The Extraterrestrial Is My Brother

Doctrinal flexebility has never come easily to the Catholic Church. Slow to sign on to the theory of heliocentrism and repeatedly suffering the embarrassment of finding themselves on the losing side of scientific debate, the Church has sought to learn from its mistakes, albeit...slowly.

Vatican chief astronomer Father José Gabriel Funes sounded the apologist in an interview with L'Osservatore Romano, the newsletter of the Vatican Observatory given last may. The interviewer asked the father whether the the possibility of extraterrestrial life could present a "...problem for our faith", to which Funes responded,

"As a multiplicity of creatures exist on earth, so there could be other beings, also intelligent, created by God. This does not contrast with our faith because we cannot put limits on the creative freedom of God."

When asked how theologians should handle the conflict between science and faith, Father Funes responded,

"The Church should not fear science and its discoveries."

but by the same token,

"...scientists should learn to correctly read the bible."

which, according to the father is:

"...a love letter that God wrote to his people, in a language that dates back two or three thousand years."

An amourous paean filled with famine, pestilence and genocide.

photo credit

WSJ Features ULC Monastery in Online Ordination Story

Reporter Jane Hodges penned an informative piece on online ordinations in today's Wall Street Journal. The Monastery figures prominently in her story given that its ordinations are free and it is one of the few churches able to provide letters of good standing to its ministers.

Photo: flickr

-philly.com

-Greater Philadelphia Coalition of Reason

With Summer just around the corner American families dust off their grills and gear up for camping trips. This season, some families are continuing the grand American tradition of the road trip. Except this time, their objective is not only to enjoy the natural splendor of national parks or pay the obligatory visit to kin.

American Family Outing, a project put together by a coalition of civil rights groups and community churches is sending families with same-sex parents or supportive straight couples to mega churches from Georgia to California between Mother's Day and Father's Day. AFO believes that "...these churches have the potential to be a positive force in ending the physical and spiritual violence perpetuated by some religious voices against LGBT people and their families."

Not all of the churches are sympathetic to AFO's cause. Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church believes that "...homosexuality is a manifestation of the fallen man" and Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr. of Hope Christian Church is a vocal opponent of gay rights. In spite of their differences, the two groups seek to develop a greater understanding between them and foster the goals and convictions they share.

01010111 01101000 01100001 01110100 00111111 00001101 00001010

"COMPUTERIZED CONJUGAL BLISS: The Universal Life Church of Sunnyvale, California now boasts the world's first ordained computer . . . "Rev. Apple", named in honor of the electronics company that built it. So far, the terminal has married six couples, who punched in a "y" for "yes" when exchanging vows. The church is now planning to add a computerized "unwedding program" (or "digital divorce") to the services it offers."

Given the digital nature of their weddings, these intrepid couples should consider the legitimacy and legality of their marriages, unless the event was purely ceremonial. This is surely uncharted legal territory that has not withstood any legal test unlike weddings officiated by humanoid ULC ministers.

-Mother Earth News