2004 07 00 Religion - Vol 34 No 3 - Partridge

Magazine Overview

Title: RELIGION
Issue: 34
Volume: 34
Date: 2004
Publisher: Elsevier
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
ISSN: 0048-721X

Article: Alien demonology: the Christian roots of the malevolent extraterrestrial in UFO religions and abduction spiritualities

This article, authored by Christopher Partridge, explores the evolution of the perception of extraterrestrials within UFO religions and abduction spiritualities, arguing that the shift from a benevolent 'technological angel' to a malevolent figure is deeply rooted in Christian demonology. The author posits that while early UFO religions were influenced by Theosophy and a desire for saviors in the Cold War era, contemporary views of malevolent aliens draw heavily from Christian myths and symbols of demons and Satan.

Introduction and Historical Context

The contemporary interest in UFOs is traced back to Kenneth Arnold's 1947 sighting of 'flying saucers'. This event, amplified by media attention, marked a significant increase in UFO sightings and public consciousness. The article suggests that the prevalence of UFO interest since the 1950s can be attributed to several factors: extensive media coverage, the insecurity engendered by the Cold War and the threat of nuclear conflict, and a period of technological advancement coupled with religious decline. This environment led people to look beyond Earth for salvation and to imagine other worlds and their inhabitants.

The Theosophical tradition is highlighted as having been enormously significant in the history of UFO religion. Figures like H.P. Blavatsky and the Theosophical Society popularized concepts of spiritual evolution, karma, and ascended masters, influencing early UFO beliefs where aliens were often seen as wise, morally superior, and technologically advanced beings.

The Shift to Malevolent Aliens

While early UFO religion often depicted aliens as benevolent, messianic figures, the article notes a recent shift towards a demonization of the extraterrestrial. This shift is attributed to the need to account for moral evil, suffering, and life's general unsatisfactoriness. The author's central thesis is that this demonology draws not from Theosophy but from the myths and symbols of Christian demonology. This is further influenced by popular culture, which itself is shaped by Christian traditions.

Demonology in the West: Historical Roots

The article delves into the history of demonology in the West, tracing the concept of 'demon' from its Greek origins as a neutral term for 'spirit' to its later connotation of malevolence. It discusses the development of sophisticated demonology within Jewish apocalyptic literature, where demons were seen as interfering with humans, tempting them into sin, and the emergence of a unitary concept of evil personified by Satan. The Hebrew Bible's portrayal of Satan as an agent of God is contrasted with later apocalyptic and Christian views where Satan becomes the primary source of evil.

Key biblical narratives, such as Genesis 6:1-4 concerning the 'sons of God' and the Nephilim, are examined. Early Christian interpretations, including those of Justin Martyr and Martin Luther, identified these 'sons of God' as fallen angels, and their offspring as demons. The Book of 1 Enoch is presented as a significant apocalyptic text that elaborates on the 'Watcher angels,' their lust for human women, and the resulting Nephilim, who teach forbidden knowledge and become destructive.

The article highlights how Christian demonology evolved to explain human evil as stemming from an external source, Satan, and his legions of demons. This view influenced medieval thought, particularly in the context of witchcraft, where witches were believed to have made pacts with the Devil. The Malleus Maleficarum, a witch-hunter's manual, is cited as an example of this focus on demonic alliances and obsession/possession.

Popular Culture and the Technological Demon

The latter part of the article examines how popular culture, including films and literature, has adopted and adapted Christian demonological themes. Films like *Rosemary's Baby*, *The Exorcist*, and *The Omen* are presented as explicit examples of Christian demonology in cinematic form. The article notes how science fiction, particularly in the late 1970s and onwards, began to portray aliens not as benevolent saviors but as hostile, predatory beings, mirroring the Nephilim and demons of earlier traditions.

Ridley Scott's *Alien* is discussed as a pivotal film that reflects concerns about sexual interference and reproduction, with the alien becoming a predatory threat akin to demons. The article also references the Barney and Betty Hill abduction case, which, along with science fiction narratives like *Invaders From Mars*, contributed to the emergence of sinister abduction stories. These narratives often include themes of sexual interference, gynecological testing, and implants, echoing earlier demonic tropes.

Comparisons are drawn between alien abductions and Western fairies and demons, suggesting that the powerful fears and desires evoked by these stories necessitate new 'bogeymen' when older figures become too tame. The article concludes that the demonized alien, as seen in works like H.G. Wells' *The War of the Worlds* and later films, has become a dominant figure in popular culture, representing a serious threat to human physical and spiritual well-being, much like the demons of Christian history.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the intersection of religion, mythology, and popular culture, specifically focusing on the construction of malevolent entities. The article argues that Christian demonology has profoundly shaped the modern perception of aliens in UFO religions and abduction narratives, demonstrating a continuity of ancient fears and archetypes in contemporary phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be analytical and academic, exploring the historical and cultural roots of these beliefs without necessarily endorsing them.

This document is an excerpt from an academic journal article titled 'Religion', specifically Volume 34, published in 2004. The article, authored by C. Partridge, focuses on the intersection of religious beliefs, particularly Christian demonology, with modern UFO phenomena and conspiracy theories. The pages cover discussions on how extraterrestrials are demonized in religious discourse, the influence of Christian demonology on UFO religions, and the emergence of 'reptilian' conspiracy theories.

Demonising the Extraterrestrial in Religious Discourse

The article begins by exploring how the concept of the unknown, once associated with fairies and folklore, has shifted to the stars and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. It notes that the fear of the unknown is a powerful driver for narratives, and that the alien, particularly a malevolent, humanoid, and demonic being, is a source of significant fear. This malevolent alien in popular culture and abduction narratives is shown to owe much to the history of Christian demonology, with the alien often being interpreted as a technological demon or a manifestation of demonic forces.

As Ted Peters notes, during the 1970s, many magazine articles and books framed UFOs as a Satanic plot, aligning with the Christian good-evil dualism. William Alnor believes UFOs are real but represent a demonic delusion, and Randall Baer insists a potent demonic force is behind UFOs. Douglas Groothuis suggests reinterpreting extraterrestrials as malevolent masquerades of demonic beings. Frank Allnutt states their purpose is to confuse people about salvation through Jesus Christ, disrupting their relationship with God.

This spiritual interpretation is inverted in some new religious narratives where the spiritual demon is given physical form. The article cites Bob Geyer of the Church of Jesus the Saucerian, who in 1970 stated that Satan and his legions were beings from other worlds, with Satan possibly being a former astronaut who became too ambitious. These demonologies function similarly to Christian demonology, personifying a good-evil dualism. Benevolent extraterrestrials are seen as protectors against malevolent 'technological demons,' who are described as physically violent and sexually interested, but primarily focused on confounding divine plans.

Groups with roots in Theosophy, like the Aetherius Society, the Ashtar movement, and Unarius, have developed mythologies influenced by Christian demonology. Tuella's books describe space saviors contending with dark forces and alien races, presenting an epic narrative of battles between good and evil extraterrestrial forces, akin to biblical 'principalities and powers.'

Unarius's narrative, 'The Decline and Destruction of the Orion Empire,' by Ruth Norman, is presented as a story of Satan's downfall and humanity's need for redemption. Ruth Norman (Uriel) and her student Antares (the Fallen Angel, Satan) are key figures. Antares, as Tyrantus, was a glorious angelic being whose pride led to his fall, mirroring the Christian narrative of Satan. Tyrantus waged war on other planets, and his followers were enlisted for evil deeds.

The Ashtar movement explained failed prophecies as spiritual warfare against negative space beings. This led to a demonology where rebellious members became 'evil beings' who formed a negative extraterrestrial government operating on 'lowest planes closest to the Earth.'

Two groups, Unarius and the Ashtar movement, draw on Christian demonology because it is familiar and plausible, unlike more complex Indian demonologies. The article identifies five correspondences between UFO beliefs and Jewish apocalyptic/Christian demonology: (1) a cosmic battle between extraterrestrial principalities and powers, (2) a cosmic fall mythology, (3) fallen rebel forces as personified evil, (4) spiritual problems as 'demonic' interference, and (5) 'fallen' beings forming alliances, echoing witchcraft and Faustian pacts.

Heaven's Gate and the Reptilian Agenda

Another UFO group, Heaven's Gate, explicitly uses Christian demonology, drawing heavily on the Book of Revelation. Their 'exit statements' refer to 'forces against the Level Above Human' as 'Luciferian forces' opposing the 'Next Level.' Founders Marshall Herff Applewhite and Bonnie Lu Nettles were seen as space messiahs battling demonic 'space aliens' or 'Luciferians,' who use advanced technology and mask their reality with legends and jokes. These aliens are described as having mammalian and egoistical behavior, having failed in their training for the 'Next Level.'

Haven's Gate's dualism posits two sources of knowledge: the 'Next Level' (Kingdom of God) and the 'opposition' (Lower Forces, Lucifer, Satan). Their theology of election is rooted in Reformed soteriology. They believe humans are created by superior extraterrestrials and need to grow spiritually through 'deposits' of 'Next Level mind.' These deposits are activated by a 'Next Level Mind,' leading to a melding of minds and technological sanctification. 'Luciferians' are seen as preventing this graduation.

The group's interpretation of the Genesis account involves a 'spermatic logos' concept, where humans have seeds of reason, but demons interfere, blinding them to truth and leading them to worship foreign gods. Aliens are accused of twisting religious truths. Heaven's Gate adopts a militantly exclusivist approach, viewing all religions as spawned from misinformation by 'Luciferians.'

Extraterrestrials are believed to elect individuals and plant 'deposits,' activated by a 'Next Level Mind.' This process is analogous to the Holy Spirit's work in Christian sanctification. 'Luciferians' are seen as targeting the chosen and tempting them with 'mammalian behavior' and worldly pleasures, leading to a 'satanic panic mentality' where sinister forces are believed to control everything.

The article notes that Luciferian forces are believed to promote sexual promiscuity, viewing sexual desire as demonic coercion. The Heaven's Gate prayer reflects an attitude of withdrawing from 'animal flesh' and maintaining 'non-mammalian behavior' to be compatible with a genderless vehicle from the 'Next Kingdom Level.'

Divisions within Heaven's Gate in the 1990s were interpreted as demonic activity, with members accusing each other of possession by Beelzebub. This tendency to blame demonic activity on group members has historical precedent.

The article then shifts to a new breed of demonic alien: the 'reptilian agenda,' evolving within 'abduction spiritualities,' possibly originating from fantasy magazines like 'Weird Tales.' H.P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and Robert E. Howard wrote about malign, subterranean serpent creatures. Maurice Doreal developed theories about a subterranean serpent race and incorporated extraterrestrials, linking them to the Antichrist.

In contemporary UFO demonologies, 'reptilians' or 'reptoids' are described as tall, humanoid beings with snake-like eyes and skin, aggressive and intelligent. Gail Seymour, a psychic healer, claims they rape, torture, and murder, and that since mid-August 1999, the reptilians have become more prominent, with greys stepping back. This shift is attributed to a 'change of command.'

Reptilians are seen as a spiritual threat, with victims speaking of 'possession' and a 'sucking effect.' Seymour believes Satan was the head of the reptilian invasion, linking it to the biblical serpent tempting Eve. The popularity of reptilians is attributed to their providing a physicalist account of Christian demonology.

Michelle LaVigne's 'The Alien Abduction Survival Guide' reports a discussion with an alien named Hetar who warned about a humanoid/lobster/lizard mix ET that 'will eat you.' Reptilians are also appearing in theologically positive Theosophical streams, such as the Ashtar Command website, where a testimony describes a 'silver gray' alien distancing itself from 'bad guys' who are 'dullish brownish gray' and affiliated with reptilians.

The myth of an ancient battle between good and evil aliens, resulting in reptilian dominance, is particularly developed in David Icke's conspiracy theories. Icke's ideas trace back to Doreal and Robert Howard. Doreal's poem 'The Emerald Tablets' is used by Icke to support his theories about demonic serpent creatures.

Icke's 'reptilian agenda' aims for the 'control of planet Earth,' positing that world leaders are shape-shifting, reptilian-human hybrids. This is linked to the 'Illuminati' conspiracy theory, which has roots in John Robison's 1798 work exposing a conspiracy against European religions and governments, involving Adam Weishaupt and the Order of the Illuminati.

The Illuminati conspiracy has been popular for centuries, with modern theorists linking it to the 'unholy trinity': the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization. Icke's thesis, while critical of Christianity, fundamentally depends on Christian demonology, particularly in tracing the origins of reptilian occupation to a physicalist reinterpretation of Genesis accounts.

Icke's view is that the 'Old Testament' refers to 'Sons of God' who interbred with humans, creating giants. His work is seen as a continuation of ideas from Erich von Däniken and Zecharia Sitchin, similar to the Raëlian Church and Heaven's Gate in providing a physicalist reinterpretation of biblical narratives, but with overwhelmingly negative consequences.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this excerpt are the demonization of the extraterrestrial, the influence of Christian demonology on UFO religions and conspiracy theories, and the evolution of alien narratives from folklore to complex mythological systems. The article demonstrates a scholarly approach, analyzing various UFO religions and conspiracy theories through the lens of religious studies, particularly focusing on how they adapt and reinterpret existing religious concepts, especially Christian ones, to explain phenomena like alien encounters and perceived threats. The editorial stance appears to be analytical and objective, exploring these connections without necessarily endorsing the beliefs discussed, but rather examining their origins and manifestations within religious and cultural contexts.

This document is an academic article titled "The reptilian agenda" by Christopher Partridge, published in the journal "Religion", Volume 34, in 2004. The article critically examines the theories of David Icke, a prominent conspiracy theorist, focusing on his concept of reptilian humanoids influencing global events.

David Icke's Reptilian Demonology

The article delves into David Icke's central thesis, which posits that a race of reptilian beings from another world ('Nefilim') interbred with humans to create 'hybrid bloodlines.' These bloodlines, according to Icke, have historically occupied positions of power, particularly in ancient civilizations like Sumer, Babylon, and Egypt, and later became the royal and aristocratic families of Europe. Icke claims these reptilian influences spread globally through empires, connecting with similar bloodlines in places like China, where dragon symbolism is prevalent.

Icke's theories are presented as drawing heavily from Zecharia Sitchin's interpretations of ancient Sumerian texts, which suggest a race of 'gods' from another world brought advanced knowledge and interbred with humans. Icke also incorporates ideas of lost civilizations like Lemuria and Atlantis into his narrative.

A key aspect of Icke's demonology is the link he draws between these reptilians and the Illuminati, whom he describes as a global secret society that has been manipulating world events since ancient times, working towards a 'world government, central bank, army, and a micro-chipped population.'

Furthermore, Icke equates 'satanic' with 'reptilian,' defining Satanism as a system of ritual sacrifice and torture. He asserts that reptilian-human hybrids are continuously involved in child abuse, satanic ritual abuse, and human sacrifice ceremonies. He identifies various ancient deities and figures, such as Nimrod, Baal, Moloch, Set, the Devil, and Lucifer, as names for this destructive, negative force that is worshipped.

Icke claims that these reptilians have always participated in human sacrifice and blood-drinking, which he argues is necessary for them to maintain their 'human' expression and DNA codes. He suggests that prominent figures like George Bush and Henry Kissinger are 'reptilian shape-shifters' who engage in these practices.

Influence of Popular Culture

The article highlights how Icke's ideas are reinforced by popular culture. He explicitly recommends that people new to his theories watch Kenneth Johnson's TV series 'V' (1984-85), which he believes educates viewers about 'what is REALLY going on.' The article notes the striking structural overlap between Icke's demonology and the plot of 'V,' suggesting the series may have influenced Icke's construction of his ideas. Icke also endorses films like 'The Matrix' (1999) and John Carpenter's 'They Live' (1988) as exposing alien plots to take over the planet.

Beyond specific media, Icke suggests that aliens actively use popular culture to spread their imagery and accustom humans to concepts like the Ashtar Command, as indicated by a channeled message from Soltec.

Conclusion and Roots of Demonology

The article concludes that while much of UFO religion has roots in Theosophical thought, its demonology is firmly rooted in the Christian tradition. It argues that UFO religionists, contactees, and abductees naturally turn to familiar myths and ideas, leading alien demonologies to function similarly to popular Christian demonologies. This often results in responses akin to historical witch crazes and satanic panics.

Even groups that deny the existence of a literal Devil often use Christian terminology, reinterpreting Satan as 'the evil that lives in men's mind's, heart's, desires, ambitions and greed.' The article emphasizes that the external demon, as promoted by abduction narratives and conspiracy theories like the 'reptilian agenda,' draws explicitly on biblical and popular Christian demonologies. Ultimately, the demonized alien is shaped by popular culture, which itself is informed by a demonological thread running from Jewish apocalypticism to the reptilian agenda, suggesting that many new Western demonologies outside UFO religion are fundamentally Christian.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this article are David Icke's conspiracy theories, particularly the 'reptilian agenda,' and the analysis of how these theories intersect with and draw from Christian demonology and popular culture. The editorial stance is critical and analytical, examining the origins and influences of Icke's ideas without necessarily endorsing them, framing them within the context of religious studies and the sociology of belief.

Acknowledgments

The author acknowledges comments on an earlier version of the article presented at the 2003 BASR conference and thanks Robert Segal for his helpful comments on a later draft.