1997 10 00 Journal of Contemporary Religion - Vol 12 No 3 - Rothstein

Magazine Overview

Title: Journal of Contemporary Religion
Issue: Vol. 12, No. 3
Date: 1997
Publisher: Routledge
Country: UK
Language: English
ISSN: 1353-7903

This issue features the article "The family, UFOs and god: A modern extension of Christian Mythology" by Mikael Rothstein.

The family, UFOs and god: A modern extension of Christian Mythology

This article by Mikael Rothstein examines the integration of UFOs into the belief system of "The Family," a new religious movement founded by David Berg. The author notes that while The Family is well-studied, the UFO aspect of its theology has been largely overlooked by scholars. Rothstein's research is based on normative texts and interviews with believers, focusing on sources from the group's international center in Switzerland and informants in Denmark.

Introduction to UFO-Religions and The Family

The emergence of UFO-religions has sparked scholarly interest, as seen in anthologies like "The Gods Have Landed." However, The Family's specific theological engagement with UFOs remains undiscussed. Rothstein aims to explore how UFOs were introduced into David Berg's interpretation of Christianity and how they are understood today, touching on phenomenological and sociological themes.

UFOs: Angels, Angelic Vehicles or Means for Transporting the Dead?

David Berg, the founder of The Family, discussed UFOs in internal theological leaflets (MO-letters). His views were not entirely consistent. He sometimes stated that he believed in UFOs as visitors from outer space with superior intelligence, identifying their occupants as angels and the saucers as "circles of power or energy and light." He also suggested UFOs could be "spirit beings" or the way certain angels travel. This led to ambiguity, with UFOs described as both solid materials and energy or light phenomena associated with angels and the Holy Ghost.

Informants within The Family described UFOs as "some kind of machines" or "celestial beings." Berg himself noted their incredible speed and maneuverability, suggesting only a spirit could withstand such courses. This ambiguity may explain why members of The Family often dismissed questions about UFOs as being of "very little interest." Rothstein suggests that this reticence might also be due to sociological and political reasons, such as The Family's efforts to align with mainstream Christians in Denmark and avoid controversies that attracted negative media attention.

Despite being downplayed, the UFO beliefs are significant as they align with broader New Age and Christian eschatological understandings of UFOs as agents of a coming Golden Age. The Family, as a modern apocalyptic religion, naturally incorporates millenarian and eschatological themes.

The 'Heavenly Visitor' Explanation

Further materials received after David Berg's death in November 1994 provided a new perspective. An account, purportedly from a "Heavenly Visitor," explained UFOs as "heavenly means of transportation" or "celestial vehicles" whose primary task is to take deceased humans to heaven. In this interpretation, UFOs are described as material objects carrying material objects, and those transported have "given up their flesh bodies" and are clothed in "white and colorful robes of light."

Parallels with Other Belief Systems

Rothstein draws parallels between The Family's concept of celestial transportation of the dead and other belief systems. He mentions Wayne Sulo Aho, a contactee who believed UFO pilots were "caretakers of the souls of the dead." He also notes similarities with pre-Christian Germanic mythology, specifically the Valkyries, who transported slain warriors to Valhalla. While direct connections are not established, the functional similarity of transporting the deceased to a heavenly location is apparent.

The City of God and Ufological Exegesis

The Family also promotes the idea of "God's Space City," "God's Space Vehicle," or "The Original Flying Saucer," referring to the City of God described in Revelation. This "great heavenly space city" is depicted as a spectacular spaceship descending to Earth. The Family interprets biblical texts in a way that aligns with contemporary UFO lore, describing this city as a "gigantic spaceship" sailing through the universe.

Those living in God's City will be able to fly freely or use saucers for "comfortable and scenic group tours." This vision is millennial and futuristic. Unlike many evangelical and fundamentalist interpretations that view UFOs negatively, The Family positively integrates the UFO myth into a Christian framework, creating a syncretistic mythological structure.

UFOs as Dualistic Symbols

While often presented as benevolent, the 'flying saucer' in The Family's ideology also serves as a dualistic symbol. Cartoon presentations depict saucer-like crafts as destructive combat machines used by the Antichrist. One cartoon from 1992 shows these machines marked with '666' signs, attacking people with strange rays, reminiscent of the film "War of the Worlds." In this context, UFOs are earthly, 'mundane' machines used for destruction, contrasting with their celestial role.

This dualistic representation places the saucer shape at both extremes of The Family's belief system, used to emphasize the importance of events and to place religious visions in a futuristic setting. The artist's role in these depictions is unclear, but for ordinary believers, the image of UFOs, whether serving God or the Antichrist, remains a poorly developed mythological concept.

Theological Timing: Enter the UFO

Rothstein suggests that the controversial issue of UFOs may have been deliberately downplayed until historical and social circumstances made them theologically relevant. The approaching year 2000, perceived hostility from the public, wars, and an increase in UFO observations are seen as signs of the impending apocalypse. The idea of UFOs as transportation for "the saved" was apparently introduced by David Berg around November 1985 but was not widely disseminated until December 1994, shortly after his death.

This timing suggests a new theological development, possibly indicating a desire to make the UFO dimension of their teachings more known, especially as it relates to the important theme of Armageddon.

Why UFOs at All?

Rothstein questions why the controversial issue of UFOs was introduced into David Berg's teachings. He posits that around 1973, a period of intense public interest in UFOs and the rise of the counter-cult movement, Berg's positive interest in UFOs may have been a reaction against the evangelical and counter-cultist interpretation of UFOs as negative. The Family's radical UFO exegesis offered an opposing view to traditional Christian opponents. This provocative understanding of the UFO concept was likely influenced by the group's marginalized social status and the opposing views of mainstream Christians.

Furthermore, a distinctive UFO interpretation within The Family could enhance believers' self-esteem by providing them with knowledge that surpasses public ignorance. David Berg's status as a prophet, speaking with absolute authority, also facilitated the introduction of UFOs into the belief system. While the UFO perspective was adapted to modern beliefs, its relatively poor significance in Berg's theology today indicates it never became a central pillar of his religious system.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this article revolve around the syncretic nature of new religious movements, specifically how "The Family" integrated the popular UFO mythos into its existing Christian framework. The editorial stance appears to be analytical and objective, exploring the theological, sociological, and historical contexts of this integration without endorsing or condemning the beliefs presented. The article highlights the adaptability of religious systems and how their emphasis can shift based on social conditions and the perceived needs of the believers.

This document is a reference list or bibliography, identified by the page number "362" and the name "M. Rothstein". It appears to be part of a larger publication, likely a journal or academic work, given the citation format.

Cited Works and Themes The references point to several key areas of study:

New Religions and Extraterrestrial Life * "The Gods Have Landed: New Religions from Other Worlds" edited by J. R. Lewis (State University of New York Press, 1995) is a central work. This collection seems to explore religious movements inspired by or related to extraterrestrial contact. * "Exo-Theology: Speculations on Extraterrestrial Life" by T. Peters, published within Lewis's edited volume (pp. 187-206), directly addresses the theological implications of extraterrestrial life.

Science, Religion, and Belief Transformations * "Belief Transformations: Some Aspects of the Relation Between Science and Religion in Transcendental Meditation (TM) and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)" by M. Rothstein (Aarhus University Press, 1996) is a significant publication by the author associated with this page. It focuses on the interplay between scientific understanding and religious belief within specific spiritual organizations.

Other References * A work titled "Treasures" (Word Services, Switzerland, 1987) is also listed, though its author is noted as "[No author]". The specific content of this reference is not detailed.

Publication Details and Context The references span publication dates from 1987 to 1996, suggesting the source document likely originates from the mid-to-late 1990s. The presence of "Downloaded by [The UC Irvine Libraries] at 06:46 29 October 2014" indicates this is a scanned page from an academic library collection. The primary languages involved in the cited works are English, with publications originating from the United States (New York) and Switzerland.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance The recurring themes are the study of New Religious Movements (NRMs), the intersection of ufology and religion (exo-theology), and the philosophical and psychological aspects of belief systems, particularly concerning the relationship between science and religion in contexts like Transcendental Meditation and ISKCON. The editorial stance, inferred from the cited material, appears to be academic and research-oriented, focusing on sociological, theological, and psychological analyses of belief systems and their origins.