Contact - What if?

This is a bit of a different kind of posting. Just a warning.

What would be the impact on our religious faith if it were determined that there is intelligent life beyond our planet? Some of you might laugh, but we actually discussed this while in seminary for a week or so, and our professor, Ted Peters wrote about he subject.

So, while over-nighting at the Motel 6 ins Socorro, New Mexico, I suggested to Lisa that we drive out to see the VLA - Very large Array. She was happy to indulge her science and science fiction interested husband. (Did you know that about me, I'm a huge Sci-Fi buff. Took a class in both high School and College in Science Fiction literature. Bradbury, Heinlein, Ursula LaGuinn)

Anyway. I wanted to see the VLA, because it's the location of more astronomical discoveries than an other single Astronomy location. The VLA is located at about 7,000 feet on a high plateau in the middle of nowhere New Mexico. It is here that we've learned about the origins of our universe, the nature of Black holes, and many other discoveries. It was also a place I knew my Dad would have wanted to see, and not sure if he ever did, I wanted to make the pilgrimage for him.

It was a long drive but worth it. Today the VLA is undergoing a conversion from Analogue to Digital technology. You can visit their website at the link.

Another reason for going is the science fiction part. One of my favorite movies, Contact, was based at the VLA. I've posted the iconic photo from the film below, where Dr. Arroway, played by Jodie Foster listens to the faint signals of what will become schematic for the construction of a space ship (of sorts) designed to contact aliens. The film is based on a screenplay by Carl Sagan.

So what does a science fiction film have to do with this blog?

Answer, It deals with very interesting questions of science and religion, particularly in relationship to faith, doubt and conviction.

If you haven't seen the film, I recommend it to you. Click here for the trailer. And order it on Netflix or whatever way you get your films.

As one person described the films religion/science tension here: At the end of the film, Arroway is put into a position which she had traditionally viewed with skepticism and contempt: that of believing something with complete certainty, despite being unable to prove it in the face not only of widespread incredulity and skepticism (which she admits that as a scientist she would normally share), but of evidence apparently to the contrary.

Zemeckis (the films Director also of Forest Gump fame) stated that he intended the message of the film to be that science and religion can co-exist rather than being opposing camps, as shown by the coupling of scientist Arroway with the religious Joss, as well as his acceptance that the "journey" indeed took place. This, and scattered references throughout the film posit that science and religion are not nominally incompatible: one interviewer, after asking Arroway whether the construction of The Machine - despite not knowing what will happen when it is activated - is too dangerous, suggests that it is being built on the "faith" that the alien designers, as Arroway puts it, "know what they're doing."