How the “Ancient Aliens” Myth Deceives People

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Article #314

by Bill Nugent

In January of 1973 I was a high school junior and my mind was a toxic swirl of atheism, agnosticism and shallow, legalistic religion. I struggled with anxiety and a touch of obsessive-compulsive disorder. It seemed that each day I leaned one way and then another in my thoughts about religion or rejection of religion. I grimly pursued my classwork amid alcohol induced confusion about origin and destiny.

 

One night I flipped on the TV in our suburban New York home and was treated to a bizarre “documentary” show narrated by none other than Rod Serling of Twilight Zone fame. The show was titled “In Search of Ancient Astronauts” and it presented the opinions of Swiss hotelier turned writer, Erich Von Daniken (1935-    ). It was a biased presentation of Von Daniken’s belief that extraterrestrial spacecraft landed on earth in ancient times and introduced stone cutting technology to the Egyptians and others that aided them in building mega-lithic (big stone) buildings, including pyramids and other structures.

 

I was enthralled by the ancient aliens theory. Some family members and classmates were also persuaded. The ancient aliens theory added a new layer to my tormented and twisted thinking regarding life origins and ultimate destiny.  I remember a big discussion in physics class at school. The teacher was skeptical and refuted much of the evidence Von Daniken presented. Von Daniken is not an archaeologist and his ideas were rejected by professional archaeologists back in the 1970s and still are today.

 

Despite academic rejection, the ancient aliens ideas of Von Daniken and Zecharia Sitchin and others have gained great traction in popular culture and are extremely dangerous. Von Daniken wrote the book Chariots of the Gods in 1968 and followed with a series of books with a similar message. His first book, Chariots of the Gods, has the subtitle “Was God an astronaut?” That subtitle reflects a blasphemous undercurrent to the ancient aliens theory.

 

I saw a segment on a History Channel “Ancient Aliens” show in which a presenter claimed that the revelations given to Moses in the Sinai were given by extraterrestrial beings or what could be called ancient astronauts. Your first reaction may be that such an assertion is so far fetched that no one could believe it. However, millions of people ascribe to the ancient aliens theory and many have rejected the God of the Bible as a result. I also was deceived for a while. Von Daniken and Sitchin’s books have sold over 75 million copies in more than 40 languages.

 

We must be prepared to confront “speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NASB). Fortunately, the ancient aliens theory and the entire extraterrestrial edifice is very easy to refute. Australian archaeologist Clifford Wilson has written two excellent books refuting Von Daniken titled Crash Go the Chariots and The Chariots Still Crash. Other authors and researchers have refuted the ancient aliens theory. Interestingly, even Von Daniken himself has changed his opinion on some of his alleged evidence. He no longer believes the Easter Island mega-liths or the iron pillar of Delhi were influenced by extraterrestrials.

 

To be fair, I will point out that the UFO pseudo-documentaries do occasionally present the views of researchers who reject the ancient aliens theory. One segment on a UFO show mentioned that the designs for ancient sculptures that were alleged to be depictions of astronauts and spacecraft could have been received on a “shamanistic journey.” In other words the ancient artist didn’t really see astronauts and metal spaceships from another planet but saw some kind of nonmaterial apparitions or mental images. A shamanistic state or shamanistic journey is an altered state of consciousness due to occultic or narcotic influence.

 

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 the unseen spiritual realm.

 

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 secular 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 humanoid beings or astronauts.

 

I’m open to the idea that good angels can also appear as lights in the sky or as lights on earth. In the Bible, in Acts 12:7, we read of an angel appearing to the apostle Peter in light. Also remember that Ezekiel, the prophet, saw some bizarre but holy phenomena recorded in the book of Ezekiel in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 1:4-28). Angels are good spirits that inhabit other dimensions. The dimensions they inhabit are the dimensions of the spirit world. I hold to the interdimensional viewpoint.

 

The ancient aliens theory promoted by Von Daniken, Sitchins and some UFO TV shows is based on the spurious claim that UFOs are metal spaceships from planets in distant star systems. They hold to the extraterrestrial hypothesis.

 

I regard demonic UFOs who travel from the spirit dimensions as generally of the same category as poltergeists, hauntings, occultism, shamanism and other manifestations of evil spirits. 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. There are instances in which people have thwarted UFO abductions by calling on the name of Jesus Christ for help.

 

The ancient astronaut theory offers great appeal to young people in our present age of rocketry and space exploration. The 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 Christ 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 to offer forgiveness of sins to all who turn to Him in repentance. Call upon Jesus Christ today to receive forgiveness of sins!

Steps to salvation:

Jesus said “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7).

  • 1) Believe that God created you and loves you and sent the Messiah (Messiah is Hebrew for Christ) to redeem you.
  • 2) Believe that Jesus Christ came in fulfillment of over 300 Bible prophecies to die for you, to take upon Himself the penalty of your sins (Isaiah 53:5-6, John 6:29, Romans 4:5, First Peter 3:18).
  • 3) Turn from sin and call on the name of Jesus to receive forgiveness of sins (Romans 10:13).
  • 4) Receive Jesus as Savior and experience the new birth (John 1:12, Acts 2:38).
  • 5) Follow Jesus Christ as Lord (John 14:21).

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!



(C) 2016 William P. Nugent, permission granted to email or republish for Christian outreach.

One thought on “How the “Ancient Aliens” Myth Deceives People

  1. Hi Bill,

    Love your articles and thank you for this one! What a blessing you are, may God bless you ever more!

    From Canada!

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