Vatican scientist says belief in God and aliens is OK

Vatican scientist says belief in God and aliens is OK

uk.reuters.com

The Vatican's chief astronomer says there is no conflict between believing in God and in the possibility of "extraterrestrial brothers" perhaps more evolved than humans.
"In my opinion this possibility (of life on other planets) exists," said Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, a 45-year-old Jesuit priest who is head of the Vatican Observatory and a scientific adviser to Pope Benedict.
"How can we exclude that life has developed elsewhere," he told the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano in an interview in its Tuesday-Wednesday edition, explaining that the large number of galaxies with their

(visit the link for the full news article)

Well ... if the VATICAN itself says it, it will be more and more difficult, even for the believers, to condemn the idea of extraterrestrial life !
The disclosure seems really not so far to happen.
The religions have to find new paradigms...
Personaly, I think that they will have a hard work to fit into the figure !

uk.reuters.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by orkson


Thanks for the post but this is not new . The Vatican had said this very same thing over a year ago . Strange that they are reaffirming it yet again .

Perhaps TPTB are getting ready to drop the biggest con job that man kind has ever seen .

[edit on 10-11-2009 by Max_TO]

reply to post by orkson


This has been posted several times here at ATS...

It didn't get much attention before. I've never had an issue between the two. Church and Aliens. It's a huge Universe/Multiverse out there. The possibility of Alien life when we consider the shear numbers makes for a compelling argument for Extra terrestrials IMO.

Originally posted by Max_TO
reply to post by orkson

 

Thanks for the post but this is not new . The Vatican had said this very same thing over a year ago . Strange that they are reaffirming it yet again .

The article in the OP is the original release. The only one rehashing the story is the poster.

Wed May 14, 2008

reply to post by SLAYER69


My bad thanks for pointing that out . I should have took the time to read it .

Once again my bad and thanks for pointing that out my friend

I made the assumption that because it was posted in breaking news that it was a recent story .

[edit on 10-11-2009 by Max_TO]

[edit on 10-11-2009 by Max_TO]

reply to post by SLAYER69


Sorry slayer ... This was also the subject of this : Vatican searches for extraterrestrial life

Is there life on other planets? The Vatican has asked that age-old question over the past five days during a "study week" on astrobiology gathering leading scientists from around the world. - The questions of life’s origins and of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe are very suitable and deserve serious consideration - said the chief papal astronomer, Father Jose Gabriel Funes. Although the questions "offer many philosophical and theological implications," the gathering of about 30 leading astronomers, geologists, biologists, physicists and other scientists "focused on the scientific perspective," Funes said, according to the Vatican news service. The event hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences was held to mark the International Year of Astronomy

here is a palpable expectation that the universe harbours life, and there is hope that the first discovery is only a few years away - said Chris Impey of the University of Arizona

The possibility raises a difficult theological question concerning redemption from the original sin, which by Christian tradition occurred in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit of a particular tree. Funes told the Osservatore Romano - If other intelligent beings exist, it's not certain that they need redemption.

This symposium was held on November 10 2009.

So ... Not a "rehashed" new. Is it ?

Well thank goodness! I missed the Vatican affirmation of last year. Boy am I glad I can believe in extraterrestrials now.

I caught an X Files recently and I enjoyed the way Mulder put it ..
"God created the world in seven days .. etc..., but he forgot to tell us
about his side projects!'

I'd posted before in another thread about this. The church of Rome has never really been all that 'flexible' when it comes to things like this. They also recently said that "talking to the dead" isn't a sin (imagine this one a few hundred years ago! They'd be burning people) having researched EVPs and the like.
What's up? Why are they suddenly hedging their bets?

The Vatican has some secrets, that's not breaking news, but what do they know that they are not disclosing? (Pun coincidental but funny all the same)

These people are not known for their embracing of anything other than the status quo. Something must be afoot.

Originally posted by orkson
This symposium was held on November 10 2009.

So ... Not a "rehashed" new. Is it ?

I was referring to the Article in your first post.

May 2008.

reply to post by SLAYER69


It's Ok slayer.

In fact, my original link should have been the second ...
Google gave me first the wrong one !

In fact, I had the news in a French newspaper and I was looking for an english-written one !

Vatican scientist? isn't that an oxymoron? You can hardly believe in the catholic religion and science at the same time.

The Vatican has scientists?

Originally posted by orkson
Well ... if the VATICAN itself says it, it will be more and more difficult, even for the believers, to condemn the idea of extraterrestrial life !

Not really
I mean perhaps my circle of aquaitances are only people who have a good grasp on reality but does the vatican name still hold any value?

Originally posted by Max_TO
reply to post by orkson

 

Thanks for the post but this is not new . The Vatican had said this very same thing over a year ago . Strange that they are reaffirming it yet again .

Perhaps TPTB are getting ready to drop the biggest con job that man kind has ever seen .

[edit on 10-11-2009 by Max_TO]

Is it a con job, or a way of covering their back sides from all the covering up they did in the past? Think about it for a moment, there is more and more evidence coming to light that shows ET`s do exist, and it is getting to a point where TPTB can no longer keep a lid on it. So to save face, they are now going to admit that there could very well be others out there. Oh, I`m sure they will have a song and dance to explain why it was covered up in the past. In other words, someone in TPTB circles will take the heat for it.

[edit on 10-11-2009 by FiatLux]

reply to post by ModernAcademia


Here are some answers ...

Vatican Observatory examines theological implications of finding alien life

"Why is the Vatican involved in astrobiology?"

Noting that the Vatican also discussed astrobiology in 2005, Fr. Funes stated that despite the field's newness, “the questions of life's origins and of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe are very interesting and deserve serious consideration. “These questions offer many philosophical and theological implications," the priest-scientist explained.

Professor Lunine went into further detail about the emerging field of astrobiology, defining it as “the study of life's relationship to the rest of the cosmos: its major themes include the origin of life and its precursor materials, the evolution of life on earth, and its future prospects on and off the earth.”

The Italian physics professor also explained the fruit of the study week. “The study week provided a special opportunity for scientists from different basic disciplines to spend an intensive week understanding how the work in their particular specialty might have an impact on, or be impacted by, that in other areas. Nowhere is this more evident than in the work being done on how life formed on the earth and evolved with the changing environment," Professor Lunine said.

American professor Chris Impey reflected on the implications of an encounter with an intelligent life form, saying, "if biology is not unique to the earth, or if life elsewhere differs bio-chemically from our version, or if we ever make contact with an intelligent species in the vastness of space, the implications for our self-image will be profound.”
“It is appropriate that a meeting on this frontier topic be hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. The motivations and methodologies might differ, but both science and religion posit life as a special outcome of a vast and mostly inhospitable universe.
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,” Impey added.

The press conference came to a close with remarks from Prof. Athena Coustenis on the subject of the exploration of outer planets and their systems, with a particular concentration on the two Saturn moons Titan and Enceladus.

Edited for readability

[edit on 10/11/2009 by orkson]

Originally posted by elarmstrongo
Vatican scientist? isn't that an oxymoron? You can hardly believe in the catholic religion and science at the same time.

By viewing the bible as a moral guidebook (If outdated in places, animal sacrifices for example) and not taking it as a literal account. I mean... It' can't even decide who Jesus grandfather was, it very obviously disqualifies itself as a source of factual information.

The pope, btw is not a creationist (You gotta be nuts to take that job, but not *that* nuts)

Why should the church have problems with aliens? They didn't go batcracy when some guy unearthed the first dino saurus.
While all creationists are christians, the vast majority of christians are not creationists.

MOD NOTE: Moved to Conspiracies in Religions as the OP news article is over a year and a half old. Now let's focus on the topic instead of whether or not it is "breaking."
burdman30ott6
ATS Moderator & Member

reply to post by FiatLux


Respectfully , the evidence you speak of is open to much interoperation and can be just as easily explained by black budget / black oops technology .

I think its far more believable that someone here on our planet would attempt to manipulate the masses rather then some space alien traveling billions upon billions of miles to travel here to see little us .

TPTB have been conditioning us for a very long time to except aliens . They will prey on our desire to believe to pull the biggest con job of all time , and we the people will cheer !

reply to post by orkson

The disclosure seems really not so far to happen.

I think it's more a case of Roman Catholicism bleeding members at a rather high rate - and are trying desperately to reach out to those non-denominational non-practicing Christians who believe in Christ and the Bible, but cannot reconcile a literal faith with their rationality and knowledge of the world. It's likely more of a PR move, especially with the fairly recent statements of apology/support for Galileo, Darwin, and now accommodation for the possibility of ET life (I.E, Copernicus). They are right, that none of those three conflict with the bible... but they do require outside assumptions/apologetics not made in the bible to work out. Much of the bible must be taken metaphorically, while some can perhaps still be taken literally. It's just that the metric for deciding what is literal and what is metaphorical is the extent to which science has advanced.

If anything, I think such a statement isn't some deliberate "pawn move" to help condition the public for accepting the existence of ETs. Rather, it's an appeal - a concession - to those who cannot image a god creating such a vast and empty universe for sake of a single sentient species whom will likely never even begin to fully explore our own galaxy - let alone the staggering wealth of creation as a whole. By saying it's ok to accept the idea of ETs, they're reaching out to a public who is already certain that life exists elsewhere in the universe.


I think many people in the UFO community make the grievous mistake of thinking that if someone doesn't accept that UFOs videos, abduction tales, Area 51 conspiracies, etc... then they don't believe advanced intelligent life exists except here on Earth. But that is not the case. It does not logically follow that believing with near certainty that technologically advanced ET races exist out in the universe, means one has to accept a single UFO sighting or government conspiracy regarding them. They are very different propositions.

The religions have to find new paradigms...

Do they? I'm not sure how many Evangelical Christians believe in intelligent life out in the universe, but I do know that Evangelicals are typically far more literal in their bible interpretations, some outspoken elements have openly deride the Catholic Church for it's flirtation with metaphor and rationality as a comparable duo, and have grown substantially over the last few decades.

On the contrary, in some cases, religions have been better served by reinforcing and entrenching their paradigms - which has attracted followers either for, or regardless of, that position.

All the religions are laying the groundwork for "disclosure."
It will be unveiled as the "appearance of the Shekinah".
Some will promote it as "the clouds of glory".

Religion will be the medium used for the alien disclosure.

I think Pope had big press statement last year titled "Aliens are Our Brothers" or something along those lines. I am sure google will help you find it.