On Aliens, and CCC 356-358

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356 Of all visible creatures only man is “able to know and love his creator”. He is “the only creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake”, and he alone is called to share, by knowledge and love, in God’s own life. It was for this end that he was created, and this is the fundamental reason for his dignity:
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What made you establish man in so great a dignity? Certainly the incalculable love by which you have looked on your creature in yourself! You are taken with love for her; for by love indeed you created her, by love you have given her a being capable of tasting your eternal Good.
357 Being in the image of God the human individual possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something, but someone. He is capable of self-knowledge, of self-possession and of freely giving himself and entering into communion with other persons. And he is called by grace to a covenant with his Creator, to offer him a response of faith and love that no other creature can give in his stead.
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358 God created everything for man, but man in turn was created to serve and love God and to offer all creation back to him:
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What is it that is about to be created, that enjoys such honor? It is man that great and wonderful living creature, more precious in the eyes of God than all other creatures! For him the heavens and the earth, the sea and all the rest of creation exist. God attached so much importance to his salvation that he did not spare his own Son for the sake of man. Nor does he ever cease to work, trying every possible means, until he has raised man up to himself and made him sit at his right hand.
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What about aliens? It seems odd that the Church in general, higher up at least, is okay with the idea of aliens yet, this quote. It seems to suggest that, if aliens exist, they are here for us, meaning that we own them, etc.

Does this somehow only speak of Earth despite not saying so explicitly?

One could argue that aliens count as Man, but, then we have Humans who are not descendants of Adam. And we can’t do that.

So does all of this mean that if FTL travel is achieved we should become the mighty conquerors of all alien life (Which just seems, wrong) or am I missing something?

[EDIT: Sorry if this is the wrong place for this, it seemed like there was no logical place on the forum at all, given that there is no general discussion.]

[EDIT 2: I really should have put this in moral theology.]
 
ThePuppyTurtle said:
What about aliens? It seems odd that the Church in general, higher up at least, is okay with the idea of aliens yet, this quote. It seems to suggest that, if aliens exist, they are here for us, meaning that we own them, etc.

Does this somehow only speak of Earth despite not saying so explicitly?

One could argue that aliens count as Man, but, then we have Humans who are not descendants of Adam. And we can’t do that.

So does all of this mean that if FTL travel is achieved we should become the mighty conquerors of all alien life (Which just seems, wrong) or am I missing something?

[EDIT: Sorry if this is the wrong place for this, it seemed like there was no logical place on the forum at all, given that there is no general discussion.]

[EDIT 2: I really should have put this in moral theology.]
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You are conflating man with “human”… they are two different concepts. IF there are aliens out there, and that’s a big IF, and they are as advanced as us such that they have a conscience and the ability to know and worship God, then we trust that they have been provided for by God. IF such aliens exist, then they are man in the sense that what makes us man is not the particular make-up of our physical body, but the essense of our being… after all, an amputee is not somehow less “man” simply because they lost two legs, are they?

So while there MAY be alien animals, there may also be alien MEN who are entirely of equal dignity to us.
 
FTL is a looooooooooooooooooong way off, it can even be achieved, so there’s no immediate need to worry about the fate of aliens. If they come ot us, then we can certainly share the Gospel with them, if there is a need for them to receive it, that is.

Any sentient beings God may have created would have to live according to his will just as we humans are supposed to do and the heavenly angels do. We don’t know if aliens would be in need of salvation or not. But, we know that God is fair and doesn’t expect us to do what we cannot do–evangelize aliens who may not need it. So no, we wouldn’t have any mandate to conquer and make aliens do anything. Conquering others is not Church teaching nor is violating the rights of others.
 
Actaeon said:
You are conflating man with “human”… they are two different concepts. IF there are aliens out there, and that’s a big IF, and they are as advanced as us such that they have a conscience and the ability to know and worship God, then we trust that they have been provided for by God. IF such aliens exist, then they are man in the sense that what makes us man is not the particular make-up of our physical body, but the essense of our being… after all, an amputee is not somehow less “man” simply because they lost two legs, are they?

So while there MAY be alien animals, there may also be alien MEN who are entirely of equal dignity to us.
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Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most… human.
James T. Kirk, eulogizing Spock in Star Trek II:D
 
Be careful, if you don’t eat your peas and broccoli the Aliens will get you! Lol jks personally I don’t believe in aliens, and I doubt God would be as interested in them compared to us because we were made in Gods image, I doubt aliens if they exist are.
 
I recommend the movie “Cowboys and Aliens,” starring Harrison Ford. I think you’ll find your answer there, my friend.
 
This causes many thoughts in my mind. Notice that one of these quotes speaks of “the only creature on earth.” That is if aliens turned up, the Church could easily say that it has been speaking about creatures on earth rather than elsewhere. On the other hand, what is the definition of man? Some Catholic thinkers have said a man is a rational creature with an immortal soul. Then aliens could be considered men too (though aliens are not homo sapiens), and on that basis such remarks could be said to apply to aliens too.
Still, what do we do with original sin when considering if there are aliens? According to the Catholic view, the whole universe, all of nature, fell along with the first men. Not only death, suffering and disease came with original sin, but catastrophes of nature, which would include novas and other evils in the universe would have resulted. Could aliens have justly suffered the results of the original sin of the first humans? This is an argument for saying that there would be no intelligent aliens.
This is all something the Church will have to deal with in the next centuries, when we find, or do not find, aliens in the universe.
 
Monster_Simpson said:
Be careful, if you don’t eat your peas and broccoli the Aliens will get you! Lol jks personally I don’t believe in aliens, and I doubt God would be as interested in them compared to us because we were made in Gods image, I doubt aliens if they exist are.
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Hmmmmmmm… Image you say? Would that refer to intellect, soul, emotions, will and choice? Or is image ten toes/ten fingers?:cool:
 
I don’t think we will ever meet any aliens ever. Period. The jury is out for me on whether they exist. If they do exist then I don’t think Christ wants us to worry about them or pay them any mind. I’m sure if another intelligent life is out there than God revealed Himself in their own way to them to have them do whatever it is He wanted them to do, just as He revealed Himself to us (before He sacrificed Himself through Christ, for us). Just focus on the here and now and helping one another. Leave the pondering of aliens to the history channel guy who has become a notorious meme.
 
Nimzovik said:
Hmmmmmmm… Image you say? Would that refer to intellect, soul, emotions, will and choice? Or is image ten toes/ten fingers?:cool:
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I dunno, I’m just copying other peoples points, anatomy I guess…
 
Then do we not have to talk gender? Race? Methinks image may indeed refer to the mental abilities such as love, thinking and choice etc. Yes?
 
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