THE RELIGIOUS DIMENSION TO THE UFO PHENOMENON

In this 1979 MUFON Symposium paper, Ted Peters explores the intersection of the UFO phenomenon and religious belief. Peters posits that UFOs have become a repository for religious symbolism in a modern, secularized society that has lost its traditional sense of wonder. He identifies four primary religious dimensions associated with UFOs: transcendence, omniscience, perfection, and redemption. Regarding transcendence, Peters notes that the sky has historically been associated with the divine, and UFOs, by traversing the 'infinity' of outer space, inherit this sacred quality. In terms of omniscience, he discusses how UFO witnesses often report that extraterrestrials possess intimate, god-like knowledge of human lives, citing accounts from figures like Charles Hickson, George Adamski, and Daniel Fry. The concept of perfection is linked to the circular shape of flying saucers—which Peters relates to the archetypal mandala—and the assumption that technologically advanced extraterrestrials must also be morally superior. Finally, he addresses the theme of redemption, noting that UFOs are often viewed as potential saviors that could rescue humanity from nuclear catastrophe or environmental collapse, a theme he observes in both contactee literature and popular culture, such as the film 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'. Peters argues that these identifications are often superficial, but he acknowledges that the UFO phenomenon resonates with deep-seated human needs. He concludes by cautioning against 'ufolatry,' or the elevation of technology and extraterrestrials to the status of gods, which he argues violates the First Commandment and distracts from the true source of spiritual fulfillment. He also addresses the theological implications of extraterrestrial life, noting that many prominent theologians, including Catholics and Protestants, do not see a fundamental conflict between the existence of extraterrestrial life and traditional Christian doctrine.