Cosmic Truth: God, Us and the Extraterrestrials (ePub)

Why did I write this book? I wrote this book to make a statement that needs to be made about the puzzling relationship between the Exotheologian and the Space Scientist, that is, between Faith and Reason, which is really the same thing. What really is going on? Why do the Exotheologian and the Space Scientist seem to be so narrow in their focus and so inadequate in their discoveries? The science is professionally rigorous and the theology is well-reasoned. So what is the problem? Why do both schools of excellence resist doing excellent work? Both disciplines work on themes that are inclusive but work by exclusion. Isn't that strange?

The Exotheologian and the Space Scientist may not even be aware that they are reducing their effectiveness and their potency as they proceed along the path they have cut out for themselves. The process they have initiated to collaborate on and share their mutual interests, that being the search for intelligent Extraterrestrials life is the problem.

The solution of either party is exclusionary, closed, and timid. It does not display an aurora of deep curiosity, and wonder. Their relationship of cooperation does not stretch the capabilities of either party. Why is that? Why have they settled for the safe path? They are devaluating their historical legacies forged by the great explorers, pioneers, and visionaries of science and faith whom we have admired throughout the countless history of humanity. These questions are important questions begging for answers. Whatever those answers have been so far, we can do better. I guess the knowledge that we can do better in this Dialogue has prompted me to write this book.

Many years ago, Arian Van Kaam, CSSp., an insightful writer about formative spirituality and an Existential Psychologist, reminded us that, "Life is a mystery to be lived not a problem to be solved." I agree whole-heartedly with this. I have also come to know that the best way to live the mystery of life is by solving the problems in life that come our way. Don't you think? Where would we be today if we ignored the problems of life and merely accepted them as mysteries to be lived? Come to think of it, just look around the neighborhood. Isn't this what a lot of people are doing with their lives, just looking around? Either that or they are burying their heads in the sand, including a number of Exotheologians and Space Scientists I know. So, why did I finally write this book?

First, I want to recommend a path that will close the gap between the Exotheologian and the Space Scientist as they work hard to discover whether intelligent extraterrestrial life exists anywhere in the beautiful Cosmos "out there".

Second, I have this hard to get at itch to challenge the composition of the Exotheology-Space Scientist Dialogue that is beginning to emerge as "the Question" of Creator and Creation take on a new meaning for people of faith because of the expanding knowledge of the space sciences. Too many good people who have much to contribute to the Exotheology-Space Science Dialogue are being actively ignored, unnecessarily.

Third, I actually believe in concepts like good, truth, honesty, integrity, probity, transparency, good-will, cooperative, supportive, complete, validity, empathy, ingenuous, unambiguous, and a lot of the other words that instill the need to get things right whenever we can. In such a pursuit as this, and it is a big one for sure, we may change a lot about what we think we know historically, religiously, sociologically, and scientifically.