Vatican Astronomer on alien life forms

[matrixrefugee]

Taking a break from writing to share with you a bit that someone posted to the MxO forums: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24598508 It seems the Vatican's official astronomer has said to believe that there might be intelligent life on other planets is *not* incompatible with the Faith. Try telling that to the rigorist types who are down on people like me for believing there's other forms of life besides humans and angels, but this gives me a lot of hope. St. Maximillian Kolbe, the Polish Franciscan priest best known for his martyrdom in Auschwitz, believed that there were other intelligences besides us in the universe, and he even drew up some quirky little designs for a rocketship to send to any distant planets, for missionaries to share the Gospel with them. I bet he's thrilled to know one of the officials in the hierarchy has made an official statement on this!

Comments

[nightofcydonia.livejournal.com]

"he even drew up some quirky little designs for a rocketship to send to any distant planets, for missionaries to share the Gospel with them."

For some reason I found this simultaneously cool, anusing and rather groan worthy. I'm not sure what difference a statement like this would make in the grand scheme of things (if aliens exist, then they exist, if they don't, then they don't, what people belive doesn't really matter), but points for being interesting. I may be non-religious but as a lover of all things weird I'm still inclined to appriciate stuff like this (and the rest of the Catholic associated weirdness out there, eg; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronovisor).
~Weaver