Article #286
by Bill Nugent
The History Channel’s “Ancient Aliens” series promotes the bizarre and absurd notion that space travelers from other planets helped build the pyramids of Egypt and other ancient wonders. I would not be inclined to spend time to discuss this if it weren’t for the fact that some speakers on the Ancient Aliens series stray into blasphemy against God.
Some people on the shows claim that the ancient Hebrews, including Moses, were really worshipping ancient astronauts rather than God. One Ancient Aliens show claims that the aliens used technology to do miracles recorded in the Bible. There is, as you know, a huge cult following of alien claims and phenomena. This has to be addressed.
To be fair, I will point out that the Ancient Aliens series does occasionally include presenters who reject the claim that space travelers helped build ancient temple complexes. One scholar on Ancient Aliens rejected the whole notion of space travelers as builders. He said that stone cutting techniques have been discovered by many ancient civilizations and used to build fabulous structures. He also said that none of his colleagues agreed with the ancient astronaut theory.
I would recommend filmmaker Chris White’s three hour documentary titled: “Ancient Aliens Debunked” which is an excellent point by point refutation of ancient astronaut theory. It’s available for free viewing on White’s website and on Youtube.
Consider the great pyramid at Giza. It is by no means the oldest pyramid in Egypt. There are earlier pyramids such as the step pyramids that are smaller and less elaborate. Archaeologists clearly see the progression of the increase in skill and sophistication of architecture and stone cutting techniques. All of the pyramids, large and small, have a very human explanation. No astronauts needed to be involved.
The Egyptian pyramids are essentially rock piles on top of tombs. It was an ancient custom among many societies to pile rocks on the tombs of great men. There is an old American Indian burial site near where I formerly lived in New York consisting of a huge pile of rocks on a grave. There are 97 pyramids in Egypt and a much larger number of pyramids in Mexico and other parts of Latin America. The largest pyramid in the world is in Cholula Mexico.
The “Great” pyramid of Giza is called a “wonder” but it perhaps should be called an immense waste. Modern engineers have estimated that 40,000 workers could have built the great pyramid in as few as ten years. Consider that these slaves worked on it for years under harsh working conditions building a monument to one man whom they worshiped as a god.
They were not building an aqueduct to bring water to the thirsty or building an irrigation system or building hospitals or schools or housing for the poor. It was a giant idol that had no practical value for the living. They also built a mortuary temple alongside the pyramid in which priests would officiate at worship services for the dead Pharaoh who was claimed to be a god.
One Ancient Aliens show examined a granite drill bit that was found in Egypt by famous archaeologist Flinders Petrie (1853-1942). Many similar drill bits have been found in Egypt over the years. The show suggested that the Egyptians must have had diamond cutting tools to produce the drill bit. Petrie theorized that the Egyptians used diamonds but diamond cutting tools haven’t been found in Egypt. It’s really no mystery that the ancients of many cultures used abrasives to shape stone. The ancient Greeks cleverly used carborundum (silicon carbide) which they embedded in bronze tools.
I would exhort them to go to Scotland where you’ll see an abundance of stone work in granite that was done centuries ago without diamond cutting tools. Scotland is a rocky land with few trees. The Scots perfected stone cutting techniques early in their history and worked wonders in stone with their hand tools. The medieval Scots apparently cut granite without diamond tipped tools. Why doesn’t the history channel send a camera crew to Scotland to make the claim that aliens helped them? The obvious answer is that the fabulous churches and other structures in Scotland were built in medieval times which is during fairly recent recorded history. Historical records don’t mention space aliens from UFOs helping the Scottish stone cutters. It’s easier to make the ancient astronaut claim for Egypt which is older by millennia and shrouded in mystery.
Can you imagine that if there were such a thing as a civilization of aliens on a planet in a star system far away, that they would say among themselves: “Let’s fly ten light years over to planet earth to help the people build temples and tombs.” Why would space travelers help people cut stone and move huge blocks of stone?
All down through history and even to the present day, man has taken pride in massive architectural accomplishments. Ancient and medieval kings and emperors commissioned great projects and committed exorbitant amounts of wealth to build temples, palaces and tombs. The builders prided themselves in building structures incorporating huge blocks of stone weighing hundreds of tons and statues and chambers cut to precise measurements and angularity so as to draw awe and wonder. We see this not only in ancient Egypt but in Latin America, Southeast Asia, ancient Rome, Greece and even in our own day as the race for the tallest skyscraper proceeds with boyish one upmanship. The tower of Trajan in Rome and the Parthenon in Greece certainly rival the stone cutting of Egypt yet no one claims aliens helped the Romans or Greeks.
The great cathedrals of medieval Europe were built during the Gospel’s ebb. When the plain Gospel message of receiving salvation by faith was restored during the Protestant Reformation, church construction became more modest. The pulpit was placed at center to emphasize the importance of preaching the Gospel message of forgiveness of sins for all who call on the name of Jesus.
Let me briefly explain where UFOs come from. UFO researchers are divided into two different viewpoints in explaining UFOs. These viewpoints are the extraterrestrial hypothesis and the interdimensional hypothesis. The extraterrestrial hypothesis is the claim that UFOs are metal spaceships with astronauts from planets in star systems within our own physical universe. The interdimensional view is that UFOs are nonphysical entities or spirits that travel from different dimensions and enter our universe from a parallel universe.
The interdimensional hypothesis is more consistent with the Bible and the Christian worldview because it can be inferred that the other dimensions from which UFOs travel are the same as the realm of spirit. The Bible certainly teaches about the spirit world.
Christian researchers and some secular researchers reject the extraterrestrial hypothesis and maintain the interdimensional view. Famous UFO researcher, Jacques Vallee, holds the interdimensional view. In studying UFOs, I’ve come to believe that we’re dealing with intelligent life not from another planet but from another dimension. It’s not astronauts from outer space but spirit beings from the realm of spirit. Malevolent UFO aliens are demons and they can disguise themselves as astronauts.
I regard demonic UFOs as generally of the same category as poltergeists, hauntings, occultism and other manifestations of the demonic realm. I hold this view because the teachings that are transmitted from aliens to leaders of UFO cults are antibiblical and often lead to bizarre behavior such as the Heaven’s Gate mass suicide. Also, the horrific animal mutilations attributed to UFOs in which animals have their blood drained and have organs removed with surgical precision is further evidence of the demonic origin of UFOs.
Have no fear of demons appearing as flying saucers or disguised as extraterrestrial humanoid beings. Don’t be deceived by cult groups claiming New Age, extraterrestrial connections and phenomena. The Bible teaches that Christ is above all and every knee must bow before Christ who conquered sin through His death and resurrection.
The ancient astronaut theory offers great appeal to young people in our present age of rocketry and space exploration. This ancient astronaut theory is just one more thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. It must be exposed and vigorously refuted.
We must point people to Jesus who came in fulfillment of over 300 Old Testament Bible prophecies written hundreds of years before His birth. No other person in all of history can match this claim! Jesus worked miracles in front of eyewitnesses and this is recorded in the Gospels of the New Testament. Miracles continue to be worked today by Christians who rely on the power of Christ.
Jesus suffered and died to take upon Himself the penalty of our sins, thus making atonement. He rose from the dead in victory and appeared to eyewitnesses. Call upon Jesus Christ today to receive forgiveness of sins!
Steps to salvation:
Jesus said “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7).
Prayer to receive salvation:
“Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
To receive the salvation that Jesus purchased for us at the terrible cost of His suffering and death on our behalf I invite you to pray this simple prayer:
“Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for sending Jesus, the promised Messiah, to die for my sins. I admit that I am a sinner. I repent of my sins and I ask for your forgiveness on the basis of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I ask you to fill me with your Holy Spirit to empower me to serve you under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, Amen.”
If you prayed this prayer in the humble sincerity of your heart then you have received everlasting life, which includes power to live right in this life and entrance into heaven in the afterlife!