As we noted last week, the question, "do non-human intelligent beings exist?" is all the rage in the media these days. This writer confidently answers YES, such beings exist! But before that bold claim is backed up, let's make sure we are epistemologically self conscious...let's do some basic world view checking, specifically with regard to origins.
One world view holds that the cosmos as we observe it today is the result of an unexplained big bang that occurred billions of years ago. Our Earth is just one speck of dust orbiting one unremarkable star in a galaxy which is but one of billions of such star clusters. This world view asserts that a spark of life appeared on Earth by what are called "natural forces" acting through and upon inanimate matter. All life forms we see today evolved from there...a marvelous case of molecules to mankind; goo to you by way of the zoo. None of this ever has been observed.
The other world view also holds to a big bang, so to speak. Several thousand years ago, God spoke and...BANG! There it was – a fully functioning Heavens and an Earth filled with multitudinous life forms possessed of the capacity to procreate and adapt. The work of creation was not observed, but as we observe the cosmos today, we are without excuse to fail to see that it is the work of the almighty, omniscient Creator. The Creator had a purpose for the whole and all its parts, and He continues to uphold and direct it. Earth is a unique place and - recognizing this is crucial - the heavenly bodies have an Earth-ward focus. See Genesis 1:14-18.
Second, let's do some fact checking. Observation using the best astronomic tools has yielded zero evidence of any life as we know it anywhere out there. SETI folk continue to hope. Sci-fi writers continue to help us imagine our first friendly contact with a pointy eared or reptile-like humanoid, a vicious global attack by gigantic insects or squid, or the destruction of humanity by alien microbes. But the proverbial pudding remains proof free.
Now let's go back to our question, do non-human intelligent beings exist? This writer, who as you suspect holds to the second world view, confidently answers YES. They are known as angels. They are personal and sentient beings. They have not only contacted human beings but interacted with a few of us. There are eyewitness accounts which even give us the names of at least two of these beings, Gabriel and Michael.
The greater question is why are people so eager to hope for close encounters with aliens of the science fiction kind, but glibly assign the angelic realm a place with the Easter Bunny and leprechauns? The answer is that our fundamental world views control our expectations.
This writer confidently expects to eventually observe angelic beings when the Creator ushers in the glorious consummation of history. As far as intelligent beings that are both non-human AND non-angelic, he suspects that they do not exist. Any argument for their existence is an argument from silence.