Comments on: Vatican Gives Belief In Aliens A Thumbs Up

By: Nelson

Nelson — Wed, 14 May 2008 23:11:51 +0000

“Third, why donâ€™t you answer some of the questions instead of trying to discredit me?”

“Okay, so what about all that â€œcreated in his imageâ€ stuff? Would the Vatican look at intelligent life forms like they would a dog or a cat?”

Allegory. I said that in my response. God has no form or any form, we’re primates and can’t change that. But He also has free will and so do we. The Church cites the Biblical passage about men having dominion over beasts as far as dogs and cats goes. Although, if they were to one day show intelligence and free will and speak to us (like planet of the apes) the view may change and the Church would probably try to convert the former pets into Christians. The Church is about finding Truth and that may come from varying sources: The Bible, observation and reason (a.k.a. science), and tradition (knowledge that is passed on through generations but doesn’t reside in the Bible).

“Alsoâ€¦do they know something we donâ€™t? Obviously I donâ€™t want to sound like a conspiracy nut, but why come out with this now?”

Yes. The the pope is secretly hiding aliens in St. Peter’s basement. Don’t tell anyone.

By: Dos

Dos — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:12:51 +0000

And wasnâ€™t it just a short time ago that the church actually conceded that transubstantiation wasnâ€™t real?

This is totally and completely incorrect and insultingly so, even though I don’t believe you meant it to be insulting — it does evidence an ignorance of Catholicism.

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:29:32 +0000

Bummer, it’s neither ET nor a doomsday asteroid. Why does nothing cool ever happen to us ;)

By: Tom Jones

Tom Jones — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:13:00 +0000

I have no problem with a secular scientist making a statement about extra terrestrial intelligence. That is a scientific issue to be dealt with by scientists. However to have a spokesman for the Catholic Church say that belief in extra terrestrial intelligence does not contradict our Christian faith raises some fundamental questions in my mind.

1) Do these beings have souls? Are they ‘created in Gods image’ and know the difference between right and wrong as humanity does, or are they intelligent but soulless beasts. If he believes this I think he should say so.

2) If however they do have souls, what does the Cross at Calvary mean? Did the one and only Son of God die on the cross for humanity AND for them? If He died to remove the penalty of their sin, do they know about it? If so how? Or did the Son of God sacrifice Himself multiple times across the universe?

Perhaps the Rev. has answered these questions and the press has not reported his answers yet but this inquiring mind would like to know.

Tom

By: Justin Gardner

Justin Gardner — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:59:18 +0000

Nelson,

First, these are what ifs.

Second, I never said the Catholic church teaches a fundamentalist view, but large numbers of Catholics take the creation story literally, as well as Jesus’ ascension, so please don’t pretend they don’t. And wasn’t it just a short time ago that the church actually conceded that transubstantiation wasn’t real?

Third, why don’t you answer some of the questions instead of trying to discredit me?

By: Nelson

Nelson — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:42:24 +0000

Mr. Gardner obviously knows nothing about the Catholic Church’s teachings. The Church doesn’t teach (and hasn’t for a long time) that the Bible can only be interpreted literally. In other words, some/most Catholic scholars take certain parts to be allegory. This is especially true with the creation story. Mr. Gardner must have been thinking of fundamentalists who hold the Bible to be interpreted literally when he wrote this post.

By: Tim in Wisconsin

Tim in Wisconsin — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:05:13 +0000

You know,just because the Vatican and the Southern Baptist Convention are both leadership groups of Christian denominations, it doesn’t mean that they believe the same things. For decades now, the Catholic Church has accepted evolution as scientific fact and that Genesis is an allegorical story. Unlike the evangelical denominations, the Catholic Church does not believe that the Bible is complete literal truth. The Catholic Church believes that the universe is as incomprehendibly vast as science claims that it is; it’s natrual to draw the conclusions that God may have created live elsewhere. The more interesting theological question is not if God created life elsewhere, but if Jesus has been to more than one planet.

The Vatican Observatory is one of the oldest astronomical research groups in the world. It was created centuries ago out of a need to maintain a calendar and fix dates for religious observances but has continued since then, operating research facilities in Italy and Arizona. The Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope is perhaps the most advanced telescope of its size ever made. These aren’t just crazy theologians spouting off on things they know nothing about. These are actual scientists.

Gallileo was nearly four centuries ago. It’s time to move on.

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:04:58 +0000

I’m pretty sure that any extraterrestrial life with the capacity to travel in space would have the good sense to steer clear of us for at least another millennium or two.

Unless of course they wanted to conquer us… dun dun duuuuunnnnnn!!!