Comments on: UFOs, ET, the UK, and the Vatican http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:28:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Torbjörn Larsson, OM http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/#comment-89242 Torbjörn Larsson, OM Fri, 16 May 2008 01:26:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/#comment-89242 <blockquote> And as several previous commenters mentioned, the Catholic Church is one of the few Christian churches that embrace most scientific discoveries and theories, including evolution.</blockquote> Well, as Lurker reminds us, this religion doesn't accept best science on preventing STD or poverty. Nor does it accept evolution, but seems to promote some variant of the ubiquitous theistic evolution. That covers a lot of ground of course, from that humans were inevitable, or evolution was actively guided, or evolution was frontloaded. (Usually not in the genes à la ID, but in the environment in early big bang.) Neither of which is the parsimonious non-teleological natural theory, nor stand up to falsification - in fact, can easily be debunked. <blockquote> Excuse me while I laugh myself to dinner. </blockquote> If that is your answer to this religions rejection of best science as Lurker exemplified, on say STD prevention, I can assure you that others find it no laughing matter.

And as several previous commenters mentioned, the Catholic Church is one of the few Christian churches that embrace most scientific discoveries and theories, including evolution.

Well, as Lurker reminds us, this religion doesn’t accept best science on preventing STD or poverty. Nor does it accept evolution, but seems to promote some variant of the ubiquitous theistic evolution.

That covers a lot of ground of course, from that humans were inevitable, or evolution was actively guided, or evolution was frontloaded. (Usually not in the genes à la ID, but in the environment in early big bang.) Neither of which is the parsimonious non-teleological natural theory, nor stand up to falsification - in fact, can easily be debunked.

Excuse me while I laugh myself to dinner.

If that is your answer to this religions rejection of best science as Lurker exemplified, on say STD prevention, I can assure you that others find it no laughing matter.

]]> By: The Centipede http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/#comment-89241 The Centipede Thu, 15 May 2008 18:26:06 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/#comment-89241 Amy: Yup, sorry. Memfart. Amy:

Yup, sorry. Memfart.

]]> By: Stephen http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/#comment-89240 Stephen Thu, 15 May 2008 17:29:06 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/#comment-89240 Fr. Roderick put up an english translation from the original Itialian of at least part of the interview. http://fatherroderick.sqpn.com/2008/05/13/vatican-astronomer-et-could-be-our-extraterrestrial-brother/ Fr. Roderick put up an english translation from the original Itialian of at least part of the interview.

http://fatherroderick.sqpn.com/2008/05/13/vatican-astronomer-et-could-be-our-extraterrestrial-brother/

]]> By: Francis O'Donovan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/#comment-89239 Francis O'Donovan Thu, 15 May 2008 15:01:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/#comment-89239 Phil, given your quest to find the truth and stop misinformation, I would ask that you be careful about falling into the trap of following the media's portrayal of "Vatican" news. If I say that the Vatican says something, it should mean that the Pope or his representative had made an official statement on church teachings or a Vatican City related topic. But the media today use this phraseology whenever anyone related to the Catholic Church in Vatican City says something that is newsworthy. For example, a priest working there says something about aliens. Or a bishop says something about updating the Seven Deadly Sins. And all of a sudden, the Catholic Church has made an official proclamation. I work as an astronomer at a government facility, but if I make a press statement, the media don't say "US Government says ...". So why do the media warp everything coming from the Vatican? Phil,
given your quest to find the truth and stop misinformation, I would ask that you be careful about falling into the trap of following the media’s portrayal of “Vatican” news.
If I say that the Vatican says something, it should mean that the Pope or his representative had made an official statement on church teachings or a Vatican City related topic. But the media today use this phraseology whenever anyone related to the Catholic Church in Vatican City says something that is newsworthy.
For example, a priest working there says something about aliens. Or a bishop says something about updating the Seven Deadly Sins. And all of a sudden, the Catholic Church has made an official proclamation.
I work as an astronomer at a government facility, but if I make a press statement, the media don’t say “US Government says …”. So why do the media warp everything coming from the Vatican?

]]> By: Disinfo Agent http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/#comment-89238 Disinfo Agent Thu, 15 May 2008 12:34:42 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/#comment-89238 It seems the Catholic Church is damned it if does and damned if it doesn't. When it questions science, it's being obscurantist (OMG, it's the Galileo trial all over again!) When it supports science, it's being inconsistent (OMG, what hypocrites!) To be sure, they can blame themselves in large part for that, but it's still amusing to see the blatant Protestant bias at work. It seems the Catholic Church is damned it if does and damned if it doesn’t. When it questions science, it’s being obscurantist (OMG, it’s the Galileo trial all over again!) When it supports science, it’s being inconsistent (OMG, what hypocrites!)

To be sure, they can blame themselves in large part for that, but it’s still amusing to see the blatant Protestant bias at work.

]]> By: Gebo http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/#comment-89237 Gebo Thu, 15 May 2008 10:35:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/#comment-89237 Anyone remember Giordano Bruno? In 1600, Giordano Bruno - a priest - was burnt at the stake as a heretic by the Roman Inquisition because, amongst other things, Bruno had posed the idea that the stars were all suns, each with their own planets, and some of those planets could be the home of other creatures and intelligent beings! Now it seems that the Vatican admits that Bruno, just like Galileo, could have been right after all. But I like the fact that catholicism nowadays accepts modern science, unlike the ID people. Anyone remember Giordano Bruno? In 1600, Giordano Bruno - a priest - was burnt at the stake as a heretic by the Roman Inquisition because, amongst other things, Bruno had posed the idea that the stars were all suns, each with their own planets, and some of those planets could be the home of other creatures and intelligent beings! Now it seems that the Vatican admits that Bruno, just like Galileo, could have been right after all.

But I like the fact that catholicism nowadays accepts modern science, unlike the ID people.

]]> By: Jeremy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/#comment-89236 Jeremy Thu, 15 May 2008 07:50:29 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/05/14/ufos-et-the-uk-and-the-vatican/#comment-89236 The only thing I could think about when reading the Vatican article is how much Father Funes statement resembles Cardinal Glicks line in the great movie Dogma. "Mistakes were made, but one can hardly blame the current church..." The only thing I could think about when reading the Vatican article is how much Father Funes statement resembles Cardinal Glicks line in the great movie Dogma. “Mistakes were made, but one can hardly blame the current church…”

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