UFO religions are religious groups that deal with alleged communication between humans and extraterrestrial beings. Some adherents of UFO religions believe that the arrival or rediscovery of alien civilizations, technologies, and spirituality will enable humans to overcome current ecological, spiritual, and social problems. Issues such as hatred, war, bigotry, poverty and so on are said to be resolvable through the use of superior alien technology and spiritual abilities. Such belief systems are also described as millenarian in their outlook. Alien abduction belief can lead to formation of a UFO religion. UFO religions originated with Theosophy, and many UFO religions still have many of the key points associated with Theosophy, such as belief in the same Spiritual Hierarchy. UFO religions can also be comparable to New Age thought. Scholars identify the 1947 Roswell incident as a key event within the history of UFO spirituality.
"I AM" Activity, founded in 1930 by Guy Ballard, is seen, according to one author, as the first UFO Religion, though the Aetherius Society founded by George King has also been given this distinction. Heaven's Gate and Order of the Solar Temple, which both committed mass suicides, are seen as the most controversial of the UFO belief groups. Scientology is seen by scholars as a UFO religion, due to its Xenu cosmogony and the usage of space opera in Scientology doctrine.
List
Image Name Founder FoundedFounding country Aetherius Society George King 1955 Antrovis Edward Mielnik 1980s Ashtar Galactic Command Thelma B. Terrill 1977Association of Sananda and Sanat KumaraDorothy Martin1965Armageddon Time Ark BaseOrville Nodrog1966Blue Rose MinistryRobert E. Short1960sCassiopaean ExperimentLaura Knight Jadczyk and Arkadiusz JadczykCEIRUSJean Miguères1987 Chen Tao Hon-ming Chen 1993Chino's True LawChino Yuko1977Christ BrotherhoodWallace C. Halsey1956Church Universal and TriumphantMark L. Prophet1958Comunidade FigueiraJosé Trigueirinho Neto1980s Cosmic Circle of Fellowship William R. Ferguson 1955Cosmic Star TempleViolet Gilbert1960Cosmon Research FoundationGloria Lee1959Delval UFO, Inc.Anthony Volpe and Lynn Volpe1972École de la préparation à l'évacuation extraterrestreJeanine DerelExtraterrestrial Earth MissionSavizar and Silarra1986 Falun GongLi Hongzhi1992 Fiat Lux Erika Bertschinger Eike 1980Freie Interessengemeinschaft für Grenz- und Geisteswissenschaften und UfologiestudienBilly Meier1970sGeorge Adamski FoundationAlice Wells and Charlotte Blob1965God Light AssociationShinji Takahashi1969 Ground Crew Project Sheldon Nidle 1980sThe Ground CrewValerie Donner1996Happy ScienceRyuho Okawa1986Heaven's Gate Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles 1970sInternational Get Acquainted ProgramH.C. Petersen1965"I AM" ActivityGuy Ballard1930sInterplanetary ConnectionsDarryl Anka1980s Industrial Church of the New World Comforter Allen Michael 1973Last Day MessengersDave W. Bent1950s Mark-Age Charles Boyd Gentzel and Pauline Sharpe 1962Ministry of Universal WisdomGeorge Van Tassel1962 Nation of Islam Wallace Fard Muhammad 1930Néo-PhareArnaud Mussy2001Nibiruan CouncilJelaila Starr1997Nuwaubian Nation Dwight York 1970s Order of the Solar Temple Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret 1984Projeto AlvoradaFerreira Neto1982Projeto Portal2000 Raëlism Raël 1974Rational CultureManoel Jacintho Coelho1935Religion of Eternal Life Holy Society of GodCho Hui-song1981Sanctuary of ThoughtTruman Bethurum1950sScience Research CenterHalûk Sarıkaya1978 Scientology L. Ron Hubbard 1952The SeekersCharles Laughead and Dorothy Martin1953Share International Benjamin Creme1970sSiderellaJean-Paul Appel1966Solar Light RetreatMarianne Francis1960sStar Light FellowshipSterling Warren and Jackie Altisi1962SunburstNorman Paulsen1969 Unarius Academy of Science Ernest Norman and Ruth Norman 1954Universariun FoundationZelrun Karsleigh and Daisy Karsleigh1958 Universe People Ivo A. Benda 1997Universe Society ChurchHal Wilcox 1951 Urantia movement Based on a book of unknown authorship; spawned a loosely organized series of many groups 1924 at the earliest and 1955 at the latestValley of the DawnNeiva Chaves Zelaya1960sWhite StarDoris C. LeVesque1957World Brotherhood UnionBülent Çorak1980sWorld UnderstandingDaniel Fry1955
See also
List of new religious movements List of ufologists List of UFO organizations
References
Works cited