be doing it someday anyway after the renewal of all things.
"For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Romans 8:19-21 NRSV).
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