The Fermi not so paradoxical.

The Fermi Paradox is a well-known humdinger in the astronomy and sci-fi worlds, and it basically goes like this: if many life bearing planets exist, and if intelligent, tool using species can evolve relatively easily, then where the hell are they? In other words, the universe is very old, and by comparison humans are extremely young. Yet, we are already close to a technological level that would permit communication, and even travel, between star systems. And even limited by the speed of light, a single species could likely colonize a galaxy in a geologically short period of time. So, that being the case, where the hell are they?

I'm not going to propose an answer to the Fermi Paradox, if only because such an attempt is doomed to failure. However, a humorous possible solution is, I think, suggested by Brother Guy Consolmagno, who states that the Catholic church is open to admitting aliens. No, not kidding:

The senior Vatican scientist, Brother Guy Consolmagno, said that he would be delighted if we encountered intelligent aliens and would be happy to baptise them.

His pronouncement opens up the possibility of space missionaries heading out to the stars to convert aliens to Christianity.

...

He said he was "comfortable" with the idea of alien life and asked if he would baptise an alien, he replied "Only if they asked".

In Brother Consolmagno's defense, he is good enough to observe that he would only baptize an alien if it asked. On the other hand, one is forced to wonder if the Fermi Paradox is, perhaps, the interstellar equivalent of hiding until the Jehovah's Witnesses give up and move on to the next doorstep. And if so, who the hell can blame them?

All kidding aside, however, Brother Consalmagno gets props from me for saying something that needs to be said:

He said "intelligent design" had been "hijacked" by religious fundamentalists.

"The word has been hijacked by a narrow group of Creationist fundamentalists in America to mean something it did not originally mean at all.

"It’s another form of the God of the gaps," he said.

'It’s bad theology in that it turns God once again into the pagan god of thunder and lightning.’

And you have to love him for that. So, to sum up, intelligent design is bad theology, and aliens are welcome to take communion.

Now, if we could just all agree on whether women are as worthwhile people as men, we'd really be off and running.