by Bill Nugent
Article #73
Some of the most vicious attacks against the Christian faith in recent years have come from outer space. Perhaps I should put it this way: the attacks have come from people who believe in UFOs from outer space. We are living in the space age and those who despise the Christian faith have certainly kept up with the times.
In the 1970s Erich Von Daniken wrote the books Chariots of the gods and Gold of the gods and a few others. These books made the claim that UFOs brought life to Earth and directed civilization over a period of hundreds of years. Von Daniken made very bold and extravagant inferences based on very limited archaeological and historical evidence.
In response to these weakly based claims Clifford Wilson wrote a book called Crash Go the Chariots that refuted Von Daniken point by point. I have heard a rumor to the effect that Von Daniken himself has repudiated his own theory.
In the decades since the 70s most serious UFO researchers of all creeds have abandoned the notion that UFOs are literal, physical, metal spacecraft piloted by aliens from other planets. Hardly anyone believes in steel or titanium “flying saucers” anymore. To confirm this view many observers point to the fact that the California based S.E.T.I. (Search for Extra-terrestial Intelligence Institute) has never found a pattern of radio or other electromagnetic transmissions from deep space. Such transmissions would be expected to be found if there were indeed any “starships” out there. S.E.T.I. has searched for such signals for decades.
The current wisdom now largely maintains that UFOs come from a different dimension other than the physical/space/time dimension in which we now live. We could call UFOs not extra-terrestial but rather extra-dimensional life. In this shift of opinions we see UFO researchers coming around to the Bible’s view that there is indeed a supernatural (extra-dimensional) realm.
The Bible teaches that there is a dimension of spirit, a supernatural realm that contains both good and evil beings. There are angels and there are demons. The Bible records angelic appearances to people in ancient times. In our own day there are people who have witnessed angelic manifestations.
Now consider the fact that demons also contact people and give messages. The Bible in Deuteronomy chapter 18 mentions mediums, spiritists, sorcerers and necromancers. UFO abductees and contactees have reported that the beings they encountered have promoted an unbiblical syncretistic New Age type religion.
This UFO promoted faith is similar, if not identical with the pantheistic religion that is being touted by many influential people to be the global, universal faith to replace all other faiths. This global faith could indeed be the one-world faith of the antichrist who is spoken of in the Bible in Revelation chapter 13.
People who are contacted or “abducted” by UFOs are almost always occultists or New Age believers. Crop circles and other mischief (alleged to be done by UFOs) are similar to poltergeist phenomena (ghost mischief in haunted houses).
Alleged UFO “abductions” and contacts have increased since the 70s but they are nothing new. Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) claimed to have journeyed to several planets and encountered extra-terrestial beings. Swedenborg was a prominent occultist. Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831-1891) spoke of encounters with extra-terrestial entities. Blavatsky founded the influential occult religion called Theosophy.
Valuable explanations and answers to UFO phenomena can be obtained in the book LIGHTS IN THE SKY & LITTLE GREEN MEN: A Rational Christian Look at UFOs and Extraterrestialsby Ross, Samples and Clark; Navpress, Colorado Springs, 2002. This book provides a compelling biblical perspective.
It has also come to my attention that some people who were in the process of being “abducted” or confronted by extra-terrestials have stopped the encounter by calling out the name of Jesus. (See Charisma magazine April 2001 p. 46) Jesus is the promised Messiah and He is more powerful than demons. The Bible says that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow” (Phil. 2:10). The extra-terrestials are demons and they must flee when we command them to go in the name of Jesus.