UFOs and...Demons?

                                                                    from Project Hail Mary

 “When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien.  

The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the native-born among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 19: 33-34 NRSVue 

Just when one might assume that things couldn't get any stranger south of the border they do. The United States government has released murky images collected through the years of UFOs -- Unidentified Flying Objects -- UAPs -- Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena. As always, sightings and indistinct photos lead to speculation about visits from intelligent life from beyond our solar system. 

I am certainly open to this possibility although you'd figure that if space travellers managed to get this close to Earth they'd have the ability to make contact in some meaningful way. 

It turns out that there have already been gatherings of conservative Christian pastors and leaders who are Some worry that it undercuts the Bible’s account of the Earth and humanity as the centerpiece of God’s plan for the universe. If God came to save humanity in Jesus Christ what will the possibility of aliens mean for the Christian narrative? 

Among atheists and agnostics in the United States, 85 percent say their best guess is that intelligent life exists outside Earth. Among white evangelicals, only 40 percent say the same. So, what have some of them concluded? That these are demons and we must be spiritually prepared for a demonic invasion. The Vice-President, JD Vance, a possible president at some point, supported this bizarre contention as a guest on a conservative podcast. 

There are sensible Christians who offer different responses. Decades ago CS Lewis (Narnia Series)  entertained the possibility of extra-terrestrial life in an essay and a trilogy of novels. A few years back a Vatican scientist made headlines when he mused that aliens might have souls, and said he would baptize an alien “if they asked.” Just how would an alien communicate this desire? 

Russell Moore a sensible evangelical and editor of Christianity Today says that proof of extraterrestrial life should pose no threat to Christianity and need not be received with hostility. “If we assume the possibility that there’s something outside of Earth, our basic default should be the way we treat strangers generally”  I assume this doesn't mean sending them to a squalid prison in Central America. 

I think that these UAP demon hunters should be required to watch the excellent film, Project Hail Mary and learn from the warm relationship between reluctant astronaut Ryland Grace and Rocky, the extra-terrestrial. Or maybe search out an old episode of My Favorite Martian. 

I'm far less concerned about Little Green Men than I am about the earthling with orange hair.