According to the pope’s chief astronomer (Why does the pope have a team of astronomers?), “aliens could even be free from original sin.” Does this mean that the taboo committed by Adam & Eve only applies on genetic grounds? (The “sin” gene?) The Vatican appears to believe that it is perfectly fine to condemn an entire species to an eternity of torment for the thought-crime of a single individual, but condemning the entire universe “could” be taking things a little too far. I am sure that sentient beings everywhere are apprehensively waiting for the Pope’s final ruling.
Meh, they might as well declare that if we stood on our heads and spit nickles we would be free from “original sin”, I still wouldn’t care enough to try.
Meh, they might as well declare that if we stood on our heads and spit nickles we would be free from “original sin”, I still wouldn’t care enough to try.
Religion is fantastically entertaining, isn’t it?
Oddly enough, this seems to be part of a vatican effort to project themselves as pro-reason, or not anti-science. So, the astronomer says that the existence of aliens is compatible with God, and the Vatican is planning a conference to mark a Darwin anniversary, and they’re also planning a statue of Galileo in the Vatican.
…they’re also planning a statue of Galileo in the Vatican.
Nicola Cabibbo, head of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and a nuclear physicist, said: “The Church wants to close the Galileo affair and reach a definitive understanding not only of his great legacy but also of the relationship between science and faith.”
They want to reach an understanding of the relationship between science and faith? Maybe we should enlighten them *conference calls Peikoff and the Pope*
And I’m sure Galileo, from his cheery spot in hell, appreciates and accepts the papal apology with gracious thanks.
Meanwhile, generations of aliens in heaven appreciate the recognition.
Good god. The Vatican has descended from The Onion, straight into Weekly World News territory.
Ah well, see, if they’re free from Original Sin, then they’re more worthy than us (more guilt for us), and we should exist to serve them too.
Oddly enough, this seems to be part of a Vatican effort to project themselves as pro-reason, or not anti-science. So, the astronomer says that the existence of aliens is compatible with God, and the Vatican is planning a conference to mark a Darwin anniversary, and they’re also planning a statue of Galileo in the Vatican.
Don’t you know that God works in mysterious ways? Aliens are free from Original sin, so there is no need to convert them – guess the Vatican will have to cancel that proselytizing journey to Mars after all.
I guess this is there way of saying Man has a special place with God, but aliens don’t. That is, those aliens were never tempted as we were back in the Garden of Eden. Of course, they don’t say we were tempted to think for ourselves. Maybe aliens will be like angels, so perfect they would never think to do wrong, not even hypothetically.
Or maybe it is the Vatican’s way of saying that aliens are angels, after all, they do come down from heaven.
Actually, though, when you think about it, it is more rationalism, because we have never met an alien, so we don’t have the facts about them. But that is OK according to Christian Scientists (eh hem), because what does one need the facts for when one has a perfect interpretation of God’s Will anyhow? The Bible says angels live in the heavens with God, so it must be talking about aliens, right?
Make sense to me :lol:
Edited to add: Of course, what they are really saying is that among all of God’s creatures, man is the most sordid.
According to the pope’s chief astronomer (Why does the pope have a team of astronomers?)
I bet they have experts on evolution, genetic engineering etc., too. They need them to adapt their story to make it believable and have some counter-arguments to scientists.
Point of order: does the Pope even have authority off-world?
Someone should consult the Queen Spider … the Gelgameks might have a problem with that.
This is just the Pope’s way of re-iterating that he has nothing against any form of involuntary anal probing.
Point of order: does the Pope even have authority off-world?
Depends. Did Jesus have siblings?
Jesus is often depicted in relation to the sun, so it is safe to assume that there is one Jesus / one Sun for each solar system.
A real problem for the church as the pope must be a successor of St. Peter who was appointed by Jesus.
:fool:
When I first heard of this portentous Vatican proclamation I thought “Man, that would make a great episode of Futurama.” They’d finally have some use for the Space Pope (Cocodrilus Pontifex) beyond a background visual gag.
Oddly enough, this seems to be part of a vatican effort to project themselves as pro-reason, or not anti-science. So, the astronomer says that the existence of aliens is compatible with God, and the Vatican is planning a conference to mark a Darwin anniversary, and they’re also planning a statue of Galileo in the Vatican.
The Church is trying to have Galileo and eat him, too. Little do they know that it will take far more than putting up a statue of Galileo to show that Church and reason can live in harmony. Galileo stands for reason, and reason is the opposite of faith. In fact, reason is the enemy of faith. The Church, by bringing that statue onto its holy ground, is bringing the enemy into its sanctuary. It can only end one way.
Galileo’s revenge for the crime the Church committed against him has been centuries in arriving, but arriving it is. As reason wins, the Church will be forced on the defensive more and more. Doing silly things such as erecting statues to the men the Church condemned (and forgave, but never exonerated in Galileo’s case) will not change that. I am heartened that the Church is so afraid of Galileo – no, they are so afraid of Reason – that they have to erect a statue of Reason on their very grounds (in the form of Galileo) in an attempt to placate her.
And you thought that those History Channel “documentaries” about UFOs were absurd! 
Wow the Vatican is ridiculous.
Ah well, see, if they’re free from Original Sin, then they’re more worthy than us (more guilt for us), and we should exist to serve them too.
No, that means they’ll have a duty to sacrifice themselves for us.