c. 1996 Religion News Service

(Andrew M. Greeley is a Roman Catholic priest, best-selling novelist and a sociologist at the University of Chicago National Opinion Research Center. His home page on the World Wide Web is at http://www.agreeley.com. Or contact him via e-mail at agreel(at)aol.com.)

(UNDATED) The reports last week that there were signs of life on Mars stirred considerable interest in the America media. Two paradigms emerged: First, life on another planet is a religious challenge; and second, such life destroys claims that we inhabitants of the”third rock from the sun”are unique.

Both paradigms illustrate the perils of turning serious issues over to under-educated journalists. In fact, scientists had not found proof that there is life on Mars at all. Rather, they discovered that there might once have been very primitive life forms on Mars, which is another matter altogether.

But for the sake of argument, let us engage in some fantasy. Let’s assume that there are humanoids living on Mars, probably Celtic in origin, who live underneath the surface of the red planet, although periodically they poke their heads out and take a look around.

Let us also assume that these are very advanced humanoids (they are Celtic, so we can take that for granted). Let us also assume that they appear on television and are interviewed by Bryant Gumbel and Ted Koppel, but refuse to do anything other than sing melancholy melodies, accompanied by wailing musical instruments.

So what’s the big deal about rational beings on other planets? What impact will this have on the presidential election, the Chicago White Sox, the commodity exchanges, Sino-American relations or anything else? Of course, if aliens should settle in our country, they would not be permitted to send their children to public schools or even claim automatic American citizenship for such children _ not if the promises of the Republican Party platform become law.

Would the discovery of rational life on another planet mean that God has broken the rules and permitted life on other worlds, despite the fact that some religious teachers and leaders said that he couldn’t? Why should we take seriously those who try to put limits on God’s freedom or restrain the impulses of the Holy Spirit, who, according to the Bible, blows whither she will? Will it somehow diminish our dignity because”we are not alone in the universe?”Will it, for that matter, enhance our dignity?

The dignity of humankind is based on the fact that it is a species that can, however imperfectly, know and love. Might there be millions of other such rational species spinning around the cosmos or, as some theoretical physicists argue, the cosmoi? What difference does that make to our intrinsic value and worth? Some extraterrestrials might be a lot smarter than we are, and some not nearly so smart. We know a lot more than our ancestors knew and yet are we inherently better than they were?

Do we lose all our value because we are either not absolutely unique or the highest manifestation of the powers of knowledge and love? If there are angels who are much brighter and much more loving than we are, do we give up a bit of our own nobility? What kind of creature are we if we must ground all our importance on such extrinsic considerations?

The fact that such stupid issues are raised is proof that intelligent men and women can find better and more honorable things to do with their lives than become journalists.

I take it for granted that reasoning and loving life abounds in the universe(s). I do so because God (call her the creative force if you want, again for the sake of argument) is patently exuberant, bountiful, prolific, fructiferous. Why else would there be so many kinds of animals, birds, fish, insects, and plants on our small rock? Would superabundant life and wisdom and love be content with only one reflection on one small planet? I find that notion inherently improbable.

I suggest that we might be God’s comedy channel, that she gets more laughs out of us than out of any other such beings _ laughs because we take ourselves so seriously.

MJP END GREELEY