Vatican Astronomer Dismisses Creationism

[mabfan]

Brother Guy Consolmagno is an astronomer who works as the curator of meteorites at the Vatican.

He's also a science fiction fan and a friend of mine. He's one of the people I consulted when I wrote "Sanctuary," my story about a Catholic priest giving sanctuary to an alien on a space station.

bill_leisner has just posted a link to an article on The Scotsman: Creationism dismissed as 'a kind of paganism' by Vatican's astronomer, written by Ian Johnston:

Believing that God created the universe in six days is a form of superstitious paganism, the Vatican astronomer Guy Consolmagno claimed yesterday.

Brother Consolmagno, who works in a Vatican observatory in Arizona and as curator of the Vatican meteorite collection in Italy, said a "destructive myth" had developed in modern society that religion and science were competing ideologies....

Here's the "money" quote: "Religion needs science to keep it away from superstition and keep it close to reality, to protect it from creationism, which at the end of the day is a kind of paganism - it's turning God into a nature god. And science needs religion in order to have a conscience, to know that, just because something is possible, it may not be a good thing to do."

Go read the article. I'm glad to see that Brother Guy finally had a chance to speak out.

Comments

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

Which is ironic, really, since most Pagans that I know are firmly in the evolution camp. ;)

[lauriemann.livejournal.com]

I love Brother Guy! And I don't normally say that about a member of the clergy!

The money quote...

[popfiend.livejournal.com]

...paraphrases something I've actually said for a long time.

[kradical.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, but all that calling it "a kind of paganism" does is show that you're completely ignorant of paganism.

I respect the guy for coming out against creationism while in a position of authority, but that dumbass statement loses back all that respect.

[lauriemann.livejournal.com]

Given that Brother Guy is a member of the Catholic clergy...

[clauclauclaudia]

Actually, I think it means he's using the original meaning of the word, not what it came to mean in the 20th century.

[sleigh.livejournal.com]

I've had the pleasure of meeting Brother Guy a few times — a very interesting person!

[lzernechel.livejournal.com]

heh, I wonder what Galileo would think of all this.

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

Aside from really liking this POV, the next time you talk to him tell him I'm a big fan of Brother Astronomer. :D

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Very interesting...

[pressburger.livejournal.com]

This was awesome. thanks.

Yes, I'm at the Vatican!

[dalek.livejournal.com]

I'll tell brother Guy tomorrow you say hello when I see him next!

Yes, I am writing this *from* the Specola Vaticana, in the 16" refractor dome.

Damn this is a freaking small world!!!!! :-P

Now of course my exposure of M27, the dumbbell nebula just got interrupted by stupid passing clouds!

Re: Yes, I'm at the Vatican!

[dalek.livejournal.com]

Oh and the pope is here too... ;)

Re: Yes, I'm at the Vatican!

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Wow. It is a small world.

Yes, please do pass along my greetings! (Although I last saw him in February.)