We shall endeavor to show that, historically, it is simply the imprecise translation of the biblical texts, guided more by religious bias than by sound linguistic scholarship, that is responsible for the perpetual, unenlightened recitation of many familiar Bible stories having a clearly discernible extraterrestrial context. With a modern perspective on Bible translation, a paradigm shift relative to many assumptions pertaining to human history, the sciences, world religion, and the Judeo-Christian faith in particular, could give rise to a whole new theological dynamic.

Because of the degree of uncertainty and discomfiture that has always existed in religious and academic circles with regard to biblical translation, students should carefully and critically examine, with analytical objectivity, the non-traditional interpretations of Bible scripture presented in this treatise. Thoughtful, or prayerful, consideration of this work may indeed serve to reinforce one's spiritual faith even while holding many traditional interpretations of scripture in tension.

Though not representative of institutional biblical scholarship, this body of work contains well over two hundred scriptural excerpts and references and is currently the most thorough biblical exegesis on the subject ever offered to lay Bible students and the general public. Readers may also be reassured that considerable care has been taken to present the subject in a simple, straightforward and easily accessible style uncluttered by unscholarly, far-flung speculation.

Researchers, commentators and sci-fi writers in the ancient astronauts genre have used familiar Bible stories in numerous books, television documentaries and even feature films. Today, there is also a growing number of public personalities and self-appointed new age prophets who use the Bible and UFO's as the backdrop to promote some personal or cultic agenda. This is especially common with regard to eschatology, the study of apocalyptic Bible prophecy. While public notoriety has increased in recent years for such vocal commentators and authors, provoking lively debate within religious and secular circles alike, sound theological scholarship that addresses the Hebrew extraterrestrial worldview presented in the Bible, the subject of this present work, has been minimal.

At the time of this writing, the only acknowledged theological scholar, lecturer and clergyman who has dared to put his respectable credentials and reputation on the line is Dr. Barry Downing, author of The Bible and Flying Saucers, a bold book written in the sixties that pioneered scholarly exegesis of Bible scripture on this controversial subject. Sadly, the neglect of such an important area of study not only inhibits the advancement of Bible theology but also has serious implications for world history, the sciences and modern UFO research.

Allowing that there are a few high-profile writers, preachers and talk-show personalities within the larger Christian community who occasionally weigh in on the UFO/ET discussion, there remains a unique problem with respect to most commentary coming from religious fundamentalists, that being an unstudied lack of familiarity with the extraterrestrial theology of the Bible. In the absence of good scholarship in this domain, we have recently begun to see a religious sophistry of alarmism that characterizes all UFO's and their occupants as “demonic.” As one studies the Hebrew record more closely, however, one is delighted to discover a bounty of historical evidence of extraterrestrial contact that is not as frightening as it is enlightening.

Although this evidence bears great significance for Judeo-Christian religious belief as well as modern UFO research, it has been obscured from full view by a biblical translation process that has subjected the texts to the arcane interpretations of religious clerics not exactly reputed for intellectual tolerance. Early in Christian literary history, the sky gods of antiquity were dethroned by the Bible's transcribers whose minds were closed to the wonders of a vast living cosmos that space technology has brought to the modern era. A theological mythos that places Earth at the center of the universe and humankind as God's primary concern was thus crafted by scientifically unenlightened religious men with a myopic view of the biblical literature that has left an imprint on theology to this day.

This is not intended as a broad indictment of institutional Bible scholars who are, after all, strictly accountable to the consumers of traditional biblical curricula who demand that the most widely accepted religious interpretations be applied to the translations. Historically, whenever Bible scholars have dared to more accurately translate a scripture here or there, they have often been met with such hostility and resistance to any literary tinkering with the holy writ that they are understandably reluctant to venture far from the safe harbor of orthodoxy. Despite four centuries of archeological discovery and improved translation of ancient texts and codices, the c.1611 King James English Bible version is still regarded as sacrosanct by millions worldwide, defying numerous attempts at revision and refinement.

One of the greatest tragedies of this centuries-old translation bias is that the reality of the Hebrew writers' extraordinary interrelationship with their extraterrestrial “gods”—a resplendent central theme of the biblical texts—has been all but lost. Meanwhile Christian ecumenism has devolved into a highly competitive and materialistic church culture, steeped in institutional mediocrity.

The humanistic pop-myth religion being professionally marketed to today's fast food consumer bears little resemblance to the extraterrestrial theology communicated so simply by the writers of the Bible. Indeed, there has never been a point in history that has seen more Bible-based institutional religion, or “churchism,” practiced with such disregard for this most fundamental biblical precept. In this new age of enlightenment, the very idea that the Bible, correctly translated, is a repository of amazing first-hand reports of extraterrestrial contact may seem preposterous to modern “churchists” simply because it hasn't been taught that way in Sunday School.

Taken in its entirety, the Bible may be the most complete and trustworthy historical account of extraterrestrial contact ever recorded. The problem one encounters in attempting to decipher the available biblical literature and expose the ancient Hebrew worldview is that, with respect to many technical word translation rules and contextual accuracy, the English Bible is something of a mess. This criticism, while perhaps fair in a general way, should be properly viewed in relation to the subject matter at hand and not with regard to the extensive body of work pertaining to all biblical scholarship. After all, regardless of any flaws of translation, the Bible is still one of the most reliable literary works extant pertaining to historical extraterrestrial contact in addition to its value as the primary moral and spiritual source of wisdom for billions the world over.

There are many learned scholars out there who certainly could provide a better academic analysis that accurately reflects the Hebrew writers experience with extraterrestrials, but for the present we must work with the resources we have. By attempting to more accurately transliterate the available biblical texts we hope to develop a baseline reference methodology that will enable one to correctly differentiate between and understand the various cosmological beliefs and extraterrestrial persona represented in the texts. We are thus attempting to lay the foundation for a reasonable extraterrestrial worldview that is both scientifically and theologically sound while being easy to grasp for the average reader.

While this treatise is considerate of Christianity's regard for a proper literary exegesis of the Hebrew and Greek Bible texts, it relies entirely on the most widely available biblical reference sources found in any Christian bookstore or library. Only the most common English Bible translations have been used (KJV, NIV, NASB, Phillips New Testament, etc.) and are quoted randomly without annotation simply out of personal preference, the intent being to provide the most easy-to-grasp and contextually accurate rendering of a given passage.

The familiar apocrypha and other “fringe” works have been purposely ignored in this treatise in order to remain focused on the authorized Bible texts, hopefully avoiding the accompanying controversies often associated with extraneous manuscripts. Anyone having access to a common English version of the Bible, a Concordance and a Hebrew/Chaldean and Greek Bible Dictionary will have no trouble confirming the accuracy of any alternative translations offered or their relative context.

Without apologies to Jewish and secular scholars, it is understandable that in presenting a Bible commentary that includes and values the New Testament it may appear that this work targets a largely Christian readership in some narrow way. However, this treatise may just as well stir a lively discussion and provoke further scholarly work within many scientific and theological circles. Perhaps even more important from a larger perspective, it may provide some fresh mortar for the foundation upon which each of us can build a sound extraterrestrial worldview that connects us to a common ancestral source as we consider the authentic religion of the Bible.

The closer we look at exactly what the ancient Hebrew scribes actually have to say about their extraterrestrial encounters, the more we are compelled to re-examine the identity, nature and intentions of these marvelous celestial beings and “He” whom we call “God”. Ironically, it may ultimately be demonstrated one day that it was through humankind's belief in God that science was finally able to adequately explained the UFO phenomenon, discovered the true origin and history of our species, and unraveled many of the greatest mysteries of the universe.

The reader is not being asked to abandon his or her religious beliefs in order to make the paradigm shift referred to. One must simply be willing “to boldly go where no one has gone before” on a short biblical journey into humankind's mysterious ancestral past when primitive men, perhaps wiser than we, consorted with mighty gods who rode across the heavens “on the wings of angels.” As we embark upon this voyage of discovery, may we not fear the unknown but desire it as we gaze out into the vast ocean of stars, comforted in the knowledge that faith is not negated by truth, it is deepened.

The Hebrew scriptures inform us in innocently simplistic terms that we uniquely endowed human beings are a genetically engineered species—the special children of alien parentage. We have been watched, protected, directed and corrected in our development throughout the ages as, quite suddenly, we became the planet's dominant life form, subduing and exploiting the entire biosphere for ourselves. Yet, unlike all other life forms native to our Edenic blue planet, it has forever been the driving ambition of the “human alien” to depart terra-firma, as if we were somehow genetically predisposed to freely roam Earth's heavenly canopy and beyond.

As the Bible, and virtually every other record from the ancient world, boldly asserts with unfeigned certainty, we humans are the descendents of a vast citizenry of extraterrestrial beings, the sky gods of both primitive legend and modern religion, genetically seeded here long ago in Earth's distant past. Were this an accepted truth, then perhaps credible UFO sightings and encounters with otherworldly beings reported throughout history until this very day, might be viewed with scientific objectivity as actual contact with our extraterrestrial cousins who, always and already, have established up-close and personal contact with human beings.

The Bible manuscripts clearly show us that the Hebrew scribes firmly believed in the personal accounts of extraterrestrial contact reported since the dawn of human civilization, inspiring their most sacred religious traditions pertaining to “God(s)” and other off-world beings. But it is only due to our very recent exploration of outer space that we now possess the scientific rationale that permits re-evaluation of the primitive sky god religion of our ancestors. We need only apply a reasonable literary interpretation of the Hebrew record that is both simple and logical while employing a modern cosmological perspective denied to us prior to the birth of aeronautic technology a mere century ago.

As we enter the new millennium, a certain degree of fear, anxiety and confusion exists concerning the dramatic rise in UFO sightings and reports of alien abductions. Some urgency would appear to be warranted, should such activity portend an open public contact event with an advanced extraterrestrial race, especially in religious circles. Developing a Cosmic Theology paradigm that is sensible to both religious and secular scholars would seem to be an appropriate launching point for further enlightened discussion and preparation.

It is true that wherever we find preferred traditions and entrenched dogma held in tension with new discovery and scholarly enlightenment, controversy inevitably arises. Nevertheless, as we search for a better understanding of ourselves and our universe we must be willing to allow many of our long-cherished assumptions to wander off to graze with other sacred cows of the past, long abandoned to childhood memory, and begin to replace yesterday's church-speak with a more accurate, contemporary communication of theological concepts. Unbiased intelligent inquiry and honest scholarship must begin to sort things out so that a new, scientifically credible and biblically authentic cosmic theology can emerge.

Presented in the Bible are a range of theological concepts, religious laws and rituals, divine commandments and chastisements, poetry and song, and numerous prophecies subject to endless interpretation and debate. Predominately depicted, however, is the early Hebrew people's interaction with otherworldly or extraterrestrial beings from an historical perspective, including first-hand accounts of direct personal contact, both physical and telepathic.

While contact with extraterrestrial beings may have been commonplace in the religious culture of the Hebrews and other peoples of the ancient world, and therefore thematic in their scripture, the church culture of the modern era embraces a more sanitized view with respect to personal contact. Admittedly, there are widely differing beliefs relative to communication or interaction with divine and evil extraterrestrial persona within the Judeo-Christian religion (subjective personal experience with “charismata” is also widely encouraged) but, for the most part, “contact” is limited to prayer and spiritual feelings of a divine or evil presence.

Since it is commonly believed that the Bible is mute on the subject of inhabitants of other worlds, or “spacemen”, who possess interstellar flight technology, discourse pertaining to UFOs and extraterrestrials is not normative within fundamentalist religious circles. Absent something like the cosmic theology paradigm presented herein, theologians and the clergy are ill-equipped to adequately address the subject and, as we have observed throughout history, new ideas that lie outside the boundaries of doctrinal orthodoxy are all too often hastily decried as the work of the devil.

If widespread UFO encounters are not to be quickly dismissed as a mass hallucination or the product of some form of mental impairment, they are usually regarded, theologically, as an encounter with divinity, angels, demons, evil spirits, “Satan”, or some form of spiritual manifestation, holy or evil. Such religious mystery and guesswork as this, supported by fuzzy theology, appears intellectually risky for anyone seeking a straight answer. Thus, much confusion and an awkward uneasiness attends most religious discussion pertaining to UFO/ET encounters.

It was not, however, the Bible's authors who originated the confusion. Indeed, the Hebrew record is very consistent and quite plain in its presentation of a sound theological construct, one that is particularly relevant to our own time, which teaches that there are real, physical, very powerful and highly advanced extraterrestrial beings who have made and continue to make contact and interact in various ways with human beings. In unquieted contradiction to the traditional worldview taught in most churches today, the distant voices of our biblical ancestors tell of a vast race of beings (or “gods”) who came from outer space and directly impacted their lives.

Such tales have entertained and mystified mankind from generation to generation while providing colorful religious subject matter. Yet, until the modern era, a literal interpretation of such stories has eluded Bible scholars in the absence of relevant technology. Reasoning men have thus tended to dismiss ancient stories of sky gods as the mythological personification of natural forces and human moods, or else simply diffuse these marvelous beings into spirits or forces relegated to some other dimension where they are perhaps more easily managed.

From a twenty-first century perspective, however, it is no longer rational to regard the theory that describes our genetic link to an extraterrestrial civilization more advanced than our own as science fiction or religious myth. In light of our expanding knowledge of the universe, genetic science, space flight technology and close encounters with UFOs, we simply must get beyond the problem of literary correctness with respect to the traditional biblical translations.

While translation problems are well known among scholars, for the sake of lay Bible students a simple re-translation technique using modern terminology is clearly called for that more accurately expresses the cosmological worldview conveyed by the Hebrew writers. We shall, therefore, observe the practice of using the most literal definitions for key Hebrew or Greek words to provide a more accurate rendering. As we shall see, this approach is necessary in order to do justice to the language and embrace the most obvious meaning of the biblical texts we will examine.

The reader is also encouraged to take a step back in time and frame the texts within their proper historical, cultural and technological context in order to better appreciate the Hebrew writers' simplicity of thought and expression. Realizing that simple answers often resist complex questions, it is hoped that both theological and secular scholars alike will not quickly dismiss the simple interpretation of a text presented merely out of sentimental preference for the more thoroughly developed traditions.

Let us begin with our use of the noun extraterrestrial, a familiar term widely used in popular culture that is understood to refer to intelligent beings from beyond Earth. It is, therefore, an acceptable contemporary term that can be easily applied to the Hebrew God, gods, angels, devils, and spirits, portrayed in the Bible as having their origin and abode above or beyond our world. But, if beyond this world, where?

The Old Testament (OT) Hebrew word shamayim and the New Testament (NT) Greek ouranos (after the Greek sky god) are almost always rendered “heaven” in the English Bible translations, some 700 times. A term burdened with misconceived religious sentiment, heaven, literally defined, has little or nothing to do with any of the popular doctrinal themes pertaining to an after-life experience, realm or condition. Even the most cursory research of off-the-shelf reference sources reveals that heaven is not synonymous with “paradise” (a park or garden), “glory” (radiance or bright light), or John's vision of a Holy City (streets of gold, pearly gates, etc.) described as “coming down out of heaven” (see Rev 21).

Accurately defining the word heaven throughout the biblical texts is a simple matter. Both the Hebrew word shamayim and the Greek ouranos are correctly translated in English as sky, outer space, cosmos or universe and should be so rendered wherever the word heaven(s) appears in order to avoid any unintended or ambiguous inferences. In so doing, we are brought instantly to grasp the true meaning of a given passage wherein the writer's use of these words in his own language was intended to communicate the observation of something, or someone, extraterrestrial.

Communicating the extraterrestrial theology of the Hebrew record has been exacerbated, until now, by the repetition of traditional Heaven and Hell terminology throughout the English Bible translations, regardless of any differences in definition and context. Yet, try as we may to clarify such important word translations, traditional after-life mythology has become so cherished and enduring from ancient times until now that strong emotional fortresses will surely continue to oppose the authentic cosmological worldview presented in the Bible.

Both popular culture and religion alike have successfully persuaded the masses that immortality, abundant pleasure and freedom from disease and all worldly care awaits the worthy soul on the other side of death where one is reunited with deceased loved ones in a heavenly paradise. Variations on a simplistic heaven theme have been preached from church pulpits and marketed to the consumers of pop-culture literature and film for so long that, regardless of religious persuasion, one naturally attributes such a concept to the Bible.

Heavenly fiction, limited only by one's imagination and materialistic fantasy, is routinely sold in the marketplace of institutional religion as a kind of afterlife insurance policy with an escape hell clause. Admittance to this mystical wonderland in the “great by-and-by” may have a strict “Members Only” policy according to various and sundry religious edicts, but with so many fanciful beliefs and religious teachings having little or no doctrinal consensus, believers are allowed considerable latitude to choose whatever depiction of an afterlife reward that personally suits them. Who among us hasn't seen heaven depicted as having bejeweled gates, streets paved with gold and stately mansions attended by vestal virgins and plump, winged infants?

It is also commonly believed that the Bible teaches that all good people go straight to heaven immediately at the point of mortal death. While this belief has become a well-established tradition, it is in direct contradiction to the distinctive Hebrew doctrine of the collective Resurrection of the Dead at the end of the ages, taught in both the OT and NT, as well as the doctrine of salvation reserved in eternity exclusively for faithful devotees of Yeshua Messiah (or “Jesus Christ”).

Replacing the archaic rendering “heaven” with a more accurate Hebrew-English and Greek-English translation is essential to understanding the extraterrestrial theological paradigm, or the cosmic quality of biblical theology, by very definition. Inasmuch as the ponderously burdensome word heaven has become so immortalized and directly impacts our analysis of other texts, the following sample passages of scripture are offered to clarify the authentic cosmological worldview of the Hebrew writers.

[Note: The words shamayim and ouranos are included in parenthesis to demonstrate the consistent, contextual reference to the sky and/or outer space. No other meaning is implied by the texts.]

In the following passages from the OT, selected from among hundreds, we see how a correct translation of shamayim reveals the true origin and habitat of the Bible's extraterrestrials. The NT also contains hundreds of such mistranslation examples (indeed the kingdom of heaven—or cosmic empire—is one of the key features of the gospel as taught by Yeshua). But for now we shall concentrate on the OT that forms the foundation for early Christian beliefs relative to this ancient Hebrew theological view. With the Hebrew shamayim accurately re-translated, the Bible's cosmic theology becomes quite evident while the unique literary quality of the texts is also, arguably, adequately maintained.

A reasonable case can and should be made for scholarly restraint in the use of the word heaven inasmuch as it is so ill–defined as to be misleading and open to subjective interpretation. It is a rarely used term in conversational and written English when speaking of the sky or outer space, and could be easily replaced in our modern lexicon with more accurately translated and unambiguous words. This can be done without the slightest harm to the biblical texts, allowing for a few rare exceptions such as “the heavens” in certain poetic passages that are not likely to be misleading.

Perhaps most importantly, heaven should cease to be incorrectly associated with primitive, after-life doctrinal themes that are unsupported by an unbiased analysis of the texts in which the word appears. By using simple, universally understood, modern terminology in translation, coupled with a fresh and contextually accurate exegesis of scripture, the Bible's cosmic theology becomes readily apparent, revealing mankind's historic connection to a vast and wondrous universe populated by the most extraordinary beings.

The lengths to which Bible translators are apparently willing to go to preserve and perpetuate the traditional rendering “God” is apparent in the official definition given in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, a primary biblical reference source for Christians. It states: “the Hebrew national god Yahweh is pronounced by Jews as elohim in order to prevent the repetition of the same sound, since elsewhere they pronounce [Yahweh] as [Adonay]—God” – Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary, ref. no. 3069. Yet, it is a simple fact of Hebrew linguistics that these three words, spelled differently, have their own distinctive pronunciation (or “sound”) in addition to having altogether different meanings.

Such a strange and blatantly incorrect comment in the revered Strong's Concordance stands as an extraordinary example of the failure of biblical scholarship to confront with literary honesty such traditions that have gained firm root in the English Bible translations over time. It should not come unexpectedly either to find that discrepancy and error, relative to a range of theological concepts, permeates all common biblical reference and commentary literature insomuch as such material has been built upon the same foundation of flawed translation scholarship. Bible students are therefore forced to grapple with traditional biblical literature, closely comparing the Hebrew and Greek texts to the English translations, in order to fully grasp the authentic Hebrew worldview relative to extraterrestrial deity and other theological concepts.

The principal deity of the Bible who reigns supreme over the Hebrew nation, called by the name “Yahweh,” (and so on throughout this treatise), was personally introduced to the Exodus Jews by Moses at Mount Sinai. He became known to the people by the sacred name spelled with the Hebrew letters YHWH. Over time, vowels were added to this mysterious Tetragrammaton to form “YaHWeH” (alternately “YeHoViH”) which, by the twelfth century AD, evolved to “JeHoVaH” or Jehovah, the most common English rendering of the name besides Yahweh. Time would not permit a presentation of the various controversial theories and esoterica surrounding the Holy Name of the Hebrew national god, but his identification in the texts is important and should not be ignored.

Despite numerous explicit commandments regarding the importance of recording and honoring this distinctive name, and its appearance in the Hebrew texts more than 6,400 times, it is rendered simply as Lord, Lord God, or Sovereign Lord in most versions of the English Bible, a practice said to be upholding a “tradition of reverence” for the name Yahweh by, oddly, avoiding its use entirely in the biblical texts and in common speech. Thus, the personal identity of the “Almighty God” of the biblical religion has been displaced and obfuscated through the arbitrary substitution of vague monotheistic terminology in the texts. Not to put too fine a point on the subject, but one might well speculate how strange the biblical texts would read if the same standard were applied to the Bible's other principle characters and translators simply substituted “man” or “woman” for their proper given names.

The other frequently used Hebrew term of great respect for the authority of Yahweh is the word adon or Adonai (emphatic), approximating the English title Master or Lord. In addition to its usage in reference to Yahweh and also his highly revered emissaries, this title of respect was an accepted reference and formal address for a human authority figure, according to Hebrew culture of biblical times. Adonai (alt. Adonay) is, however, most frequently associated with Yahweh, either by direct attachment to his name or by contextual reference in order to identify him as the extraterrestrial Lord of the Hebrew nation and accord him supremacy above all other gods.

Many otherwise literate Bible students may be unaware that the Hebrew writers of the Bible believed in and taught the existence of a vast race of extraterrestrial gods whom they called the elohim (pron. ello-heem). First, to correct a very common misconception, elohim is neither the proper name nor an exclusive designation for the principle Hebrew god, Yahweh. While this distinctive plural noun is well known by scholars to be correctly translated “mighty ones” and is found throughout the Hebrew texts some 2,570 times, it has been consistently translated as “God,” singular proper noun, in all but a few instances where it is arbitrarily rendered gods, angels, sons of God, and (rarely) mighty ones.

It should be emphasized that elohim is a term used by the Hebrew writers regardless of whether the particular beings referred to are seen as benevolent or malevolent, and also for specific pagan gods (see Jdg 2:11-13; Jdg 10:6; I Kgs 11:33; II Kgs 1:2). It is also the very same word used in reference to all of the unnamed “strange” and “alien” gods, as well as the numerous named gods, found throughout biblical texts, the worship of whom was strictly forbidden. Such gods are frequently associated with carved or molten idols and outlawed religious practices including animal and human ritual sacrifice, and are also portrayed in several passages as living, active, extraterrestrial beings as in “new gods [elohim] who came recently whom your fathers did not dread” (Deu 32:16-17) and inferred from numerous references to certain miscreants who followed after various gods (elohim) “to serve them.” The important point being that the plurality of extraterrestrial elohim (or gods, high and low) identified throughout the Bible reveals the authentic theological perspective of the original Hebrew writers.

Thus, in ancient Hebrew thought, besides Lord Yahweh, multiple gods referred to in the Bible (e.g. Baal-zebub, Dagon, the goddess Ashtoreth, angels Gabriel and Michael, and also the one commonly called the devil or Satan) were all considered elohim, whether divine or evil. Basic research of common reference sources will reveal this suppressed Bible fact. To further clarify the correctness of the diverse and plural usage of elohim, the singular form of the word is eloah (rarely used), or simply el, most often used conjunctively to form compound words and names that denote divine power or might (e.g. elshaddai, Israel, Bethel, etc.).

The only permissible usage of elohim as a singular noun, despite its plural word form or the absence of a grammatically proper adverb or preposition, is when elohim is definitively identified, by name or designation, with the principle elohim authority figure, Lord Yahweh. In such cases this usage may be viewed as both a personal and racial identification in the same way that an extraterrestrial might introduce the former English Monarch as Humankind's King James, or simply James, Humankind. Thus also do the biblical texts alternately refer to the Hebrew god as Adonai Yahweh, Yahweh-Elohim, or Elohim Adonai (i.e. Lord Yahweh, Yahweh of the Elohim, and Elohim Lord, respectively).

Unfortunately, until such time as biblical translation is addressed with more forthright scholarship, we are forced to deal with such definition problems through independent research of the translations using the most common reference sources available. Allowing that there are minor differences among the various English translations, as a general rule of thumb, then, whenever “God” is found in the biblical texts we may safely read elohim, or mighty ones, always plural except where directly identified with Lord Yahweh or another named deity. Likewise, the title Lord God or Sovereign Lord should be rendered Yahweh, the supreme ruler of the vast cosmic empire of the elohim, in every instance. In the following examples, a correct re-translation of the words God, Lord, Lord God, and heaven, reveals the literal meaning of the texts.

Exodus does record that other Hebrew elders besides Moses were selectively permitted to ascend Mount Sinai for an audience with Yahweh. The general impression one gets from this series of meetings is that Yahweh was identified as the chief Creator God and supreme authority figure among the elohim, that he instituted the new biblical religion of the Jews with strict moral laws and complex religious rites and observances, and that he possessed extraordinary extraterrestrial powers and characteristics but was seen as human-like in form and appearance; otherwise we should expect the texts to describe him differently.

With the advent of modern astronomy, Copernicus and Galileo shook many of the religious beliefs of the Greek influenced Christian world relative to the universe. During the reformation, the biblical worldview rebounded for a time, thanks to such brave thinkers as Sir Isaac Newton, one committed as much to theology as science who believed in both the Hebraic doctrine of a bodily resurrection of the human dead at the end of the ages and anthropomorphic angels having a cosmic residence.

Then, from the art and literature of the Renaissance until today we see the emergence of a kind of childlike mythology that has gained cultural popularity where angels are depicted as super-humans with bird wings and brilliant halos gracefully frolicking in the clouds, strumming golden harps. Such fanciful notions contrast sharply with the Bible's portrayal of angels as extraterrestrial elohim. While “wings” certainly can have a symbolic relevance to space flight, the depiction of biblical angels as bird-like creatures, or in some other fantastic spiritual form, is erroneous and misleading from a biblical perspective.

The English word angel, translated from the NT Greek aggellos or the OT Hebrew malak, meaning “one sent”, as in a messenger or emissary, whether human or extraterrestrial, most often refers to a mighty elohim emissary of Yahweh in the Bible texts. However, in some texts elohim has been rendered as “angel” which, while technically a mistranslation, does represent the correct Hebrew worldview relative to angels as being among the elohim kind. An angel, then, is simply the biblical term used to describe an extraterrestrial elohim emissary on a mission, sent to Earth from another world, realm, or station somewhere in the cosmos.

The Hebrew scribes primarily recorded their contact with extraterrestrial anthropomorphic gods and angels (the elohim), not disembodied spirit-entities. Whenever a rare biblical passage does use the term “spirit” to describe an angel, it need not be viewed as a significant departure from the greater body of texts that describe them in anthropomorphic terms. To a simple people, such elusive beings who fly through the cosmic realm may indeed have seemed like supernatural spirits that were ever present, whether coming from the sky or perceived psycho-spiritually, while seldom seen “in the flesh”.

There is an intrinsic problem embedded in the biblical translations that confounds the authentic Hebrew worldview concerning all things spiritual that is worth noting. The frequent, random, and arbitrarily interchangeable terms “soul” and “spirit” creates a unique interpretive challenge for Bible students. It would be a daunting task to sort out all of the confusion created by such misunderstood terminology since traditional spiritual beliefs stubbornly prevails over accuracy of translation, regardless. We should observe, however, that the Hebrew authors did not originate many of the spiritual concepts common to the Judeo-Christian religious culture although the abundance of spiritualistic terminology in the English Bible translations naturally leads one to assume so.

The term “soul” (Heb. nephesh and Gr. psuche) is correctly translated as a living-breathing creature of any species. In other words, a fish, a pig, a cockroach, and a human being can be said to have a soul (i.e. biological life) in the most literal sense, from a true biblical perspective. Yet, as an embarrassing example of dishonesty in translation, these two distinctive words that are arbitrarily rendered “soul” throughout the Bible are only correctly translated life or living creature in certain texts where the rendering “soul” might result in theological controversy (e.g. Gen 2:7, Pro 12:10, Mat 16:25, Rev 8:9).

The word “spirit” (noun or pronoun) comes from the Hebrew ruach or the Greek pneuma. Both words are literally defined as wind (broadly) and, by extension, the indwelling breath or act of breathing air. Nowhere in the Bible texts do we find “soul” represented as the disembodied “spirit” of a human being or any creature. The literal definition of ruach or pneuma does not, however, disallow a broader interpretation of a text in which the word “spirit” appears since a writer may occasionally use the words figuratively, the immediate and broader context being the primary rule guiding a correct interpretive transliteration.

It is merely a translation bias that reinforces spiritual mysticism that accounts for much of the confusion and doctrinal controversy surrounding the interpretation of many Bible texts. One of the unfortunate results of over spiritualizing the biblical texts is that almost any point of view can be subjectively argued using the same, frequently mystifying, passages of scripture that refer to things spiritual. With a more literal and non-mystical interpretation of the texts, applying the extraterrestrial paradigm, many former conflicts over difficult spiritual concepts and doctrinal issues are easily laid to rest.

Religion, the occult, and popular culture is rife with subjective experience regarding the paranormal and sightings or contact with various angelic beings, ghosts, spirit guides, aliens, poltergeists and assorted hobgoblins. The Hebrew biblical texts, however, warns that any focused effort to contact the dead or otherworldly beings that involves witchcraft, necromancy, angel worship, sorcery, conjuring, or channeling of various entities, and idolatry in any form, is potentially dangerous and strictly forbidden. Any references to spiritism or occult practices in the biblical texts are therefore either purely anecdotal or are presented in a negative way.

It would be a serious error in judgment to presume that all angels are inherently guided by the purest virtues with the best of intentions toward humankind. At least from the ancient Hebrew perspective, such is not the case. Elohim angels and gods are broadly represented throughout the texts and seem to differ as much in character, motives and activities, high and low, as do human beings. Adversarial elohim are also mentioned throughout the Bible, including “Satan” who is said to appear as a radiant angel (see II Cor 11:14). As one begins to grasp the ancient Hebrew worldview relative to the vast diversity of extraterrestrial “mighty ones” and the cosmic conflict being waged among them, such warnings take on an ominous tone (see chapter entitled “Star Wars”).

Historically, Jews and Christians have shared some of the non-biblical mythology and religious beliefs of the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks and many other cultures with whom they have lived or were subject to, and so refer to various gods and mythical creatures, often depicted in the art and literature of the ancient world as having some unusual human, animal, reptilian, or hybrid form, throughout the biblical texts. However, elohim “angels” sent by Yahweh, while sometimes unique enough in appearance to be easily recognized by the contactee (e.g. Jdg 13:6; Dan 10:5,6; Mat 28:3; Luk 24:4), are always described as human-like extraterrestrial beings, or spacemen, who can even pass unnoticed as an average-looking person (see Heb 13:2).

There are, however, a few references to extraterrestrial entities under Yahweh's direct command and control that are described much differently, such as those called “cherubim” and “seraphim”. Although commonly depicted as plump, infant-like winged beings in religious art, a cherub (pron. keroob) is an ancient Chaldean word of unknown derivation that is never defined as an angelic being anywhere in the Bible, yet is associated with flight. Only Ezekiel (Ch. 10) definitively identifies a cherub as the incredible spacecraft he encountered by the Chebar River in the opening chapter of his prophecy (see next chapter). An unbiased analysis of all other texts pertaining to cherubim indicates that this is most likely some type of exotic spacecraft, perhaps distinct in appearance from other common UFO shapes (ref. Gen 3:24; Exo 37:1-7; II Sam 22:11; I Kin 6:23-28; I Chr 28:18; Psa 18:10; Eze Ch.1 &10).

The Bible makes two references to the seraphim, a unique word rendered from the Hebrew seraph, meaning “on fire”. Elsewhere though, it has been translated as “fiery flying serpent”. Though not described in any detail, these seraphim are also associated with flight and may be an entirely different class of being (i.e. not identical to the humanlike elohim), or could represent a type of spacecraft of radiant, or fiery, appearance. Religious art and tradition may depict cherubim and seraphim as anthropomorphic angelic beings but the Bible does not, leaving one to speculate (see Num 21:8; Isa 6:2; Isa 14:29; Isa 30:6).

Within an apparent hierarchy of responsibility or rank, Yahweh's emissaries often speak with such authority, as in passages which identify an “Angel of the Lord” (e.g. Gen 22:11 & 31:11; Exo 3:2 & 23:20,21; Jdg 2:1-5) that some Bible students have been led to speculate about their identification with principal deity. Angels are also said to possess highly evolved psychic and telepathic abilities (e.g. Gen 18:12-15 & 20:6; Num 11:17; Exo 28:3; Deu 2:30; I Sam 16:14; I Kin 22:19-23), and scientific technology so advanced as to dwarf the greatest human achievements of the modern era.

While these extraterrestrial beings take care to guard themselves from unwanted human contact (e.g., Gen 19:1-11; Exo 19:20-25), they are obviously not shy about making unannounced appearances or involving themselves directly in human affairs. It is quite clear that they have, from the beginning, monitored their human experiment with intense personal interest and not merely as passive observers. From the first “seeding” of human beings on planet Earth the elohim have authoritatively manipulated their creation, even genetically enhancing the species through unnatural pregnancies that resulted in the birth of special elohim offspring (e.g. Gen 18:9-15 & 21:1-7; Jdg 13:2,3; Mal 2:15; Mat 1:18-25; Luk 1:5-15). At least one passage even suggests their sexual union with human females to procreate a hybrid progeny (see Gen 6:1-4).

In the OT elohim emissaries were frequently sent to assist Israel in times of national peril and to help defeat her enemies, but they also appeared to protect and defend esteemed individuals. What is significant in such instances is not only their zealous concern with Israel but also their willingness to employ extraordinary resources and capabilities to intervene in life-threatening situations, such as in the following selections.

Respect for the elohim emissaries of Yahweh is further emphasized in the NT with the introduction of a special Holy One called the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost) alternately referred to as the Helper, Comforter, and the Spirit of Truth. It is said that he alone is the only being, Lord Yeshua included, toward whom blasphemy (i.e., a cursing insult) is directed that automatically results in eternal condemnation without mercy (see Mat 12:31,32). Though not described as having humanoid physical characteristics, as are Yahweh and other elohim emissaries, the Holy Spirit is nevertheless referred to as a being rather than a mystical force. But, since the NT only ascribes certain extraordinary spiritual phenomena to the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit, the actual form, appearance and domain of this uniquely commissioned being is a mystery.

While it may appear that the highly venerated and powerful Holy Spirit is unique to Christian teaching, upon closer examination it could be reasonably argued that this extraordinary being may be the same mighty emissary of Yahweh, or Angel of the Lord, who helped deliver the Exodus Jews from Egypt as in the following sample passages offered from among several.

Such identity distinctions may well be a matter of traditional doctrine versus scholarly exegesis of the texts where conflicts and confusion often arise relative to Trinitarian theology, but that is not the subject of this present study. The aim here is to focus on the original and authentic beliefs and teachings of the Hebrew writers of the NT texts regarding these three unique persona who are, rightly or wrongly, commonly worshiped as “God” by a majority of Christians.

Those wishing to examine this doctrine more closely may, however, find some historical insight of value. Although Trinitarian theology was completely unknown to Christianity prior to its fabrication by the architects of the Nicino-Constantinople Creed under the direction of the Roman Catholic Council of Bishops, led by Emperors Constantine and Theodosius in the fourth century A.D., it has always been an orthodox doctrine throughout Christian history. This difficult theological construct is clearly intended to controvert any appearance of pantheism (belief in multiple gods) found in the biblical texts, perhaps revealing an underlying motive behind the traditional translation bias we see.

What should concern every intelligent person regardless of religious persuasion is that the proscription of the Bible's authentic worldview with respect to the extraterrestrial “mighty ones” deprives the world of an important historical insight into the origin of our species as well as the character and intentions of these beings regarding planet Earth. Given their obvious technological superiority and our own vulnerability, it would seem to be wise for us to learn everything we can from such an impressive reference source as the Bible about just who and what we are dealing with.

The Hebrew writers clearly lived in fear and awe of Yahweh and his mighty ones, teaching strict obedience to their every command. They believed that, as their direct creation, Earth and all of humankind belong to these elohim and, thus, our fate is in their hands. The elohim did not hold open court to consider the counsel of humans and rarely altered their judgments and plans, intervening authoritatively to direct, not merely observe, the course of human history for their own purposes.

Significantly, the Hebrew writers paint a picture of a paramilitary vertical command structure descending from Yahweh downward and appear to have been quite impressed with the warlike nature of the elohim. Not only were they actively involved in Israel's earthly conflicts and conquests, but they also engaged in battles of cosmic proportions, “star wars” if you prefer, with certain extraterrestrial adversaries who are always portrayed as inherently malevolent.

Yahweh and the mighty ones were obviously greatly distressed with the state of affairs here on Earth and were, for whatever reasons, unwilling to let nature run its course with respect to the evolution of those primitive civilizations of the OT era. Indeed, it is the consistent claim of the Hebrew writers of the OT that Yahweh personally directed the wholesale slaughter of the barbaric outlaw nations who stood against tiny Israel, spanning centuries of wars, in order to establish Israel as a chosen people and to assert his singular authority over our planet.

Besides the chosen few with whom Yahweh interacted personally, we are reminded that millions of eyewitnesses reportedly observed, first hand, the awesome deeds of these mighty spacemen. Yet, throughout their history, Israel continued to practice the lifestyle and religions of the Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian, and Greco-Roman cultures, which so provoked their “jealous” god that he often rained terrible calamities upon them as punishment for their unfaithfulness. The extent to which guilt and fear is seared into their national conscience (perhaps the principal mood of the OT) leaves little doubt about the reality of Israel's experience with these extremely powerful and authoritarian beings.

Although certain OT texts, especially the Psalms, praise Yahweh for his mercy and magnanimity, one is nonetheless left with the overall impression that the far-from-perfect nation of Israel obeyed Yahweh (whenever they did obey him) more out of the fear of the consequences of disobedience than from a sincere desire to please him. It would not be until the appearance of Yeshua of Nazareth that the Jews would be treated to the concept of a more merciful and compassionate god who not only rules as the all-powerful monarch of a vast cosmic empire but also dearly loves his Earth children as a kind and caring Father.

One of the more interesting examples of the interrelationship between the OT and NT worldviews regarding the elohim is a reference in the Book of Hebrews to a highly esteemed ancient Priest-King named Melchizedek, ruling on earth during the time of Abraham. This biblical address to Messianic Jews presents a technical argument which holds that Yeshua, as the Messiah, both fulfills and surpasses the Jewish religion with its old covenant, Law of Moses and Levitical priesthood, and confirms his authority in a mysterious ancient order of royal high priests (see Heb 5:5-10; 6:13-20; Ch.7). It is also clearly stated in Hebrews 7:3 that Melchizedek was an immortal being without human heredity, implicitly of extraterrestrial elohim origin, who was so extraordinary that the Hebrew writer declines to give further details about him since, in his view, readers couldn't handle it (Heb 5:11).

Given the Bible's characterization of elohim in military terms with references to cosmic warfare, coupled with the NT commentary on a royal high priesthood, one may view Yahweh's cosmic empire as a Royal House served by an Ancient Order (or caste) of great warrior priests. Absent more precise information in the texts, this simplified portrayal of the Hebrew family of extraterrestrial gods and angels should suffice to overcome many long-standing misconceptions while clarifying the Bible's cosmic theology that provides an exciting new testament for modern times.

When those first American aviators launched the pursuit of a flight technology that would speedily evolve to the point where exploration of outer space, humankind's ancient quest, would become routine, their bold but simple achievement was heralded throughout the world as a true miracle of technology. Succeeding generations would continue to pioneer even greater technological “miracles” at such a dizzying exponential rate of achievement that a shocked religious culture became irresistibly propelled into a futuristic brave new world, ready or not.

Indeed much of the world has not been ready. Today, one may venture to remote regions of our planet which has seen little change for thousands of years and discover confined social groups utterly devoid of scientific knowledge and modern technology. Virtually untouched by the outside world, such peoples seem quite content with the daily rigors of a very primitive existence.

History has shown that whenever such primitives are contacted by an unknown civilization far more advanced than their own, their first reaction is one of fear and awe. They may even submit themselves to servitude and worship their superiors as gods upon witnessing their apparently supernatural technology. Although crude by modern standards, the technology of sixteenth-century Europe seemed quite awesome to the native peoples of the New World as entire populations were easily subdued by the invading “white gods” with their killing “fire sticks,” that is, until the primitives acquired the same equalizing magic for themselves!

Science and technology which may thus seem miraculous to one observer may be easily explained and regarded as common by another, depending solely on the scientific knowledge and state of technology that exists within a respective culture at any given point along a developmental timeline. This concept becomes very important to our understanding of the Hebrew record under study as we fairly analyze the texts within their proper historical and cultural context. We must take care to view the events described in the Bible through the eyes of the simple people who recorded them, people whose science and technology was at a very primitive level.

Let's imagine for a moment that we are time travelers journeying to the Middle East five thousand years ago. Just for fun, let's say we're going there in a high-tech DeLorean time-travel automobile such as seen in the movie Back to the Future. Of course we'll need to wear protective clothing so we'll be outfitted in a shiny silver space suit. As we are about to zoom in on a tiny primitive village, we see that the residents are busy attending to the duties of personal and social survival, herding animals, tilling fields and gardens with crude tools, carrying water from a common well as they do each day.

As we screech to a halt in the middle of town quite unexpectedly with a flash and sonic boom, the startled peasants scatter and hide in a maddening panic. We then step out of our shiny, gull-winged vehicle and attempt to communicate that we mean them no harm. After some time, the village chief is shoved forward by the gathering throng of trembling onlookers and, prostrating himself before us, humbly begs for mercy for his village. Perhaps he even orders a burnt offering, the “fatted calf” or some other sacrifice appropriate to the occasion.

Seeing that any real dialogue is probably impossible under the circumstances and not wishing to create further chaos, we graciously accept the offering and politely give the chief a colorfully wrapped nutrition bar in return. Then we get back into our time car, flash our headlights, honk the horn, and fly off in the blink of an eye. Not a big deal, really, from our perspective.

Centuries later, a contemplative scribe sits cloistered in a dark, quiet candle-lit room in a stone temple or monastery, papyrus and quill in hand, penning an age-old tale which might go something like this:

What is most significant to this present study is the Hebrew writers consistent attempt to describe a means of extraterrestrial transportation using contemporaneous symbolic terminology. The key to interpreting such language symbols lies within the context of a particular passage wherein we simply ask ourselves whether the writer is referring literally to an earthly object or phenomenon, or not. In the case of an airborne “chariot of fire” or “flaming horses”, for example, we know that real horses and chariots do not fly through the air with the greatest of ease, nor would they survive being engulfed in flames. Also, vaporous weather phenomena such as clouds and whirlwinds are probably not the common mode of vehicular travel for technologically advanced extraterrestrials.

Let us assume that these mighty ones, consistently described as flying through the atmosphere or coming down from the sky to earth, as noted throughout the Bible, travel to Earth from their residence somewhere in the cosmos. From today's technological vantage point, we may logically reason that the probable means of transport they employ is some type of spacecraft. Besides flying “clouds” and “fiery chariots” which are frequently used language symbols, there are other possible vehicular terms that appear occasionally in certain texts. The Hebrew writers may not have understood exactly what it was they were seeing but they clearly attempted to describe, as best they could, some sort of airborne transportation employed by their sky gods.

As we continue the practice of correctly re-translating key words for clarification, readers must also begin to judge for themselves by the immediate context and the use of symbolic terminology, whether such passages might reasonably refer to extraterrestrial space flight technology. We begin with some examples that quite obviously describe airborne travel (note the frequent use of the word “ride”).

It should be pointed out again that what is often termed the “glory” or “fire” of Yahweh in our English Bible translations may certainly be a reference to the intense brightness of a beam of light projected from a spacecraft. In the aforementioned case the entire thicket, or grove, where Moses stood was engulfed in a radiant light as the elohim addressed him. This recorded encounter also mirrors many other similar reports of contact with UFOs emitting intense beams of light, with or without personal extraterrestrial contact, which lends the story a more modern and plausible authenticity perhaps missing in the traditional “God spoke from within a burning bush” rendering.

Continuing in Exodus with the story of the Hebrew peoples' escape from Egypt, Moses records how a spectacular pillar-shaped flying object led perhaps one million liberated Jews on a nomadic journey through the desert wilderness of the Middle East, guiding and protecting them for an astonishing forty years! The object is said to have moved slowly or hovered overhead in a stationary position so that the vast throng of wilderness wanderers could follow wherever it would lead them. In the Hebrew language the word used here is ammud, which is defined as “a stationary solid column or pillar common to architectural construction” and is obviously meant to describe the shape or form of the extraterrestrial object they observed. It is alternately referred to as both cloud-like by day and glowing like fire at night.

This definitive description happens to coincide with reports of one of the most frequently sighted UFOs in history, besides the saucer-shaped craft. In his Anatomy of a Phenomenon: Unidentified Objects in Space; A Scientific Appraisal, Jacques Vallee says of this class of UFO, “[they] appear as huge cylindrical forms surrounded by cloud-like formations, often vertical.” Eyewitnesses have also reported various smaller objects flying to and from a cylindrical “mother ship” of this class and a great many sightings report a cloud-like halo or corona of light surrounding such craft. Also, included in many night time encounters are accounts of intense beams of light radiating from UFO vehicles which has been described by some observers as appearing like a “fire in the sky”, further reinforcing the Exodus report.

Another important observation must be made as we examine this remarkable biblical story. It remains an accepted historical fact that a million or so unsophisticated desert nomads apparently considered it the most important calling of their lives to keep a written record of this compelling report of a mass sighting of an extraordinary UFO upon which future generations would build the Jewish religion. The idea that so many eyewitnesses would have permitted an inaccurate or flawed record of such a momentous extraterrestrial encounter to go unchallenged for thousands of years is unreflective at best.

Had these simple people not have fled the relative security of civilized life in Egypt to follow a pillar-shaped aircraft leading them toward an uncertain and potentially perilous future in the desert there might possibly be no biblical religion for us to scrutinize today. Scientists and scholars may debate certain details of the record but they can hardly claim analytical objectivity if the reality of the report is discounted simply because a primitive scribe makes an error in his wilderness geography or uses peculiar language symbols to describe a technology totally unfamiliar to him. The best scholarship demands that we allow for the possibility that a high degree of historical accuracy exists in the Hebrew record.

Such extraordinary tales as these have generated ample speculation and controversy among Bible scholars and historians for centuries. While some have dismissed the Exodus stories as imaginative fiction, others involve themselves in endless arguments over whether the body of water the Jews crossed was actually the Red Sea or merely a swamp and whether or not the mysterious Mt. Sinai even exists geographically. Some brave thinkers have even opined that Moses account of his encounter with the extraterrestrial Yahweh at the top of Mt. Sinai, where he received the Ten Commandments inscribed on stone tablets, might really have been just a creatively told story of his [certainly dangerous] experience with an active volcano!

A fair consideration of the texts demands that a literal interpretation of this truly amazing extraterrestrial encounter, personally witnessed and recorded by Moses and the most highly esteemed elders of Israel, be consigned to posterity as a historically accurate and scientifically reasonable report.

Under the leadership of Moses who was personally appointed by Yahweh, Israel received the Ten Commandments and various moral, social, and religious laws that form the foundation of the Jewish religion. In a broad, historical context within the suggested paradigm, it would be very reasonable to say that the Judeo-Christian belief system is fundamentally rooted in these early Hebrew reports of extraterrestrial contact. To fairly embrace this premise we need only allow the Hebrew writers reasonable literary license and, as a good scholarly rule of thumb, whenever more than one interpretation of a given text is considered, we should prefer the simpler one. Thus, many more reported encounters with "divine" extraterrestrials seem to leap from the pages of the Bible, as in the following examples.

Many other biblical events also take on a new significance while revealing extraordinary details with a technological relevance, such as the previous association of the term “whirlwind” with a fiery vehicle that took Elijah up and away or the cloud that carried Lord Yeshua into outer space (see II Kgs 2:11; Act 1:9-11). With such symbolic terminology repeated throughout the Hebrew texts without any reasonable alternative explanation, a modern interpretation that allows for an encounter with extraterrestrial technology is the most plausible one if we are to accept the validity of such stories as actual historical events.

One might also safely assume that any extraterrestrial civilization capable of developing stealthy spacecraft that would transport them across the galaxy would almost certainly possess advanced computer systems and weapons technology. Reports of powerful weaponry capable of totally vaporizing physical objects should come as no surprise then, such as in the following texts which refer to both hand-held and ship-fired devices that leave little room for alternative interpretations.

Yahweh's distress with the elohims’ human experiment is punctuated by many accounts of genocide attributed to him throughout the OT. Numerous writers recorded that Yahweh effected cataclysmic weather phenomena, from the Great Flood to severe drought lasting for years, and employed weapons of mass destruction that included biological contamination producing devastating plagues. Moses writes that Yahweh so regretted having created humankind at one point that he considered permanently destroying all life on the planet (see Gen 6:5-7). It is interesting that all of Earth's ancient cultures, some predating the Hebrew record, report extraterrestrial contact with events of destruction that are strikingly similar (note: “Demythologizing Religion”).

The final text which we shall examine in this chapter contains the most detailed, and perhaps the most remarkable, eyewitness report of a UFO encounter in the entire Bible. In his vivid account, the prophet Ezekiel not only describes the spacecraft he saw but also recounts his own on-board flight. This amazing text which so baffled Bible scholars for centuries can finally be interpreted in its proper light due to the present state of scientific knowledge and our realization that a superior extraterrestrial technology might indeed have predated the invention of the wheel.

This text from Ezekiel is not only informative in itself but is without question very compelling proof of the Hebrew writers use of primitive symbolic language to describe their encounters with advanced extraterrestrial technology. A common skeptical criticism of Ezekiel's testimony is that he was either dreaming or hallucinating a “vision.” However, a closer examination of the Hebrew language text reveals that Ezekiel was reporting an actual object “of fine craftsmanship” that he saw with his own eyes. After first documenting the exact date and location of his encounter, Ezekiel records the amazing event as follows.

Ezekiel also reports that he was lifted up by the “spirit” (Heb. ruach) into the spacecraft and physically transported to other geographic locations (see Eze 3:12-15; 11:1; 11:24). In this text, and others, the Hebrew ruach (or “spirit”) is used in a broad way as a generic techno-term that describes the invisible force or power associated with the elohim and their spacecraft. It is worth noting that numerous observations of extraterrestrial spacecraft include reports of a so-called “tractor beam”, presumably a directed anti-gravity force field utilized for levitation and transport of people or objects between two points such as the earth's surface and an airborne craft.

As the Ezekiel text turns to a harsh chastisement of Israel for their disobedience and sternly warns them of impending doom, one final observation is offered. It would be reasonable to conclude that the story of Ezekiel's encounter with Lord Yahweh in an incredible spacecraft, passed down from generation to generation, was taken very seriously by the Hebrew people and that, rather than producing disbelief and skepticism, his prophetic message was perhaps given greater credibility because of it. It certainly would be fair to say that such records were considered to be an important testimonial to the “mighty ones.”

There are many more exciting possibilities to explore as we are challenged to reconsider other religious traditions and doctrinal views that have been unapproachable in the past but are now, in the modern era, beginning to hold forth a scientifically rational explanation. One such biblical teaching worthy of further examination is the Hebrew doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead. Though seldom the subject of a thorough review and exegesis from the pulpit (perhaps shunned because of its peculiarity) the subject of what happens to human consciousness, or one's state of mind, during the death experience has always held fascination for even the most skeptical scientific minds, throughout human history.

A corporate resurrection of all of the human dead at the “end of the ages” has always raised difficult questions, as is obvious from the Apostle Paul's allegorical commentary on the subject to the Corinthian believers (see I Cor 15:12-24; 12:35-54). Here Paul strongly reaffirms this doctrine's centrality to the belief in Yeshua as the resurrected Messiah and discusses mortality and beyond as an altered state of existence. Significantly, the death state is referred to here, and throughout the Bible, as “sleeping,” and the resurrection of human beings (to divine judgment) as the “awakening”. For Messianic believers, this awakening holds the promise of being transformed into a new, immortal, and incorruptible form, living in the realm and presence of Lord Yeshua.

The how and when of this resurrection event has been the source of considerable speculation and sectarian doctrinal debate, being shrouded in religious mystery. From a modern perspective on science and technology, however, this theological concept may contain more information than previously thought. Computer science in the twenty-first century foresees the day when a microbiological data processing system will be created at the DNA level that may become the next generation of supercomputers. Is it not, therefore, also conceivable that an advanced extraterrestrial intelligence could have the means to upload human consciousness, or the essence of all human sentient experience, into some sort of advanced file storage system to be opened for review (subject to being saved, transferred, or deleted) at some future point in time? And, might such a “supercomputer” be reasonably thought of as the very mind of the almighty elohim Lord Yahweh?

As science and religion collide on such issues, it is time to start asking the difficult questions. Secular scholars in many fields of study may want to give a new, open-minded consideration of the Hebrew record and other religious texts from the ancient world that document historical contact with extraterrestrials and their technology. Given our current knowledge of the vastness of the universe it is widely acknowledged that there could be innumerable civilizations throughout the cosmos that may be far more advanced than our own. We've done the math. There are also thousands of irrefutable reports of extraterrestrial contact and observations of UFO's throughout the course of human history. The empirical evidence is there.

For believers, truth must be mined from the biblical texts and centuries of debris discarded before theology can be refined. The answers to the most important questions are there but some present a challenge to traditional religious teaching. While there is hope in the promise “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free,” there is also a warning in the words of the prophet, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”. Smart people ask questions, study for themselves and are not content to let others do their thinking for them. Intelligence and reason is a divine gift that should be present at every Bible study. Yet, while our brightest theological scholars do embrace scientific inquiry and are not bound in ignorance to the mystery traditions of old, many also continue to give their tacit consent to archaic Bible translations inherited from the dark ages of scholarship.

The Hebrew record gives both science and religion an extraordinary insight into the nature and character of our extraterrestrial relatives, as well as some much needed intelligence regarding their technological capabilities. The hope for science may be that such miracles of technology will one day be shared with us in a spirit of peaceful cooperation that will benefit our world of shrinking resources and global decay. Or, will they use their fearsome weapons technology against us before we can venture farther into space to exploit and pollute other worlds as we have our own?

Perhaps even more awe inspiring than the technologies employed by the elohim is their apparently highly evolved psychic and telekinetic powers. A fair analysis should, therefore, allow that there might be things spiritual attributed to the elohim that exceeds our most rational attempts at scientific explanation. It is the supernatural or trans-rational nature of many of the miraculous works demonstrated by the elohim and certain gifted individuals (Lord Yeshua being prominent among the Bible's miracle workers) recounted with such exuberance and reverence that gives one pause with regard to applying a purely technological construct to the biblical worldview.

Ultimately, both the religious and scientific communities share something very important in common, a fragile habitation. From the Bible's prophetic texts pertaining to the “last days” of planet Earth and the recent dramatic increase in UFO activity, everyone, whether faithfully optimistic or cautiously skeptical, should consider the possibility that some sort of extraterrestrial intervention in our affairs may be imminent. Yet, should the mighty elohim simply decide to watch a little longer from a safe distance as we continue on our present course, we will surely reap the consequences of our own technological sin against the earth and her inhabitants which, more than anything else, reveals just how primitive we truly are.

The Greek translations present a unique challenge over the Semitic language texts. For example, with respect to the common practice of rendering the Greek theos as “God,” a presumed reference to the Hebrew Lord Yahweh, determining the plural form (i.e. Heb. elohim, "gods" or "mighty ones") or rendering it as an adjective or adverb (divine, godlike, godly, etc.) is complicated. One must ascertain from the context of a particular passage of scripture which usage is most accurate and if a problem arises concerning a specific word translation, maintaining a Hebrew rather than Greek perspective will facilitate the best interpretation of a text. One must keep in mind that the NT was written by Jews who were well acquainted with and communicated the Hebrew extraterrestrial worldview, as discussed in preceding chapters, frequently quoting OT Hebrew scriptures.

An analysis of the NT worldview with respect to extraterrestrials should properly begin with its principle character, Yeshua of Nazareth. Through his assertion of intimacy with the Father, Yahweh, and the mighty ones of his heavenly kingdom, or cosmic empire, Yeshua encountered immediate hostility from the Jewish religious leaders of his day. They interpreted this as a blasphemous declaration that he himself was one of the elohim (e.g. Jno 5:18; 10:30-39; 14:6-11). While numerous statements attributed to Yeshua and his disciples make it clear that he claimed a divine birthright and authority as the prophesied Hebrew Messiah, the NT does not emphatically assert that Yeshua is principle deity, the Father, or Almighty God, a dogmatic position nevertheless embraced throughout history by many Christians.

It is clearly evident in NT scripture that Yeshua acknowledged the Father as superior to himself (e.g. Jno 5:22,24; 5:30; 5:43,44; 12:49,50; 14:28; Mat 24:35,36; Mar 13:32; Act 1:7), always prayed to or personally addressed the Father with praise and gratitude (e.g. Jno Ch.17; Mat 6:5-15; 11:25,26; Luk 10:21, 22:42; Jno 11:41), and repeatedly said while he was on earth, that the Father resided in outer space, or “heaven”. Yeshua also specifically instructed his disciples to likewise pray only to the Father with the right to invoke his own name as a form of personal introduction. In the Hebrew culture of the day, this was a great honor that bestowed a venerated master's own status and authority upon a beloved disciple or household member.

It is not the goal of this work to delve into “Christology”, however clarification of the authentic views of the Hebrew writers of the NT pertaining to deity, including the identity, authority and deification of Lord Yeshua, is relevant to this study. That the NT writers clearly understood and believed in Hebrew theology, as previously examined, could not be represented any clearer than in the following unambiguous statement by the Apostle Paul.

In apparent total disregard for any resulting controversy or skepticism that it might create, the NT boldly states that the Father God's extraterrestrial emissaries chose a young Jewish virgin girl named Miriam (or Mary) who was already betrothed according to Jewish custom, to birth and nurture this unique child. Given current knowledge of non-sexual in vitro fertilization and gestation this story would appear to suggest that a select ovum was artificially fertilized and then re-implanted into the young woman's womb, a clinical procedure common to modern obstetrics yet well beyond the knowledge of even the most learned physicians of that time. Two texts specifically record that an elohim emissary of high rank personally oversaw or administered Miriam's conception of the baby Yeshua (see Mat 1:18-25; Luk 1:26-38).

Advanced genetic science being completely unknown to the writers of the story who were striving for credibility, it would seem to be inexpedient for anyone to fabricate or embellish such an incredible tale at the expense of the stories highly esteemed central characters. To say that the report of a virgin conception might create a monumental scandal for the respective families of the betrothed and the community in which they lived is to grossly understate the repercussions that such an event would have within the Jewish culture of their day.

Further complicating the problem of Miriam's “divine” pregnancy would be the anticipated reaction of a humiliated fiancé. Yet, instead of suffering the kind of hostility which, in their day, could have brought about a public stoning for young Miriam, her betrothed Yosef (or Joseph) overcame what one might reasonably assume would have been extreme suspicion, embarrassment, and anger, and wed his pregnant virgin bride anyway. His decision, we are told, was based wholly upon his own personal encounter with, and instructions from, another elohim emissary who appeared to him soon after Miriam's conception. Yosef and Miriam then raised Yeshua along with other natural-born children, although they clearly always considered him unique.

Standing alone, the story of Yeshua's conception and birth is, in itself, so offensive to Hebrew sensibilities within the culture of the day as to seem to beg for its omission from the texts. It certainly could easily have been regarded as an embarrassing family secret and rationally excluded as being detrimental to the public's perception of Yeshua, or at the very least considered unnecessary to mention. Instead, the New Testament writers unabashedly dignify this remarkable story repeatedly as an important testimonial to Yeshua's extraterrestrial genetic origins and divine destiny.

The story of Yeshua's birth is surrounded by other extraordinary events as well. For example, it is reported that a bright star was tracked across the sky by numerous observers, including learned men of science serving great kings of the Eastern realms. This star-like object was followed to a point where it is said to have hovered above Yeshua's birthplace at Bethlehem before disappearing completely (see Mat 2:9,10). It is an easily verifiable fact that studies of constellations and conjunctions of that time show that no natural astronomical star ever behaved in such a manner. One needs only an elementary knowledge of celestial astronomy to know that any true star which can be viewed from earth does not have the ability to move across the sky and then position itself at a very specific locus directly above a tiny village on earth!

We are therefore led to conclude that the bright star which many witnesses observed hovering above Bethlehem was more than likely a radiant spaceship transporting a contingent of extraterrestrial elohim who reportedly had direct contact with many of the locals (see Luk 2:8-15). We are further informed that these elohim emissaries had protective charge over the infant Yeshua and even alerted his parents to hasten their escape from an impending slaughter of Bethlehem's infant male children, a heinous act perpetrated by the reigning King Herod in an attempt to slay the prophesied newborn “King of the Jews.” (see Mat 2:13-23).

As we closely examine this story and the testimony of his followers, the implication seems to be that the baby Yeshua was created as a genetic hybrid (possibly cloned) from Father Yahweh's own DNA, or “seed.” Thus, according to the most precise translation of the Christian NT, Yeshua of Nazareth was the world's most historically prominent extraterrestrial-human, genetically created to become the Messiah, fulfilling ancient Hebrew prophecy. Regardless of opinions to the contrary, he is certainly acknowledged the world over as an extraordinary human being gifted with extraordinary powers and having a most extraordinary destiny.

Having spent his brief life on earth healing the sick, feeding the hungry, ministering to the oppressed poor, and instructing the commoners of Palestine in the principles of love and compassion for one another (principles of his extraterrestrial kingdom) Yeshua was finally forced to surrender himself to the Roman authorities. Having been accused by Israel's rabbinical rulers of heresy, he was promptly tried in a mockery of justice and sentenced to a torturous and humiliating execution by crucifixion. Despite having many opportunities to flee capture, the NT writers insist that Yeshua willingly submitted himself to this terrible death in order to fulfill a mission of self-sacrifice, demonstrate his own resurrection from mortal death, and “purchase” eternal salvation for faithful believers, whether Jew or Gentile, thus creating a new and better covenant between the Father, Lord Yahweh, and all of humankind.

It should be mentioned that while orthodox Jews and secular religious historians may respectfully acknowledge Yeshua of Nazareth as a Jewish rabbi and/or prophet, he is usually rejected as the prophesied Messiah outside of Christianity. Yet, even his rejection, persecution and execution by his own ethnic kinsmen is portrayed in the NT as a kind of twisted irony, said to confirm several key messianic prophecies of the OT (see Mat 26:56; Luk 24:44-47). Many are indeed remarkably accurate, as in Isaiah's prophecy penned five hundred years earlier that details the torture and execution of the Jewish Messiah (Isa 52:13-53:12).

The argument offered by Yeshua's disciples that portrays him as a “stumbling stone” to the Jews leads to a startling conclusion. It was their belief and teaching that the long prophesied Messiah who would bring a message of peace and hope to mankind from the stars was destined to be betrayed and killed as the final ritual blood sacrifice (“the Lamb of God without blemish”) performed by Israel's temple priests. While there are many more, perhaps even bolder, claims made by the NT writers pertaining to the prophetic destiny and supremacy of Yeshua as relates to our world, our focus shall remain directed toward the testimony of Yeshua's origin and the notable events surrounding his death and resurrection as relates to the cosmic theology paradigm.

Significant to this study is the story that, following his confirmed death by crucifixion and burial for three days inside a tomb that had been secured and sealed by the government authorities, Yeshua's elohim guardians resuscitated and freed him from the tomb. As a matter of historical record, Roman guards stationed at the tomb site were interrogated by their military commanders but, even under penalty of death, were unable to say what had occurred on their watch and were summarily executed. During the days that followed, Yeshua is reported to have appeared alive in the flesh, bearing the scars of his crucifixion wounds, to personally interact with and instruct many of his disciples. He was then transported off world to another location somewhere in the cosmos. (see Mar 16:19; Luk 24:51; Jno 20:17; Act 1:9-11)

Whatever minor differences there may be in the individual accounts of the events, clearly all of the New Testament writers believed that,

a) Yeshua was both human and extraterrestrial by birth,
b) he demonstrated super-human powers to the masses,
c) he submitted himself sacrificially to an unjust execution,
d) he was resuscitated from death, to life, by the elohim and,
e) he ascended, accompanied by attendant elohim emissaries, into outer space to be with The Father, leaving his faithful followers with the promise that he would return one day in the future to take them to a new home world somewhere among the stars.

The following passages are offered as an accurate alternative translation of the Greek.

Finally, any commentary on the NT account of the part human, part extraterrestrial Prince of Peace would be incomplete without the testimony of Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as the Apostle Paul, author of the main body of NT literature that defines the Messianic faith.

This extraordinary intellectual, thoroughly literate in rabbinical law as well as the culture and philosophy of the Greek world, was a reputable merchant and prominent member of the Jewish religion's ruling class known as Pharisees—the group primarily responsible for the eventual persecution and slaughter of Yeshua and his followers. As a respected, legal citizen of Rome it is fair to say that Paul was precisely the sort of individual who would be taken very seriously as a witness in any court proceeding of the day. The fact that he was also a hostile opponent of Messianic believers should lend further credibility to his most extraordinary conversion testimony, a testimony that would eventually cost him his life.

Though ostracized by his Hebrew kinsmen, Paul stubbornly persisted in recounting the incredible story of his own personal close encounter with the post-resurrection extraterrestrial Yeshua as he was spreading the “good news” of the Messianic faith throughout the Greco-Roman Empire. Undaunted by the severest of persecution and innumerable hardships, he was ultimately imprisoned and executed, nevertheless keeping his faithful testimony, courage and dignity wholly intact to the very end.

What could have occurred that was so profound as to utterly and forever alter the life of this once-noble Pharisee? Paul's testimony to the young churches of “The Way” which he founded during his arduous journeys throughout the Near East and southern Europe (his letters to them comprise half the books of the New Testament) recounts the story. He happened to be journeying with several companions on the Damascus Road around noon one day when, suddenly and without warning, an airborne Yeshua hit him with an intense blast or beam of light, hurling him to the ground and rendering him temporarily blind (see Acts Ch.9, et al).

The unique purpose of this startling encounter, we are told, was Yeshua's stern command to Paul that he cease his persecution of innocent believers and instead begin to spread the “good news” of the NT faith throughout the Gentile world. Being the astute Hebrew scholar that he was, there was obviously no question in Paul's mind that he had had a “close encounter of the elohim kind” effecting his immediate and faithful conversion. At once a devout disciple of Yeshua he quickly became a prominent and often controversial spokesman for the Messianic movement; forsaking his worldly reputation and fortunes.

As perhaps the most influential and visible Apostle of the faith, Paul endured numerous bitter hardships, imprisonment, and ultimately death, for preaching the Cosmic Kingdom message and repeating the remarkable story of his personal close encounter with Lord Yeshua wherever he went. As one reads his letters, sometimes written from prison, one cannot help being impressed by Paul's lucidity, intelligence, and courage. This is not the ranting of a madman with a death wish. Indeed, it becomes quite impossible to simply dismiss the dramatic testimony of his conversion that so profoundly altered his former life as a staunch opponent and severe persecutor of Yeshua's followers as mere fabrication or hallucination. Nor does it appear in any way to have been self-serving.

With an open mind and without prejudice, one can easily concede that something quite extraordinary did indeed occur that day to a certain sojourner traveling along the Damascus Road. Theology, philosophy and institutional religion being another matter, one may rationally believe in the extraterrestrial God(s) of the Bible based solely on the testimony of such reliable witnesses, even while questioning some of the details of biblical translation with intellectual curiosity.

Time would not permit us to address the lengthy history of superstition pertaining to the subject, but we should note that the folklore of almost every culture on earth is replete with dark tales of malevolent creatures of every conceivable description who prey upon vulnerable human beings. While some of these frightening tales may simply be born of irrational fears and superstition, others may indeed have had their origin in actual encounters with hostile extraterrestrial or earth-active entities.

Although it is difficult to identify a specific hierarchical or governmental structure among these dark forces from the Bible's somewhat sketchy commentaries, the activities and motivations of adversarial cosmic beings appears quite varied. Of particular concern to this study is the existence of aggressive extraterrestrial predators identified in the Bible texts that pose a threat to human beings, either through direct physical and psychic harm or through deception with malevolent intent.

Consequently, while there are no doubt countless beings of various descriptions throughout the cosmos that may have different hostile intentions toward other species, whatever their motives, the biblical texts attempt to identify those beings in the elohim class who should be avoided or resisted. It is also very likely that many reported encounters with "ghosts" and other spirit-beings (as in paranormal contact, seance visitations with the human dead, or “channeling” of various authoritative entities) may well be a deceptive masquerade by malevolent elohim intended to deceive and distract receptive people who are seeking comfort or guidance "from beyond", in order to disguise a more sinister psycho-spiritual control agenda.

Modern psychologists and paranormal researchers have observed and recorded many unusual and difficult to diagnose cases of extreme mental and emotional disturbances that are often accompanied by inexplicable phenomenological effects that parallel biblical accounts of demonization. Without arriving at a consensus as to the origin of or treatment for the phenomenon referred to as “demonic possession” (with all known physical effects and clinical disorders considered) many researchers do report that certain subjects have appeared to be “possessed” by some external entity or unknown force.

The causal theories offered are as diverse as the techniques of exorcism employed by the priests and witch doctors of almost every religion on earth. What emerges as the most common observation of those who have witnessed such cases is that the mind of the so-called “possessed” appears to be taken over by an alien persona who then demonstrates bizarre or destructive behavior through the host subject, behavior which may even appear to defy physical law.

This would seem to confirm those biblical texts previously referred to concerning the psychic power of the elohim who can telepathically enter and control the human mind. On the positive side, a benevolent entity can produce welcome effects such as psycho-spiritual healing, prophecy, cognitive dreams, inspiration, and so forth. Malevolent influence or control, on the other hand, can have serious negative and harmful results, as in cases of demonization which produces extreme, often violent, behavior in the one so possessed.

Equally common is the observation that such an invasive malevolent entity can be successfully resisted by the target subject or driven away by willing observers who have the spiritual authority or power to do so (i.e., demon deliverance or exorcism), described in NT texts pertaining to Lord Yeshua's personal deliverance ministry (see Mat 9:32-34; 12:22; Mar 1:34; 5:1-20; Luk 4:33-37 & 41; 9:38-42; 11:14-26). Such deliverance was a common feature of Yeshua's miraculous healing activity that his disciples and others also tried to imitate with some success (see Mat 7:22,23; 10:8; Mar 3:14,15; 16:17; Luk 9:49,50; 10:17).

Though it is not clear from the biblical texts precisely what kind of beings are involved in human demonization or the exact nature and extent of their powers and predatory motives, what is made very clear is that they are not friendly to human beings and must be resisted with all of one's mental strength and faith. Presumably, they are among the elohim-kind and, for reasons not fully explained, have malevolent and destructive intentions towards Earth and humankind in general.

Certain passages seem to suggest that the chief adversarial elohim being referred to as the Devil, or “Satan”, is allowed certain latitude to harm, influence, tempt, and deceive people and seems to take a special interest in testing Father Yahweh's most righteous servants. For example, in the Book of Genesis we have the account of the temptation and fall from grace of the first created humans, “Adam and Eve”. In the Book of Job we find the story of one righteous man's extraordinarily severe persecution by the Devil who, during an audience with Lord Yahweh in the company of other elohim, obtains permission to test Job's faith (see Job 1:6-12). Then we have the fascinating story of the Devil's temptation of Yeshua found in Luke 4:1-13.

Apparently, this notorious adversary has at least occasional direct access to Yahweh, as do other prominent elohim, apparently with some tacit approval to engage in his evil activities. In the New Testament this adversary is even referred to as the ruler, or “god”, of this world (see Jno 12:31; 14:30; II Cor 4:3,4). One possible reason for this loathsome being having the liberty to freely roam our planet with destructive intent may be suggested in Paul's Second letter to the Thessalonians in a prophecy pertaining to Yeshua's future reappearance or “second coming” (see II Ths 2:8-12).

This might be a good opportunity to briefly examine one colorful tradition that may be in need of clarification. The legend that has “Lucifer” as the personal name of the Devil first arose in the Middle Ages from a misinterpretation of an old Latin Bible text. The word lucifer, from the Latin lux fero (Lit. “light bringer”), referred to the planet Venus, “the bright morning star”, and was also an Old English term for a common sulfur-tipped match. Beginning with the earliest English versions of the Bible, the sole reference to Lucifer is found in Isaiah, Chapter Fourteen. Even a casual reading of this passage reveals that Isaiah's scathing prophecy addresses the reigning king of Babylon (v.4) and not the Devil as the centuries-old legend goes.

In the Hebrew, ha satan literally means an adversary or accuser, especially in a prosecutorial sense, which is commonly used as a proper name, “Satan”, to identify the chief adversary, or Devil, depicted prominently in the NT. There is, however, another identity offered for the so-called “Prince of Demons” in the name Beelzebub (see Mat 10:25; 12:24-27; Mar 3:22-26; Luk 11:15-19) also Baal-zebub in the Hebrew, mentioned in the OT (see II Kgs 1:2). This interesting compound name is formed from the Chaldean Baal (Lit. ruler or overlord) and Zebuwb, denoting a fast-flying biting insect, hence the tradition of the “Lord of the Flies”. Rather than a literal reference to an insect fly, one might speculate that such terminology may originally have been used to ascribe aerospace flight capability to this particularly detestable sky god.

Among the various accounts of adversarial beings in the Bible is the fascinating story of certain elohim emissaries who have fallen into disrepute among their own kind and are imprisoned as criminals facing ultimate punishment at the Day of Judgment (see I Pet 3:19,20; II Pet 2:4,5; Jud 6). One may reasonably infer that these "angels who sinned" are those identified in the Genesis Chapter Six text as "sons of god" (elohim) presumed to have had forbidden sexual relations with human women that produced mighty and renowned offspring in the ancient world. The Genesis text also mentions an ancient race called the Nephilim (Lit. “those who cause to fall, as from a great height.”), poorly rendered as “giants” in many older translations. As Moses does not develop this history in any detail, many writers have been led to wild speculation and misleading fictional stories unsupported by any concrete biblical information.

A question that often arises among students of the Bible as well as researchers into UFOs and extraterrestrial life is how one can properly distinguish between benevolent and malevolent extraterrestrials, and ascertain their motives. Especially alarming to some is the recent rise in cases of UFO abductions and reports of encounters with hostile beings of varying form and appearance. It would be nice if the Bible were to sort out this problem for us but, unfortunately, it does not provide an easy distinction such as “the good guys wear white hats and the bad guys wear black hats”. Indeed, given the fact that the Bible includes adversarial beings that are deliberately deceptive among the elohim kind, some concern may be warranted.

Clearly, the OT writers considered themselves no match for the elohim and therefore submitted themselves with pleas for mercy, completely and fearfully dependent upon the intercession of pious prophets and devout priests to intercede on Israel's behalf with Yahweh to spare them from their enemies, above and below.

The NT offers a somewhat more hopeful solution to the adversarial elohim problem. Through the power of faith and trust in the Messianic authority of Yeshua who is portrayed as the Empire's “Crown Prince”, if you will, following his resurrection and ascension into outer space, the individual believer may be given the spiritual power to resist the Devil and even to repel, or cast out, invasive demonic beings in others. The NT repeatedly warns believers to be alert for deception and also to “test the spirits” to determine whether they represent Lord Yahweh or are perhaps a clever, even disguised, adversary (see I Jno 4:1-6).

Generally, Yeshua's devotees are instructed to exercise dependent, child-like faith in the Father, Yahweh, and are told to use wisdom and sound judgment to differentiate between righteous and deceptive or evil elohim. Beyond this, certain faithful believers may also acquire special spiritual gifts including the gift of discernment called “distinguishings” (see I Cor 12:10). All believers are furthermore instructed to avail themselves of defensive spiritual armor and weapons for waging spiritual warfare against the forces of the dark side (see Eph 6:10-17). Note in the following passage found in Paul's letter to the believers at Ephesus, this striking commentary on human involvement in the struggle against these extraterrestrial forces of evil.

With its powerfully frightening imagery supported by centuries of unscholarly manipulation of the biblical texts entwined with pagan underworld myth and fictional literature, art and drama that spins vivid, hellish tales of torture and woe, today's religious culture appears, sadly, hell bound to endure the curse of this awful fiction. From the perspective of Hebrew theology relative to defining the word hell we shall see that the true origin and abode of the Bible's malevolent elohim beings who visit earth is extraterrestrial, not subterranean.

Briefly, there are three primary words, Sheol, Gehenna and Hades, each having a different definition, which are almost universally rendered hell in the English Bible translations, giving this common myth the appearance of scriptural authenticity while obscuring many important distinctions in the texts. A fourth word, “Tartaros”, likewise translated hell, is used only once in II Peter 2:4 to refer to the aforementioned imprisoned “angels who sinned”. There, Tartaros should properly be viewed as a symbolic reference to the Hebrew concept of a dark pit, or abyss, rather than to the Greek tale about the god Saturn imprisoning the rebellious gods known as Titans in the dark and foreboding Tartaros, arbitrarily rendered hell in English.

Most common is the Hebrew word sheol, used sixty-five times in the OT, approximating the meaning of tomb or grave, which, according to the custom of the day, could be a subterranean burial cavern used as a mass grave. Home to decaying corpses, skeletons and detestable creatures, sheol was understandably a frightful place to be avoided. Yet, it was simply regarded as the underground abode of the buried dead. Over time, sheol may have taken on some of the superstition and religious beliefs pertaining to a “hellish” underworld from the Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek, and other cultures with whom the Hebrew peoples interacted throughout history. However, sheol was never thought to be the abode of living beings (human or extraterrestrial) and should not be equated with any of the prevailing myths that depict a netherworld dungeon of fire where lost souls are tortured alive by grotesque demonic creatures.

In the NT there are two distinctive words having very different meanings that are also translated hell. The first, Hades (pron. hah-dace), used ten times by three writers, is borrowed from another Greek legend of a frightening underworld realm where gods and monsters are involved in a variety of nefarious dramas. One must take care not to infer from this unfortunate word choice that the Hebrew writers of the NT intended to endorse any Greek mythos in contradiction to the prevailing Hebrew thinking pertaining to the whereabouts of their buried dead, sheol. The Greek Hades should therefore be rendered grave, corresponding to the Hebrew sheol, the accuracy of which is confirmed by certain cross quoting between the Old and New Testaments (e.g. the Acts 2:27-31 quote of Psalms 16:8-11 where both sheol and Hades are used interchangeably to refer to a grave, not “hell”).

The second NT word translated hell is Gehenna (Heb. Ge Hinnom), a valley outside of Jerusalem where the city dump was located. This term was obviously used by Yeshua (eleven times and once by the Apostle James) to convey a specific message regarding the ultimate fate of the wicked, certain Jewish religious authorities, and the Devil and his elohim legions. In using the name of the waste disposal site of Ge Hinnom, or Gehenna, where mounds of garbage burned continuously, Yeshua was describing symbolically in terms quite familiar to his listeners, that all wicked beings (human or extraterrestrial) would one day be disposed of like garbage and incinerated.

Nowhere does Yeshua (or any other biblical Jew) expound upon an afterlife doctrine resembling the classical Greek inspired hell myth nor does he state that Gehenna is an actual netherworld location, above or below, where condemned beings are incarcerated and tortured alive. By choosing the name of a well-known waste disposal site he communicated the concept of a fateful annihilation of those reprobate beings considered to be the garbage of the universe. Were it his intention to describe a fiery dungeon within the bowels of the earth where wicked beings are kept alive to be tortured throughout eternity, instead of incinerated like garbage, the infamous institutions of torture existing in his time certainly offered other very graphic analogies upon which he could draw to better communicate a concept more closely resembling the classic hell myth. But he did not.

Clearly, the NT promises immortality only to the “saved”, or rescued, devotees of Yeshua Messiah, whether alive or dead at his reappearing (the “second coming”) coinciding with the resurrection of the human dead at the end of the ages. All other beings, terrestrial and extraterrestrial, are destined for Lord Yahweh's “everlasting judgment” that may result in a total and eternal destruction in a “lake of fire”, not an eternal life of torture in hell or anywhere else, despite all of the familiar old arguments to the contrary.

The term “lake of fire” is found only in the Book of Revelations (Rev 20:14,15 et al) but mirrors several other prophetic texts that specifically point to a final disposal of all evil and corrupt things, including “death and the grave”, following a lengthy “last days” scenario. Interestingly, wherever the familiar “fire and brimstone” term is found in those texts, the Greek word used is theion, derived from theos, referring to a godly or divine fire, and not the mineral brimstone (i.e. sulfur) as it is commonly mistranslated. A more accurate rendering of such a text may provide new insight into the Hebrew expression, “our god is a consuming fire” (see Due 4:24, Isa 33:14; Heb 12:29).

While still the subject of considerable religious debate, it nevertheless remains a difficult undertaking to ascribe to the Hebrew writers of the Bible our favorite underworld hell myths, irrespective of one or two unusual passages that appear in parable form and are not in themselves expositive. Setting aside the most dreadful hellfire and damnation doctrines enshrined in the annals of Christian tradition, most important to this study is the view of adversarial elohim as dangerous and powerful extraterrestrial predators on a mission to conquer and rule earth. Rather than being confined to some mythical underworld they are at liberty to roam the cosmos, including Planet Earth. As the cosmic battle rages throughout Yahweh's kingdom, they do seem to have taken a special interest in the fate of humankind, even to the point of attempting to gain strategic geopolitical control over particular regions of the planet (e.g. Dan 10:20).

One of the most interesting texts in the Bible pertaining to the cosmic conflict between biblical extraterrestrials is found in Daniel, Chapter Ten. Here, the highly esteemed Hebrew prophet records in revealing detail how an unidentified elohim emissary of Yahweh was opposed in battle for twenty-one days delaying his mission to contact Daniel until he received reinforcement from the great Chief Prince of the Empire called Michael (Heb. godlike or “the greatest of the mighty ones” also called the Archangel in the NT). From this and other similar testimonies in the Bible we may reasonably conclude that the battle for control over Earth and its inhabitants is quite arduous and strategically important to both sides of the conflict.

The biblical texts are replete with prophecies telling of a climactic end-game scenario wherein the forces of light engage the forces of darkness in a final battle of epic proportion. The NT's prophetic message of salvation at Yeshua's reappearing describes mankind's rendezvous with an apocalyptic destiny that includes global catastrophic events and unparalleled human suffering. A final conflict ensues when the cosmic forces of Lord Yeshua overcome what might be best described as a full-scale invasion of our planet by Satan's minions and the rise of a uniquely empowered world ruler (i.e. the Anti-Christ) who will attain great global popularity.

Apocalyptic themes have been dramatized in a variety of ways both in literature and film wherein mankind is depicted as mounting a heroic military style resistance of an alien invasion that saves the world. But, if one is to believe biblical prophecy, especially the NT, our survival is not assured by any human endeavor apart from actualizing one's faithful allegiance to Lord Yahweh's kingdom and relying upon Lord Yeshua and the great elohim warrior priests of the Empire to rescue faithful devotees and deliver them safely to another world. For Bible students devoted to eschatology, the cosmic theology paradigm holds an important interpretive key to biblical prophecy relative to impending geopolitical and cosmic events. (Authors note: This subject is explored in much greater detail in a separate work titled, A Cosmic Conspiracy: Down to Earth).

Since malevolent elohim are portrayed as using psycho-spiritual mind control and temptation, inspiring various immoral or evil behavior that undermines humanity and leads to civil disorder and social decay, the Bible advises exercising discipline over the mind and “flesh” along with faithful meditation, prayer, and devotion to Yahweh. While the New Testament offers a distinctly joyous message of hope and salvation through faith in the Resurrected Messiah, the threat from elohim adversaries and the urgency of resistance is not understated (see I Pet 5:8,9).

Faithful believers are repeatedly warned to beware of deception when encountering adversarial elohim who can, and often do, masquerade as the “good guys” (e.g. “false Christ's”, “false prophets”, “Satan himself appears as an angel of light”, etc.) and advises all to use caution, sound judgment, and faith when confronting any extraterrestrial, as in the following sample passages.

We shall begin by making the objective observation that the appearance of highly advanced space explorers in world history is not confined within any geo-religious boundaries. It must certainly be more than mere coincidence that the devotees of every diverse religion in history, separated by time, geography, and culture all ascribe to their sky gods similar attributes and behavior. Extraterrestrial origin, vehicular space travel, humanlike form and traits, awesome power and technology, the genetic creation of human beings, and the supervised development of earth's ancient civilizations are common themes.

Centuries before Moses penned Genesis, the same story of creation was told in India's Days and Nights of Brahma and the story of Noah paralleled in the tale of Vaivasvata who was warned by the god Vishnu to build a ship for the impending Great Flood. Such legends adorn the religious texts of every great civilization in antiquity with only minor distinctions in the plot or characters, as does other first-hand testimony of encounters with sky gods and their spacecraft. Indeed, the very universality of the belief in humankind's genetic descent from and interaction with a highly advanced extraterrestrial race suggests that it arose spontaneously and experientially, overwhelming all discussion pertaining to the origin of world religion.

One cannot reasonably regard the similarity of such reports from history's divergent peoples as owing to some larger influence without at least conceding the possibility of worldwide extraterrestrial contact. While it is reasonable to speculate that at least some of the distinctions found within the various accounts of both benevolent and malevolent gods may have arisen from encounters with different extraterrestrial species having quite different contact objectives, it can just as easily be reasoned that all of earth's ancient civilizations had their own independent encounters with the same race of humanoid extraterrestrials serving as the foundation for the worlds' prominent religions.

The veracity of the extraterrestrial testimony which so distinguishes the great religions of the world is further reinforced by the fact that in every period of recorded history (notably pre-flight history) there have been continuous sightings of extraterrestrial flying craft and encounters with extraterrestrial beings reported from reliable non-religious sources. Still, we are taught by mythologists to consider such stories as little more than the emotional fantasy of simple minds. They would have us believe that the sky gods of religion are merely the progeny of humankind's imaginative psyche seeking to explain life's mysteries and earth's natural forces through fantastic heroic archetypes.

Certainly, if one begins with the assumption that all recorded accounts of extraterrestrial contact are inherently false—that the “sky gods” do not exist—then such circular reasoning serves the discussion of religious history quite well. But, if that basic assumption is incorrect and highly advanced extraterrestrial beings not only exist but have taken more than a casual interest in our world from the beginning, then a great deal of historical scholarship is in serious trouble.

By "demythologizing religion" our aim should not be to lay the axe to the root of all good scholarship pertaining to mythology. We begin by realizing, as we must, that the traditions of storytelling which exist within world culture, while perhaps having their origin in actual historical events, have become seasoned with superstition, folk drama, and religious dogma over time. Yet it would be the worst kind of intellectual hypocrisy to accept and even depend upon the accuracy of our ancient religious texts when it comes to archeology, history, human culture and customs, language and other details of life in the ancient world, but then dismiss detailed reports of extraordinary encounters with extraterrestrials and their technology, simply because it is odd.

Most of us are familiar with the Greek, Roman, and Norse legends that spin grand tales of sky gods who interacted with human beings in a variety of heroic dramas. The Olympian gods and goddesses, recalled from stories like Homer's Odyssey were said to have had their abode in the "pure upper air". These colorful legends, full of intrigue, betrayal, and battles of cosmic proportions, often depict the warring sky gods as firing "lightening bolts" and "sun rays" at each other from their sky chariots and flying ships. Yet, such relatively recent European mythological dramas are merely the surviving remnant of much older legends to be found in the texts of the ancient East.

In India, for example, we can find a bounty of literature replete with references to the space flight technology of their gods. Take the familiar Ramayana, an epic poem 24,000 verses in length that weaves a colorful tapestry of heroic passion, intrigue, and cosmic conflict. This classic work has delighted and enthralled the Indian people for thousands of years, inspiring the art and culture of that enchanting country to this day. The story centers around Prince Rama and his adored bride Sita.

When the evil Ravana kidnaps Sita, Rama, assisted by Hanuman, Lord of the Monkeys, launches an all-out war against him and his legions to rescue the princess. Significantly, the war involves many air battles fought from bird-like craft and "flying cars". Many verses refer to a two-storied flying vehicle with windows and several compartments for passengers and crew called a "Pushpa chariot", depicted in Indian art brightly painted and adorned with flags and flowers. Fascinating descriptions of flight propulsion and weapons systems can be gleaned from the Ramayana texts, as in the following sample passages.

Perhaps even more than the Hebrews, the religious scribes of ancient India were extremely fascinated with the flight technology of their gods, evident throughout their art and literature. Among numerous archaeological finds in India are depictions of countless airborne deities and their conveyances such as the carvings at Konarak that depicts eight flying wheels said to be the aerial transport for the Sun goddess Surya. Significantly, throughout their sacred texts Indian gods are portrayed as superior physical beings (never disembodied spirits) that wing through the cosmos in physical aircraft. For example, in one ancient Sanskrit text, we find a detailed record of the flying machines of the sky gods. From a translation by Maharshi Bharadwaja, entitled “Aeronautics, a Manuscript from the Prehistoric Past” published by the International Academy of Sanskrit Research in Mysore, India, comes the following fascinating extract.

Another interesting example of the Indian fascination with the flying craft of their gods is a report found in a selection from the Brihat Katha that tells of Queen Vasavadotta's obsession to go for a ride in a flying machine. Since, from the stories context, such aircraft were obviously a familiar sight, she ordered the king's chief artisans to construct one for her. But of course even the best craftsmen in the land did not possess such secret knowledge and failed to produce one. An unidentified stranger then appears suddenly in the story, orders some materials, and constructs a “Garuda” or bird-like aircraft. Her dream fulfilled, both the king and queen then embark upon a pleasant journey “in the air around the earth”.

In other East Asian literature, such as the Feng-shen-yen-i of China and Japans Nihongi, we also find dramatic accounts of both good and evil sky gods who descend to Earth on flying “silver dragons”, “bird-ships”, and “wind-fire-wheels” engaged in fierce airborne battles using “globes of flame” and “lightening darts”. Though far too numerous to quote here, such powerful language symbolism found throughout these texts serves to further reinforce the idea that extraterrestrial contact occurred throughout the ancient world laying the foundation of world religion.

While it may be true that many Eastern religious traditions involve mysticism, shamanism, nature and ancestor worship, and various primitive superstitions, perhaps more so than in the West, it nevertheless remains that much of what was reported by the scribes of the ancient East can and should be studied from a historical perspective as actual extraterrestrial contact events. Just as we have done with respect to the biblical texts presented in previous chapters here, one must decipher the simple and poetic language symbolism employed by an ancient scribe and note the careful manner in which such extraterrestrial encounters were recorded.

In an excerpt from Egypt's Annals of Thutmosis III, circa 1500 BC, as translated by Prince Boris de Rachewiltz from the original papyrus document found in the archives of the Egyptian Museum of the Vatican, as in many other documents, the scribe was careful to record the exact date and time of day that the following event occurred.

Besides priceless artifacts which adorn the museums of the world, Babylonian and Assyrian digs have produced volumes of written records containing cosmological tales and epic poems, temple records, dynastic histories, astronomical and astrological data, mathematical formulas and scholastic texts, government, public and commercial records, and detailed texts that give the names, genealogies, powers and duties of their sky gods.

During archaeological excavations at Ninevah, the ancient royal capitol of Assyria, clay cylinders from the Library of King Assurbanipal were found to contain a remarkably vivid account of King Etan's journey in a spaceship. On that particular occasion five thousand years ago, we are told that the Good King Etan was taken as an honored guest aboard a spaceship in the form of a rotating “flying shield” surrounded by “flames” and piloted by gods described as “tall blonde-haired men with dark complexions, dressed in white”.

Against the protests of his advisors, the king departed amidst a “whirlwind and flames” soaring high above the earth where he observed the seas and continents below. He then continued on a journey around the other planets of our solar system for a period of two weeks, during which time his distressed subjects began to prepare a successor to the throne, believing him to have been abducted. But, alas, King Etan returned in the fiery ship to his palace where the “blonde gods” remained as his guests for several days.

The grand cultures of Babylon and Assyria are considered by Mesopotamian scholars to be a branch of the much earlier Akkadian nation. Capping several decades of work in the latter half of the twentieth century, scholars discovered that the Akkadians were preceded by yet another great civilization, the ancient realm of Sumer. One of the most ambitious archaeological digs undertaken in modern times has unearthed the Sumerian cities of Lagash, Kish, Nippar, Ur, Shurupak, Eshunna, Adab, Umma, Uruk, Eridu, and more.

Akkadian and Sumerian lexicons discovered from ancient Babylon and Assyria have become instrumental in deciphering the Sumerian cuneiform script taken from innumerable clay tablets unearthed from vast libraries at many sites. Utilizing sophisticated computer programs, Sumerologists now routinely translate volumes of data that have been entombed for millennia. Fortunately for us, these first citizens of the ancient world were diligent to record every detail of their life, culture, technology, the origin of their civilization and, of course, their own relationship with their sky gods.

To briefly summarize the work of many eminent scholars, human history began a sudden ascent within sophisticated farming communities located in the fertile mountain valleys bounded by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the region we now know as northern Iraq. Those first humans were soon domesticating animals, propagating many new species of grains, fruits, and nuts, and vinting wine, things the Europeans would only discover thousands of years later. From that fertile biological womb in ancient Mesopotamia where humankind flourished in a kind of genetic laboratory—the biblical “Eden”—human beings advanced and settled into new territories, far and away.

We developed better tools, agricultural implements, utilitarian pottery, and weapons as we went, all in the relatively brief span of five or six thousand years, beginning around 11,000 BC. Then, following a distinct decline around 5,000 BC that resulted in a near total cultural impoverishment, a truly amazing thing happened. Mired in a regressive state with seemingly no hope for advancement, humankind's decline was abruptly halted and the great civilization of Sumer literally burst forth out of nowhere, around 4,000 BC, with a flourishing culture more advanced than many others which antedate it.

That unexpected leap from the Stone Age to become the model for civilization, as we know it, has often left scholars baffled as they attempt to reconstruct Earth's historical time line in light of relatively new evidence. Many now believe the Sumerian texts to be the key to the origin of many ancient legends pertaining to extraterrestrial contact whereas the Sumerian testimony is the first to assert that a race of mighty extraterrestrials personally directed the development of their civilization prior to the “Great Flood”.

Scholars have been amazed and excited by many features of the Sumerian civilization that reveal a remarkably advanced culture and technology given the age in which they appeared. According to the work of many noted Sumerologists, these mysterious people gave us the worlds first written language, the first public school system and the first historians and librarians. They had the world's first advanced mathematics, unquestionably superior to that of the Greco-Roman system, enabling them to calculate square roots and fractions, multiply to several powers numbers into the millions and perform complex geometric equations. They had the first extremely accurate calendar and possessed a knowledge of astronomy that far surpassed later civilizations. Their scientists developed the world's first medical science, the first chemistry science, and the first botanical and agricultural sciences.

The Sumerians also established the world's first bicameral congress, had the first legal codes and judiciary and developed the first system of commerce, trade, and transportation. Particularly relevant to our current study, they also gave us the world's first philosophy promoting world peace and a theology that honored the sky gods as the progenitors of humankind and credited them with direct tutorial supervision over their cultural development. Indeed, they went to great lengths to record every detail of their life and interaction with the "sky gods", leaving behind one of the most important testimonials extant pertaining to extraterrestrial encounters in the ancient world.

Such discoveries have been undeniably troubling to many popular scientific theories regarding natural evolution, placing anthropologists in the awkward position of trying to explain away many apparent contradictions. If one adheres strictly to the Darwinian model, for example, human beings should not be any further advanced than the primitive tribes of New Guinea or Amazonia for at least another two or three million years. Yet, here we are a mere six thousand years removed from Sumer exploring outer space! It is this sudden leap from bushmen to astronauts which is perhaps the most troubling contradiction to the theory of natural selection with regard to the human species.

From our observation of primitive societies and analysis of new archaeological data, anthropologists note that pre-literate humans are not nearly as superstitious or prone to flights of fantasy as once thought. Indeed, they must be quite practical-minded to survive in the wild, so that in their daily lives religion and mysticism must take a back seat to logic, pragmatism, and experimentation. While we would not presume to say that the religious beliefs of today's primitive societies are analogous to those of the ancients, some principles do appear to evolve within all developing cultures that requires religious experience to have some sort of practical benefit and that it be communicated simply and truthfully.

Whether defenders of the Darwinian model attach any historical or scientific value to it or not, the fact remains that humankind's earliest historical records do go to great lengths to describe first-hand experiences with our extraterrestrial progenitors who set humanity on a civilized course with all of the knowledge needed to survive and flourish. That said, we should also observe that there cannot be found so much as a single historical text from the ancient world which describes humankind's evolution from an ape-like ancestry nor one which depicts the rise of human civilization as a gradually occurring achievement unassisted by extraterrestrials.

The story of creation told by the Hebrews, the Sumerians and many other ancient civilizations, is briefly and poetically summarized by Moses in the first chapter of Genesis. There, and in other sacred writings from around the world, we find the amazing story of the genetic engineering of human beings by extraterrestrial "gods", a concept that, if true, begs a scientific reappraisal of the origin of man and the universe. If this extraterrestrial genesis paradigm is to be embraced as fact, then not only must science come to terms with a natural selection scenario in which human beings are the exception but a reconsideration of human history that allows for extraterrestrial intervention is also called for.

Irrespective of one's scientific or theological predisposition, it is time for all inquiring minds to re-think many previously held assumptions pertaining to the religious experiences recorded by the simple-minded citizens of the ancient world. At the very least we should value, if not celebrate, that uniquely human quality which has allowed us to recall, with childlike wonder, mankind's personal encounters with a vast living cosmos. For it is the discovery of a simple truth, the truth of a shared human experience with our extraterrestrial relatives, that remains the goal of "demythologizing religion".

As we re-evaluate mankind's origin and the evolution of civilization from a cosmic theology perspective, we have a new opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the universe and ourselves as science and religion become more reconcilable. In light of the overwhelming evidence of extraterrestrial contact throughout human history one marvels at how secular scholars have so skillfully managed to ignore the cosmic theology equation present in the world's great religious literature and negate even the possibility of intelligent genetic engineering of human life in ancient earth history.

Judeo-Christian scholars have also been notoriously hostile to most scientific theory pertaining to the origin of the universe and the evolution of life on our planet, with a few exceptions. Enlightened theologians now routinely proffer an “intelligent design” paradigm that does allow for an evolution scenario (i.e. “creation science”) wherein human beings are the evolutionary exception to the Darwinian model. It has been widely acknowledged by theological scholars for some time that Moses' Genesis account is but a so-termed “six-day” creation synopsis based upon a common oral tradition passed down from ancient times (possibly originating in Sumer) that leaves ample room for speculation as to many details.

One popular view holds that Moses provides, in an abbreviated symbolic way, a scientifically valid sequential progression that accurately accounts for millions of years of earth's evolution (from a gaseous to solid state, then vegetation, sea life and higher forms of creatures, etc.) in the Genesis declaration “[elohim] said, Let the earth bring forth...(vegetation and all living creatures)”, suggesting a planet-wide biological evolution scenario. A significant departure from traditional scientific thinking only occurs in Genesis' assertion that on the final “day” of earth's evolution the elohim genetically engineered human beings.

As skeptical minds acquire a greater esteem for humankind's ancient religious texts, a new and scientifically credible cosmic theology may be found to contain more historical and scientific fact than myth. This area of study could also prove valuable to a new generation of dedicated, if sometimes perceived as eccentric, UFO researchers who are frequently discredited simply because they sometimes lack the scientifically credible and philosophical relationships which might invite a more open-minded examination of persuasive empirical evidence.

Likewise, the purveyors of simplistically reductive Bible story-myth need to be challenged to develop a more accessible, reality-based theology for the times. Certainly one of the most important responsibilities of pious clergy and theologians entrusted with accurately communicating theological concepts to the faithful masses is to ensure that the Bible is, at the very least, accurately translated and fairly interpreted using the best scholarship available in the modern era. Bible scholars must not allow millions of trusting souls to wander about in a dark wilderness of antiquated religious tradition built upon misinformation, cultural bias and inaccuracies in the Bible translations while a lamp of knowledge that could shed new light upon an old path remains “hidden under a bushel”.

The Bible certainly contains much more than just the earthly record of the Jews or the moral wisdom of venerable sages, prophets, and saints. It is a timeless collection of stories depicting mankind's relationship with their extraterrestrial progenitors. Within its accurately translated and demystified texts, the Bible offers us a message of warning and hope that may very well be the key to understanding our place in the vast living cosmos populated by an ancient and powerful citizenry. Whether one prefers to think of them as gods or “spacemen” who come from an advanced civilization somewhere in the universe, all serious students of biblical history would be well served by becoming better acquainted with the distinctive terminology used by the Hebrew writers to describe their extraordinary experiences with the “mighty ones”.