Growing up I was always facintated with astronomy.  I loved reading and learning anything having to do with outer space.  I even watched Star Trek faithfully and the less imaginative Battlestar Galactica.  Of course Star Wars was stirred my imagination as well. 

I found it quite interesting that the Catholic Church by way of The Vatican recently announced that it was acceptable to believe in “extraterrestrial brothers. ”  I feel so relieved now.  If it wasn’t for that announcement I would have had to remain an non-believer!

Seriously though; personally I believe it would be shortsighted and quite arrogant to believe that as much as know about the vastness of the universe – that we are the only forms of life or intelligence.  But truth be told, just like issues of race we are not ready to seriously tackle the possibilities of life outside of Earth’s atmosphere.  Imagine questions about ET sightings being asked at a presidential debate.  Or how about this.. if your Catholic or Christian and believe in the existance of life beyone the Earth’s atmosphere and that they too are God’s creatures – well did Jesus die for their sins too?  With that said unless we have a serious encounter that is too much to avoid, we are prone to avoid these questions as a nation for fear of among other things, the facts possibly throwing a monkey wrench in our theological dogma.