The pope's chief astronomer says that life on Mars cannot be ruled out. Writing in the Vatican newspaper, the astronomer, Father Gabriel Funes, said intelligent beings created by God could exist in outer space. The search for forms of extraterrestrial life, he says, does not contradict belief in God. The official Vatican newspaper headlines his article 'Aliens Are My Brother'. 'Free from sin': Just as there are multiple forms of life on earth, so there could exist intelligent beings in outer space created by God. And some aliens could even be free from original sin, he speculates. Asked about the Catholic Church's condemnation four centuries ago of the Italian astronomer and physicist, Galileo, Father Funes diplomatically says mistakes were made, but it is time to turn the page and look towards the future. Science and religion need each other, and many astronomers believe in God, he assures readers.

To strengthen its scientific credentials, the Vatican is organising a conference next year to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of the author of the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin.

View: Full Article | Source: BBC News

Finding extraterrestrial life could unite us and stop us destroying ourselves with WWWIII . I can just imagine the christians trying to convert the heathen aliens to christianity.

Religion will have to accept that Gods plan is bigger than just one book. I wonder if Islam will be as accepting to the alien Idea as the vatican and what about evangelical christians? Maybe there will be a war strarted by extremists against aliens.

I might be wrong but religious people who do not compromise and stay with the times like the vatican did here are really living in a different century.

And we need th Church to tell us this?

One I thing I find hard to understand is how it´s possible to exist people who don´t believe in the possibility on alien life (intelligent or not) and at same time belive in God!

What do yoy think?

Maybe its time for the church to accept the Book of Enoch as part of the biblical canon.

Hmmm... Same day, shuttle astronauts come out with the "Aliens do exist" story

And I agree with Daimyo, time for Book of Enoch recognition

Hmm, I don't believe in the Pope...........