UFOs are Demonic! Really?

Is Daniel O'Connor correct about UAP and Satan?

In previous blog posts as well as my book, UFOs—God’s Chariots?, I dissected the demon model for explaining UAP. Under the magnfiying glass, I observed that those who ascribe UFO experiences to demonic deception belong to a fringe group within evangelical Protestantism who defend creationism over against Darwinian evolution. Because the ETI myth presupposes that extraterrestrials have evolved longer than we have and are more advanced in both technology and morality, ETI are allegedly coming to Earth to tempt us to evolve further. To see a UFO, therefore, is to see Satan’s attempt to persuade us to believe in evolution. And the idea of evolution, of course, comes from Satan. In short, this is the demonic argument raised among creationist evangelicals. Here is ufologist Jensine Andresen’s summary evaluation.

“Evangelicals with this view would like people to believe that one must accept the belief that UFOs are demonic because accepting a more scientific explanation—namely that certain UFOs indicate an extraterrestrial presence—is part of the demons’ deceptive tactics. This is a clear example of regressive thinking, yet it is a type of thinking in which many people engage” (Andresen, Hyperconvergenece: Religion, Politics, and UFOs, 2023, 150).

That’s the evangelical demon model we have inherited. What would happen to the demon model should the theory be proffered by a Roman Catholic? Let’s take a look at Daniel O’Conner who does just that.

Daniel O’Conner says UFOs are demonic deception

Daniel O’Conner, an adjunct professor of philosophy and religion at SUNY Community College, believes that demonic forces are responsible for UAP. In his mewly published book, The First and Last Deception: Aliens, UFOs. AI, and the Return of the Eden’s Demise, O’Conner entertains my own celestial savior model for interpreting the UFO phenomenon. No, he does not footnote me. But my feelings are not hurt. Sniff.

In my book, UFOs—God’s Chariots? (Peters, UFOs--God's Chariots? 2014), and elsewhere, I have argued that one prevalent model for interpreting extraterrestrial visitation is the celestial savior model. According to this interpretation, more highly advanced space aliens are coming to Earth to save humanity from self-destruction by either nuclear war or ecocide. The ETI myth at work here is a modern technologized soteriology based upon the biblical story of salvation in which angels are replaced by aliens. The good news is that O’Conner sees the celestial savior model at work in society. Here is O’Conner’s variant.

“The message everywhere was and is the same: ETs will soon provide everything man once sought in vain from almighty God” (O'Connor 2025, Kindle 16).

This should come as good news, right? No. Just the reverse for O’Conner. Our seeking salvation from UFOs descending from the sky constitutes apostacy. Our apostacy is found in our trust in technology – trust in a more highly advanced extraterrestrial technology – to provide “solutions” for human suffering here on Earth. The salvation we ask of our alien visitors is twofold: (1) world peace to replace nuclear war; and (2) ecological balance to ward off climate change and environmental degradation.

“Throughout the 78-year history of Ufology, the ETs (whether through so-called abductions, or channeled revelations, or secret government programs, or even Hollywood films) have always been presented as the solution to whatever the world’s most pressing crisis was thought to be. For most of that Era, the crisis was the prospect of impending nuclear war (though environmental disaster is often thrown in the mix). As we now face more disconcerting prospects of precisely that than ever before, we should be especially on guard against supposed extraterrestrial” solutions” (O'Connor 2025, Kindle 370).

In sum, Satan tempts earthlings to find their salvation not in God but rather in technology. If terrestrial technology fails to deliver salvation, then perhaps extraterrestrial technology can do the job. In both cases, technology becomes an idol.

I partially affirm what O’Conner says

In find a certain level of fitting insight in O’Conner’s analysis. For modern people, the advance in science and technology actually does tempt us to believe salvation is to be found here in human genius. This tempts us to idolatry, because all human achievement is at best ambiguous — that is, technology has potential for both good and evil. Only God can be trusted for genuine eschatological salvation. On this point, I offer a qualified affirmation of O’Conner’s analysis.

Where I demure from the O’Conner argument is that I don’t feel a need to appeal to demonic intervention to explain this idolatrous temptation. Nor do I feel a need to deny the reality of either UAP or the possible existence of ETI.

From the Celestial Savior to the Demonic Destroyer

Our very yearning for ETI salvation is already a demonic deception, says O’Connor. Belief in the existence of advanced alien technology has become a replacement for belief in Jesus Christ. This is just what Satan has ordered.

“The entire charade that is Ufology is built wholly upon one premise which is immediately and starkly self-contradictory, logically bankrupt, and even hypocritical …. Ufologists never seek to ascribe truly supernatural capabilities to these UFOs, as this move would immediately contradict their cause’s entire motivation which is the creation of a secular pseudo-religion …. This fact is supremely important in spiritually discerning the whole ET phenomenon; for in this and many of its other characteristics, it carries a uniquely evil seduction—namely, the suggestion that what was once considered the sovereign domain of God is now known to be within the grasp of alien technology” (O'Connor 2025, Kindle 62,64)

Only Jesus is Lord. UFOs present us with an idolatrous substitute for the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

“At Jesus’ name, every knee must bend ... and every tongue proclaim to the glory of God the Father: JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!” (Philippians 2:10-11)

What I find curious is that O’Conner takes the celestial savior model of UFO interpretation as a scam perpetrated on human consciousness by demonic design. Instead of salvation, ETI will deliver human destruction.

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ETI does not exist! Really?

It is axiomatic for O’Conner that neither ETI (extraterrestrial intelligence) or NHI (nohuman intelligence) either off-Earth or AI (artificial intelligence) on Earth exist in the form of an independent thinking soul. We Homo sapiens alone – with our intelligence – have been gifted with the imago Dei. It follows that if we believe that ETI or NHI exists, then we must be deceived.

“We have seen that the Holy Bible—both in its Old and its New Testaments—teaches us that human beings are the only rational incarnate creatures that exist; it repeatedly rules out alien belief” (O'Connor 2025, Kindle 136).

Or,

“Empirical science, basic logic, dogmatic theology, Sacred Scripture, Catholic Magisterium, Sacred Tradition, and fruits-based-discernment, all repeatedly deliver the same verdict forthrightly and with certainty: aliens do not exist” (O'Connor 2025, Kindle 354).

What does Michael E. Zimmerman say?

Michael E. Zimmerman at the University of Colorado, Boulder, has also read O’Connors work. He’s preparing a review for SUAPS (Society for UAP Studies). Zimmerman critiques O’Connor’s argument here.

“Let us now return to O’Connor’s insistence that the Bible does not allow for the possibility of ETs. He has climbed way out on a limb with this idea. How would he deal with a disclosure event that includes publicly displayed and verified alien corpses, ET spacecraft, and other physical evidence sufficient to persuade most people that aliens are here and real? Presumably he would have to say something to this effect: the whole collection of evidence was manufactured by demons as part of their plan to deceive and thus seduce humankind at the end times. This could be a bridge too far even for many Christians.”

What do other Roman Catholics think about ETI?

Where does Daniel O’Conner fit within Roman Catholic thinking about God’s creatures living on other planets?

There are a number of Roman Catholic intellectuals who find the prospect of sharing God’s creation with space aliens quite comforting. Take Theodore Hesburgh, former President Notre Dame University, for example. Hesburgh once told a NASA consultant, “Catholics can legitimately accept the possibility of life on other planets.”

Today at Notre Dame University, Professor Thomas O’Meara — an astrotheologian — grounds his expectation to meet ETI in his doctrine of the Holy Trinity.

“Interactivity and community are patterns in reality reaching from the Trinity to the families of stars. Possibly there lies ahead in Earth’s future not only the knowledge of individual planets with their societies but also an awareness of galactic communality” (O'Meara 2012, 38-39).

In May of 2014, Pope Francis stated that he would be ready to baptize an alien. Should the alien request baptism, of course. I wonder now what Pope Leo XIV will say?

In brief, Roman Catholic intellectuals are quite open to the prospect of sharing our universe with space neighbors. The demonic theory propounded by O’Conner is a minority if not fringe position within his own communion.

Conclusion

Daniel O’Connor wants to frighten Roman Catholic adherents into re-embracing the sole Lordship of Jesus Christ and to draw all of us away from the temptation to seek salvation in extraterrestrial technology. This is laudable. Yes, belief in technological salvation is a waste of human psychic energy and, yes, the transcendent lordship of Jesus Christ cannot be gainsaid by any technology, terrestrial or extraterrestrial.

Even so, I am not convinced O’Connor’s frightening denunciation is necessary. It is quite possible for Roman Catholics and the rest of us to look for new space neighbors without imagining aliens to have any divine or pseudo-divine attributes. We can certainly welcome ETI into our family of creatures without committing idolatry.

Substack SR 1203. UFO 32. UFOs are Demonic! Really?

Patheos SR 1177 UFO 7. Are UFOs demonic?

Patheos SR 1180 UFO 10. Are UFOs our Celestial Saviors?

Patheos SR 1194, UFO 24. Demons and UAP in the Pentagon

Patheos SR 1195, UFO 25. UAP in the Nation of Islam?

Substack SR 1198, UFO 28. UFOs, UAP, and Science Plus

Substack SR 1199, UFO 29. After the Flying Saucers Came

Patheos SR 1200. UFO 30. K2-18b: New Space Neighbors?

Substack SR 1201. UFO 31. Convergence of AI, NHI, and ETI

Substack SR 1202. UFO 32. UFOs are Politically Dangerous! Really? Is Tony Milligan correct about Disclosurism?

Substack SR 1203 UFO 33. Ufology is a new religion! Really? D.W. Pasulka on UAP as Techno-Religion

Substack SR 1204. UFO 34. UFOs are Demonic! Really? Is Daniel O'Connor correct about UAP and Satan?

Substack SR 1205 UFO 35. UAP disclosurism compromises US national security! Really? The warnings of Jeremy McGowan and Jensine Andresen

Substack SR 1206. UFO 36. Ufology is Corrupt! Really? Skeptic Luis Cayetano uncovers corruption in ufology

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Ted Peters directs traffic at the intersection of science, religion, and ethics. Ted is an emeritus professor at the Graduate Theological Union, where he co-edits the journal, Theology and Science, with Robert John Russell on behalf of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences, in Berkeley, California, USA.

In the field of Ufology, Ted served one stint as Louisiana State Director of Investigations for MUFON. Currently he holds active membership in the Society for UAP Studies and the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies. He is author of UFOs: God's Chariots? Spirituality, Ancient Aliens, and Religious Yearnings in the Age of Extraterrestrials (Career Press New Page Books, 2014).

His theme volume is The Voice of Public Theology, a collection of previous articles. See his website: TedsTimelyTake.com.

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References

Andresen, Jensine. 2023. Hyperconvergenece: Religion, Politics, and UFOs. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/197292604-hyperconvergence

O'Connor, Daniel. 2025. The First and Last Deception: Aliens, UFOs. AI, and the Return of Eden's Demise. New York: St. Joseph's Solutions.

O'Meara, Thomas F. 2012. Vast Universe: Extraterrestrials and Christian Revelation. Collegeville MN: Liturgical Press.

Peters, Ted. 2014. UFOs--God's Chariots? Pompton Plains NJ: New Page Books.