Alien Abductions: Freaky or Fiction?

One of the shows at Stargazer’s Planetarium, Aliens: Fact or Fiction?, along with the Pocket Guide to UFOs & ETs, points out that the Bible does not address the question of whether there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. However, we can use biblical principles to reach a conclusion about extraterrestrial aliens (ETs). Romans 8 makes it clear that man’s sin has tainted the entire universe. So if there were beings on other planets similar to man, then those beings would be subject to the effects of man’s sin. Would this be just? Could sentient beings on other planets be fallen creatures? If so, and since these beings are not descendants of Adam, what would be God’s plan of redemption for them? The Bible indicates that man was made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26) and is the center of God’s attention (Hebrews 2:7), leaving no room for other beings. It is clear from these and other considerations that there are no “aliens” living on other planets.

If there are no extraterrestrial aliens, then there can be no flying saucers piloted by them. So how do we explain all of those sightings of UFOs? Most can be explained by misidentification of other objects, such as bright stars and planets, aircraft, and weather balloons, to name just a few. A few sightings remain unexplained, but that does not mean that they necessarily are flying saucers—they just haven’t been identified.

Claims of Alien Abductions

Some people have reported more than just sightings of flying saucers, but have gone further to say that they have had direct interaction with aliens.

However, some people have reported more than just sightings of flying saucers, but have gone further to say that they have had direct interaction with aliens. Some of these reports merely are communication with aliens, while others involve being taken aboard spaceships. Some of these stories include traveling great distances aboard spacecraft. Much more disturbing, some people claim that while aboard spacecraft, aliens carried out bizarre investigations of their bodies. Many of these amount to vivisections and often are sexual in nature. We cannot attribute these sorts of claims to misidentifications, so what are we to make of many of these claims of alien abductions?

It is probable that at least some people who claim to have been abducted by aliens simply have concocted their stories. Possible motives for such fabrications vary, but could include profit or desire to be important. Other stories of alien abduction may have been the result of vivid dreams. Some people may truly believe that they have been abducted by aliens, but they may have merely suffered some sort of delusion. Let us briefly consider a few cases.

One of the early proponents of alien abductions was George Adamski. Adamski began lecturing on UFOs in 1949. This was shortly after the beginning of the UFO craze following two famous and well-reported incidents in 1947. By 1952, Adamski was claiming that he had had close encounters with aliens. Over more than 15 years, until his death, Adamski made many wild claims, but investigators eventually determined that Adamski was a con man. Since Adamski profited greatly from his books and speaking fees, it appears that he was motivated by profit.

Many supporters of alien abductions consider the 1957 experience of Antônio Vilas-Boas, a Brazilian Farmer (later an attorney), to be more credible. Boas did not describe his ordeal until months after it supposedly happened. His story was not publicized much at the time, at least partly because of the sexual nature of his claims. According to Boas, he mated with a humanoid female creature while aboard a spacecraft. Through gestures made by the female, Boas said that he came to realize he had been used for breeding purposes and that his offspring would be raised elsewhere by the aliens. While Boas maintained the truth of his story until his death in 1991, there was a similar story published in the periodical O Cruzeiro a few months before he first described his alleged encounter. Most investigators think that this story and perhaps Adamski’s stories influenced Boas. Was Boas’ story a hoax, or was it a dream or delusion influenced by earlier stories? We don’t know for sure.

Even more famous is the case of Barney and Betty Hill. The Hills claimed to have undergone an alien abduction and examinations in September 1961. They did not immediately report their encounter, but began to do so after a few days. Their story dribbled out over the next few years. While the Hills said that they initially remembered nothing or very little of the encounter, Betty claimed to have had vivid dreams over some time that dredged up those memories. In 1964, the Hills underwent hypnotic sessions to further retrieve their memories of their alleged encounters. While Barney’s and Betty’s stories had similarities, there were differences. Much later, an investigator noted that some of the details revealed through Barney’s hypnosis were similar to an episode of the science fiction TV series The Outer Limits that had broadcast shortly before Barney’s sessions. The Hills did not seek publicity, nor did they profit from their story, which would seem to exclude fabrication. With the dreams and hypnosis sessions, it is possible that the Hills related what they thought was a real event, but may have been imaginary.

These three examples run the gamut from someone who almost certainly lied, all the way to individuals who appeared to be sincere in their beliefs about what happened to them, albeit leaving doubts as to the reality of their claims. Still, these explanations may not be sufficient to explain all claims of alien abductions. If so, would that mean that at least a few alien abduction stories are genuine, thus proving that ETs exist? No, for there remains at least one other possibility.

Spiritual Connection to Claims About Alien Abductions

Researchers have categorized some common elements to most claims of alien abduction.

Researchers have categorized some common elements to most claims of alien abduction. We need not discuss most of these here, but there are some important common themes. Many people report meeting a god-like creature or creatures during their abductions. Often these beings communicate universal-sounding messages or warn of impending nuclear or ecological disaster if mankind does not change his way. This amounts to a very hip, human-centered religious message.

Another common element is that most people who have claimed these close encounters with aliens profess spirituality, with a belief in God. As such, there is a wide distribution of denominations and sects represented among those who have claimed alien abduction. People reporting alien abductions also report indulging in the occult and new age practices in much higher proportion than the general population. Conspicuously absent from those reporting alien abductions are those who are truly born again followers of Christ. In fact, many researchers have collected reports of alien abductions abruptly ending when abductees verbally mention the name of Jesus.

These facts are extremely pertinent. If those who report alien abductions are sincere and truthful in relaying experiences that they firmly believe occurred, then we are left with the conclusion that there is a spiritual component, and that this spirituality is contrary to the Bible.

This is just one front in a spiritual war to divert people away from the truth of Scripture. We have already seen that the implication of the Bible is that Adam’s race is the only race of sentient, physical creatures in the universe. That is, there are no ETs to fly spaceships to earth. But if one believes in evolution, one must accept the likelihood that life, even intelligent life, has evolved many times on other worlds. Thus, if life exists elsewhere, then that would argue against the Bible and hence the God of the Bible. So a very effective tool in undermining the authority of the Bible and the gospel would be to convince as many people as possible that life exists elsewhere. What better way is there to do that than with flying saucers and “alien” visitations?