Are We Truly Not Alone?
Ufos are real! A spokesman for the United States Navy confirmed so in September 2019. In part, this was done to quell the controversy begun in December 2017 when the New York Times and To the Stars Academy of Arts and Sciences (a ufo research organization) released two of three Navy F-18 gun-camera videos for public viewing. The videos show Navy pilots encountering strange globular objects that moved through the air in ways that mystify experts. When looking at the videos nearly everyone exclaims: “What are those things?”
Flight engineers easily recognize that these “things” defy the known laws of physics. “What was strange, the pilots said, was that the video showed objects accelerating to hypersonic speed, making sudden stops and instantaneous turns—something beyond the physical limits of a human crew,” the New York Times reported on May 26, 2019.
https://youtu.be/wxVRg7LLaQA
While this is a significant admission on the part of a U.S. government agency, recognize: The U.S. Navy is not making any definitive statements about extraterrestrial life. Nor is it stating that little green men, or other weird-looking alien beings, have recently visited planet Earth. Hence, a name change.
Call Them UAPs
The Navy doesn’t want to call “these things” ufos anymore. According to Navy officials, these difficult-to-explain flying objects’ new moniker should be “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (uap),” explained Kayla Epstein, writing for the Washington Post on Sept. 18, 2019.
“The ‘Unidentified Aerial Phenomena’ terminology is used because it provides the basic descriptor for the sightings/observation of unauthorized/unidentified aircraft/objects that have been observed entering/operating in the airspace of various military controlled training ranges,” Epstein wrote, quoting Joseph Gradisher, spokesman for the deputy chief of naval operations for information warfare.
In other words, the U.S. Department of the Navy is concerned enough about what it has observed—and can’t explain. It would have rather have kept it a secret. To the Navy, it’s a matter of defending Americans from a potentially more powerful enemy.
Public Concern—Government Cover-up!
On January 13, Christopher Carbone of Fox News reported that the Navy had refused to release additional information on “a 2004 incident between the uss Nimitz and strange unknown aerial objects in response to a public records request” from vice Media. Why? Because “release of these materials would cause exceptionally grave damage to the National Security of the United States,” stated Carbone.
After the leak and growing controversy over the Navy tapes, ufo enthusiasts started an Internet campaign in June 2019 called “Storm Area 51” with nearly 2 million people pledging to break into Area 51, part of an Air Force base in southern Nevada where supposedly the government is warehousing crashed ufos and possibly aliens. The event, also called “Raid Area 51,” was scheduled to take place on Sept. 20, 2019. On the day of the event, only about 150 people appeared at the gate, but no one stormed the gate.
The event founders and many who signed up for the “raid” said it was only a joke. However, not everyone showing up at the gate saw it that way. According to Fox News, one of the gate visitors said, “I’ve always looked to the skies, but I kept it to myself because you didn’t talk about those things and now everyone is talking about things because it is easier to come out in the open with being a believer.” It will be interesting to observe if a serious uptick in “alien activism” heats up.
Many Believe Aliens Exist
Belief in ufos, extraterrestrials and the U.S. government cover-up is not a joke for many Americans. A recent Gallup poll reveals that not all of the ufo and alien-life enthusiasts are eccentrics hanging out on the fringe of society. While the majority of Americans are skeptical about ufos and aliens visiting Earth, a surprising number are not. On Sept. 6, 2019, Gallup published findings that show 33 percent of U.S. adults believe that some ufo sightings over the years have been alien spacecraft visiting Earth from other planets or galaxies.
In addition, 49 percent of Americans think that people like ourselves exist elsewhere in the universe. Even more Americans, 75 percent to be exact, believe that some form of life exists on other planets. So “Storm Area 51” was not really a joke. A large number of highly intelligent scientists believe there is a real possibility that there are advanced civilizations “out there,” meaning somewhere in the vast unexplored universe.
Multiple millions of dollars, man-hours and time has been invested in finding extraterrestrials. National Geographic’s March 2019 issue featured a 32-page spread titled “Who’s Out There?” On the cover is a beautiful picture of our Milky Way Galaxy and one of the 64 antennas of MeerKat, a supersensitive telescope that scans the sky for radio signals. Just above the telescope are the words printed on the cover in capital letters: “WE ARE NOT ALONE.” This definitive statement reflects not only the belief of a well-respected magazine but thousands of scientists around the world who are diligently searching for extraterrestrials. “New discoveries reveal it’s almost certain we’re not alone in the universe,” stated the article’s quip.
Looking for Earth-Like Planets
The article is worth reading because it gives us a look at the recent history of the magnificent technology invented to help us see further into the universe.
Of course, the goal—and hope—of all this technological development is to contact other beings like ourselves or any other benevolent, advanced alien civilization. The new game plan, in addition to listening to radio signals to make contact “out there,” is a driving urgency to find “exoplanets,” which are basically “all the planets in the universe except the ones you already know about revolving around our sun,” wrote author Jamie Shreeve.
To help scientists locate Earth-size planets that are circling a star’s habitable zone, the Keppler space telescope was launched in March 2009 (later decommissioned on Nov. 15, 2018). “Keppler’s mission was to see how many planets it could find orbiting some 150,000 stars in one tiny patch of sky—about as much as you can cover with your hand with your arm outstretched,” wrote Shreeve. Four thousand exoplanets have been confirmed. “But its ultimate purpose was to resolve a much more freighted question: Are places where life might evolve common in the universe or vanishingly rare, leaving us effectively without hope of ever knowing whether another living world exists?” he continued (emphasis added). What Keppler helped reveal is amazing.
“Kepler’s answer was unequivocal. There are more planets than there are stars, and at least a quarter are Earth-size planets in the star’s so-called habitable zone, where conditions are neither too hot or too cold for life,” Shreeve wrote. His conclusion concerning Kepler’s impact on our understanding of our galaxy is something we need to think about deeply.
“With a minimum of 100 billion stars in the Milky Way, that means there are at least 25 billion places where life could conceivably take hold in our galaxy alone—and our galaxy is one among trillions,” he stated. Think about this fact. This means that there is an awful lot of potentially livable real estate “out there.”
“It’s changed the way we approach one of the great mysteries of existence. The question is no longer is there life beyond Earth? It’s a pretty sure bet there is. The question now is, how do we find it,” University of California–Berkley astrophysicist Andrew Siemion told Shreeve.
There is another question we should ask: Is it possible the inhabitants of Earth are the unique and only species in the vast universe? There is an answer, but it can’t be found through the use of a highly sophisticated telescope.
‘The Silence Is Maddening’
Mankind’s desperation to find others in the universe is leading to the creation of newer and more powerful telescopes, which will far exceed the power of Hubble Space Telescope or Keppler. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (tess) was launched in 2018. “tess is scanning the entire sky with the goal of finding 50 exoplanets with rocky surfaces like Earth’s that could be investigated by even more powerful telescopes coming on line,” continued Shreeve. nasa hopes to launch the James Webb Space Telescope in 2021, the first of a new series of extremely powerful telescopes. However, what is the likelihood we’ll make contact?
“As the romance of manned space exploration has waned, the drive today is to find our living, thinking counterparts in the universe. For all the excitement, however, the search betrays a profound melancholy—a lonely species in a merciless universe awaits an answering voice amid utter silence. The silence is maddening,” wrote Charles Krauthammer for the Washington Post (Dec. 29, 2011). It has been eight years since this essay was published—still no answer.
“As we inevitably find more and more exoplanets where intelligent life can exist, why have we found no evidence—no signals, no radio waves—that intelligent life does exist?” he continued. Krauthammer, who died in 2018, had a brilliant mind and was not afraid to voice the difficult questions. He saw clearly the great mystery science is trying to unlock. And there is no doubt he was puzzled as to why brilliant men have not been able to find the key to open the secret.
Here’s a point we need to consider. There is one thing that human beings have had difficulty accepting since the creation of Adam and Eve. We are limited in what we can discover and know about ourselves: why we exist, the purpose of human life, and even, why the vast universe. Consider also the physical limitations of human life. Our amazing technology only allows us to see so far into boundless space. At present—putting the hopes of sci-fi aside—we don’t have the spacecraft to travel to the outer reaches of the universe in order to do our own inspection. We may need to accept that no matter how advanced our technology becomes, it is still unlikely to give us the knowledge we so greatly desire. However, there is a source that can. It is the Holy Bible!
Universe Mysteries Revealed
To many men of science, who trust implicitly in the theory of evolution as the truth of origins, that statement is laughable. Unfortunately, the majority of the great minds of science have been buffaloed by the unprovable theory of evolution. There exists an all-powerful Creator God who created all things! Because of intellectual vanity, many of the brightest men of science have closed their eyes and minds to the only source that has the true answers to the great mysteries of the universe in which human beings are destined to play a major role. The Bible even explains the origin of ufos–uaps. There is no need for high-dollar, space-polluting telescopes!
“In this Book of all books, God reveals Himself as Creator of all, not merely the Earth and man, but the entire limitless universe,” wrote Herbert W. Armstrong, undeniably the most important theologian of the 20th century, in his book The Incredible Human Potential. “The Maker of mankind is also the Creator of all. On a clear, cloudless night one may behold the star-studded sky. Is it possible there is an unrealized connection between the galaxies with their mighty suns, their planets—and man?” he asked. Mr. Armstrong devotes the first seven chapters of this book to explain why the vast universe has billions of unfinished, decaying planets and why Earth is the sole planet in the universe with life. It is thrilling knowledge. And it is directly related to the gospel (good news) message Jesus Christ brought to Earth.
Explaining Christ’s true gospel message, Mr. Armstrong stated, “It is concerned with God’s tremendous, overwhelming, overall purpose as Creator of the entire universe. It’s concerned with the entire vast universe, filled with uncountable galaxies, nebulae, suns, stars, planets, and with God’s purpose for them.” He assured us that man’s incredible human potential is directly tied to the universe and the Creator’s overall purpose for it. God has revealed this purpose in His Word for all those willing to open their minds to receive it.
“Science generally rejects revelation as a basic source of knowledge. Although astronomers for hundreds of years have been curious about the stars in the sky, many devoting their lifetimes to study through constantly improved telescopes, they knew nothing about the purpose—0r whether there is a purpose,” Mr. Armstrong continued.
“But does human life or some other form—either much superior to man, or much inferior exist on Mars or any other planet? Science does not have these answers. … The pictures [from the Viking 1, July 20, 1976, Mars landing] showed clearly to us precisely what is revealed in the Word of God—Romans 8:19-23; Revised Standard Version. All is waste, deterioration, a condition of decay. There appeared no evidence of any sign of life of any sort, or conditions that could sustain life,” he wrote. Study these verses using the Revised Standard Version. Mr. Armstrong explained the deep meaning of these scriptures in this eye-opening, mind-blowing book. You may have this book, at no cost or obligation, upon request.
“All indications are that only our planet Earth is a life-supporting planet. Others appear to be like our moon—dead, decayed, wasted and empty. Our Earth is part of the solar system which is part of a single galaxy called the Milky Way. There are many other galaxies on beyond ours. They extend into space distances so vast the human mind cannot conceive of them in terms of miles, meters or any measure of distance except light-years,” Mr. Armstrong wrote. But it will not remain this way. God created mankind to be born into His Family and finish the creation of the universe and rule it as God’s obedient sons and daughters.
Satan: God’s and Man’s Adversary
“What could have caused this ‘bondage to decay?’” Mr. Armstrong asked. His answer is astounding and a key to understanding what is behind the ufo–uap sightings. Do you realize that human beings were not the first inhabitants of Earth? “We shall see that angels inhabited the Earth prior to the creation of man. Angels, who were perfect from the creation until iniquity or lawlessness was found in them, caused the whole surface of the Earth to turn into a state of decay, confusion and emptiness, as we shall see,” he stated. He explained that it is likely the entire universe was subjected to the same decay at the time that the rebellion of the angels destroyed the surface of the Earth (study Genesis 1:2). Lucifer, now Satan the devil, led one third of the angels, who were assigned to help him finish the creation of the Earth, into rebellion against God and His government (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:12-19; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6). They attempted to seize God’s throne over the universe and replace Him as ruler. We could speculate that the Earth may have seemed too small for them. Mr. Armstrong explained this prehistory in great detail. You need to read and study The Incredible Human Potential.
“It is a mystery to almost everybody, but the Bible reveals a very real but invisible world—another dimension, as some choose to call it—existing along with our own, absolutely indiscernible to our five senses. It is the spirit world,” Mr. Armstrong explained in Mystery of the Ages. So in this sense we are not alone in the universe. One third of these angelic beings—Satan’s cohorts now known as demons—are man’s adversaries. After Satan’s recent attempt to take the throne from God a second time, they are no longer permitted to go out into the universe. They were cast down to this Earth (Revelation 12:7-9). The remaining faithful angels are now working to help God’s people attain salvation (Hebrews 1:14).
Satan is very active today. “It is extremely urgent that we understand Satan. The book of Ezekiel exposes him in an exceptional way,” writes Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry in Ezekiel: The End-Time Prophet. “Lucifer was one of only three archangels mentioned in the Bible. He was one of the highest-ranking angels God created, if not the highest. His prestigious position was that of a covering cherub, and he directly served at God’s throne. After God set him on the throne of this Earth, he rebelled. Today, he still retains a lot of that power as the evil god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). How does he operate? … As you examine the Scriptures, you will see that he follows a pattern of deception. The only difference is, he is much more wrathful today than ever before (Revelation 12:12).”
Amazing Spiritual Vehicles
So what do the fallen angels have to do with ufos–uaps? Ezekiel 1 not only introduces the great God to us, it reveals that Ezekiel was given a vision of an amazing spiritual vehicle. At the time Ezekiel saw this vision, righteous angels (specifically cherubs) were operating an amazing aircraft to transport God to visit Ezekiel at the river Chebar. Read Ezekiel 1:4-28.
“Ezekiel saw this great, luminous vehicle with wings and revolving wheels moving at lightning speed. It never had to turn; it would move instantly in any direction. Men had never seen anything like this—it looked like torches or lightning darting around. This was quite a vehicle—so awesome Ezekiel had trouble even explaining it. Has anyone else ever had such a vision?” writes Mr. Flurry (ibid). Isn’t that description somewhat similar to what the U.S. Navy pilots witnessed. The “things” they saw looked like vehicles that can do amazing things beyond our known laws of physics.
The Navy pilots obviously were not given a vision from God. But Satan and his demons have the means to show off amazing vehicles they may have access to. This could have been what they saw. Of course, their reason for doing so would be to deceive mankind about the plan of God for the universe. Surely Satan would like man to believe there are extraterrestrials out there, if for no other reason than to blind mankind to God’s purpose for man and the universe. Yet the Bible, specifically Romans 8:19-23, show that the entire universe is in decay. There is no extraterrestrial civilization out there.
Even Charles Krauthammer postulated that many people want to search for aliens in the hope they can save us from blowing ourselves off the planet. “So why the silence?” he asked. “Carl Sagan (among others) thought the answer is to be found tragically, in the final variable: The high probability that advanced civilizations destroy themselves. In other words, this silent universe is conveying not a flattering lesson about our uniqueness but a tragic story about our destiny” (Things That Matter). We live in terrifying times. Satan and his demons are pushing madmen to ignite the destruction of all humanity. It is time we wake up and turn back to a firm belief in a great Creator God. There are no extraterrestrials “out there” to come and save us from genocide. There is good news! Man’s civilization will not have a Carl Sagan end.
That is what the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is all about. He is planning to return (from outer space) and save humanity from the nuclear war that is sure to come. Study Matthew 24:21-22. As King of the Earth, Jesus Christ will establish a new civilization, known in the Bible as the wonderful World Tomorrow, and build a new human society of peace, safety and abundance for all mankind (Hebrews 2:5-10). The great Creator God has great plans for you, me and all mankind. That future will be far more exciting than seeing a ufo–uap streak across the sky.