Vatican looks to heavens for signs of alien life

Vatican looks to heavens for signs of alien life

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Published on November 10th, 2009, 8:24 pm
Rift: Religion

As someone raised in the Catholic faith I find this really hard to believe. Not sure what exactly has driven/allowed this to become public but this is definitely not my mothers church. Have they come to the conclusion that given the size of the universe and the discovery of life supporting planets nearby that it's not just possible but more likely probable that extra terrestrial life exists?

E.T. phone Rome. Four hundred years after it locked up Galileo for challenging the view that the Earth was the center of the universe, the Vatican has called in experts to study the possibility of extraterrestrial alien life and its implication for the Catholic Church.

"The questions of life's origins and of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe are very suitable and deserve serious consideration," said the Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, an astronomer and director of the Vatican Observatory.

Funes, a Jesuit priest, presented the results Tuesday of a five-day conference that gathered astronomers, physicists, biologists and other experts to discuss the budding field of astrobiology — the study of the origin of life and its existence elsewhere in the cosmos.

Funes said the possibility of alien life raises "many philosophical and theological implications" but added that the gathering was mainly focused on the scientific perspective and how different disciplines can be used to explore the issue.

Chris Impey, an astronomy professor at the University of Arizona, said it was appropriate that the Vatican would host such a meeting.

"Both science and religion posit life as a special outcome of a vast and mostly inhospitable universe," he told a news conference Tuesday. "There is a rich middle ground for dialogue between the practitioners of astrobiology and those who seek to understand the meaning of our existence in a biological universe."

I think it's a wise decision. I mean consider the implications of the discovery of ET and not having a working plan for fitting your belief structure in around it.

... for challenging the view that the Earth was the center of the universe...

Does anyone know where the center of the universe actually is? Nope. Do some people have an idea where the center of the KNOWN universe is. Yup.

BecauseHeLives wrote:Does anyone know where the center of the universe actually is? Nope.

There is no center to the physical universe. It's not that we don't know where it actually is, rather that 'where' is an invalid term when the time-space continuum itself is expanding

BecauseHeLives wrote:Do some people have an idea where the center of the KNOWN universe is.

Well if by 'KNOWN' you mean known by humans, then of course the Earth is the center since that's where the knowers live.

eddiebuckle wrote: the Vatican has called in experts to study the possibility of extraterrestrial alien life and its implication for the Catholic Church.

"The questions of life's origins and of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe are very suitable and deserve serious consideration

I read an interesting sci fi book called The Sparrow that is based on the Vatican exploring an inhabited planet because of those concerns. They front the expedition and of course have their own representatives but also take along secular scientists. It isn't a religious book, although it does touch on the subject a lot. Rather, I think the idea of the Vatican sending explorers to another planet was used to get around most government's reluctance to spent money, time, political capital or astronauts' lives on exploration. There's also a second book.

While I'm hijacking this thread let me put in a plug for another bit of literature. This one is a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, The Star, that combines religious belief, exploration of a civilization in another star system and God's , I guess, morals. Not a comedy. This short story is on many lists of the best of short science fiction. It's on my list near the top. Read it now.

its all to set the stage when the govt reveals the reptillian race to mainstream media,many people will freak out .thats the whole purpose of planning for martial law and the fema camps.people need to check into things instead of just dismissing it because they didnt see it on tv.humans will follow mass media like the pied piper.those that dont beleive will be in for a rollar coaster ride next year.the vatican still has not revealed third secret of fatima.the evidence is overwhelming through human history of the reptillian race.go back to sleep sheeps.

kris138 wrote:its all to set the stage when the govt reveals the reptillian race to mainstream media,many people will freak out .thats the whole purpose of planning for martial law and the fema camps.people need to check into things instead of just dismissing it because they didnt see it on tv.humans will follow mass media like the pied piper.those that dont beleive will be in for a rollar coaster ride next year.the vatican still has not revealed third secret of fatima.the evidence is overwhelming through human history of the reptillian race.go back to sleep sheeps.

I have been watching a documentary series on this very subject. The title is "V". You should see it.

A Person wrote:There is no center to the physical universe.

Again, I find your source of information, "Science", wrong again. I consulted with a group of teenagers for the true answer, and in the process paid them off.... Apparently... I'm the center of the universe. (or was it as big as the universe???? I always get it confused!"

Piero Coda, theology professor in Rome wrote:If life were to be found on a planet, then it would also have been contaminated by original sin and would require salvation.

So while the Vatican tries to figure out how to baptize the intelligent squids of Arcturus 6, the rest of the world will be working on real science. I should hope....

We forget that E.T. might have his/her own religion, and might make our Earthly religions seem tame....

Can't wait to see that. Oh yeah....

It's an interesting point. Like "Stranger in a Strange Land," the aliens might have a far better religion to offer us. One that leads us to learn powers that seem supernatural today. That'd be cool. And they could teach us all about grok. Which might take a while to get used to. :lol:

SouthernFriedInfidel wrote:It's an interesting point. Like "Stranger in a Strange Land," the aliens might have a far better religion to offer us. One that leads us to learn powers that seem supernatural today. That'd be cool. And they could teach us all about grok. Which might take a while to get used to.

As long as I can continue to waste the food...

BecauseHeLives wrote:Does anyone know where the center of the universe actually is? Nope. Do some people have an idea where the center of the KNOWN universe is. Yup.

An explanation