There is an AP News article today saying that the Vatican doesn’t mind if you believe in aliens. From the article:
Believing that the universe may contain alien life does not contradict a faith in God, the Vatican’s chief astronomer said in an interview published Tuesday.
The most amazing thing about this is that the Vatican not only has an astronomer, but so many astronomers that it needs one to be chief! Of course they have a website, but I couldn’t find a place where it mentions how the Catholic church got angry about Copernicus saying the earth wasn’t the center of the solar system in 1616 (even though Copernicus’ book was published in 1543). I’ll think I’ll stick to getting my astronomy from people who don’t arrest (1633) and burn astronomers at the stake (1600) for heresy, thank you.
edit: it is worth mentioning that the Vatican “Astronomers” are very proud of being an old group, formed first in 1582. Please note the dates above.
