Our commentary
UFOs and spiritual deception
Our own look at a common question, by David Dell. The background on this page is ours, not a summary of the book.
“Deception” is a heavy word, and it should be used carefully. Most people who report UFOs aren't lying, and many have ordinary explanations for what they saw. But the Bible does warn that some spiritual experiences are designed to mislead, and that warning is worth applying to the strangest encounters.
What Scripture warns about
“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:14 (KJV)
“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Matthew 24:24 (KJV)
Notice the pattern in both passages: the deception looks good. It arrives as light, and as signs and wonders, a theme that runs through the Book of Revelation. Scripture never says to fear the sky. It says not to take an impressive appearance at face value.
A case study: Betty and Barney Hill
On the night of September 19–20, 1961, in New Hampshire, Betty and Barney Hill reported a light that seemed to follow their car. They later described missing time, and under hypnosis with Dr. Benjamin Simon in 1964 they gave accounts of being taken aboard a craft. John G. Fuller's book The Interrupted Journey (1966) made the case famous, and it shaped the alien-abduction story for decades.
Skeptics point to Betty's earlier vivid dreams. They also note that Barney's description resembled an alien in The Outer Limits episode “The Bellero Shield,” which aired about two weeks before one of his hypnosis sessions. Dr. Simon himself later called the case a “singular psychological aberration.” The Hills were sincere and badly shaken. Whatever happened, the case shows how a frightening experience can be shaped, by the mind or by something else, into a story about visitors from space.
Test the message
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1 (KJV)
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)
The Christian response isn't paranoia. It is discernment: rule out the ordinary, take sincere witnesses seriously, and judge any “message” that comes with an encounter by whether it agrees with Scripture. The same test applies to any official announcement (see Is UFO disclosure a deception?).
Sources: 2 Corinthians 11:14; Matthew 24:24; 1 John 4:1; Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) · Barney and Betty Hill incident · History.com on the Hill case