At this time the probe, known as Europa Clipper, is on its way to Jupiter. Its mission is to make repeated close-up observations of Jupiter's moon Europa. One of the reasons for this mission is the hope of finding evidence of life on the small moon. It is thought that there is probably a surface ocean underneath the ice that makes up Europa surface. This is suggested by the cracks and other features that are found across Europa’s surface.
The question before us here is what the consequences from a creationist perspective would be if life was discovered on Europa or any other object in the solar system. The response of evolutionists is obvious and in fact it has already been indicated. If we find any life within the solar system, they will immediately conclude that it is evidence that abiogenesis is very common. However, there are two possibilities that a creationist perspective offers, that would have no effect whatsoever of supporting any possibility of abiogenesis.
Ejected from Earth during the Genesis Flood
The first explanation is that any such life would have been ejected from the Earth during the Genesis Flood. This would most likely be bacterial life that would have been ejected in the eruption of the fountains of the Great Deep. If such bacteria were encased in water and had sufficient nutrients to survive it is conceivable that they could reach other planets in our solar system.
If an actual sample of such life were actually retrieved such that its genetics could be analyzed, the results would show genetic patterns similar to that which is found on earth. Without question, if this were the case the most likely response from evolutionists would be to dismiss any such samples has contamination. They have already done this in the case of samples returned from asteroids.
Created separately by God.
This case would allow for the possibility of there being no genetic similarity between such life and life on earth. It would also suggest the possibility of finding more than bacteria alive on another planetary body. However, there is still no reason why it should not be possible from a creationist perspective for God to use the same genetic patterns that are used on earth. Consequently, such genetic similarity would be consistent with such life originating both here on earth and on the planetary body on which it was found. Such a situation, however, would put a new hole in using genetic similarity as evidence for common ancestry.
What would it mean for abiogenesis?
Such a discovery would be claimed by evolutionists as evidence that abiogenesis must be easy. After all it occurred twice in the same star system. However, not only would they be making the presupposition of an independent origin, but they are also ignoring the fact that it would actually square the odds against it occurring. This would actually make their problem worse. Now of course they would be pushing the opposite idea, but the reality is that it would actually make the problem worse for them, because now they would have two examples to explain. This would be even harder if there were extensive genetic similarities between the two.
Conclusion
The discovery of life elsewhere in the solar system would not be a problem from a creationist perspective. There would be at least two possible explanations for its origin depending upon the specific data. Consequently, as creationists we can rest assured that we can explain whatever data may come.
Evolutionists on the other hand, while they would claim victory, and claim evidence for abiogenesis being easy, in reality it would make the problem worse by doubling the statistical problem that they have. Of course, because they completely ignore and deny such statistics despite no way of being able to overcome them, they will do the same in this case.
For creationists on the other hand, it would not be a big deal. All this time this should be particularly true if such life gave evidence of having originated here on earth. This is because thanks to the fountains of the Great Deep during the Genesis Flood we have a mechanism for ejecting them into space to begin with.
