Pope's chief astronomer (not as handsome as Galileo) says there might be life on Mars

[Dumpy Dooby]

The Pope's chief astronomer says that life on Mars cannot be ruled out.

Writing in the Vatican newspaper, the astronomer, Father Gabriel Funes, said intelligent beings created by God could exist in outer space.

Father Funes, director of the Vatican Observatory near Rome, is a respected scientist who collaborates with universities around the world.

The search for forms of extraterrestrial life, he says, does not contradict belief in God.

The official Vatican newspaper headlines his article 'Aliens Are My Brother'.

Just as there are multiple forms of life on earth, so there could exist intelligent beings in outer space created by God. And some aliens could even be free from original sin, he speculates.

Asked about the Catholic Church's condemnation four centuries ago of the Italian astronomer and physicist, Galileo, Father Funes diplomatically says mistakes were made, but it is time to turn the page and look towards the future.

Science and religion need each other, and many astronomers believe in God, he assures readers.

To strengthen its scientific credentials, the Vatican is organising a conference next year to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of the author of the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin.

link: BBC NEWS | Europe | Vatican says aliens could exist




I think the idea of 'extraterrestrial brothers' or whatever is funny.


On a more serious note, I support the Catholic effort to reach out to science. I wish more churches would follow in kind.

[motivez]

I always figured if we learned for sure that aliens existed somewhere else, or had proof that they were visiting us, religion would kind of go out the window.

I mean, there's nothing in any of the religious texts that I remember hearing about that would account for intelligent life besides humanity..

[Kytro]

Relgion would, at this point in time, continue unabated for a while.

Since religion is in general a meme, it is quite difficult to get people to change thier minds.

[Dumpy Dooby]

Originally Posted by motivez

I always figured if we learned for sure that aliens existed somewhere else, or had proof that they were visiting us, religion would kind of go out the window.

I mean, there's nothing in any of the religious texts that I remember hearing about that would account for intelligent life besides humanity..

Just about all religions have their own creation story, yet Darwinism didn't seem to bring the end to them.

[motivez]

They view evolution as an unproven scientific theory, some go as far as to say it's entirely false, macro evolution isn't possible, etc, etc

That's a little different than some alien dude landing his space cruiser on the front lawn of the White House

[thewise1]

Originally Posted by motivez

I always figured if we learned for sure that aliens existed somewhere else, or had proof that they were visiting us, religion would kind of go out the window.

I mean, there's nothing in any of the religious texts that I remember hearing about that would account for intelligent life besides humanity..

That's definitely not true. I wouldn't be surprised at all if there were intelligent life elsewhere - there's nothing in the Bible that says that's not true.

[up|dn]

The timing of this is a bit strange. NASA came out and said that on May 14th is was going to make an announcement that they had found something in our galaxy that they'd been looking for for 50 years. Rather anti-climatically, it turns out that the announcement was something about a supernova, but to see that the Vatican came out on May 13th and says they're fine with alien life seems a bit funny. Are they paranoid, do they know something we don't know, or is it just a silly coincidence?

[up|dn]

I just hope that when aliens visit, they have their own theology, so we can have something new to debate.

"Jesus died on our planet too! On our planet she was a woman, and daughter of God the Mother!"

[Dumpy Dooby]

Originally Posted by motivez

They view evolution as an unproven scientific theory, some go as far as to say it's entirely false, macro evolution isn't possible, etc, etc

That's a little different than some alien dude landing his space cruiser on the front lawn of the White House

You do realize that the vast majority of the world is religious, right? Are you suggesting that natural selection is a phenomenon that is only understood and accepted by atheists, i.e., 10% (more or less) of the world's population?

I think by "they," you actually mean an extremely narrow type of fundamentalist Christian.

[Kytro]

Originally Posted by up|dn

I just hope that when aliens visit, they have their own theology, so we can have something new to debate.

"Jesus died on our planet too! On our planet she was a woman, and daughter of God the Mother!"

I would sincerly hope a species capable of insterstellar travel would have proof of such a thing.

[motivez]

Originally Posted by thewise1

That's definitely not true. I wouldn't be surprised at all if there were intelligent life elsewhere - there's nothing in the Bible that says that's not true.

And if those aliens weren't religious?

It's entirely unlikely that they'd have a copy of the Bible with them (unless they stole it from one of the people they've been abducting and running medical tests on or whatever), so if they were atheistic or polytheistic or whatever, how would that not put a huge glob of doubt in the front of every religious persons mind?

[thewise1]

Originally Posted by motivez

And if those aliens weren't religious?

It's entirely unlikely that they'd have a copy of the Bible with them (unless they stole it from one of the people they've been abducting and running medical tests on or whatever), so if they were atheistic or polytheistic or whatever, how would that not put a huge glob of doubt in the front of every religious persons mind?

Why would it when we have plenty of atheistic or polytheistic people on this planet already trying to all of my adult life?

[motivez]

Because it's aliens, that's a little bit different than a human non believer..

I just don't see how aliens would play into the Christian timeline really. I don't think the Bible says anything about aliens landing before Jesus comes back.

[thewise1]

Originally Posted by motivez

Because it's aliens, that's a little bit different than a human non believer..

I just don't see how aliens would play into the Christian timeline really. I don't think the Bible says anything about aliens landing before Jesus comes back.

It doesn't say anything about aircraft either...

[motivez]

But surely you feel there's a difference between technological advancement and a completely alien civilization

[up|dn]

If there's one thing I've noticed, it's that religious people are very good at rationalizing things so that their religion stays intact. I'm sure aliens might be harder for some to rationalize than others (I'd expect a lot of "Satan's demons have come here to establish a 1000 year reign, vis-a-vis the book of Revelation"), but in the end it probably isn't going to change things too much. Humans will still be special because God visited here once to appease his justice with a blood sacrifice. Maybe we'd let the aliens have their own blood atonement, and if they don't have blood, then maybe they're just screwed.

[jimeigh]

It's a God awful small affair
To the girl with the mousey hair,
But her mummy is yelling, "No!"
And her daddy has told her to go,
But her friend is no where to be seen.
Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seats with the clearest view
And she's hooked to the silver screen,
But the film is sadd'ning bore
For she's lived it ten times or more.
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on

Sailors
Fighting in the dance hall.
Oh man!
Look at those cavemen go.
It's the freakiest show.
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy.
Oh man!
Wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show.
Is there life on Mars?

It's on America's tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow.
Now the workers have struck for fame
'Cause Lennon's on sale again.
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibeza to the Norfolk Broads.
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog, and clowns,
But the film is a sadd'ning bore
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more.
It's about to be writ again
As I ask you to focus on

Sailors
Fighting in the dance hall.
Oh man!
Look at those cavemen go.
It's the freakiest show.
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy.
Oh man!
Wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show.
Is there life on Mars?