Kepler Telescope

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DavidFilmer said:
Well, when I say “extremely unlikely” I an using a colloquial term used by quantum physics. To be more scientifically precise, there is a “small but non-zero chance” of life on OUR planet, much less on ANOTHER planet (even if there are many trillions of planets capable of sustaining life).

There is a “small but non-zero” chance that you (or your room, or your house, or the earth) might suddenly appear in the core of the sun. or far beyond the orbit of Pluto. But the probably of such an event is so small that would not likely not occur in a trillion trillion ages of the universe.

That’s roughly the scale and scope that I am talking about when I speak about the likelihood of life arising on a planet of ideal conditions. Our own planet proves my point. I should not be here to respond to you, and you should not be here to read my response.
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I understand, but my question still stands…IF life is found elsewhere, would that undermine or go against our faith, or mean that Christianity or Catholicism isn’t true?
 
Faith1960 said:
I understand, but my question still stands…IF life is found elsewhere, would that undermine or go against our faith, or mean that Christianity or Catholicism isn’t true?
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No, it would not undermine the Faith at all.
 
Faith1960 said:
I understand, but my question still stands…IF life is found elsewhere, would that undermine or go against our faith, or mean that Christianity or Catholicism isn’t true?
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As someone mentioned in another thread on this topic a few months ago, perhaps Christians would play a role in the interstellar community the way the Israelites did as the chosen people in the Old Testament and then perfected in Christ when the Faith spread to the Gentiles. 🙂 Suggested reading - Brother Guy Consolmango, Vatican astronomer’s book Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial? amazon.com/Would-You-Baptize-Extraterrestrial-Astronomers/dp/0804136955
 
Faith1960 said:
What do you mean, can you elaborate?
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If (sapient) alien life were found, we would perforce have to admit that, as thinking bodies, we as human beings are nothing special. A new philosophy would be written in which human life has a far lower place.

It is that transition that, IMNAAHO, all the fans of alien life are hoping for.

ICXC NIKA
 
DavidFilmer said:
Well, when I say “extremely unlikely” I an using a colloquial term used by quantum physics. To be more scientifically precise, there is a “small but non-zero chance” of life on OUR planet, much less on ANOTHER planet (even if there are many trillions of planets capable of sustaining life).

There is a “small but non-zero” chance that you (or your room, or your house, or the earth) might suddenly appear in the core of the sun. or far beyond the orbit of Pluto. But the probably of such an event is so small that would not likely not occur in a trillion trillion ages of the universe.

That’s roughly the scale and scope that I am talking about when I speak about the likelihood of life arising on a planet of ideal conditions. Our own planet proves my point. I should not be here to respond to you, and you should not be here to read my response.
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3DOCTORS said:
As someone mentioned in another thread on this topic a few months ago, perhaps Christians would play a role in the interstellar community the way the Israelites did as the chosen people in the Old Testament and then perfected in Christ when the Faith spread to the Gentiles. 🙂 Suggested reading - Brother Guy Consolmango, Vatican astronomer’s book Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial? amazon.com/Would-You-Baptize-Extraterrestrial-Astronomers/dp/0804136955
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I have and read that book, but he didn’t actually answer the question I have. I emailed him and am hoping for a response.
 
Faith1960 said:
And it wouldn’t mean that Christainity or Catholicism isn’t true, right?

P.S. Thanks for your patience.
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No, it would not mean that Catholicism is not true. Catholicism has no doctrine concerning extraterrestrial life.

Even if life were found on other planets, that doesn’t mean sentient life. And if sentient life is found, it may not necessarily be rational life. Many animals are sentient but without rational souls. It is, in any case, quite speculative. I’ll think about it more if and when it happens.
 
Faith1960 said:
What if they aren’t unfallen and are created in God’s image?
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Then they are awaiting the Good News and God has included them in our plan of salvation–if it applies to them. Remember that the angels are also created sentient life. They aren’t gods who existed from all eternity but were created at some point as immortal beings. They are pure spirit, although they can assume human appearance. Their nature is such that they decided, perhaps at the instant of their creation, if they would serve God or not. Christ’s redemptive act was not effective for them because it was not meant for them. Aliens might have a similar mode of being/choice, we simply cannot know.

What we do know is that God became man to save us and make it possible for us to live with him for eternity. Apart from that God has not revealed what he has in mind for “others out there” if there even are any “others out there.”
 
Faith1960 said:
Then what was meant by he last paragraph? Posted by a CAF priest.

telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/the-pope/8009299/Pope-Benedict-XVIs-astronomer-the Catholic-Church-welcomes-aliens.html.
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Ok, no surprise, that link didn’t work. I don’t know how to link stuff since my husband changed things on here for me, but anyway…there was a question someone asked a priest on here and his answer included a link to an article. The priest said that " Catholics are free to speculate away about whether intelligent life exists out there and what it would mean theologically." then he linked an article, the last paragraph says this:
“The discovery of aliens would raise huge theological problems for the Roman Catholic Church that would make debate over women priests, clerical abstinence and contraception pale into insignificance.”

So…now what? It sounds to me like it IS a problem.
 
Here’s another article he linked, let’s see if this works…

unregister.com/site/article//alien_life_out_there/

Never mind…that didn’t work either.

But it said, after sounding like believing in aliens is ok with the CC, then it said " if intelligent life did exist, had fallen and couldn’t be redeemed, by God or through Christ or another way this could pose a problem for the Christian faith".
 
Faith1960 said:
Ok, no surprise, that link didn’t work. I don’t know how to link stuff since my husband changed things on here for me, but anyway…there was a question someone asked a priest on here and his answer included a link to an article. The priest said that " Catholics are free to speculate away about whether intelligent life exists out there and what it would mean theologically." then he linked an article, the last paragraph says this:
“The discovery of aliens would raise huge theological problems for the Roman Catholic Church that would make debate over women priests, clerical abstinence and contraception pale into insignificance.”

So…now what? It sounds to me like it IS a problem.
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Who exactly has that opinion? The priest or the secular writer of the article? If it’s a priest, he should know better. If it’s a secular journalist, such a statement doesn’t surprise me, considering most secular journalists’ knowledge of Catholicism could fit neatly, and with plenty of room to spare, into a thimble. Without access to the article it’s impossible to comment on it. 🤷
 
If you go to the article, you’ll find the last 4 paragraphs do not contains quotes. You will see the paraphrase “he said” and “he added” to the 3rd and 2nd from last paragraphs. The final paragraph with the statement in question is neither a quote nor a paraphrase. In context, it comes across as an editorial comment by Richard Alleyne, who wrote the article.

In any event, the quotes given are views by the Vatican astronomer, not Church teachings, and the closing sentence appears to be editorial in nature.

I’ll re echo my opinion. IF intelligent, sentient, life other than our own IS found, it would in no way make Christianity nor The Catholic Church invalid. I personally believe, to the contrary, it would strengthen it.

Blessings,
Stephie
 
GEddie said:
I’ll believe in alien life when I physically see it.

Until that day comes, I won’t bother with the philosophy of it.

ICXC NIKA
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No offense, but I’ve heard atheists use that very same logic regarding God.
 
Della said:
Who exactly has that opinion? The priest or the secular writer of the article? If it’s a priest, he should know better. If it’s a secular journalist, such a statement doesn’t surprise me, considering most secular journalists’ knowledge of Catholicism could fit neatly, and with plenty of room to spare, into a thimble. Without access to the article it’s impossible to comment on it. 🤷
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I think it was one of the Vatican astronomers being quoted.
 
Faith1960 said:
I think it was one of the Vatican astronomers being quoted.
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Well, he is wrong, whoever he is. Could it even be possible for God to give us Christ and his Church and not know if other sentient life exists and how we all fit together in his creation and in his redemptive plans? It makes God out to be rather clueless to even think so. God’s truth is his truth no matter who else might inhabit the universe, because he would have made them as well as us.
 
Faith1960 said:
Ok, no surprise, that link didn’t work. I don’t know how to link stuff since my husband changed things on here for me, but anyway…there was a question someone asked a priest on here and his answer included a link to an article. The priest said that " Catholics are free to speculate away about whether intelligent life exists out there and what it would mean theologically." then he linked an article, the last paragraph says this:
“The discovery of aliens would raise huge theological problems for the Roman Catholic Church that would make debate over women priests, clerical abstinence and contraception pale into insignificance.”

So…now what? It sounds to me like it IS a problem.
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I have to disagree with the quote. Discovery of intelligent aliens might raise new theological issues, but not theological problems. (Perhaps the aliens would have their own theologians, for whom the discovery of us might raise theological issues!) Of course we already know of some alien beings–the angels, who are not human, but they are well incorporated into our theology already, though perhaps inadequately from an angel’s viewpoint.

(And if we find a planet inhabited by giant ants, I’m going out there with a can of Raid myself.)
 
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