How do the concept of aliens effect catholicism?

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Just watching MIB the series and I’m thinking. Hypothetically when we reach that point where we react with aliens on a more intimate level. How would this effect monotheistic religions?

There would be another sentient being that god would have created and what if their entire planet doesn’t believe in god? Rather than get into fictional cultural points. Lets hypothesize that eventually we start intergalactic contact with aliens to the point of trade and alliances. So now what? what position would that put catholic faith?
 
Abbadon said:
Just watching MIB the series and I’m thinking. Hypothetically when we reach that point where we react with aliens on a more intimate level. How would this effect monotheistic religions?

There would be another sentient being that god would have created and what if their entire planet doesn’t believe in god? Rather than get into fictional cultural points. Lets hypothesize that eventually we start intergalactic contact with aliens to the point of trade and alliances. So now what? what position would that put catholic faith?
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It wouldn’t contradict our faith. Suppose there are intelligent life out there. I know God is capable to creating others, though their salvation will probably be different. Since the Bible here was meant for humanity not aliens beings from other worlds.

Though I don’t think converting them would be an issue. This is all speculation. We don’t really know until it happens. They may exist, nor not.
 
I’ve read some really thought-provoking stories on this theme. One of them was built around the idea that the alien culture had never fallen as we humans did, and the effect that would have on their relationship to the Christian church. It was a very intriguing story…👍
 
At this point, we don’t even know for sure there are beings capable of moral and spiritual life on other planets, so this is mere foolish speculation.
 
Doesn’t change a thing. Should it?

We’ve never believed that we were the only ones, have we? In fact, I hope there are others out there!
 
What if…the aliens were Catholic?:hmmm:

(okay, that wasn’t too bright…:whacky: )
 
bpbasilphx said:
At this point, we don’t even know for sure there are beings capable of moral and spiritual life on other planets, so this is mere foolish speculation.
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As one who is fascinated by this concept, I heartily thank you for this wonderful contribution to the discussion. 👍

The Catholic Church is universal – it is the pillar and foundation of truth. Even if there is intelligent life out there somewhere, the truth is just as applicable to them as it is to us.

I would tend to agree with the comment above that their salvation may have worked out in a manner different from ours, and I’m intrigued by the notion of a race that did not fall as we did – but I’m skeptical that any being given the same gifts of intellect and free will that we have would be able to avoid a fall.

Hmmm…I hope I didn’t just speak heresy.

Peace,
Dante
 
If there was another race on another planet, then we can be positive that God knows them, the same He knows us, because He would have created them too.

If they had the same problem we did? I would say yes, because Gods a free will kind of God so its probable that they would have had maybe not the same but in the very least similar problems. They could not avoid a fall, unless they were robots.

And if Jesus had to save them, well He would do that too.

And before anyone says its arrogant to say we are the only ones. its not. What is wrong to be the delight of your Fathers eye? Its just our unworthyness speaking, and we shouldnt listen to him.
 
Wow awseome responses. thats a really good point that if the alien culture did have thier own jesus charachter and were also “christians” or whatever they would call them that would be a whole different ball game.

What about as far as the bible goes. Any notion of mention of extra terrestrial life?

But i guess in the end it is a day that we will have to eventually reach and speculating about it is mental as there are so many possibilities.
 
Abbadon said:
Just watching MIB the series and I’m thinking. Hypothetically when we reach that point where we react with aliens on a more intimate level. How would this effect monotheistic religions?

There would be another sentient being that god would have created and what if their entire planet doesn’t believe in god? Rather than get into fictional cultural points. Lets hypothesize that eventually we start intergalactic contact with aliens to the point of trade and alliances. So now what? what position would that put catholic faith?
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That only issues that raises are:​

    1. Whether such beings exist
    1. Whether they would need salvation
    1. How would we know
    1. Whether the Death of Christ affects only man, or not - supposing aliens to exist
      C.S. Lewis wrote an excellent essay on this subject, called “Religion and Rocketry” - everything else I’ve read on the subject is waste paper by comparison.
We would be aliens to other intelligent life. Is there any ? Apart from the angels, I can’t see why there should be - seventy years ago,one of the arguments against Christianity was that it was parochial of Christians to insist that so insignificant & lonely a planet should have been visited, because it was the only one in the whole cold vastness of space with life on it. Now, it’s supposed to be parochial because the universe is fairly teeming with life; how do we know ? Statistics & odds. Both arguments make a fetish of mere size - as though a blue whale must be far important than a man, because it is so much larger. Which would make Mount Everest far more important than a tiny little blue whale. So you had better be a trillion feet tall, deep, & wide - or you can’t be very important 🙂
 
Abbadon said:
Wow awseome responses. thats a really good point that if the alien culture did have thier own jesus charachter and were also “christians” or whatever they would call them that would be a whole different ball game.

What about as far as the bible goes. Any notion of mention of extra terrestrial life?..
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Absolutely none​

 
Abbadon said:
What about as far as the bible goes. Any notion of mention of extra terrestrial life?
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In John 10:16 Jesus mentions that He has other sheep “not of this fold”. For a long time that saying attracted almost no interest. However now some people think it may be an allusion to extra-terrestrials.
However that’s about it.
 
Malcolm_McLean said:
In John 10:16 Jesus mentions that He has other sheep “not of this fold”. For a long time that saying attracted almost no interest. However now some people think it may be an allusion to extra-terrestrials.
However that’s about it.
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and theres the bit about Ezekiels wheel etc etc. Its used sometimes.

We dont need to look beyond us to find the other sheep. and I love what Lewis said I have to pick up that one. He has a way of explaining things that make sense when no one else does.

Here I step this up, why do we need aliens?

ps (this is a old subject to me, so I know, Im just curious why anyone else thinks we may, hint-its not positive reason)
 
Kitty_Chan said:
Here I step this up, why do we need aliens?

ps (this is a old subject to me, so I know, Im just curious why anyone else thinks we may, hint-its not positive reason)
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Errrr i wouldn’t think it’s a we need aliens i mean were not the center of the universe i think it 3 000 000 light years to the left… Aliens would be there or they might not, maybe there just silicon based microbes. There would be no WE involved in there existence. Unless there like the Ancients (fictional reference) and we’re the second evolution accelerated by them… I think it’s actually got a name to it protogenisis theory.

Where its aliens of an extremely high advancement greater than any we could imagine are the result of our rapid evolution and even our genisis. I mean the probability for that is like everything there is but it’s very low and no real evidence has been ever found to even suggest this. it’s just mainly through fictional novels etc… more of a story idea than a real hypothesis (unless it is and I’m just wrong)
 
Check out what some call C.S. Lewis’s “Space Triology” for some interesting sidelights.

“Out of the Silent Planet”. “Perelandra”. “That Hideous Strength”. I love them and reread all three on a fairly regular basis. They’re terrific!
 
Abbadon said:
Errrr i wouldn’t think it’s a we need aliens i mean were not the center of the universe i think it 3 000 000 light years to the left… Aliens would be there or they might not, maybe there just silicon based microbes. There would be no WE involved in there existence. Unless there like the Ancients (fictional reference) and we’re the second evolution accelerated by them… I think it’s actually got a name to it protogenisis theory.

Where its aliens of an extremely high advancement greater than any we could imagine are the result of our rapid evolution and even our genisis. I mean the probability for that is like everything there is but it’s very low and no real evidence has been ever found to even suggest this. it’s just mainly through fictional novels etc… more of a story idea than a real hypothesis (unless it is and I’m just wrong)
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I was curious on peoples ideas thats all. I guess Im going back to the oh we are arrogant to think we are alone thought. I was wondering views on why people feel the need to “have aliens” other than story subjects. Hope that makes sense.

I actually still enjoy sci fi, and it does lend well to good story ideas, you are not wrong there. And there is no evidence, I like your term hypothesis, much better description than there just has to be.

btw My fav writer is Alan Dean Foster, I really have to pick up some of Lewis’s stuff Ive only read his non fiction.
 
well any claim to an idea is simply a hypothesis untill examined and supported with accepted data. Also nothing is ever proven only supported.

If our universe doesn’t have aliens i’m sure another one does…

The probabilty for life somewhere else in the universe is there, but it’s never going to be 100% untill we see it or discover it… Untill that point its just a number no matter how high said number is…
 
How can the human mind conceptualize alien being? A concept alien to the human mind cannot be conceived or else it isn’t alien is it?

If there exists a moral agent of flesh alien to humanity it is suffering our fall in the perfection it is created in. This would require great humility for them to remain innocent within I would think,

Or they are suffering our fall in sin that has no law to reveal it to them and have a big surprise coming when they find out that the beings that caused the evil is also the kind of Being their creator has become and revealed Himself to them as. Kinda hard to swallow if you put yourself in their place.

Or they will suffer our fall in innocense and enjoy the the ressurection not knowing the what’s and why’s or maybe not even questioning it.

Theologically I cannot buy into an idea that other moral agents on other planets had Our Lord and Saviour manifested to them in other flesh.
 
Benadam said:
Theologically I cannot buy into an idea that other moral agents on other planets had Our Lord and Saviour manifested to them in other flesh.
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Now that is interesting, I think youre getting at made man in Our Image, right? Our Image wouldnt be multiple, that doesnt make sense.

If there was anyone there, then the previous thoughts apply. But when hit with this last one, the thoughts stay where they belong as story lines.
 
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