From: UFO UpDates - Toronto <post.nul>
Date: Tue, 03 Mar 2009 07:24:54 -0500
Archived: Tue, 03 Mar 2009 07:24:54 -0500
Subject: "Lost Sheep Of The Universe"




Source: The Westender - Brisbane, Australia

http://www.westender.com.au/news/428

Mon, 2 Mar 2009


"Lost Sheep Of The Universe"

The Vatican's chief astronomer says that advanced
extraterrestrial life is a distinct possibilty

The Vatican's chief astronomer says there is no conflict between
believing in God and in the possibility of extraterrestrial
civilizations, perhaps more evolved than humans.

"In my opinion this possibility exists," said the Reverend Jos=E9
Gabriel Funes, head of the Vatican Observatory and a scientific
adviser to Pope Benedict XVI, referring to life on other
planets.

"How can we exclude that life has developed elsewhere," he said
in an interview with the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.
The large number of galaxies with their own planets makes this
possible, he noted. Asked if he was referring to beings similar
to humans or even more evolved than humans, he said: "Certainly,
in a universe this big you can't exclude this hypothesis."

In the interview Funes said he saw no conflict between belief in
such beings and faith in God. "Just as there is a multiplicity
of creatures on earth, there can be other beings, even
intelligent, created by God. This is not in contrast with our
faith because we can't put limits on God's creative freedom. Why
can't we speak of a 'brother extraterrestrial'? It would still
be part of creation."

Funes, who runs the observatory that is based south of Rome and
in Arizona, held out the possibility that the human race might
actually be the "lost sheep" of the universe. There could be
other beings "who remained in full friendship with their
creator," he said.

Funes' commentary is a giant step away from the historical
record that includes the Inquisition, which condemned Galileo in
the 17th century for insisting that the Earth revolved around
the Sun. The Roman Catholic Church did not rehabilitate him
until 1992.

Funes said he believed as an astronomer that the most likely
explanation for the start of the universe was "the big bang,"
the theory that it sprang into existence from dense matter
billions of years ago. But he said this was not in conflict with
faith in God as creator. "God is the creator," he said. "There
is a sense to creation. We are not children of an accident."

He added: "As an astronomer, I continue to believe that God is
the creator of the universe and that we are not the product of
something casual but children of a good father who has a project
of love in mind for us."


[Thanks to Frank Fields for the lead]



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