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Vatican Debates Possibility of Alien Life

Pickens writes "The Telegraph reports that the Vatican's Pontifical Academy of Sciences is holding its first ever conference on alien life, the discovery of which would have profound implications for the Catholic Church. For centuries, theologians have argued over what the existence of life elsewhere in the universe would mean for the Church. Among other things, extremely alien-looking aliens would be hard to fit with the idea that God 'made man in his own image' and Jesus Christ's role as savior would be confused; would other worlds have their own Christ-figures, or would Earth's Christ be universal? Just as the Church eventually made accommodations after Copernicus and Galileo showed that the Earth was not the center of the universe, and when it belatedly accepted the truth of Darwin's theory of evolution, Catholic leaders say that alien life can be aligned with the Bible's teachings. 'Just as a multiplicity of creatures exists on Earth, so there could be other beings, also intelligent, created by God,' says Father Jose Funes, a Jesuit astronomer at the Vatican Observatory and one of the organizers of the conference. Others do not agree. '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,' says Paul Davies, a theoretical physicist. 'The multiple incarnations is a heresy in Catholicism.'"

14 of 721 comments (clear)

  1. Spread the word! by sakdoctor · · Score: 4, Funny

    We need money to build an interstellar cruiser. Now, this space ship will be able to travel through a wormhole and deliver the message and guh-glory of Jesus Christ to those godless aliens.
    S-send your money now. Amen.

  2. Probably not what you think by swamp+boy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Normal folks think of aliens as being extraterrestrial. In this case, it's probably a study of non-Catholics.

  3. You know what this means! by walmass · · Score: 3, Funny

    Vatican, the UN and the USAF already has been in contact with the aliens; this conference is just to prep the world for the breaking news.

    If you don't believe me, check out V on ABC (in the USA)

  4. Isn't this all solved by the FSM? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    His noodley appendages touch ALL planets

  5. Re:Of course, there is another solution by turbidostato · · Score: 4, Funny

    "There is more to life than what you can prove scientifically."

    Prove it.

  6. Re:Wow... by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1, Funny

    The pope needs to get kicked in the balls, hard.

    Be careful, you might break an altar boy's coccyx.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  7. No surrender by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    As a Catholic, I have a bit of a problem with this being filed under "humor".

    As a protestant, you, your pope, and all his cardinals can all fuck off.

    1. Re:No surrender by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      As a Jew, you're both a pack of heretics. "Son of god", my ass.

    2. Re:No surrender by geminidomino · · Score: 4, Funny

      As a heathen, get over it already. We know you're cranky, but it's not our fault Moses wouldn't stop for directions...

  8. Catholics: Prepare to be assimilated. by popo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Christians, please be aware that the intergalactic god, Zul-9 is the "one and only God". The alien crusaders are coming to spread the Word of the Great God Zul-9, and they want your churches, cathedrals and your women.

    And if you silly Christians want "proof" that Zul-9 is the only God, then you can read it for yourself in the Biblio Galactica -- where it's written in clear, concise Zorgox "There is no God but Zul-9. All other gods are His sexual playthings -- until he eats them like crumpets with his afternoon tea."

    Any evidence that the Cathoilc church attempts to put forward in an effort to discredit Zul-9 are words of the Devil (The evil "Byxaplaximax") and are but mere examples of obfuscation used by the Forces of Evil to cloud the One True Word of Zul-9. (It is common knowledge that the entire Bible was penned by an incredibly drunk Byxaplaximax in a weak effort to stifle Zul-9.)

    To any Catholics who suddenly believe that their god may have created life elsewhere in the Universe, Zul-9 has proclaimed the following words: "Jesus H. Christ, stop trying to change up your stodgy little screed to encompass new scientific data which clearly disproves your stodgy little screed. There is no god but me, and you should know that because I've already buggered and devoured your god and he needed salt." (From the Book of the Book of St. Pogax-7).

    And if there are any Catholics who cling to their religion in spite of the overwhelming evidence that they are uneducated monkeys, Zul-9 would like to remind these unbelievers that they have to "have faith".

    --
    ------ The best brain training is now totally free : )
  9. Re:Third group by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    What about the possibility that alien species have not Fallen or suffered from Original Sin?

    Agrajag, the Bowl of Petunias, was Jesus. Pontius Pilate ("What, why are you making me decide this? I just wanted a nice cup of hot tea!") was Arthur Dent.

    "Oh no, not again."
    - Jesus Christ, upon realizing He'd need to be nailed to the local equivalent of a tree, once for every seperately-evolved sentient species in the Universe.

  10. Re:Of course, there is another solution by PitaBred · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sad that it took a Swede to correct him on his English...

  11. Re:WTF? Of course it affects reality. by ImOnlySleeping · · Score: 2, Funny

    So are you saying those people wouldn't be kind and generous without the fear of some sort of god? What a bunch of assholes.

    --
    Everybody seems to think I'm lazy I don't mind, I think they're crazy
  12. I Like Playing God by Greyfox · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm currently pondering a design for a system that uses genetic algorithms to evolve neural networks. Do I care what happens to the networks after a generation is up? Not really? At some point one may be found to perform its task at a level that would make the experiment a success. That one might get saved. The rest of them... not so much...

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?