Many religions open to idea that God created other intelligent species. It's very simple for Barry Friedman, who has preached the Jewish faith for 26 years as a rabbi in Central Florida. There must be lots of intelligent species in the universe, Friedman said. He just thanks God for giving him the sense to realize it. "It would be an incredible conceit of egotism to think we're the only form of life," said Friedman, who sees no trouble for Judaism if aliens were to land on his synagogue's doorstep tomorrow. "There are religious beliefs and there are scientific truths. Sometimes, they will coincide and sometimes they'll conflict. But being intelligent and insightful people of belief, we are able to make the distinction and not be blinded by our faith, but be supported by it." Friedman represents many of today's religious leaders, who say most faiths would not crumble or even change appreciably if science offered proof of another intelligent species in the universe. A more disconcerting effect might befall the human ego as people search for humanity's niche among other life forms that could be so advanced they make us look like amoebas.

"This is all about calibrating our place in the universe: Are we really the top dogs, which is the way we act, or are we one of many?" said Jill Tarter, chief scientist for the SETI Institute in California, a private group engaged in a search for extraterrestrial life. Unlike earlier times, most religions would not be dismayed by such a finding. That's because many faiths already have accepted the notion informally, seizing upon the possibility as evidence of an almighty's power to fill any celestial crevice with living things.

View: Full Article | Source: FLORIDA TODAY