On Assignment 2: Religion & UFOs

PETER ROBBINS
Organized Religion, UFOs and the Impact of
Declassification
On Assignment by Peter Robbins
“It is absurd to claim that the worlds
Sometime back, my friend, Bridget, and I were
protection of a higher power as well as a set of
surrounding us are large, uninhabited deserts
discussing the potential impact which official
beliefs that we can hold fast to and draw
and that the meaning of the universe lies just
confirmation of UFO reality might have on the
comfort from when the ‘Beyond’, or unknown
in our small, inhabited planet.”
world’s religious communities. Her take on the
comes calling.
–The Jesuit Father and astronomer, Fr. Angelo
subject was of particular interest to me as she is
The dictionary defines “faith” as “unflagging
Secchi, 1818-1876
an ordained minister in the United Church of
trust; belief without firm proof; belief in a
Christ. Bridget followed up with an email, part
supreme being; a religion.” No-one can say, with
“We are not authorized to exclude that on
of which underscored a particularly serious
any certainty, how followers of the world’s
another star beings do exist, even if they are
thought, but had me laughing just the same:
religions will take to the idea that they share the
completely different from us”.
“The other day Jonathan and I were watching
universe with others – something that, in the
–Cardinal Nicolò Cusano, philosopher and
that funny and annoyingly disturbing cartoon,
interpretations of many, is not referred to or
scientist, 1401-1464
Family Guy, and Peter Griffin (do you ever watch
discussed in their holy texts. People of faith
this program?) is afraid to go to the store, Bed,
whose traditions allow for some latitude in the
“...no reasonable mind can assume that
Bath and Beyond, because, even though he's
interpretation of their religious teachings will
heavenly bodies which may be far more
okay with going into the Bed and Bath part of
likely not find their faith in God or basic beliefs
magnificent than ours would not bear upon
the store, he's afraid of going into the Beyond
altered in the face of such revolutionary social
them creatures similar or even superior to
section! They show him entering through a
change. Not so for those who hold that their
those upon our human Earth.”
door where he is immediately sucked into the
beliefs and holy texts are sacrosanct and not
–Giordano Bruno, Italian scientist-philosopher,
world of weird equations and other oddities
open to interpretation.
arrested in 1592 and burned to death as a heretic
floating all around him… I wanted to use it as
The September, 2008, issue of The MUFON
in 1600.
part of a sermon illustration, but didn't want to
UFO Journal featured the results of a survey
admit that I watch Family Guy!”
conducted by Rev. Ted Peters and his associate,
“I believe in G-O-D, not U-F-O.”
Bridget’s observation is at once wise, funny
Julie Froehlig. Published under the title, “Is
–Mike Huckabee, evangelical Christian minister,
and poignant. Most people seem far more
Extraterrestrial Intelligent Life a Threat to
former Governor of Arkansas and former
comfortable in Bed and Bath than they do in
Religion?”, the goal of The Peters ETI Religious
candidate for President,
Beyond. Religion offers the potential for
Crisis Survey was to test whether or not contact
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Joseph F. Blumrich, and The 12th Planet by
Zecharia Sitchin.
The results of The Peters ETI Religious Crisis
Survey do not take into account the UFO-
related beliefs of religious fundamentalists,
Christian or otherwise, and it’s important we
understand them. Reverend Bridget offered me
a good starting point, “… the interesting part
about the religious beliefs and the skepticism
about UFO reality is that religious
fundamentalists are willing to literally believe in
angels and miracles as recorded in the Bible
because the Bible is their authority, but dismiss
other concepts that could explain the same
sort of phenomena.”
I became interested in the UFO-related
beliefs of fundamentalists in 1997 and not for
the best of reasons. It followed my learning of a
broadcast of the popular evangelical television
show, The 700 Club. The program aired on July
between Earth and an extraterrestrial civilization
would have expressed the public views he did
8th and featured an exchange about the then
would result in a crisis (or even collapse) of
without the expressed permission of the
current Mars Pathfinder Mission. The discussion
belief among the religious traditions of
Vatican. Whatever the Church’s innermost
soon shifted to the possibility of aliens from
Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox Christians,
reasons for embarking on such a program, it
space and UFOs. It was then that host, Pat
Mormons, Jews and Buddhists. The survey
represents a truly revolutionary approach to an
Robertson, stated it was his firm belief that,
concluded that, for the most part, “religious
extraordinarily complex problem: how to make
even if they were real, such ‘aliens’ were really
persons do not fear contact.” A noteworthy
the faithful aware of this presence in a
demons whose intention was to lead people
secondary finding was that a majority of non-
reasoned, officially-sanctioned manner and, in
away from Christ. In fact, the situation was so
religious respondents were the ones most
the process, prepare them for at least some of
grave, maintained Robertson, that those who
concerned about such a crisis occurring.
the information which declassification and
actually believe that space aliens were real
How should theologians react to the
release would reveal. Other religious leaders
should be put to death by stoning.
religious implications of the ‘official’ discovery or
might do well to consider applying a similar
Of course, I wondered if this was an isolated
acknowledgment of extraterrestrial (or other
strategy tailored to the needs of their followers.
view or one shared by others who adhered to
unearthly) life? What models should be
I would recommend they begin by reading any
Mr. Robertson’s religious beliefs. My UFO-
considered in counseling their flocks, especially
of the following books: UFO and the Bible by
related views and opinions are not faith-based
the more skittish among them?
M.K. Jessup, The Bible and Flying Saucers by Rev.
and it was difficult for me to take in how
In 1937, the Jesuit theologian, Herbert
Barry Downing, The Spaceships of Ezekel by
someone could claim to know what I
Thurston, wrote, “From a logical point of view,
considered the unknowable. I understood this
Christians that accept miracles and other
impasse better after reading two books by
episodes related on the Gospel... cannot reject
Christian fundamentalists, UFOs and Their
in an obstinate way the reiterated testimonies
Mission Impossible and the more luridly titled
of modern and reliable witnesses that relate
UFOs: Satanic Terror. Neither author agreed that
what their eyes have seen.”
people whose UFO views differed from their
The late Monsignor Corrado Balducci was a
own should be stoned; only that we were
Vatican theologian and insider best known for
misguided souls who’s secular, scientific and
his public pronouncements on the UFO
historic views had led us away from the
phenomenon. He maintained that
teachings of Jesus. It all came down to this: as
extraterrestrial contact was a real phenomenon
no direct references to extraterrestrials or their
and “not due to psychological impairment”, nor
applied technology appear in the Old or New
did he see this belief “in conflict with the
Testament, all anomalous UFOs reported can
Christian religion.” In October, 1995, he
only be demonic in origin and among the
appeared on Italian national television and
signs and portents predicted in the Book of
stated that “extraterrestrials do exist” and “… if
Revelations.
99 out of 100 {UFO reports} were false and that
I ended up asking a series of questions of
one was true, it’s that one that says some
three people qualified to answer them – my
phenomenon exist.”
old friend Kim, a Christian fundamentalist, and
There is no way a prelate of Balducci’s stature
Joe and Guy, who likewise follow a
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PETER ROBBINS
whole, might respond to an official
Christian fundamentalists.
pronouncement of UFO/ET reality with
The UFO-related beliefs of other faiths’
“disbelief and possibly conclude that said
religious extremists vary, but I am most
government is either in collusion with the
concerned about how the Taliban – as
fallen angels or deceived by them…”
intolerant and vindictive a fundamentalist
What implications might we attach to the
religious sect as the world has seen – may
UK and/or US governments’ initiating a public
react. I’m convinced they and other Jihadists
declassification process that supported an
will interpret it as a heresy which, in some
extraterrestrial explanation? Would some
manner, is in direct violation of their
particularly extremist fundamentalists
interpretation of The Koran. Such a threat will
conclude, now that the government was
only be compounded if it originates with ‘The
indeed in league with Satan, that acts of
Great Satan’, that is, America. Remember that
domestic terrorism were appropriate
other perceived insults to the faith, ranging
responses?
from infidel troops on the ground in Saudi
In posing the question, I respectfully noted
Arabia to disrespectful political cartoons
that the self-professed Christian, Timothy
published in a Danish newspaper, have
McVeigh’s, justification for bombing the federal
resulted in the destruction of property, the
offices housed in the Murrah Building in
deaths of many people and out-and-out Jihad.
Oklahoma City was to strike back at the
So, how best to proceed? With extreme care.
government for its botched and tragic
I have kept this Mark Twain quotation posted
fundamentalist path, but also have an
mishandling of the Branch Davidian standoff in
over my desk for years: “The difference
established involvement in UFO studies. All
Waco, Texas, a year to the day prior. A hundred
between the right word and the almost right
were most forthcoming in their responses.
and sixty-eight men, women and children died
word is the difference between the lightning
Kim, Guy and Joe adhere to a literal
in the bombing, which remained the greatest
bug and the lightning.”When it comes to - or
interpretation of The New and The Old
single act of domestic terrorism until
when it came to - reaching the decisions
Testament. All agree that, as neither holy book
September 11th, 2001. All respondents sadly
bearing on wholesale declassification and
contained any literal, direct reference to aliens
concurred that such a possibility, while highly
dissemination of UFO secrets, those
from space, the notion had, indeed, been
unlikely, would not be out of the question, but
responsible had better surround themselves
excluded from their beliefs. The intelligences
could only be undertaken by a true extremist,
with the most qualified advisers available,
behind UFOs were interdimensional in nature,
an acknowledged reality in all religions. They
weigh all of the options and implications fully
‘fallen angels’, demonic in nature, who were
also felt that no true believer – meaning
and thoughtfully and implement the right plan
only pretending to be aliens. They are able to
someone who has established a personal
and not the almost right plan. It may prove to
manifest themselves in physical form and their
relationship with Jesus and maintained a ‘heart
be the most far-reaching decision any prime
satanic craft are able to make it appear they
belief’ as opposed to a ‘mind belief’ in his or her
minister, president or anyone else ever makes.
originate from somewhere out it space. Joe
Christianity – would ever take part in such a
added that the demon hypothesis was rooted
heinous act, but instead do everything within
PETER ROBBINS:
in the belief that ‘they’ were preaching a new,
their power to preclude it.
(USA) On
and by extension, blasphemous, gospel, which
Joe thought such an initiative would result in
Assignment. Peter
included a message given to some abductees
an honest discussion between the citizenry
Robbins was born
and contactees that ‘they’ were the true
and the government, cause Christians to finally
in New York City
creators of our religions. This is seen as a key
wake up and act as a call for everyone to make
and grew up in the
deception that can only be attributed to Satan.
a choice: between an extraterrestrial or other
village of Rockville
Guy felt Christian fundamentalists, as a
hypothesis and the UFO beliefs held by
Centre, about
thirty miles east of
Manhattan. He attended the University
of Bridgeport in Connecticut and
graduated from New York City’s School
of Visual Arts with a BFA in painting
and film history. Robbins has been
involved in UFO studies for 30+ years,
as a researcher, investigator, writer,
lecturer, activist and author. He is co-
author of the British best-seller, Left at
East Gate: A First-Hand Account of the
Rendlesham Forest UFO Incident, Its
Cover-Up and Investigation.
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