Alien Encounters: A Book Review
Regard not them that have familiar spirits,
neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them:
I am the LORD your God.
(Leviticus 19:31)
neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them:
I am the LORD your God.
(Leviticus 19:31)
By Sarah H. Leslie
For well over a decade I would get the calls day and night. She would cry on the phone, scared because the Pleiadians and space aliens were coming to invade earth. They were talking to her and others, she said. Sometimes they lurked in her closet and terrified her. Sometimes they lived in her mind. They were not pleasant voices. They told her to do things that were self-destructive and harmful. But she naively believed they were coming to earth for peace. I talked to her about Jesus Christ. He would forgive her sins. He had died on the cross, and was raised again, “having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them”(Col 2:15). I told her she could call upon Him for help. But she said she believed what the Pleiadians told her, that Jesus was merely one of many world teachers, a being that possessed superior powers…. This story does not have a happy ending….
While studying Alien Encounters: The Secret Behind the UFO Phenomenon by Chuck Missler and Mark Eastman,[1] I kept this woman in the back of my mind. What would have happened if she had read this book? Would she have gotten the truth about the Gospel of salvation? Would she have heard warnings about these dangerous and demonic creatures? As I read on it became apparent that she could have read this book and stayed comfortably within her space aliens worldview. She would have received a heavy dose of a New Age gospel according to ET.
After our recent post titled Without Attribution, I really didn't want to continue writing this book review. What would be the point of continuing? We had already raised serious questions about the disturbing content as well as the deceptive manner of writing. But, after careful consideration, and counsel from others in the Discernment Research Group, it was felt necessary to summarize our last few points of concern about this book. This seemed important to do because Alien Encounters has significantly altered modern evangelical eschatology. As I noted in Part 1, this book has formed the philosophical foundation for an entire emerging movement.
To summarize briefly, Chapters 5 through 9, reviewed in this post, contain extensive alien contact and abduction information. Herein I was troubled by four things: 1) Frequent use of occult content without proper biblical cautions for the reader; 2) Strikingly insufficient and inadequate biblical apologetics; 3) Studied consideration and presentation of this occult information as if it were factual, valid and reliable; and 4) Laying the groundwork for a new eschatology that includes space aliens. Furthermore, I wondered what was the point of studying alleged space alien behavior. Why should we focus our attention on this terrifying darkness? God's Word has already told us everything we need to know about the endtimes. The Lord comforts us with these words from the prophet Isaiah:
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath:
for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke,
and the earth shall wax old like a garment,
and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner:
but My salvation shall be for ever,
and My righteousness shall not be abolished.
(Isaiah 51:6)
for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke,
and the earth shall wax old like a garment,
and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner:
but My salvation shall be for ever,
and My righteousness shall not be abolished.
(Isaiah 51:6)
Alien Abductions
One of the primary tenets of the UFO lore community is that people don’t just happen to see UFOs flying in the skies. Some claim they actually “encounter” space aliens (hence the title of the book, Alien Encounters). UFO sightings may be explained by experiments with sophisticated technology, weather conditions, or other scientific phenomena. But many people have reported that these ETs are entities that have spoken to them, even abducted them. And this is where the book focuses. Missler explains his rationale for delving into this topic:
…[W]e do believe that to appreciate the nature of the UFO phenomenon, an examination of the history and nature of these alleged abductions is very important.[2]
These alleged alien abduction “encounters” and reported contacts are problematic for many reasons. Space aliens do not seem to be able to communicate via humanity's mechanical devices. Rather, they behave more like familiar spirits. People’s contact stories are often obtained via hypnotic regression, and much of their reported experiences with these alien entities is strikingly similar to psychic phenomena. Under hypnosis people report that they received telepathic communications from their ET contacts. Many have written down these telepathic communications, even publishing them. And several major UFO cults have arisen based on these channeled words.
Alien Encounters recounts some sordid scenarios of physical and sexual violence that abductees have reported. Why repeat these stories? Some are quite gruesome. Under guided hypnosis some have even reported alien-human genetic experiments.[3] Missler gives these stories great credence, although he usually notes these abductions incidents are “alleged.”[4] While warning that the “overwhelming majority of abductees” have been previously involved in occult activities,[5] Missler stops short in sufficiently warning his readers that he is exposing them to the very same occult darkness.
This is where the hyperdimensional physics theories come to play. Rather than up-front stating that these psychic abduction phenomena are demonic in nature, and warning believers to stay away from this horrific stuff, Missler instead re-casts ETs into the mold of “interdimensional beings” with “interdimensional transportation”[6] that exist in a “parallel universe”[7] and can violate the space-time domain at will. To make this case he repeatedly cites psychiatrist and hypnotist John Mack’s[8] theories of “the UFO abduction phenomenon as a merging of science and religion, the appearance of a new paradigm of thought….”[9] For example, Missler speculates:
…[I]f in the months and years to come the occurrence of alien abductions is confirmed, we believe that there are historical precedents which may account for the composite view of interdimensional beings that traverse the space-time domain, manifest physically, then interact, abduct and even interbreed with mankind.[10]
Hyperdimensionality provides an alternative scientific-sounding explanation for the demon-like ET behavior. The alleged attribute of interdimensionality of “space aliens” becomes a primary theme of the remainder of the book. But the science itself is suspect, as was discussed in Part 4. This hyperdimensionality and alternative realities thesis also formed the premise of Michael Talbot's The Holographic Universe, which influenced Alien Encounters (and also Cosmic Codes). But note: Talbot's book is not really about physics. It is a primer on the New Age occult: ESP, mind science, psychokinesis, auras, shamanism, precognition, out-of-body experiences, psychic phenomena, Marian apparitions, UFO encounters, etc.
UFO Religious Cults
In order to understand these chapters of Alien Encounters, a bit of historical context is needed. In the 1990s, UFO cults were flourishing – sometimes with disastrous consequences, such as the Heaven’s Gate doomsday cult.[12] Many of these UFO cults have taught doomsday scenarios of a very apocalyptic nature. These are religious cults which are openly New Age.[13] They promulgate a religious thesis – i.e., that humanity had been “seeded” by extraterrestrials in ages past, and would be visited by ETs again in the very near future, and that some of earth's inhabitants may be evacuated. Those well-known “flying saucer cults”[14] most frequently quoted by Missler include:
- Pleiadians – This religious cult teaches that there are humanoid extraterrestrials from the constellation Pleiades who resemble Nordic-Scandinavians (an Aryan white race), and indeed there are many elements of Theosophy in their teachings.[15] These ETs are called “Space Brothers,” implying there is a fraternal relationship with them.[16] Much of the “wisdom of the Pleiadians” comes via channeler (medium) Barbara Marciniak, who published the “teachings” of these “enlightened beings” in the book Bringers of the Dawn: Teachings from the Pleiadians.[17] There were also other Pleiadian channelers, all bringing a New Age message that earth is doomed unless there is a paradigm shift in consciousness.
Marciniak's channeled "Pleiadian" transmissions
- Ashtar Galactic Command – This religious cult teaches that there are extraterrestrial beings collectively known as “Ashtar” who have been giving transmissions to earth since 1952 to various channelers, including George Van Tassel, “Tuella,” and Yvonne Cole, regarding the imminent destruction of the planet. Much of the Ashtar Command teaching is published extensively in books by Timothy Green Beckley.[18]
Timothy Green Beckley's book cited in Alien Encounters
- The Raelians – This large UFO cult was founded by Claude Vorilhon (“Rael”). “RaĆ«lians believe that scientifically advanced extraterrestrials, known as the Elohim, created life on Earth through genetic engineering, and that a combination of human cloning and ‘mind transfer’ can ultimately provide eternal life.”[19] Raelians adopted a swastika embedded on the Star of David as their emblem (see below).[20] This religious group, which is structured like a church, performs rites based on sexual ceremonies, initiations and meditations too vulgar to discuss here.[21]
The offensive RAELIAN Swastika/Star of David logo from the official website
“ET, Channel Home”
Alien Encounters contains numerous paragraphs of disturbing “space alien” transmissions that were written down by a channeler (a medium in the occult sense). The “space aliens” communicators are prominently given a “voice” in this book. Missler cites the authors who published them. But, in fact, these messages are spoken by entities claiming to be higher beings, whose channeled communications were published by these authors. Why are these “alleged extraterrestrials” quoted? Why are they treated as though they are credible sources of factual information?
Missler carefully considers these channeled messages. He reproduces them extensively in his book, explaining, “In our effort to identify their origin, mission, and agenda for mankind, it is important to examine the messages from our extraterrestrial visitors.”[22] He explains he does this because they all say the same thing: “It is surprising how consistent the messages are from the alleged extraterrestrials, as given through channelers and mediums.”[23] Because the messages are “remarkably consistent,”[24] does that make them truthful or factual? Hardly! But this point is reiterated again and again. Missler claims we need to pay attention to what “contactees” say about “our ‘space brothers’.”[25] (He often uses this “space brothers,” a term commonly used in UFO lore, which I found to be very troubling.)
The channeled writings of the Pleiadians and the Raelians are frequently reproduced in Alien Encounters. Missler cites Raelian leader Claude Vorilhon’s “remarkable contact with extraterrestrials”[26] and then goes on to describe Vorilhon’s story at length. Missler writes, “According to Rael, he was given the following interpretations of the creation story in the book of Genesis:…”[27] Totally false channeled information about Genesis and God is then reprinted. It is not in any sense biblical or true so I have not reproduced it here.
Yet, why is “Rael” being quoted? Because “Rael” claimed “the ETs told him that all religious leaders—Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, etc.—were half human, half ET prophets.”[28] Many of these channeled quotes appear to have been carefully selected because they talk about alien “seeding” and “DNA” corruption. I was very troubled to see Jesus included on this list. But Missler quotes even worse channeled lies about Jesus from “Rael.” These lies are so evil that I will not reproduce them here.[29] Missler provides little refutation other than to state that this is “incompatible with the Judeo-Christian world-view” and also “20th-century cosmology,” meaning physics.[30] But what if the reader does not know the Judeo-Christian worldview or the Gospel? Without the context of biblical refutation, they might consider these things to be true!
Missler also quotes from “Theodore,” an “extraterrestrial entity” channeled by New Age author Jeana Lake. Why does he entertain the voice of “Theodore,” in a quote full of blatant lies? Because “Theodore” also said that “extraterrestrials altered the DNA” on earth.[31] Again, it fits Alien Encounters' thesis of human-alien DNA tampering.
Missler re-published extensive channeled demonic transmissions that came via “New Age author Barbara Marciniak, who channeled alleged Pleiadian entities.”[32] He had quoted from her previously in Chapter 1.[33] In fact, the opening quote for Chapter 7 is channeled: “A Message from Pleiadian Extraterriastrials to Barbara Marciniak.”[34] Why did he give such a speaking platform for these “space alien” channeled transmissions in Alien Encounters? Because the Pleiadian entities talk about a “reptilian race” that is “an integral part of your ancestral line” that are “master geneticists.”[35] There is no refutation of this statement. It seems to be more fodder for the DNA corruption theory, which by now is becoming a prominent theme of his book.
Advertisement in Connecting Link magazine, Issue 21, 1993
Under the subtitle “The Purpose of Alien Abductions” in Chapter 5, Alien Encounters cites UFO researcher Budd Hopkins’ theories about a genetic breeding experiment:
“And what is the ultimate purpose of these abductions, these examinations and implants, these genetic attempts to produce hybrids…?”[38]
“…[A]ll of the evidence points to their being here to carry out a complex breeding experiment in which they seem to be working to create a hybrid species, a mix of human and alien characteristics.”[39]
Missler also cites David Jacobs frequently. He is a high-profile writer on the topic of alien abductions who believes that alien-human hybrids are on the earth today. According to Alien Encounters, Jacobs reportedly
shows that alien-human hybrids are engaged in a covert program of infiltration into human society with possibly the final goal of taking over Earth. He asserts that some of his research subjects are teaching these hybrids how to blend into human society so that they cannot be differentiated from humans, and that this is occurring worldwide.[41]
In Chapter 6, which is titled “In the Beginning ET?” Missler considers various scientific and esoteric views on panspermia,[42] the hypothesis that life on earth was “seeded” by extraterrestrial contact. For example, when “Rael” is given a voice in the book—which Missler actually describes as “a Bible study conducted by an ET!”—“Rael” claims that the extraterrestrials known as “Elohim” created man.[43] Missler recasts the origins of earth into a physics context, asking: “How did life first arise within the dimensions of our space-time domain?” and concluding that “the source of life in the universe must be an extradimensional one—in effect, an extradimensional Creator, independent of our space-time domain.”[44] The absence of a solid discussion of Genesis creation at this integral point was disappointing. Instead Alien Encounters quotes from Michael Behe’s Intelligent Design book Darwin’s Black Box.[46]
In a very confusing chapter about the New Age movement, “The Gospel According to ET” (Chapter 7), Missler notices the parallels between these extraterrestrial messages and New Age doctrine. But then he goes on to republish still more channeled words from the Pleiadians.[47] He even quotes “our ‘space brothers’” from Ashtar Command redefining Jesus.[48] These “space brothers” make the preposterous claim that Jesus was “levitated by a spaceship.”[49] There are many other channeled messages too awful to reproduce here. But I was increasingly troubled that there is insufficient biblical refutation – so many times the “space aliens'” New Age doctrines were permitted to stand unopposed. Does Missler assume that all of his readers already know the Gospel?[51] I kept thinking of my friend who didn’t know the Gospel Truth. She would have read these channeled statements in Missler’s book and believed them!
Missler states “that deception of the very ‘elect’ will take a convincing display of powerful but lying signs and wonders perpetrated by a group of ultradimensional beings with supernatural powers.”[52] These “space brothers” foretell of an “evacuation” of certain undesirable people on planet earth.[53] After publishing Ashtar Command’s channeled messages on this topic, Missler exclaims: “This is a remarkable claim.”[54] A few pages later, after again reproducing more Pleiadian channeled messages, Missler again exclaims, “This is a fascinating statement.”[55] Why is all of this endtime “trance-channeling”[56] so “fascinating” to Missler? Apparently because it fits his emerging eschatological thesis of alien-human DNA contamination. He states:
Pleiadian entities, we are told, were some of the “Original Planners” of Earth, who seeded Earth with their DNA, “and this DNA became part of the DNA of the human species.”[57]
Missler infers that this space alien prophecy of a coming evacuation is the same thing as the biblical Rapture.[58] He says, “What’s remarkable is that the ETs, through the prophets of the New Age, are apparently attempting to explain away this event [the Rapture] as a global alien evacuation of people….”[59] To explain the difference between the Rapture and the ET transmissions, Missler often relies on the explanations of physics.[60] Many New Age sources do talk of a coming evacuation and/or purging of mankind on earth. Likewise, many of these “space alien” channeled accounts talk of an evacuation. This presents a difficulty for Bible believers. First, the reliability of these channeled entity sources is very problematic. Plus, adding in these distorted and deceptive scenarios significantly alters what the Bible actually says about endtimes.
Channeled transmissions via "Tuella" of Ashtar Command cited on p. 187, AE
Missler treats these New Age and ET endtime scenarios as though they are factual and informative, and telling their own version of same story. Yes, he does give warnings and explanations about the New Age – and some of the warnings are even quite good. But there is too much studied consideration of these “alien” transmissions. Compounding this difficulty is an insufficient and/or inadequate refutation from Scripture. In many cases the text is a mishmash of truth mixed with error. It is all very confusing. I worry that any unbeliever, a new believer, a young believer – all would be placed in grave spiritual danger if they read this book.
Furthermore, since 1997 when Alien Encounters was first published, an entire movement has grown up around listening and considering these alleged space alien voices. Below is an example from L.A. Marzulli's blog, in which he also treats these Pleiadian voices as real, and considers their message as valid:
L.A. Marzulli, "The Coming Spiritual Tsunami," 8/7/13*
Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils
These ETs all tell the same story. It is nearly identical to the other New Age channeled voices and their stories. These voices and their messages are deceptive. They do not deliver biblical truth. But, as is often the case, people may be seduced into believing these channeled stories because it all sounds so fascinating, remarkable or plausible.
Ironically, Scripture warns about listening to these other voices, and it is posited as a sign of the endtimes. Scripture calls these channeled voices seducing spirits, and proclaims that what they are teaching is actually the doctrines of devils. The Bible says we should give no heed to these voices! We should not even consider their message. What God has told us in His Word is sufficient:
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly,
that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits,
that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits,
and doctrines of devils.”
(1 Tim. 4:1).
(1 Tim. 4:1).
The Christian authors of an earlier 1992 book about UFOs warned strongly in their opening chapters what these “space aliens” were – demons! After studying this phenomena for many decades they came to this conclusion. They believed that demons were masquerading as “space aliens” in a highly effective maneuver to deceive many in these last days. They compared the reported behavior of these “space aliens” to what the Scriptures say about demons and found them identical. The authors worried that many would be deceived by this ET charade, so they provided readers with an up-front “position statement” warning of the reality of these demonic “aliens”:
- Whatever these objects are, they do exist….
- They are not from other planets….
- They are supernatural in nature….
- They are demonic….
- The purpose of UFOs is deception…. Their principal weapon is deception….
- They figure into the end-time scheme of prophecy and its fulfillment….[61] [bold added]
The authors suggested that these “space alien” transmissions and channeled messages could “play an increasing role in preparing” the world for endtimes.[62] And, like Missler, they thought that it could be possible the world could be so deceived by their messages that it would believe that The Rapture of the saints was a space alien event. Nevertheless, despite these endtime speculations, the authors plainly warned:
These demonic entities are waging a war against mankind. Their tool is deception. The battleground is the minds of men. Only in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is there safety. We urge each reader to find Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord today.[63]
All of this becomes very important because in the next few chapters of Alien Encounters, which will be reviewed next, doctrine about demons and fallen angels is reinvented to include Nephilim and space aliens. People often ask why Jesus didn't warn us about an endtime apocalypse of a space alien invention. It clearly isn't in the Bible! But by considering these space alien stories as literal and true, and by suggesting that Nephilim are space alien creatures who can move interdimensionally, an entirely new eschatological scenario is inserted into and added to what the Bible actually says, complete with DNA alien-human hybrids.
If these alleged “space aliens” can be redefined into something other than the obvious demons they are, then people may be deceived into thinking they do not need to heed the strong biblical warnings about staying away from such obvious occult “abominations” (Deut. 18:12) and seducing spirits. This all becomes very confusing. especially for weak or immature believers.
Nevertheless, despite all of these fascinating speculations about “space aliens,” the Bible’s teaching is quite clear about not paying attention to voices that are disembodied, ethereal, channeled, etc., and who deliver a spiritual message. These voices are called “familiar spirits” in Scripture (Lev. 19:31; 20:6; Deut. 18:11; 1 Sam. 28:3,9; 2 Kings 21:6; 23:24; Is. 8:19; 19:3), and they work through mediums (channelers), that the Bible calls wizards or witches. These “familiar spirits” tell the future, or transmit messages, even supposedly from the dead. (See 1 Samuel 28). Even the occultists recognize these to be “devils” or “daemons.”[64]
A Christian believer should never listen to a demon or its message. We are commanded to “flee from idolatry” (the occult), and “flee” from any speculative “evil surmisings” (1 Cor. 10:14; 1 Tim. 6:4,11). Jesus Christ warned us that the devil has “no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44) Even the occultists warn each other that these spirits lie:
It was known at an early age that communications allegedly coming from the spirits cannot be too trusted. Swedenborg says in his spiritual diary: “When spirits begin to speak with man he must beware lest he believe them in any thing; for they say almost anything. Things are fabricated by them and they lie. If man then listens and believes, they press on and deceive and seduce in divers ways.”[65]
Furthermore, telepathy is a type of divination, especially in foretelling the future, which these “space aliens” claim to do. Telepathic communications are psychic experiences related to hypnosis, as both are defined as a “transfer of thought.” Therefore it is highly suspicious that many of the “alien abduction” stories claim telepathic communication, and that this information was obtained via hypnotic suggestion or regression. Both are spiritual communication via demonic entities or means[66] – which can also be termed “a consulter with familiar spirits.” (Deut. 18:11) Why should Christians consult with familiar spirits in order to glean additional information about endtimes? Jesus has already told us what we need to know in His Word.
These “alien” demonic communications are not to be listened to, entertained, considered as valid or factual, or given any credence or platform whatsoever. Contact with the spirit world is expressly forbidden by Scripture. The most strongly-worded and specific warning can be found in this passage below:
When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee,
thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
There shall not be found among you any one
that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire,
or that useth divination, or an observer of times,
or an enchanter, or a witch,
Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits,
or a wizard, or a necromancer.
For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD:
and because of these abominations
the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
(Deuteronomy 18:9-13)
thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
There shall not be found among you any one
that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire,
or that useth divination, or an observer of times,
or an enchanter, or a witch,
Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits,
or a wizard, or a necromancer.
For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD:
and because of these abominations
the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
(Deuteronomy 18:9-13)
Endnotes:
1. Alien Encounters: The Secret Behind the UFO Phenomenon, by Chuck Missler and Mark Eastman (Koinonia House, 1997).
2. Ibid, p. 101.
3. Alien Encounters, p. 117, quoting Budd Hopkins’s speculations, which continues onto p. 118.
4. Ibid, p. 112, where he states that “proponents of the reality of alien abduction…” and p. 113 where he cites “alleged abductees.”
5. Ibid, p. 109.
6. Ibid, p. 119.
7. Ibid, p. 121 quoting Jacques Vallee. Vallee is also cited on p. 122 because he raises the speculation about the Nephilim.
8. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ufologists and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Edward_Mack
9. Ibid, p. 119-122.
10. Ibid, p. 122. This is the main thesis of Alien Encounters.
11. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UFO_religions
12. The Wikipedia page describing the Heaven’s Gate cult is quite instructive about how New Age beliefs were combined with Christian tenets and psychic physics to create this “doomsday cult” which tragically ended up committing mass suicide on March 26, 1997. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven%27s_Gate_(religious_group)
13. See the excellent short synopsis of “UFO/Flying Saucer Cults” posted here: http://hirr.hartsem.edu/ency/UFO.htm
14. A more complete listing can be found on a Wikipedia page listing “UFO religion” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFO_religion
15. “The Art of Pleiadian Starseeds” webpage, for example, brings in the 7 Rays taught by Alice Bailey. http://powerfulfigures.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/the-art-of-a-pleiadian-starseeds/ and also see the endnote below.
16. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleiadeans and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleiades_in_folklore_and_literature
17. Description of Bringers of the Dawn as it appears on Amazon.com.(Bear & Company, 1992). This book is also published online at: http://www.cosmic-people.com/english/svetelna_knihovna/htm/en/en_kniha_bringers_of_the_dawn.htm and also: http://www.highvibrations.org/archive1/04aconve.htm. At the bottom, under the subtitle, “THE SOURCE.” it is evident from the context, that these purported alien entities are self-describing. Note that Missler publishes the Pleiadians’ channeling extensively in his book.
18. Wikipedia, “Ashtar (extraterrestrial being),” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtar_(extraterrestrial_being). Also see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UFO_religions Missler cites Beckley in many of his footnotes.
19. “UFO religion,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFO_religion subtitle “Raelians.” Missler publishes the Raelians’ channelings frequently in his book.
20. This is still going on. A recent article in The Guardian discusses “UFO religion the Raelians want to rehabilitate the swastika,” http://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2013/aug/11/ufo-religion-raelians-reclaim-swastika?utm_source=ABPnews+Today&utm_campaign=c440117713-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_dd0edff639-c440117713-53688389
21. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raelians The official Raelian website is cited by Missler, footnote 156, etc. and is now located here: http://www.rael.org/home but I don’t recommend viewing it.
22. Alien Encounters, p. 144.
23. Alien Encounters, p. 139 in a subsection that asks “CHANNELED MESSAGES FROM OUR CREATORS?”
24. Alien Encounters, p. 144.
25. Ibid.
26. Ibid, p. 134.
27. Ibid, p. 136.
28. Ibid, p. 137.
29. Ibid, p. 137-138.
30. Ibid, p. 138. I
31. bid, p. 139-140.
32. Ibid, p. 140.
33. See Part 1 of this review series, http://herescope.blogspot.com/2013/06/alien-encounters.html
34. Ibid, p. 143. “A Message From Pleiadian Extraterrestrials to Barbara Marciniak, excerpted from Bringers of the Dawn: Teachings from the Pleiadians.” Chapter 7 is titled “The Gospel According to ET.”
35. Ibid, p. 140. This quote can be found at: http://www.remnantreport.com/cgi-bin/imcart/read.cgi?article_id=281&sub=12 and note that it cites Alien Encounters as the source.
36. Ibid, p. 117.
37. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_Hopkins and note that he was the subject of much criticism and controversy.
38. Ibid, p. 117, citing Budd Hopkins’ book, “Intruders (Ballantine Books, 1987, pp. 286-87,” in footnote 133 on page 351.
39. Ibid, citing Budd Hopkins book “Witnessed, 1996, p. 378” (Pocket Books, 1996) in footnote 136, p. 351.
40. David M. Jacobs is the author of Secret Life: Firsthand Accounts of UFO Abductions (Simon & Schuster, 1992) which Missler cites frequently.
41. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Michael_Jacobs
42. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panspermia
43. Alien Encounters, p. 136. Missler does refute “Rael’s” unbiblical use of the term “Elohim,” thankfully, on page 137. Nevertheless, it is unfortunate that he termed “Rael’s” channeled teachings “a Bible study” – it is anything but a true Bible study! This makes a mockery of Scriptural truth.
44. Alien Encounters, p. 132.
45. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Behe
46. Alien Encounters, pages 126-131. It is noteworthy that this is quoting Behe’s citation of Crick’s “directed panspermia” view. By resorting to Intelligent Design arguments for creation, however, the biblical Genesis account is not considered. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin's_Black_Box Answers In Genesis has reviewed some of Behe’s work, see: http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2002/08/28/aigs-commentary-id-movement and http://blogs.answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2011/08/31/intelligent-design-is-not-enough/ and http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2005/09/21/the-genesis-flood-pt2
47. Ibid, p. 146-148, 151, quoting from Bringers of the Dawn again.
48. Ibid, p. 155, citing Timothy Green Beckley’s New World Order book.
49. The footnote to this quote is number 173, p. 353: “Timothy Green Beckley, editor, “Channeled by the Ashtar Command,” New World Order, Inner Light Publications, New Brunswick, NJ, 1990, p. 141.”
50. Alien Encounters, p. 177-179 quotes from channeled transmissions recorded in a 1994 issue of Connecting Link Magazine by a “Pleiadian Starseed” of the name “Ozmana” (also quoted on p. 188-189). At the top of the Herescope post launching this book review series, one can see an example of this magazine: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2013/06/alien-encounters.html.
51. At bottom of page 154, Missler gives a very truncated one-paragraph view of Jesus within the context of many pages and paragraphs of New Age and “space alien” beliefs about Jesus. This omission is an area of grave concern. How will the lost know how to be saved? How will they know who Jesus Christ truly is? Every effort should be made to explain the difference between the New Age lies and the Bible truth. It does not good to republish occult heresy unless we do so only to explain why it is wrong according to Scripture. I note that Alien Encounters is cited heavily on many occult UFO websites, and I am saddened that many reading this book with its abbreviated apologetics could remain deceived.
52. Alien Encounters, p. 184.
53. Ibid, Chapter 9 is titled “The Coming Evacuation!” and the opening quote is from Ashtar Command’s “Project World Evacuation, 1993,” explaining how their “rescue ships” will levitate people on board.
54. Pages 187-189. All of these statements are footnoted or cited as transmissions from the Pleiadians through their various channelers.
55. Pages 189-191. Missler cites Marciniak’s book Earth: Pleiadian Keys to the Living Library, “The book was compiled from 13 trance-channeling sessions in 1991 and 1992 with Pleiadian entities, extraterrestrials from the star system Pleiades.” (Page 189) [bold added].
56. See footnote 55 above. Note that channeling requires that the medium (channeler) go into a trance, which is an altered state of consciousness related to hypnosis. Spiritualists use trance states to communicate with “disembodied intelligences,” “spirits of the dead,” i.e., demonic spirits. From The Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, Leslie Shepard, editor (Gale Research Co., 1978), p 940 (Entry, “Trance”).
57. Alien Encounters, p. 190. It is not clear who Missler is quoting from as it is not footnoted, but the material just prior to this is Marciniak’s Bringers of the Dawn. On pages 191-192 Marciniak and Timothy Green Beckley’s “extraterrestrials” speak again. These transmissions from "space aliens" through their channelers continue to be published through page 197.
58. Chapter 9 contains a huge amount of channeled demonic transmissions by Ashtar Command, all talking about a coming earth evacuation. These and other New Age channeled transmissions that are republishedin Alien Encounters, are posted by Postmodern Prophecy Paradigm (PPP) teacher Peter Goodgame at his website under the title “The Rapture According To New Age Channelers”: http://www.redmoonrising.com/newage.htm
59. Alien Encounters, p. 199.
60. When Missler proffers these New Age beliefs and transmissions, he often refutes them via his own particular physics cosmology. Thus, in this case, he explains that Heaven is not subject to entropy in the “dimensions of our space-time domain.” (p. 200) As a result of this focus the book’s apologetics often seem to be more focused on getting physics right rather than getting the Scripture right.
61. David Allen Lewis and Robert Shreckhise, UFO: Endtime Delusion (New Leaf Press, 1992), p. 24-25. It must be pointed out that Alien Encounters borrows quite a bit from the Lewis and Shreckhise UFO book without proper attribution. See “Without Attribution,” http://herescope.blogspot.com/2013/08/without-attribution.html.
62. Ibid, p. 25.
63. Ibid, p. 149.
64. The Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology (Entry, “Familiars,” pp. 322-323) states that familiar spirits are demons and describes their deceptive behaviors. It warns of “Deceiving Spirits” which communicate via psychic means, mediums and automatic writing, and says that they lie. (Entry, “Communication,” pp. 176-178). Likewise The Seeker’s Handbook, a New Age dictionary, defines “extraterrestrials” or “ancient astronauts” (Erich von Daniken’s thesis) as “spirit guides.” John Lash (Harmony Books, 1990), pp. 269, 224.
65. The Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, p. 178.
66. Even The Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology notes that “telepathy” is communication with “higher beings,” and states that “a disincarnate spirit has no physical brain” of its own, and admits that this transmission of thoughts involve spirits. (Entry, “Telepathy, pp. 912-917).
*Regarding this Pleiadian message in the graphic, Marzulli wrote: "The statement from the 'Pleiadianseeds' should serve as a warning of what to expect. There is a Trans-cultural spiritual revolution, that is headed our way.... I’ve discussed the revealing of the so-called extraterrestrial presence on this BLOG many times, but now, I feel obligated to warn again that when it does finally happen it will be a paradigm tsunami, which sweeps all other beliefs away. When the revealing happens it will be life changing. Can you imagine mile-wide mother ships hovering over a city near you? ET will be all news, all the time...."
http://lamarzulli.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/the-coming-spiritual-tsunami/
Ed. Note: The title of this post, “Entertaining ET” is a play on words. It is plain reference to not “giving heed [paying attention to, entertaining] to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils” (1 Tim. 4:1). It also refers to the entertainment nature of these seducing spirits, which entice their audience with titillating terrors. This title is also a play on words of Hebrews 13:2, and its holy admonition to “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” I believe that people are entertaining demons when they give a platform for these channeled transmissions to speak their lies, and consider them as though they were factual or true.
The ET Bible graphic at the top of this post came from the satire at: http://apprising.org/2012/03/13/the-e-t-bible-authorized-intergalactic-version-1-0/