RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS DON'T RULE OUT CREATION ON MARS.Byline: Scripps-McClatchy Western Service Life on Mars Scientists have long speculated about the possibility of life on Mars owing to the planet's proximity and similarity to Earth. It remains an open question whether life exists on Mars now, or existed there in the past. ? God is big enough to do it. But if he did, wouldn't he let earthlings in on the secret? So say strict biblical interpreters faced with Tuesday's news of finding rudimentary life on Mars. ``If there was intelligent life on other planets, which would eventually affect us, we would find evidence in Scripture. But there is none,'' said the Rev. Frank Cook, pastor of Northwest Baptist Church in Denver. On the other hand, as a creationist, Cook isn't bothered at all by the notion of inert microbes existing elsewhere: ``God can do anything he wants.'' For other religious leaders and scholars, the notion of someday finding intelligent life ``out there'' is exciting. ``This news implies there's a kind of magnificence and variety in creation,'' said Regis University Campuses Regis University has several campuses throughout the state of Colorado. The main campus is located in northwest Denver at 50th and Lowell Boulevard. Other sites include: Aurora, Longmont, Colorado Springs, Denver Tech Center, Fort Collins and Interlocken at Broomfield. professor Dave Thomas. ``For instance, we say there's one type of human being divided into women and men. ``But there may be other varieties. To me that's why we've had the teaching about angels - because there's a lot more out there than just us.'' But no matter how many other worlds there are, God will always be supreme and good and operating within moral law, he added. What's more, if God made mankind in his image - as the Bible says - even fantastic-looking beings could fit the mold, since the phrase doesn't seem to refer to physical resemblance, said Frederick Greenspahn, professor of religious and Judaic studies at the University of Denver Background and rankings The University was founded in 1864 as Colorado Seminary by John Evans, the former Territorial Governor of Colorado, who had been appointed by US President Abraham Lincoln. . As for Christianity's central tenet, Christ's redemptive death on the cross, there's no reason the act couldn't be part of an interplanetary in·ter·plan·e·tar·y adj. Existing or occurring between planets. interplanetary Adjective of or linking planets Adj. 1. plan, said the Rev. John Anderson, rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is a shared name of many cathedrals of the Roman Catholic Church, especially in the United States. They are all named after the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of The Immaculate Conception. in Denver. On the other hand, maybe those creatures didn't need redeeming: ``There could be a parallel existence,'' he said. ``Perhaps God has a whole new creation someplace some·place adv. & n. Somewhere: "I didn't care where I was from so long as it was someplace else" Garrison Keillor. See Usage Note at everyplace. , another Garden of Eden Garden of Eden n. See Eden. Noun 1. Garden of Eden - a beautiful garden where Adam and Eve were placed at the Creation; when they disobeyed and ate the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil they were where they're still romping around, free of original sin. Nothing precludes that.'' The Koran actually predicts finding life elsewhere, said Mohamed Jodeh, president of Colorado Muslim Society. It encourages Muslims to seek other planets ``to see the glory of the kingdom.'' |
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