Navy pilots describe encounters with UFOs

I asked AI. I hope I don;t end up brain dead for using AI but still:

'The Church Fathers and early Christian thinkers generally did not stand firmly against extraterrestrial beings in the modern sense (aliens on other planets) simply because the concept of modern planetary exploration did not exist. Instead, they predominantly argued against the ancient philosophical concept of a "plurality of worlds," primarily for philosophical and theological reasons rather than scientific'

I don't think the Modern Church makes a stand one way or another so we as Catholics are free to make our own minds up. My attitude to any fresh idea is show me the evidence. I don't like closing doors I like to hear evidence.

None of this panics me. Whatever they say I 'll simply want to see the evidence some way or another. My own gut instinct is that we are being taken for a ride with all this. But I am happy to take a look at it all and see.

 

AI again:

No, the Catholic Church does not reject the possibility of extraterrestrial life. There is no official church teaching that denies the existence of intelligent life on other planets, nor does it view such a discovery as a threat to faith. [1, 2, 3]
Key Perspectives on Alien Life:

• No Theological Hurdle: Many theologians and Church officials have stated that the existence of extraterrestrials would not conflict with Christian doctrine.

 

But do I think the White House actually has evidence that there are aliens ? No. They are in big, big trouble with the Iran War and I think they are trying to pull a big pink rabbit out of the hat to distract people.

 

I looked and see that Daniel O'Connor has a clip out:

 

The Church has always been clear about how life is a miracle. Indeed, that being is. Without God, nothing would, or could, be. Belatedly, science, which had rather glibly pronounced that life was merely a matter of the mixture of the right chemicals in a long-ago pool combined with an appropriate lightning strike, has begun to acknowledge that the probability is so unlikely, to such an absolutely stupendous degree, that, in its seemingly irrefutable atheism, it has come to resort to an evidence-free, philosophically suspect, concept of a multiverse, in order to explain it away. In other words, life of any kind anywhere else seems extremely unlikely, never mind intelligent life. There is a measure of likelihood known as Ockham’s Razor, which sensibly suggests that the most likely explanation to a question is the simplest and least complicated one. The most likely explanation for being is an omnipotent Creator. The satanist elites know this, their ploys since the Enlightenment are unravelling and they are deploying their last desperate weaponry.

The Church need only stay where She stands. Unfortunately, She is being administered by mere men, and not currently of the very highest calibre. The laity (what’s new?) will have to do the heavy lifting. I think it will be a rout and would expect multiple conversions. The attempt to defy Reality will only reveal It.

 

Well I am not a Theologian but really I think Mr. O'Connor is misrepresenting the Teachings of the Church.

What the Church was actually warning about was a belief that in the World itself that there are beings the same as or superior to man. In other words things like elves, hobgoblins. the spirits of trees etc.

I don't really trust Mr O'Connor anyway,

 

The only question is whether other intelligent life would be Fallen. Would Christ have had to die for them? Of course, like even the highest angels, they would not have been created in as near a likeness to God as are men.

 

The Church does not stand anywhere on this subject. She remains open. As do I.

Show me teaching from the Magisterium of the Church that there is no life on other worlds and I will fold.

There simply is none.

 

The world is a narrow thing. The Church teaches that there are many other levels of being. In those worlds, there are certainly beings superior to men, but not in as close a likeness to God. Perhaps, there are even beings in this world (universe), intellectually superior to men. Still, they won’t be in as close a likeness to God. They might be similar to angels (but mortal-as all things in this universe)…or to devils.

 

I always loved Science Fiction since I was a child. Of course Alien Life was a big thing. So as a Catholic I have been reading up on the Churches Teachings on this stuff for maybe 60 years. The Church itself has no opinion on this all. It is an open question.

Individual theologians have loads and the loads of opinions one way or the other. But for Catholics the question is totally open.

The reason why I don't trust Daniel O'Connor is that he pushed the Divine Will thingy. Also he has a snide, you're stupid if you disagree with me kind of attitude. This vexes me.

 

You are precisely correct. The Church, in Her Wisdom (which is Divinely inspired), knows Her Mission is the salvation of men. Other beings are not Her business. If these beings are unfallen, they have no need of The Church; if they are fallen, Christ has said nothing about them and presumably has the task of their salvation in hand. The Church has enough on Her hands.

 

Exactly.
Although I do suspect this White House Alien thing is a Deceptive Hoax. But I am prepared to look at it and not dismiss it out of hand. Show me the evidence and I will take a cool hard look at it.

 

The great C.S. Lewis was wonderful on all this. He wrote several science-fiction novels (the Perelandra trilogy). Generally, he considered that other beings in the universe are unfallen.

Personally, I’d be more inclined to agree with that comedy film ‘Mars Attacks’, if the reports of encounters with unidentified beings have any credibility.

There was an Orthodox priest, Seraphim Rose, who wrote an excellent book on end-of-life experiences. His view was very cautionary, advising one should be wary of demonic deception (always carry Christ on one’s lips). He wrote another book (which I have not read), offering similar cautionary advice regarding encounters with ‘aliens’. I think he’s a good authority.

 

Padraig said:
The reason why I don't trust Daniel O'Connor is that he pushed the Divine Will thingy.

I agree.

 

Yes. I recall my Spiritual Director saying I was spending too much time with Science Fiction when I was a teen. My parents did the same. I was mad about it.

It can be distracting.But it is not out the door. It is good to keep doors open and not rush to shut them.

There was a time when folks thought the Universe revolved around the Earth.

There was a time when everyone thought the World was Flat.

There was a time when everyone thought Christopher Columbus was mad.

It's good to keep doors open. The World is not flat. The Universe does not revolve around the sun. The Church never taught this.

 

There are currently quite a few Christian science-fiction writers, even a few Catholic ones (and they’re very conservative).

 

It is possible the earth is at the centre of the Universe and that it revolves around the earth.

No one has disproved this theory.

In fact the Church Fathers taught the earth was at the centre if the Universe.

The Copernican model is the one scientists prefer as it suits their agenda.

There are only two possibilities and both are valid models.

 

Well I love the idea of a planet and the only life on the planet is a Catholic Monastery.

I love the idea that on a large space ship that makes a 40 year journey there is a Catholic chaplain who is a monk and like avoiding talking to people too much aboard.

I love the idea of Aliens who might be much better Catholics than any of us.

 

Suppose this were true. How does it disprove the existance of aliens?

 

If the Bible is Christian revelation as we believe then God has revealed that He has created only two types of beings that is angels who are pure spiritual beings and human beings who are both corporeal and spiritual.

That he second person of the Blessed Trinity became incarnate as man to save man puts humanity at the centre stage of a great cosmic drama.

The Son reveals the Father and the Son, the God-man, Jesus Christ, is the image of the invisible God.

Colossians 1.
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

The Bible clearly reveals that there are two created liturgical beings that operate in the Universe that was created in and through the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.

If other beings were created and fell would Christ not have had to become incarnate in their nature to save them? Would he not then be son of another mother of a different species?

Then his incarnation as man would not be unique and he would not be the second person of the Holy Trinity, the God-man.

The Council of Chalcedon (451 AD), taught that Jesus is fully God and fully man, possessing two distinct, inseparable natures without mixture or confusion.

Two distinct, inseparable natures, not three or four.

There is but one hypostatic union.