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ET, Phone Rome: Vatican Holds Alien Conference

Astrobiology experts ponder big picture

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 11, 2009 2:35 AM CST

(Newser) – Does intelligent life exist elsewhere in the universe and if so, is it Christian? Those and other weighty questions are up for discussion this week at a Vatican conference on astrobiology. Religious leaders and a range of scientists—including some non-Catholics—have been called in to discuss the possibility of extraterrestrial life and its implications, the Telegraph reports.

Some theologians argue that the discovery of extraterrestrial life would undermine Christian beliefs, but Catholic leaders say that the possible existence of alien life doesn't conflict with the Bible's teachings. "As a multiplicity of creatures exists on Earth, so there could be other beings, also intelligent, created by God," said the pope's chief astronomer, who organized the conference. "This does not conflict with our faith, because we cannot put limits on the creative freedom of God."

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

A view of a portrait of Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei, part of the "Galilei Divin Uomo" (Galilei Divine Man) exhibit, in the Santa Maria degli Angeli Basilica in Rome. (AP Photo/Sandro Pace)

Pope Benedict XVI looks at a piece of rock from Mars while visiting the new headquarters of the Vatican's astronomy observatory on the outskirts of Rome. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano)

Are aliens aren't made in God's image? The Vatican wants to know. (AP Photo/Jake Schoellkopf)

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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.
- Astronomy professor Chris Impey

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 17 comments

bewilderbeast

Nov 11, 2009 12:18 PM CST

@Silence: If by some stroke of Divine Comedy we came upon a society of civilized folks known as Conservativites, a race of beings that respected all others, WE WOULD KNOW WE WERE DREAMING, and we would wake up. If conservatives would stop fomenting war and actually "respect all others" there would be peace on earth, my good man.

riffran

Nov 11, 2009 12:16 PM CST

OK SDG.....That was AWSOME!...."wellfarites".....lmao.....niiiiice......or should I say in light of a recent story "precious"...rofl

SilenceDogood

Nov 11, 2009 12:11 PM CST

At least the Vatican is trying to deal with the issues in a reasonable fashion. The Lord Thy God did not gift them with the insight into the universe he has blessed you with, so pity them for they are mere mortals and not Liberals. So what do Liberals hope to meet in the great expanses of the void, perchance more Liberals that do not believe in God? What if by some stroke of Devine Comedy we came upon a society of civilized folks known as Conservativites, a race of beings that respected all others; they prayed to One God; they held conservative beliefs; they would not murder their unborn children and they protected the old and frail. I can see the confrontation by the Liberal explorers from Earth, their denouncement of this horrible social order, My God the pandemonium would be great, and the Liberals would run in circles flailing their arms shouting horrible Liberal chants. The Liberals would then embark to change the way of life of the Conservativites to help them enjoy their life more, the Liberals would explain the need to murder their unborn children so that they could have more unborn children. The Liberal Earth explorers will try to convince them to steel all the money they can from all other Conservativites and give it to a new class of society that will not work, and will therefore will need to be supported, we shall call them the Wellfarites, life will be remade according to the Liberal Vision of the Universe. Mark Twain would have loved it.

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astronomy • Catholic Church • Vatican • extraterrestrial life • aliens • Catholicism • outer space • theology

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ET, Phone Rome: Vatican Holds Alien Conference