Kerby Anderson

You could say that William Shatner is the most famous astronaut in the world. Until recently, he was not a real astronaut. Shatner is best known for playing Captain Kirk in the Star Trek TV series and movies. Four years ago he did go into space. And it had such an impact that he started crying and now has written about it in his memoir, Boldly Go.

At age 90, he had a life-changing experience by going into space. He thought it would be a fulfilling experience to see planet Earth from a different vantage point. Others told him they were struck by the “apparent fragility of this suspended blue marble.” He also experienced “the strongest feeling, dominating everything else by far, was the deepest grief that I have ever experienced.”

When he looked away from Earth towards the rest of the universe, he didn’t feel attraction. Instead, he realized that we are “a tiny oasis of life, surrounded by an immensity of death.”

There is a name for that experience. Space Philosopher Frank White called it the “overview effect,” which is the title of his book by the same name. It comes from an emotional shift in a person’s awareness when they see Earth from space. You gain a greater understanding of the preciousness of Earth.

I think we can draw two conclusions. First is environmental stewardship. Shatner’s conclusion was that he wanted to protect Earth for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We need to do all we can to prevent the destruction of this planet.

The second conclusion is intelligent design. Earth is not an insignificant speck in the galaxy. Earth is our home. It was created by God for us, and we can now measure all the fine-tuned parameters that show God’s fingerprints.