https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7399661.stm

Vatican says aliens could exist
By David Willey
BBC News, Rome

"The Pope's chief astronomer says that life on Mars cannot be ruled out.

Writing in the Vatican newspaper, the astronomer, Father Gabriel Funes, said intelligent beings created by God could exist in outer space.

Father Funes, director of the Vatican Observatory near Rome, is a respected scientist who collaborates with universities around the world.

The search for forms of extraterrestrial life, he says, does not contradict belief in God.

The official Vatican newspaper headlines his article 'Aliens Are My Brother'.

'Free from sin'

Just as there are multiple forms of life on earth, so there could exist intelligent beings in outer space created by God. And some aliens could even be free from original sin, he speculates.

Asked about the Catholic Church's condemnation four centuries ago of the Italian astronomer and physicist, Galileo, Father Funes diplomatically says mistakes were made..."

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See also: Conservative demi-god Reagan's goofball (albeit supply-side goofball) views on the paranormal, numerology, and astrology:

https://voices.washingtonpost.com/political-bookworm/2010/04/reagan_and_the_occult.html

Right, Craig. A religious authority recognizing that there is a scientific possibility of life existing off of our tiny rock is exactly the same as a pro-Gaddafi, paranoid socialist claiming that capitalism might have wiped out life on Mars. Obviously it became a barren wasteland only after Adam Smith managed to pollute it by transmitting The Wealth of Nations to the red planet.

1. Where did I write that the 2 things (the synopsis of Chavez's statements and the Vatican statement) were "exactly the same"? I think you can see that I did not.

2. Justin's post was obviously trying to portray Chavez as having uniquely kooky beliefs - from the very first line. As in, check this out, Chavez believes in aliens! And what's more, he declares that capitalism did them in. Hardy har har.

3. It's pretty clear, from looking at the "article" (a very short Fox/Wall Street Journal cooperative effort that offers nothing of actual interest and has brilliant lines like "The socialist president has been a fierce opponent of capitalism..." Well, heavens to Betsy!) that Chavez was simply engaging in some casual (but wild), rhetorical speculation:

"I have always said, heard, that it would not be strange that there had been civilization on Mars, but maybe capitalism arrived there, imperialism arrived and finished off the planet."

Meh. "It wouldn't be strange" and "Maybe capitalism arrived." don't quite have the definitive sound of Justin's embellishments.

4. It seems, given the Vatican's statement, that it would be within the boundaries of acceptable Catholic speculation that God might have created other "men" (intelligent beings) in other galaxies, and that they would also have God-given "natural rights" and they, too, could develop language and economic systems, a narrowly defined notion of "liberty" and that, if they advanced enough, they could have developed something akin to capitalism and some sort of free-market utopia might have resulted. Of course, GOOD guys who fight against EVIL-DOERS could then speculate that these aliens might have developed the 2nd best planet in the Universe after Earth.

5. Meh.

"5. Meh."

Mark your calendars and let the record show that I agree with something Scanlon has written. Excuse me while I go open an artery.

Ben, I also think Obama's been a bad president. Guess you'll have to hack another artery?

You guys think the Vatican and Hugo Chavez are crazy.. Get this:

The Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, believes that we should impeach a President who takes us to a war against a Nation that did not attack us.

Heh. No, a lot of my friends on the left share the same opinion -- which was predictable, by the way, if you had read Ken Silverstein's magnficent 2006 piece for Harper's, "Barack Obama, Inc." I've never completely bought into the Obama-as-redributionist line. Sure, he believes in spreading the wealth. But that includes spreading the wealth to favored constituents, some of whom are quite rich.

If there were any Martians they were blown up by Space Arabs. Them turban headed savages hate everybody.

Natural rights are a notion alien to the bible. You ever read Locke, dude?

Pray tell, Craig, who has lived up to your no doubt lofty standards of a good president? Of the United States, I mean, not Cuba.

"Heh. No, a lot of my friends on the left share the same opinion -- which was predictable, by the way..."

Keep in mind, I only said that I thought he's a bad POTUS; I didn't say that I was surprised by that.

"I've never completely bought into the Obama-as-redributionist line. Sure, he believes in spreading the wealth. But that includes spreading the wealth to favored constituents, some of whom are quite rich."

So, how does that not make him redistributionist? Does that term only deserve to be employed when someone redistributes wealth/income DOWNward?

I presume you've heard the latest pronouncements by the Koch Bros. on how Obama is quite the radical socialist?

Do things like this give you an awkward feeling?

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cIvMgBLyifE/ShXiZrl-v1I/AAAAAAAAADk/wj8f-jo5vaM/s1600-h/T+Shirt+Photo.JPEG

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