Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions

Magazine Overview

Title: Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions
Issue: Vol. 9, No. 4
Date: May 2006
Publisher: University of California Press
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue features a review of Diana G. Tumminia's book, "When Prophecy Never Fails: Myth and Reality in a Flying-Saucer Group." The review, authored by John A. Saliba, discusses Tumminia's study of the Unarius Science of Life, a group centered around beliefs in UFOs and extraterrestrials.

Review of "When Prophecy Never Fails: Myth and Reality in a Flying-Saucer Group"

Core Argument and Methodology

The review highlights that Tumminia's book begins by examining the work of Festinger et al. on cognitive dissonance, which posits that when prophecies fail, believers often increase their commitment and evangelical efforts. Tumminia extends this by applying the theory of the construction of social reality to explain the persistence of religious beliefs in UFOs within the Unarius group. She demonstrates how Unarians construct and sustain their worldview through social interactions and practices, integrating concepts of past lives and extraterrestrials into their understanding of the cosmos.

The book delves into how Unarians perceive reality and how belief in flying saucers and aliens forms an unquestioned part of their worldview. Tumminia also attempts to provide an outsider's perspective on Unarian science, referred to as "fourth dimensional physics" or "interdimensional physics."

Maintaining Faith Amidst Failed Prophecies

Tumminia discusses the ethnographic and methodological challenges she faced. A significant aspect explored is how members of Unarius continued to uphold their belief in the prophetic messages from their leader, Uriel, even when these prophecies repeatedly failed to materialize. The review notes that communal activities, such as producing movies about space wars and participating in elaborate pageants, along with various explanations for the failed prophecies, helped Unarians sustain their faith.

Tumminia concludes that "the failed prophecy did little to damage Unarius' credibility with most of its students" (43). The group also relied on channeled messages from the "Space Brothers" to alleviate doubts and fears during times of crisis.

Unarius' Worldview and System

The review explains that Tumminia shows how Unarius' worldview, built upon assumptions like belief in past lives, forms a coherent system that provides meaning and purpose to its members. This system is presented as self-sustaining, not easily disconfirmed by everyday experiences. Outsiders, using conventional scientific and logical frameworks, might interpret the Unarians' detailed accounts of past lives—often lived on various planets within an "Interplanetary Confederation"—as mythological constructs unsupported by modern astronomy.

Several chapters of the book address dream classes and the role of dream interpretation in providing a "sense-making function" to justify decisions and assumptions about the world. The review also touches upon the death of Uriel the Archangel (Ruth Norman), the group's charismatic leader, and the preparation for the anticipated landing of the Space Brothers in 2001, an event that did not occur. Tumminia applies Weber's concept of the routinization of charisma, illustrating how the organization transformed into a stable institution after the leader's death. Changes within Unarius were guided by advice from the Space Brothers and the wisdom of channeling from their last leader, Antares, who continued to offer guidance even after his death.

Book Structure and Strengths

The book includes three appendices: a chronology of Unarius Science of Life's history, short stories about the 32 planets in the Interplanetary Confederation, and a list of Uriel's 43 incarnations. It also features endnotes for each chapter, a bibliographical reference section, and an index. The review notes that Tumminia does not include sociological details about the members' backgrounds.

Saliba praises Tumminia's study as an "excellent study of a UFO group," commending her observational method for being "almost flawlessly applied." He expresses amazement at her ability to understand the Unarians' perspective without becoming a member herself. The review highlights that the book is enhanced by interviews with Unarian students and records of their recalled past lives, dream interpretations, and coping mechanisms for disappointment. It is described as a fine example of scholarship, written in an informative and understandable style for both students and general readers.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary theme explored in this review is the nature of belief systems within UFO cults, specifically focusing on how groups like Unarius maintain cohesion and faith despite the failure of core prophecies. The review implicitly aligns with an academic and analytical stance, employing sociological and psychological theories (cognitive dissonance, social reality construction, routinization of charisma) to dissect the phenomenon. The editorial stance of Nova Religio appears to be one that encourages rigorous academic study of alternative and emergent religious movements, providing a platform for in-depth reviews of scholarly works in this field.