53 replies to this topic

[Still Waters]

www.dailymail.co.uk said:

Intelligent aliens may be living among the stars and are likely to have souls,  a senior Vatican scientist said today.

The Pope’s Astronomer, Guy Consolmagno said he would be happy to 'baptise an alien' – but admitted that the chances of communicating with life outside the Earth was low.

The pronouncement raises the tantalising possibility that the Vatican may one day send missionaries into space to convert aliens to Christianity.

Speaking at the British Science Festival, Dr Consolmangno also dismissed Creationism and claimed that the revival of 'intelligent design’ – the controversial theory that only God can explain gaps in the theory of evolution – was 'bad theology’.

Dr Consolmango is one of a team of 12 astronomers working for the Vatican, said the Catholic Church had been supporting and funding science for centuries.

A self-confessed science fiction fan, he said he was “comfortable’ with the idea of alien life.

Asked if he would baptise an alien, he replied “Only if they asked.’

Read more...

[theSOURCE]

Quote

The pronouncement raises the tantalising [sic] possibility that the Vatican may one day send missionaries into space to convert aliens to Christianity.

That is so wrong on so many levels.

Actually, that reminds me of the scene in the 1953 War of the Worlds where the Pastor walks out to the Martian machine and gets fried to charcoal.

[Dancingtiger]

I really think they will have a great deal of competition if we do ever encounter ET cultures that already practice different types of religious worshiping. What makes them think ours make any more sense then theirs do.
I am sure if they are advanced enough to look up and wonder, they have probably thought up Gods at some point or another. Now the great problem might be that they have already shucked off their belief shells and will not be quick to take it up again.
Then will they be so open and willing to make a cordial relationship with an ET society. What if their whole society's are based on total opposites sides of every issue the Vatican stands for. Would they then whip up a religious fury, painting them as the devils and starting a crusade in the name of their holy church.  
Perhaps they feel they can be so liberal and modern because they think their real chances of having to follow through are very tiny.

[Agent. Mulder]

theSOURCE, on 17 September 2010 - 08:43 PM, said:

That is so wrong on so many levels.

Actually, that reminds me of the scene in the 1953 War of the Worlds where the Pastor walks out to the Martian machine and gets fried to charcoal.

There is no One, or No Being, that they wont try to convert!

[HerNibs]

Agent. Mulder, on 17 September 2010 - 11:03 PM, said:

There is no One, or No Being, that they wont try to convert!

Pft.  Xenu beat the Pope to it.

Nibs

[Esoteric Toad]

Whether it's the Catholic Church or a rabid atheist, we as a species will try and convert whomever we encounter. We (as a species) will try to put our values unto whoever/whatever we encounter eventually (if it ever happens in the first place). Religion is just an easy target. Can you imagine if the alien(s) culture was based on a rigid set of morals based on something we could not comprehend....we'd have people trying to 'enlighten' them to the way of current pop-culture.

There are many ways to 'preach' that do not involve religion.

[Mentalcase]

OMG!! That's so funny. The last thing we need are bible thumping martians. At least the vatican is admitting there might be such things. lol I hope they don't try and babtise an alien. They would have their own belief system that would likely be more advanced then ours. Or should I say, more scientifically correct.

Edited by Mentalcase, 17 September 2010 - 11:36 PM.

[~TheBigK~]

HerNibs, on 17 September 2010 - 11:15 PM, said:

Pft.  Xenu beat the Pope to it.

Nibs

Hahaha.

Esoteric Toad, on 17 September 2010 - 11:16 PM, said:

Whether it's the Catholic Church or a rabid atheist, we as a species will try and convert whomever we encounter. We (as a species) will try to put our values unto whoever/whatever we encounter eventually (if it ever happens in the first place). Religion is just an easy target. Can you imagine if the alien(s) culture was based on a rigid set of morals based on something we could not comprehend....we'd have people trying to 'enlighten' them to the way of current pop-culture.

There are many ways to 'preach' that do not involve religion.

This is true. Can you imagine how overwhelmed any alien would be by all of our beliefs being thrown at it though?

[Paxus]

OMG OMG OMG DONO'T GET ME STARTED!!!
Who brought religion up??? Baaad idea...

[quote}Dancingtiger
"What if their whole society's are based on total opposites sides of every issue the Vatican stands for."[/quote]
What? Like an advanced spiritual belief system that would naturally say:
* God is NOT an angry God.
* There is NO hell.
* You DO reincarnate.
* You don't have to 'commit your life to Christianity' to grow spiritually.
* Guilt is a CONSTRUCT of 'the church'....

[booNyzarC]

Paxus, on 18 September 2010 - 01:48 AM, said:

OMG OMG OMG DONO'T GET ME STARTED!!!
Who brought religion up??? Baaad idea...


What? Like an advanced spiritual belief system that would naturally say:
* God is NOT an angry God.
* There is NO hell.
* You DO reincarnate.
* You don't have to 'commit your life to Christianity' to grow spiritually.
* Guilt is a CONSTRUCT of 'the church'....

I've been resisting comment myself.  I've typed up 3 different responses and deleted them all.  The temptation to say certain things is almost too great to hold back...  success.  Holding back yet again...

[Esoteric Toad]

It is funny how we assume that if aliens exist that they would be above religion themselves...hell they could be coming here to "save us". Interstellar missionaries.


PS-I do not support any religion being involved in first contact. Myself I am an atheist. IMO there are many 'religions' that involve no gods...and many of them are equally distructive, but that's just my opinion. I do not find all religions/religious people as bad...it's complicated.

[booNyzarC]

Esoteric Toad, on 18 September 2010 - 03:15 AM, said:

It is funny how we assume that if aliens exist that they would be above religion themselves...hell they could be coming here to "save us". Interstellar missionaries.


PS-I do not support any religion being involved in first contact. Myself I am an atheist. IMO there are many 'religions' that involve no gods...and many of them are equally distructive, but that's just my opinion. I do not find all religions/religious people as bad...it's complicated.

If they were missionaries, you can bet your bottom dollar that they wouldn't be so elusive...  They'd be preaching until they ran out of voice to preach with.  Or manipulating our thoughts to join the collective belief...

[Esoteric Toad]

booNyzarC, on 18 September 2010 - 03:31 AM, said:

If they were missionaries, you can bet your bottom dollar that they wouldn't be so elusive...  They'd be preaching until they ran out of voice to preach with.  Or manipulating our thoughts to join the collective belief...

I was going with the assumption that they haven't been here yet.

[booNyzarC]

Esoteric Toad, on 18 September 2010 - 04:18 AM, said:

I was going with the assumption that they haven't been here yet.

ahh, my bad.

[ExpandMyMind]

Agent. Mulder, on 17 September 2010 - 11:03 PM, said:

There is no One, or No Being, that they wont try to convert!

Half of their membership probably resides in the animal kingdom..