Episode Details

Earlier this summer, the U. S. Director of National Intelligence released a nine-page report that chronicled 144 encounters between military pilots with unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAP. Many of these extraordinary objects defy scientific explanation. What are the fantastical possibilities for UAP? Have pilgrims from other planets, or other dimensions, ventured to our own? And how do we as Christians apply a biblical worldview to these possibilities?

Introducing guest Colin Samul

Reverend Samul has been the pastor of Great Basin Reformed Presbyterian Church since April of 2019. He is originally from the Detroit area, where he was converted in 2005. Soon after his conversion, he felt the call to ministry and began to pursue his education for the ministry. He graduated from Kuyper College in Grand Rapids, MI in 2009 and subsequently moved to Sacramento, CA, where he attended City Seminary. After receiving his M.Div. in 2016, he served as pulpit supply in the RCUS. In 2018 he assisted the core group of GBRPC in petitioning the RPCNA for a Church plant in the Reno Area, while working with the Pacific Coast Presbytery to establish the work until he received the call to Pastor the congregation in early 2019. He is husband to Shanna, and the proud father of their four children; Mele, Evangeline, Leland, and Lilyanna.

• Colin has appeared on other podcasts to talk about UFOs’ spiritual implications.
• Zack and Colin join forces on “UFO Twitter” to represent a Christian perspective.
• No matter their explanations, UFOs (or UAP) represents a challenge to biblical faith.
• Read Zackary Russell’s July 1 article: New Intelligence Report Exposes Shocking Alien Phenomena: Human Humility.

1: What says the Pentagon report about unidentified aerial phenomena?

• The Pentagon created a task force specific to UAP.
• They examined 144 military UAP encounters since 2004.
• Of these, 143 have no explanation. Eighty involved multiple military sensors.
• Eighteen of these UAP encounters are firmly classified as Other.
• This means unusual movement patterns and acceleration abilities.
• This also refers to “signature management,” that is, cloaking or stealth.
• These eighteen objects were truly extraordinary.
• They defied our best sensors and our best scientific theories.
• We need better equipment and better science to identify these objects.

Questions we discuss:

• What is clear in this report and what is vague?
• How does this report stand apart from previous governmental communications about UFOs?
• Why is the Pentagon even interested in this?

2. How might we explain these phenomena?

• Prosaic: these are human or natural occurrences
• Mental: these are neurological, psychosocial, or remotely induced incidents
• Physical: these are extraterrestrial or “cryptoterr