Spiritual Dangers
Participation with UFO phenomena opens the door, whether a person recognizes it or not, to occult phenomena. According to historical Christian theology, such phenomena carry negative consequences for a person's overall health and vitality in this life and the next.
Scripture expressly forbids involvement in any occult practices. "Let no one be found among you ... who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD" (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). UFO experiences involve such occult beliefs and practices as mediumistic "channeling" of alien (psychic or spirit) entities, automatic writing, telepathy, teleportation, dematerialization, levitation, and psychokinesis.
To engage in this hidden world is to seek knowledge - and power - apart from God's intended and freely given revelation of truth. Thus, occult practitioners submit themselves to spiritual authority other than God's, with mentally, emotionally, and spiritually devastating results. ...
This emphasis on darkness, danger, and malevolence does not that abductee or contactee experiences necessarily appear horrific. Some appear, at least initially, as beautiful and uplifting encounters. People often wonder how such a positive message or experience can come from any source other than a good and godly one. The Bible anticipates this question. The apostle Paul warned his friends that a messenger of darkness often "masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). Such beings can perform convincing and deceptive "miracles, signs and wonders" (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10; see also Matthew 24:24). ...
Defenses Against UFOs
It's true that demons are powerful and dangerous. But we need not feel hopeless in the face of their attacks. There is a greater power at hand: God's. And by His gracious provision, God makes His power available to human beings through the agency of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Any defense against residual UFOs [UFOs that cannot be explained] must be broad enough to deal with the whole spectrum of attacks that demons mount through the medium of UFO encounters. Sometimes the RUFOs may be the demons themselves. Sometimes demons may so disturb the spiritual and psychological state of some humans that they experience visions or hallucinations interpreted as UFOs. Demons also have the power to indirectly manifest UFOs through possessing humans or in some way oppressing them. ...
According to the Bible, God has provided all the defenses necessary to prevent demonic deception and attacks. In other words, no one need ever suffer from demonic oppression. But the Bible also acknowledges that humans are notoriously derelict in putting on "the full armor of God" (Ephesians 6:11). Often people either close their eyes and minds to the dangers or else think they are strong enough to face such perils on their own. Others believe demonic visitors who say they only want to help humans gain more knowledge and power. ...
The defenses God has provided against demonic oppression and deception are neither complex nor difficult to implement. If you have been troubled by UFO phenomena, here are some steps you can take: (1) Examine your life for any open invitations to demonic oppression and deception. (2) Repent of making those invitations. (Repenting means agreeing with god that providing invitations to demons was wrong and seeking His help to permanently turn away from such invitations.) (3) Acknowledge to God that the invitations to demons provided by your parents or other close relatives was wrong. (4) Take action to demonstrate repentance and purify your life, including repudiating and renouncing all occult involvement. (5) Turn your life over to Jesus Christ, accepting His offer to forgive all of your sins and giving Him the complete authority He deserves. Acknowledge privately and publicly that His will, not your own, is supreme. Dedicate your heart, soul, mind, and strength to be used for the fulfillment of His purposes.
A Point of Agreement
The authors of this book are fully convinced that both science and Scripture point to the supradimensional beings known as demons as the malevolent sources of RUFO [residual unidentified flying object] phenomena. At the same time, we know some others will continue to believe the extraterrestial hypothesis or other explanations. Yet amid a host of diverse and often confusing facts and opinions about UFO phenomena, at least one point of agreement stands out among physical scientists, social scientists, behavioral scientists, and students of the Bible: pursue truth where it may be found and tested, and beware of any pursuit that links, directly or indirectly, with occult power or "secret" knowledge. History, both ancient and recent, both Eastern and Western, provides ample evidence in support of a great irony: pursuit of power leaves a person vulnerable to deception and despair, while pursuit of truth leads to strength and hope, an abundant life (see John 10:10).
The motto inscribed in stone at the west entrance to the Caltech campus reads, "The truth will set you free." These words, taken from the Bible (John 8:32), apply to every human being. They provide enough challenge, enough power, and enough protection for any human lifetime.
Excerpted from Lights in the Sky & Little Green Men by Hugh Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark, copyright 2002 by Reasons to Believe. This portion of the book was written by Hugh Ross. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co., www.navpress.com. All rights reserved. For copies of the book, call 1-800-366-7788.
Hugh Ross directs the efforts of Reasons to Believe, an institute founded to research and proclaim the factual basis for faith in God and His Word, the Bible. He is the author of many books. Kenneth Samples is vice president of Philosophical and Theological Apologetics at Reasons to Believe and an adjunct instructor of philosophy and religion. He is also the founder and president of the Augustine Institute, a nonprofit educational center for philosophical and religious studies. Mark Clark is a professor of political science, and the chair of that department, as well as director of the National Security Studies program at California State University, San Bernadino. He is also an adjunct fellow at the Claremont Institute and a consultant to TRW on strategic nuclear forces.
Do you think UFOs and space aliens are real? Why or why not? Have you ever encountered a UFO or a spirit you thought might have been an alien, or do you know someone who had that experience? If so, what happened? How do you try to rely on Christ's power to fight evil spiritual forces? Visit Crosswalk's forums to discuss this topic:
