Slideshow image

A recent survey indicated that roughly 40 percent of all Americans believe in the existence of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and extra-terrestrial life.  For many years I was undecided on the subject, but I ultimately arrived at the conclusion that there are no extra-terrestrials.  Of course, if there are no extra-terrestrials, UFOs must not be alien spacecraft.  So what are UFOs and what accounts for persistent UFO sightings, reports of extra-terrestrial encounters and even alien abductions?

It is generally accepted that the lion’s share of UFO sightings can be explained by mistaken identity.  Airplanes, weather balloons, bright stars and planets, among other things, explain as many as 90 percent of all UFO reports.  That still leaves a considerable number of accounts that cannot be easily explained.  Many of these reports are by credible witnesses, such as pilots and military personnel.  Some witnesses report UFO behavior that defies the laws of physics, such as abrupt maneuvers at incredible speeds, impossible rates of acceleration, objects changing shape or merging with one another, UFOs disappearing into solid mountains and performing other astounding feats.

Here are a few observations to consider:

  1. The long-running program called SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) has expended enormous resources scanning the skies and turned up nothing.
  2. After countless reports of alien encounters, there is no credible evidence of human contact with a genuine extra-terrestrial being.
  3. Despite reports of UFO crashes, there is no convincing physical evidence of alien spacecraft.
  4. Most pictures of UFOs are fuzzy and inconclusive.
  5. The physics of interstellar travel demands technology that defies all known science. The speeds and maneuvers reported in our own atmosphere also defy all known science.
  6. Although extra-terrestrial life (or the lack of it) is not explicitly discussed in the Bible, much of what we read there is inconsistent with life on other planets or among the stars.

To be practical, interstellar travel would require spacecraft capable of traveling at a significant fraction of the speed of light.  To reach such speeds in a reasonable amount of time would require an enormous amount of energy and produce g-forces beyond imagination.  Impact with anything at such high speed, even with an object as insignificant as a piece of space dust, would be equivalent to the explosion of tons of TNT.  Slowing to a stop again would consume as much energy and produce the same g-forces as accelerating to those high speeds.  Maneuvering or changing course at those speeds would also produce massive forces.  To believe in UFOs capable of interstellar travel, one must believe in technologies that are beyond comprehension.

Some argue that such things are possible.  I don’t believe they are.  The laws of nature that God has established are unavoidable.  Although God can suspend the laws of physics, we cannot.  We must work within them.  For example, we can overcome the force of gravity by generating an equal and opposite force, but we cannot eliminate the force of gravity.  We can shorten the time it takes to accomplish something but we cannot suspend the passage of time.  If God had seen fit to create extra-terrestrials, and I don’t believe He did, they would have been subject to the same constraints as we are, and interstellar travel would have been as impossible for them as it will likely remain for us.

We also have the matter of alien abduction reports to explain.  If there are no aliens, there can be no alien abductions.  So what accounts for those reports?  Many of them are from people who claim to be spiritually motivated, believing in God, but not necessarily considering themselves to be Christians.  They fall into a number of different sects and religious groups.  A significant percentage of them have expressed an interest in new-age ideas and the occult.  It is noteworthy that traditional Christians, do not seem to be among those who claim to have been abducted by aliens.  In addition, there are reports of attempted abductions ending suddenly, as soon as the intended victims invoked the name of Jesus.  This calls to mind the response of the demons in Matthew 8:29 when confronted by Jesus.

All of this suggests that some reported UFO and extra-terrestrial activity might be demonic in nature.  With the foregoing in mind, some conclusions seem reasonable:

  1. Most of the reports of UFOs and extra-terrestrials are cases of mistaken identity involving stars, planets, aircraft, balloons, satellites, meteors and the like.
  2. A small number of additional reports are deliberate hoaxes.
  3. Another small number of reports is undoubtedly the result of delusion.
  4. The remaining witnesses have almost certainly encountered something real, but what they have seen is better explained by demonic manifestation than it is by extra-terrestrial life.
  5. Many psychic and extra-sensory phenomena are probably also related to demonic activity. These include ghosts, orbs, poltergeists, ouija board messages and so forth.

It is easy to be seduced by the occult, which is solidly in Satan’s domain.  For that reason, everything to do with the occult should be diligently avoided.  Playing with the occult is more dangerous than playing with fire.  It is worth mentioning that demonic forces do not always present themselves as evil.  We read in 2 Corinthians 11:14 that Satan can appear as an angel of light.

A number of UFO and psychic investigators have reportedly succumbed to a fascination with the occult and become obsessed with such things.  Jesus warned us in Matthew 24:4-5 to be wary of those who would deceive us.  The Apostle Paul did likewise in Ephesians 6:11.  It is very likely that some UFO sightings and alien encounters are genuine, but demonic (see 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11, and 2 Corinthians 11:14).

While the Bible may be silent on the question of extra-terrestrial life, it is clear from Scripture that the earth and mankind, not the stars, are central to God’s plans.  God made us in His own image, only a little lower than the angels, and those who follow Him are His children.  See Genesis 1:26, Hebrews 2:7 and Romans 8-16.  Genesis also declares that man’s sin brought a curse upon all of creation.  If God had created extra-terrestrials, would He have allowed Adam’s sin to ruin things for them, too?  Then there is the unanswered question of how God’s salvation plan could apply to extra-terrestrials.

God declared that He created the stars for our benefit (Genesis 1:14).  Among other things, they provide us with a way of navigating and keeping track of days, seasons and years.  Note that He created the earth on Day 1 and the stars on Day 4.  This sequence is consistent with the idea that the earth is the focal point of creation and that the stars were not put there as dwelling places for extra-terrestrial beings.  For these reasons and more, the idea of extra-terrestrial life does not fit well into the framework of Scripture.

One good reference on the subject of extra-terrestrials is chapter 9 of the book, “The Creation Answers Book,” published by Creation Ministries International.  CMI may be found at www.creation.com.  Another is an article on the Answers In Genesis website titled, “Alien abductions: Freaky or Fiction?” by Dr. Danny R. Faulkner.  The article was dated October 23, 2015 and it may be found at www.answersingenesis.com.

A number of competent researchers have compiled what appear to be reliable data on the subject of UFOs and extra-terrestrial life.  These people are not evolutionists, who typically believe that alien life is almost a certainty.  A web search should produce plenty of information from these researchers, authors and lecturers:

  • Gary Bates
  • Dr. Hugh Ross
  • David Wimbish
  • Dr. Ron Rhodes
  • Jacques Vallee

UFOs, extra-terrestrials and related subjects are at best a distraction from the more important things in life.  At worst, they undermine belief in God, lead people away from the gospel and may even draw people into satanic beliefs and practices.  These subjects should be avoided at all costs except for the purpose of refuting unbiblical beliefs and encouraging faith in God.