ASTROBIOLOGY Will [Thankfully] END CHRISTIANITY!
James Fenimore
Eastern religions, which tend to be less Earth-centric. Islam also has
little problem with extraterrestrials because the Koran speaks
explicitly of life beyond Earth, as do some newer Christian groups
such as Mormons. It is in mainstream Western religious traditions, in
which humans and God are central, where astrobiology poses the biggest
challenge."
"The notion of life beyond Earth does not easily coexist with the
'truths' that many people hold dear."
---------------------------------------
"When E.T. phones the pope"
By Marc Kaufman
Sunday, November 8, 2009
ROME -- A little more than a half-mile from the Vatican, in a square
called Campo de' Fiori, stands a large statue of a brooding monk. Few
of the shoppers and tourists wandering through the fruit-and-vegetable
market below may know his story; he is Giordano Bruno, a Renaissance
philosopher, writer and free-thinker who was burned at the stake by
the Inquisition in 1600. Among his many heresies was his belief in a
"plurality of worlds" -- in extraterrestrial life, in aliens.
Though it's a bit late for Bruno, he might take satisfaction in
knowing that this week the Vatican's Pontifical Academy of Sciences is
holding its first major conference on astrobiology, the new science
that seeks to find life elsewhere in the cosmos and to understand how
it began on Earth. Convened on private Vatican grounds in the elegant
Casina Pio IV, formerly the pope's villa, the unlikely gathering of
prominent scientists and religious leaders shows that some of the most
tradition-bound faiths are seriously contemplating the possibility
that life exists in myriad forms beyond this planet. Astrobiology has
arrived, and religious and social institutions -- even the Vatican --
are taking note.
Father Jose Funes, a Jesuit astronomer, director of the centuries-old
Vatican Observatory and a driving force behind the conference,
suggested in an interview last year that the possibility of "brother
extraterrestrials" poses no problem for Catholic theology. "As a
multiplicity of creatures exists on Earth, so there could be other
beings, also intelligent, created by God," Funes explained. "This does
not conflict with our faith because we cannot put limits on the
creative freedom of God."
Yet, as Bruno might attest, the notion of life beyond Earth does not
easily coexist with the "truths" that many people hold dear. Just as
the Copernican revolution forced us to understand that Earth is not
the center of the universe, the logic of astrobiologists points in a
similarly unsettling direction: to the likelihood that we are not
alone, and perhaps that we are not even the most advanced creatures in
the universe. This may not "conflict with our faith," but it may
conflict with the stories we tell about who and what we are.
The Vatican's five-day conference is chaired by the religious leader
of the highly regarded Academy, Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo.
Scientists (many of them nonbelievers) are offering presentations on
subjects as varied as how life might have begun on Earth; what newly
found "extremophile" microbes living in harsh places on our planet
might tell us about possible life on others; and how life forms might
be detected in our solar system, or how their bio-signatures might be
found on and around the many distant exoplanets.
Having overcome the giggle factor of most things extraterrestrial,
astrobiologists are telling a scientific story to an audience that may
someday use it to defend -- or enhance -- its faith.
The Catholic Church isn't the only institution preparing itself for
what could be a world-changing event. For instance, NASA's National
Astrobiology Institute, established in 1998, sponsored a meeting of
scientists, ethicists, religious leaders and philosophers in February
to brainstorm about the societal implications of astrobiology, and it
is preparing a semiofficial "road map" of sensitive issues we'd need
to address should the presence of life elsewhere be established.
Initial extraterrestrial discoveries -- which many scientists believe
are on the horizon, if not yet in reach -- are likely to be of
microbial life just below the parched surface of Mars, in the waters
of Jupiter's moon Europa under its thick crust of ice or in the liquid
plumes of Saturn's moon Enceladus. Though it will be easy to dismiss
extraterrestrial microbes as unthreatening to anyone's worldview,
cosmologists and astrobiologists generally contend that the existence
of two separate geneses in one solar system would enormously increase
the probability that life is commonplace in the universe. And as we
know, under the right conditions microbes can evolve over eons to
become dinosaurs, hummingbirds and us.
The possibility of extraterrestrial life is not much of an issue for
Eastern religions, which tend to be less Earth-centric. Islam also has
little problem with extraterrestrials because the Koran speaks
explicitly of life beyond Earth, as do some newer Christian groups
such as Mormons. It is in mainstream Western religious traditions, in
which humans and God are central, where astrobiology poses the biggest
challenge.
"I think the discovery of a second genesis would be of enormous
spiritual significance," says Paul Davies, a theoretical physicist and
cosmologist from Arizona State University who is speaking at the
Vatican conference. He believes the potential challenge to
Christianity in particular "is being downplayed" by religious leaders.
"The real threat would come from the discovery of extraterrestrial
intelligence, because if there are beings elsewhere in the universe,
then Christians, they're in this horrible bind. They believe that God
became incarnate in the form of Jesus Christ in order to save
humankind, not dolphins or chimpanzees or little green men on other
planets."
Davies explained the tensions within the Catholic Church: "If you look
back at the history of Christian debate on this, it divides into two
camps. There are those that believe that it is human destiny to bring
salvation to the aliens, and those who believe in multiple
incarnations," he said, referencing the belief that Christ could have
appeared on other planets at other times. "The multiple incarnations
is a heresy in Catholicism." (As Giordano Bruno learned.)
Many Protestant scholars agree with Funes, saying that the discovery
of extraterrestrial life would not pose a major challenge to their
faith or theology, especially if it was not intelligent or morally
aware. But on the evangelical side, there is a deep concern, one
reminiscent of the battles over evolution. "My theological perspective
is that E.T. life would actually make a mockery of the very reason
Christ came to die for our sins, for our redemption," Gary Bates, head
of Atlanta-based Creation Ministries International, told me recently
in a critique of the Vatican conference. Bates believes that "the
entire focus of creation is mankind on this Earth" and that
intelligent, morally aware extraterrestrial life would undermine that
view and belief in the incarnation, resurrection and redemption drama
so central to the faith. "It is a huge problem that many Christians
have not really thought about," he said.
The big question involves intelligent life. Astronomers say there are
something like 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars in the known
universe, and more planets are discovered orbiting some of them all
the time. (On one day last month, the European Space Agency announced
the discovery of 32 new extra-solar planets.) It is increasingly
difficult to assume that our sun and planet are the only ones capable
of supporting complex and evolved life -- the kind of life that
Christians might assume would be in need of salvation. Questions
inevitably follow: Are Christianity and, to some extent, other
religions only stories about life on Earth? And if they are not
"universal" in a cosmic sense, does that diminish their significance?
Thus the conference on astrobiology at the Vatican -- an institution
that got Copernicus, Galileo and other men of science wrong and
doesn't want to do that again. In the words of Pierre Lena, a French
astrophysicist and member of the Pontifical Academy who pressed for
the astrobiology conference: "Astrobiology is a mature science that
says very interesting things that could change the vision humanity has
of itself. The church cannot be indifferent to that."
Funes, an earnest priest-scientist with a wry sense of humor, seemed a
bit nonplussed last week about the worldwide attention that his
"brother extraterrestrials" comments from last year and the
astrobiology conference have drawn. Speaking to me from the new
Vatican Observatory headquarters outside Rome -- the church also
operates a telescope in Arizona -- he didn't retract his statements or
express regret about them, and said he has not been chastised by
higher-ups at the Vatican.
But he did emphasize that he was not speaking officially for the
church, even though his 2008 interview ran on the front page of the
official Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano. The church, he said,
has no official position on extraterrestrial life or on theological
issues it might raise. Just as some people write science fiction,
Funes said with a mischievous smile, he is attracted to "theological
fiction" -- what might become important religiously if life beyond
Earth is discovered someday.
"There's no need for the church to speak on this point now," he said.
"But yes, that could certainly change."
[Marc Kaufman, a science and space reporter for The Washington Post,
is on leave writing a book about astrobiology.]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/06/AR2009110601899.html
BradGuth
Mainstream religions will likely pretend that ETs were always in their
bible or whatever version or interpretation makes their faith as
important of not more so than any other faith. Religions have no
problems with obfuscation and denial of their past actions, and
nowhere in those good books is there ever a mention of remorse for
their past. (seems the only bad guys are always from some other faith
or Atheist group of heathens)
~ BG
studio
pursued any intelligent extraterrestrial life
they may run across in the future that 'Jesus was God so you better
not mess with us'.
Or maybe a much loftier goal of converting intelligent
extraterrestrials to the confusion of Christianity or religious
doctrines in general.
Or strike some kind of deal with the extraterrestrials first so that
religion will remain dominate and in charge of most of worlds
population.
Some Christians have already made it publicly known that they believe
the possibility of non-intelligent life exists
elsewhere...but still have trouble leaping to the next possible
conclusion.
Will the discovery itself end Christianity or other religious
doctrines?
No.
They'll just attempt (and probably succeed) to redefine themselves and
what they meant just as they've always done.
The you'd most certainly have that segment of Christianity that would
believe any extraterrestrial intelligent life
must indubitably be the devil in disguise.
Another segment may interpret them as angels sent from heaven.
Of course you'd have the fringe obligatory suicides, and the UFO nuts
saying; "we told you so".
I think Islam would have just as nutty response in their own way as
Christianity would.
Much like in the movie Contact, the government would probably take
over control of any organization who
established even the most fundamental communication with intelligent
extraterrestrials.
Which could even result in wars between countries if some countries
suspected the country in communication with the extraterrestrials was
with-holding information collected.
It would certainly be, not only the greatest discovery ever, but the
most complicated discovery ever to deal with.
BradGuth
Especially if there's worse kinds of faith-based ETs than here on
Earth.
~ BG
Steve Hayes
wrote:
>"The possibility of extraterrestrial life is not much of an issue for
>Eastern religions, which tend to be less Earth-centric. Islam also has
>little problem with extraterrestrials because the Koran speaks
>explicitly of life beyond Earth, as do some newer Christian groups
>such as Mormons. It is in mainstream Western religious traditions, in
>which humans and God are central, where astrobiology poses the biggest
>challenge."
>
>"The notion of life beyond Earth does not easily coexist with the
>'truths' that many people hold dear."
Where on earth (or in space) did you get those absurd notions from?
--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://khanya.wordpress.com
Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com
The instruments of the churl are evil: he deviseth
wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words,
even when the needy speaketh right.
But the liberal deviseth liberal things;
and by liberal things shall he stand (Isaiah 32:7-8).
studio
Yet another possibility.
In which case humanity would have to be converted to the alien
religion or else be socially and/or culturally ostracized...or worse.
BradGuth
Perhaps ETs still favor the burning of books and their owners at the
stake, or worse things as similar to what some Zionist/Jews still
practice.
I happen to know where there's a Jewish satanic blood bucket.
~ BG
studio
November 11, 2009 11:01 AM
Associated Press
VATICAN CITY - Dozens of scientists from around the world have
attended a five-day Vatican conference on the possibility of alien
life in the universe and its theological implications.
The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, director of the Vatican Observatory,
wrapped up the conference Tuesday. He said, "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."
Funes said in a 2008 interview with the Vatican newspaper that the
discovery of intelligent extra-terrestrials wouldn't contradict
Christian faith because they would still be God's creatures.
But Christian scholars have wondered whether alien species might have
resisted temptation and remained sinless -- or if they sinned, how God
might have offered them salvation.
BradGuth
Let us hope and prey those ETs are not Jewish, as that would seriously
piss off the Pope.
However, if they turn out being Scientologists, we’re all screwed. If
Mormon, we all get to own extra wives. If Catholic, we’ll get to
molest kids. If Islum/Muslim, we’ll be expected to hide their WMD.
If it’s Buddhism, we’ll all get to eat fast foods and become fat. If
Protestant, we get to be pastel (nearly monochrome) and boring as
hell, at least until drunk enough to kick Catholic ass. It ETs are
Neopagans or Gypsies, we’re in luck because damn near anything goes.
~ BG
BradGuth
humor.
Let us further hope and prey those ETs are not Jewish, as that would
only seriously piss off the Pope. However, if they turn out being
Scientologists, we’re all screwed. If Mormon, we all get to own extra
wives. If Catholic, we’ll get to molest kids. If it’s Islam/Muslim,
we’ll be expected to hide their WMD. If it’s Buddhism, we’ll all get
to eat fast foods and become fat. If Protestant, we get to be pastel
(nearly monochrome) and boring as hell, at least until drunk enough to
kick Catholic ass. If those ETs are Neopagans or Gypsies, we’re all
in luck because damn near anything goes.
~ BG
On Nov 8, 6:36 am, James Fenimore <slipuva...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/06/AR200...