We’ve explored much about alien theories, but now a whole new official cast of characters claims they’ve seen or heard about evidence that They’re Here. And now this common Christian response has become a meme: aliens are just demons. Well, are they? If these creatures exist, are they deceiving us? Or maybe if they fly all this way only to be seen or crash, they’re just kind of stupid? Or perhaps they’re here to teach us a better way? We shall explore a familiar theme in a new fashion: are any aliens liars, lunatics, or lords?

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Episode sponsors

1. Enclave Publishing: Sky of Seven Colors by Rachelle Nelson
   
2. The Lorehaven Guild
   
3. Michelle M. Bruhn: Songflight and Stormdance
   

Concession stand

• This is our latest installment in the ongoing Armies of the Aliens series.
  
• We won’t say your favorite thing re. aliens. Maybe an earlier episode did.
  
• For example, some of this overlaps with end-times fan theories (ep. 80).
  

1. The aliens could be liars—that is, Satanic agents.

• This is perhaps the most common evangelical view (close to Stephen’s).
  
• Plenty of these videos and “eyewitness” accounts are pranks or scams.
  
• But many people who claim closer encounters are messing with spirits.
  
• Some researchers see parallels between aliens/medieval demon visits.
  
• A few people have halted “alien” activity by calling on the name of Jesus.
  
• Alien Intrusion, an older book by Gary Bates, documents some of these.
  

2. The aliens could be lunatics—they make no sense.

• Zack knows more about this, but why travel to Earth in the first place?
  
• We’re not losing precious materials like minerals or natural resources.
  
• Military “hauntings” make little sense without some material motive.
  
• Also, all that technology and their spaceships keep being seen in public?
  
• Crashed spaceships seems even more comical for advanced beings.
  
• If aliens exist, then perhaps they are just as stupid as humans can be.
  

3. The aliens could be lords—spiritually enlightened.

• This is a common notion across all of science fiction, often in 1980s–90s.
  
• Of course we have plenty of Star Trek examples for “incorporeal beings.”
  
• Stephen once glimpsed a TV movie with heroes happily “absorbed.”
  
• After that, aliens went back to being invaders and mysterious forces.
  
• But we wouldn’t be surprised if aliens went back to sex-affirming “lords.”
  
• And with that, we’re right back to the “aliens are demons” idea again.
  

Mission update

• New article this Thursday: Should We Seek the Gospel ‘According To’ Popular Stories?
  
• New review this Friday: Victoria McCombs’s pirate fantasy Savage Bred.
  
• Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild!
  
• There you can join conversations about this Armies of the Aliens series.
  

Com station
Guild heroine Jenny Hasteen said about episode 174:

Excited to listen to this! Let’s face it, most of us homeschoolers were philosophically shaped by Adventures in Odyssey.

Mahina also remarked in the Guild:

It was a really long one but felt too short! I’ve got to go back and listen to Phil’s other episodes. Philosophy never sounded interesting to me but now I’m intrigued

Next on Fantastical Truth

Back here on Earth among us humans, God has called every person to create stuff using his stuff. But as we know, many Christian leaders and churches have gotten busy or really ignorant. They don’t heed our Creator’s call to lead a rich imaginative life for the common good in our world. How can we cultivate this vital mission? Ted Turnau, author of Popologetics and coauthor of The Pop Culture Parent (with Stephen), has a new big book out: Oasis of Imagination: Engaging our World Through a Better Creativity, and a shorter companion, Imagination Manifesto: A Call to Plant Oases of Imagination! Ted will make his Lorehaven debut to help our creative gardens flourish.