various authors
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NOTE |
Of the many hypotheses on the origin of UFOs, the claim that they are demonic would seem to be an obvious conclusion for Christian ufologists, but historically, it is on of the last ideas to attain widespread currency. The claim grew out of traditional Christian teachings about Satan holding dominion over the atmosphere, but only came to fruition after earlier claims that UFOs were God's heralds of the apocalypse or angels had already circulated among Christians. Traditionally, the claim is ascribed to evangelist Walter Vinson "W.V." Grant, Sr., who made it in his 1954 pamphlet Men in Flying Saucers Identified. I do not have access to that pamphlet. Below, I present a selection of excerpts related to the claim that UFOs are Satanic vehicles. The list is not comprehensive by any means but helps to contextualize a claim that became a mainstream conservative talking point in 2026.
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Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians 25 (176 or 177 CE)
25. These angels, then, who have fallen from heaven, and haunt the air and the earth, and are no longer able to rise to heavenly things, and the souls of the giants, which are the demons who wander about the world, perform actions similar, the one (that is, the demons) to the natures they have received, the other (that is, the angels) to the appetites they have indulged. But the prince of matter, as may be seen merely from what transpires, exercises a control and management contrary to the good that is in God…
Translated by B. P. Pratten.
Translated by B. P. Pratten.
St. John Chrysostom, Homily on Ephesians 4 (c. 390 CE)
Further, why does he call the Devil the prince of the world? Because nearly the whole human race has surrendered itself to him and all are willingly and of deliberate choice his slaves. And to Christ, though He promises unnumbered blessings, not any one so much as gives any heed; while to the Devil, though promising nothing of the sort, but sending them on to hell, all yield themselves. His kingdom then is in this world, and he has, with few exceptions, more subjects and more obedient subjects than God, in consequence of our indolence.
According to the power, says he, of the air, of the spirit.
Here again he means, that Satan occupies the space under Heaven, and that the incorporeal powers are spirits of the air, under his operation. For that his kingdom is of this age, i.e., will cease with the present age, hear what he says at the end of the Epistle; Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against powers, against the world rulers of this darkness; Ephesians 6:12 where, lest when you hear of world rulers you should therefore say that the Devil is uncreated, he elsewhere Galatians 1:4 calls a perverse time, an evil world, not of the creatures. For he seems to me, having had dominion beneath the sky, not to have fallen from his dominion, even after his transgression.
Translated by Gross Alexander.
According to the power, says he, of the air, of the spirit.
Here again he means, that Satan occupies the space under Heaven, and that the incorporeal powers are spirits of the air, under his operation. For that his kingdom is of this age, i.e., will cease with the present age, hear what he says at the end of the Epistle; Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against powers, against the world rulers of this darkness; Ephesians 6:12 where, lest when you hear of world rulers you should therefore say that the Devil is uncreated, he elsewhere Galatians 1:4 calls a perverse time, an evil world, not of the creatures. For he seems to me, having had dominion beneath the sky, not to have fallen from his dominion, even after his transgression.
Translated by Gross Alexander.
Athanasius, Life of Antony 21 (4th century CE)
21. And let us strive that wrath rule us not nor lust overcome us, for it is written, The wrath of man works not the righteousness of God. And lust, when it has conceived, bears sin, and the sin when it is full grown brings forth death. Thus living, let us keep guard carefully, and as it is written, keep our hearts with all watchfulness (Proverbs 4:23). For we have terrible and crafty foes — the evil spirits— and against them we wrestle, as the Apostle said, Not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). Great is their number in the air around us, and they are not far from us. Now there are great distinctions among them; and concerning their nature and distinctions much could be said, but such a description is for others of greater powers than we possess. But at this time it is pressing and necessary for us only to know their wiles against ourselves.
Translated by H. Ellershaw.
Translated by H. Ellershaw.
Thomas Goodwin, Sermon III on Ephesians (c. 1670)
I shall begin with the first sentence: He is a prince of the power of the air. The only difficulty of the phrases is, what is meant by power, and what by air. By power, some understand, in the abstract, that princedom or government he hath in the air: and by air, by a double synecdoche, they understand this lower world and the men in it; and so understand that universal power and princedom that is committed unto the great devil here in this world, both over men, and over his natives, his complices, evil angels. In Revelation 16 you shall find that when the seventh angel poured out his vial, Revelation 16:17,—which is that vial that ends all the enemies of Christ, and bringeth in the day of judgment, or the thousand years that go before it,—it is said, he ‘poured out his vial into the air, and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done;’ that is, there was an end of all, because this last vial is to be upon the universal power of the devil, which meant is by air; because as air circleth all things round, so it takes in the whole. The other vials had been poured out but upon part of the kingdom of the beast and of the devil, but this is upon the air, and so upon his whole power. And another sense, which indeed cometh all to one, is, that here, by the ‘power of the air,’ is meant not simply his government or power committed to him over the air whereof he is the prince, in the abstract, but that thereby is meant in a more peculiar manner his devils, his angels as they are called. It is put for the angels that have this power, whereof he is the prince; which angels live and fly up and down in the air, as the most accommodate place for their residence. And so it would rather seem to be here understood, because it would hold forth something distinct from what is said in the second sentence; now his power over men, over the children of disobedience, the Apostle expresseth that in the second sentence; therefore here, in this first, by the ‘power of the air,’ he meaneth, in a more peculiar, eminent manner, those airy spirits that are principalities, and powers, and rulers with him in this world, and are the spirits that do work under him in the children of disobedience. So that now by ‘power of the air’ is meant that united kingdom, that body of angels,—I may call them a political body,—under this one prince, Satan. The only objection against this interpretation is this, that it is called power, in the singular number, and that therefore the angels that have power under him should not be meant. But that is easily taken off, for it is all these as united into one kingdom; as we call an army sent from Spain, the power of Spain—that is, so many men; or an army that cometh under the command of one general against another nation, we call it such a force, or such a power cometh. In Colossians 1:13, there it is put in the singular number too. As in Ephesians 1:21 of this epistle, Christ is said to be the head of all ‘principality and power,’—it is not principalities and powers,—and yet there he meaneth not only government, but the persons in the government. In Exodus 14:28, that which in the Hebrew is, ‘all the host of Pharaoh were drowned,’ the Septuagint renders it in the singular number, all the ‘power’ of Pharaoh, meaning his whole army, or the men of that army; and so it doth the like in Exodus 15:4. And so now here, ἐξουσία, the power of the air which he is ὁ ἄρχων, prince of, though sometimes they differ, yet sometimes they are put one for and with another, as in 1 Corinthians 15:24. That which is in other places δυνάμεις, is there ἤ ἐξουσία. And so now the meaning of it is this: he is the prince of the power of the air,—that is, of all that body of angels that are united into a kingdom under him, and are in the air, which is the seat of their kingdom and of their rule, and are the spirits that do work in the children of disobedience. And so now ‘air’ doth note out the local place where they are, for kingdoms have denomination from the place; as we say, the king of Spain, or the kingdom of Spain, or the power of Spain, that is, which is in Spain, of men living there: so here, the prince of the power of the air is the prince of those angels that are united into one power and kingdom in the air, having that for their seat. And that I may add a little more confirmation to this, according to the analogy of Scripture phrase; you heard before that the ‘host’ of Pharaoh is called the ‘power’ of Pharaoh; so in Matthew 24:29, that which is there translated the ‘host’ of heaven, in the Greek is the ‘powers’ of heaven. The whole creation, my brethren, is divided—or at leastwise all that is above the earth where men live—into three parts, and every one of them have their ἐξουσίας, have their powers, that are inhabitants of it. There is the highest heavens, where God, blessed for ever, and his angels are; there is the starry heavens; and there is the air of this sublunary world: and in respect of the earth, these are sometimes all called heaven, the highest heaven is called the third heaven. Now, to all these there are hosts, or powers, or a power, which is all one, that is in Scripture attributed to them that be the inhabitants thereof; they are set forth under that title and name. God hath his throne in the highest heavens, and in 1 Kings 22:19 you shall read there of the ‘host of heaven,’ namely all his holy and blessed angels that were there gathered about him, and the Septuagint there translates it likewise the ‘powers of heaven.’ Then there is the starry heavens, where the sun, and moon, and stars are, and they rule the day and the night, whereof the sun is the prince; you shall find likewise that they are called the host of heaven, as in Psalms 33:6, and the Septuagint translates it in the same place, ‘power.’ Then here is the air, you see, that is the third, and that hath a host in it too, but it is of devils, whereof this great devil is the prince, it is the scat of his kingdom, it is the power of the air. And so much now for that. And that by the power of the air should be meant the wicked angels as united into one body, as joining and concurring in one power, one army; this, I say, makes the sense more full and comprehensive, holdeth forth something distinct from that which follows in the next words where his subjects are mentioned, namely the ‘children of disobedience,’ and sets forth the kingdom of Satan to the full in all its variety, in all its subordinations. He is a prince, under him He hath a power; these work upon men, the children of disobedience.—So now you have the phrases in these words opened unto you.
Boise, Idaho Statesman, June 27, 1947
He [Kenneth Arnold] said a preacher called him from Texas and informed him that the strange objects Arnold claims to have seen batting through the ozone actually were harbingers of doomsday.
Arnold said he didn’t get the preacher’s name during their phone conversation, but the minister said he was getting his flock “ready for the end of this world.”
Arnold said he didn’t get the preacher’s name during their phone conversation, but the minister said he was getting his flock “ready for the end of this world.”
Orval Lee Jaggers, Flying Saucers! (1952), chapter 3
Before I give you a Bible picture and description of Flying Saucers, which the prophet described thou sands of years ago, I shall now give you the purpose of the Flying Saucers. The following statement, is one that you must remember: BECAUSE OF ISRAEL’S SINS, THE LIVING CREATURES, OR THE CHERUBIM WITH SUPERNATURAL SPEED AND POWER, FLEW OVER ISRAEL, WARNING THEM OF GOD’S JUDGMENTS WHICH WERE SURE TO FALL UPON THEM, BECAUSE OF THEIR SINS AND UNCLEANNESS, OR IMMORALITY.
This description of the living creatures, or the Cherubim, or the wheel in the middle of a wheel, rolling across the earth and flying over Israel with super sonic, and supernatural speed, sounds like Flying Saucers!
This description of the living creatures, or the Cherubim, or the wheel in the middle of a wheel, rolling across the earth and flying over Israel with super sonic, and supernatural speed, sounds like Flying Saucers!
Lynn G. Catoe, UFOs and Related Subjects (U.S. Government report) (1969)
Many of the UFO reports now being published in the popular press recount alleged incidents that are strikingly similar to demonic possession and psychic phenomena which have long been known to theologians and parapsychologists.
John Keel, UFOs: Operation Trojan Horse (1970)
The real UFO story [...] is one of ghosts and phantoms and strange mental aberrations; of an invisible world which surrounds us and occasionally engulfs us... It is a world of illusion ... where reality itself is distorted by strange forces which can seemingly manipulate space, time, and physical matter — forces which are almost entirely beyond our powers of comprehension... The UFO manifestations seem to be, by and large, merely minor variations of the age-old demonological phenomena.
Rev. Bill Riddick, "Visitors From Outer Space - What Saith the Lord?" (1973)
Satan was himself a beautiful angel called Lucifer. He rebelled against God, was lifted up in pride, and fell from his exalted position. In so doing, he led a host of angels in rebellion, and they were cast out of Heaven. They are called fallen angels, demons, devils, emissaries of Satan that do his work. Satan is very powerful and seeks to oppose God's work. In Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 2, he is called "the prince and power of the air." In 2 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 4, he is called "the god of this world." In Matthew chapter 4, you'll remember when he tempted the Lord, he offered Him the kingdoms of this world if He would fall down and worship him. Satan and his emissaries have power to appear in various forms. In the Garden of Eden, you'll remember, he appeared in the form of a serpent. In 2 Corinthians 11:14, the Bible says, "Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." The Apostle John, in exile on the Isle of Patmos, tells of things past, present—that is, during his day—and things which would be thereafter. In Revelation chapter 9, he tells about some things that he saw that would happen at some future time.
Now, we're talking about Bible prophecy, and I'm not going to take the time to try to divide these prophetic times theologically because that's not the purpose of this message. But I want us to see from God's Word that John said strange things would happen, and I want to suggest to you that we compare what John said would happen sometime in the future with what is happening, and what is being reported as happening, in our world today. Revelation 9, verse 2: "And he opened the bottomless pit; and there rose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace. And the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. There came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them."
We see in this text that out of hell, out of the bottomless pit, there will be creatures, demons, spirits, devils released, and they will have the power to torture man in such a way, and to a degree, that men will seek death and shall not find it. They desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Now, we're talking about Bible prophecy, and I'm not going to take the time to try to divide these prophetic times theologically because that's not the purpose of this message. But I want us to see from God's Word that John said strange things would happen, and I want to suggest to you that we compare what John said would happen sometime in the future with what is happening, and what is being reported as happening, in our world today. Revelation 9, verse 2: "And he opened the bottomless pit; and there rose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace. And the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. There came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them."
We see in this text that out of hell, out of the bottomless pit, there will be creatures, demons, spirits, devils released, and they will have the power to torture man in such a way, and to a degree, that men will seek death and shall not find it. They desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Clifford Wilson and John Weldon, Close Encounters: A Better Explanation (1978)
Only one theory can satisfy all the evidence, and that is the demonic. This explains the interest of UFO “occupants” in Christian doctrine and prophecy, their fantastic numbers, the “nonphysical” nature of the evidence they leave behind, and the many close parallels to various forms of the occult. If all the evidence fitted any other hypothesis, it would be universally accepted that the problem was resolved. However, because demons are unacceptable for most modern men, the demonic theory is usually rejected. “We know that is not the explanation,” is the attitude. What really is being said is, “We don’t want that to be the answer, and so we have rejected it without considering it.”
Aimé Michel has said that Guerin’s Law is “the only law known to Ufology that has proved resistant to time.” Guerin’s Law itself states, “In Ufology any law is immediately falsified by subsequent sightings just as soon as it is formulated.”
The demonic theory is the only exception to that law. When one understands the true nature of demonic activity, it is seen that at no point does UFO activity disprove the demonic source of that working. For example, they will sometimes give true messages, but only as a means of gaining credibility for a bigger lie that is to follow.
Aimé Michel has said that Guerin’s Law is “the only law known to Ufology that has proved resistant to time.” Guerin’s Law itself states, “In Ufology any law is immediately falsified by subsequent sightings just as soon as it is formulated.”
The demonic theory is the only exception to that law. When one understands the true nature of demonic activity, it is seen that at no point does UFO activity disprove the demonic source of that working. For example, they will sometimes give true messages, but only as a means of gaining credibility for a bigger lie that is to follow.
Hal Lindsey, Planet Earth--2000 A.D. (1994)
Since the publication of The Late Great Planet Earth, I have become thoroughly convinced that UFOs are real. They are not all swamp gas. They are not all hallucinations. They are not all weather balloons. Some of these sightings, I believe, are of real spacecraft. And I believe they are operated by alien beings of great intelligence and power.
Where I differ with most "ufologists" is in the question of origin. I believe these beings are not only extraterrestrial but supernatural in origin. To be blunt, I think they are demons.
Where I differ with most "ufologists" is in the question of origin. I believe these beings are not only extraterrestrial but supernatural in origin. To be blunt, I think they are demons.
Vice President JD Vance, Benny Johnson Show, 2026
I don’t think they’re aliens, I think they’re demons anyway, but that’s a long discussion. [...] When I hear about extra natural phenomenon, that’s where I go: The Christian understanding that there’s a lot of good out there, but there’s also evil out there. I think that one of the devil’s great tricks is to convince people he never existed.
