Episode Details

We’ve explored much about alien theories, but now a whole new official cast of characters claims they’ve seen or heard about evidence that They’re Here. And now this common Christian response has become a meme: aliens are just demons. Well, are they? If these creatures exist, are they deceiving us? Or maybe if they fly all this way only to be seen or crash, they’re just kind of stupid? Or perhaps they’re here to teach us a better way? We shall explore a familiar theme in a new fashion: are any aliens liars, lunatics, or lords?

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Episode sponsors

1. Enclave Publishing: Savage Bred by Victoria McCombs
2. The Lorehaven Guild
3. Michelle M. Bruhn: Songflight and Stormdance

Concession stand

• This is our latest installment in the ongoing Armies of the Aliens series.
• We won’t say your favorite thing re. aliens. Maybe an earlier episode did.
• For example, some of this overlaps with end-times fan theories (ep. 80).

1. The aliens could be liars—that is, Satanic agents.

• This is perhaps the most common evangelical view (close to Stephen’s).
• Plenty of these videos and “eyewitness” accounts are pranks or scams.
• But many people who claim closer encounters are messing with spirits.
• Some researchers see parallels between aliens/medieval demon visits.
• A few people have halted “alien” activity by calling on the name of Jesus.
• Alien Intrusion, an older book by Gary Bates, documents some of these.

2. The aliens could be lunatics—they make no sense.

• Zack knows more about this, but why travel to Earth in the first place?
• We’re not losing precious materials like minerals or natural resources.
• Military “hauntings” make little sense without some material motive.
• Also, all that technology and their spaceships keep being seen in public?
• Crashed spaceships seems even more comical for advanced beings.
• If aliens exist, then perhaps they are just as stupid as humans can be.

3. The aliens could be lords—spiritually enlightened.

• This is a common notion across all of science fiction, often in 1980s–90s.
• Of course we have plenty of Star Trek examples for “incorporeal beings.”
• Stephen once glimpsed a TV movie with heroes happily “absorbed.”
• After that, aliens went back to being invaders and mysterious forces.
• But we wouldn’t be surprised if aliens went back to sex-affirming “lords.”
• And with that, we’re right back to the “aliens are demons” idea again.

Mission update

• New article this Thursday: Should We Seek the Gospel ‘According To’ Popular Stories?
• New review this Friday: Victoria McCombs’s pirat