Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions

Magazine Overview

This issue of *Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions*, Volume 14, Issue 2, published in November 2010 by the University of California Press, features the article "Bible Lessons with Raël: On Religious Appropriation in ET-Inspired Religions" by Paul Brian Thomas. The journal's cover price is listed as $28.00.

Bible Lessons with Raël: On Religious Appropriation in ET-Inspired Religions

Introduction and Context

Paul Brian Thomas's article introduces a special issue of *Nova Religio* focused on ET-inspired (ETI) religions. He posits that despite diminished media attention following the Heaven's Gate suicides, these groups remain active. The article highlights the ongoing market for ETI-inspired religious perspectives, fueled by speculation linking extraterrestrials to 2012 apocalyptic scenarios and a significant portion of the population believing in extraterrestrial visitation. Thomas argues that the value of studying these groups lies in bridging the gap between normalized religious perspectives and the marginalized religious "other," rather than focusing on their perceived bizarreness.

The Raëlian Movement and Heaven's Gate

The article notes that only Raël (Claude Vorilhon) has kept "UFO religions" in media headlines since the 1997 Heaven's Gate mass suicide. The Raëlian Movement's announcement of a new "UFOland" in Las Vegas in June 2009 is mentioned. The academic study of ETI religions was legitimized by the Heaven's Gate event, according to James R. Lewis. Despite a period of intense scrutiny after Heaven's Gate, ETI religions continue to be active. Raël himself garnered attention through Clonaid's claim of cloning a human in December 2002 and his appearance in *Playboy* magazine in October 2004.

2012 Prophecies and Extraterrestrial Speculation

Several ETI religious thinkers are discussed in relation to the year 2012. Jelaila Starr, a purported messenger for the Nibiruan Council, believes Nibiruans are preparing humanity for ascension to the fifth dimension, offering workshops on the topic. Sheldon Nidle, founder of the Planetary Activation Organization, also anticipates first contact and a period of great change leading up to 2012, which he identifies as a pivotal moment for Earth's transition into a new reality. Conversely, authors like Burak Eldem and Whitley Strieber explore the 2012 apocalypse with more ominous tones, linking it to the return of the Annunaki or malevolent aliens, respectively. Zechariah Sitchin's works on the end times and 2012 are also cited.

The "Uncanny" Nature of ETI Religions

Thomas hypothesizes that fascination with ETI religions stems from their seemingly "uncanny" nature. Drawing on Sigmund Freud's concept of the "unheimliche" (uncanny or unhomely), he suggests that these religions are strange precisely because they contain repressed familiarity. For audiences familiar with the Christian Bible, the theology of groups like Heaven's Gate or the Raëlian movement may seem theologically familiar, despite "odd" or "sensational" elements.

Appropriation of Mainstream Religious Traditions

A central theme uniting the articles in this special issue is the focus on how ETI religions utilize conventional theological source materials, particularly those grounded in Jewish and Christian traditions. This approach helps to demystify these groups by highlighting their connections to more commonplace religious traditions and texts. The articles by Eugene V. Gallagher, Benjamin E. Zeller, and Paul Brian Thomas specifically explore this theme.

Case Study: The Raëlian Movement and Biblical Exegesis

Eugene V. Gallagher's article, "Extraterrestrial Exegesis: The Raëlian Movement as a Biblical Religion," examines how Raël used the Bible to develop the Raëlian movement. Gallagher argues that Raël perceived himself as uncovering the true meaning of the Bible, which had been obscured by human ignorance. Raël employed five hermeneutic principles to achieve this. Gallagher notes the tension between Raël's use of an authoritative text and his innovative interpretations, and how the Bible's prestige offers a legitimation strategy for new religious movements.

Case Study: Heaven's Gate and Biblical Hermeneutics

Benjamin E. Zeller's article, "Extraterrestrial Biblical Hermeneutics and the Makings of Heaven's Gate," analyzes how Heaven's Gate utilized the Bible. Zeller argues that for founders Marshall Herff Applewhite and Bonnie Lu Nettles, the Bible was central to their theology, informed by the belief in extraterrestrial life, alien interaction with Earth, and biblical evidence supporting these ideas. Zeller highlights Heaven's Gate's "extraterrestrial biblical hermeneutic," particularly their focus on passages in the King James Version Red-Letter Bible marked by underlines and asterisks, which revealed their interest in topics related to extraterrestrial biblical hermeneutics.

Revisionism in ET-Inspired Religions

Thomas's own article, "Revisionism in ET-Inspired Religions," examines how ETI religious thinkers use ancient religious texts to reimagine human history, including alien visitations. A common strategy involves arguing that religious texts have been misunderstood or deliberately obscured to hide narratives of alien interference. Genesis 6:1–4 is frequently reinterpreted as evidence of an alien encounter. Thomas connects this revisionist mindset to "improvisational millenarianism," where authors challenge authoritative narratives and present themselves as "intellectual mavericks."

ET-Human Hybridization and Daemonology

Robert Pearson Flaherty's article, "These Are They: ET-Human Hybridization and the New Daemonology," links contact experiences to Christian demonic speculation. He discusses accounts of ET-human hybridization and physical examinations for producing hybrid offspring. Flaherty notes that these stories are not unique to contactees and often rework earlier traditions of superhuman-human hybridity, including the interpretation of Genesis 6:1–4. The physical descriptions of aliens by abductees, such as bulbous craniums and large almond-shaped eyes, are suggested to reflect a projection of fetalized human evolution.

Vasamazulu Credo Mutwa's Perspective

The experiences of Zulu shaman Vasamazulu Credo Mutwa are presented as embodying many perspectives found in ETI religions. Mutwa claims African traditions have long recorded extraterrestrial activities, including those of malevolent aliens like the Muhondoruka and Mutende-ya-negenge, and benevolent beings like the Mvonjina. Mutwa's own abduction experience, which included a sexual encounter with a female alien, echoes themes of hybridization and experimentation.

Ignorance as a Roadblock

Across various ETI thinkers, including George van Tassel, Raël, Applewhite, and Nettles, a recurring theme is that ignorance is the primary obstacle to humanity's evolutionary advancement, particularly when assisted by extraterrestrials. The article concludes that the message of ETI thinkers resonates because many people recognize the debilitating effect of ignorance and view knowledge as salvific, offering a path to a more harmonious world.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the appropriation of religious texts, particularly the Bible, by ET-inspired religions. The articles explore how these groups construct their narratives by reinterpreting ancient scriptures to incorporate alien visitation and intervention. The concept of the "uncanny" is used to explain the appeal of these religions, which blend familiar religious concepts with novel extraterrestrial themes. The issue also delves into the significance of the year 2012 as a prophesied period of change and the complex relationship between ETI experiences and older traditions of demonology and hybridization. The editorial stance appears to be one of academic inquiry, aiming to understand and analyze these religious phenomena without necessarily endorsing their claims, focusing on the methods of appropriation and interpretation employed by ETI adherents.