Alien Worlds: Social and Religious Dimensions of Extraterrestrial Contact

Extraterrestrials have been a common theme inThe main theme of Part III is the representation
popular culture, which is unsurprising given that aof UFOs in myths and the media. There are
recent poll by the Associated Press estimateddiverse voices here: while the chapter by Annie E.
that 34 percent of people believe in unidentifiedKubiak is historically oriented and describes various
flying objects (UFOs). Scholars have been tryingUFO myths over time, Jacques Vallee (the model
to understand this phenomenon, and a number offor the scientist in Spielberg's Close Encounter's of
them are represented in Alien Worlds, a collectionthe Third Kind) acknowledges the possibility of
of essays on "extraterrestrial contact" written byUFOs, but looks beyond the theory of
a wide array of international researchers andextraterrestrial contact by proposing other
edited by Diana G. Tumminia, a sociologist andpossible factors such as "situational triggers" (e.g.,
expert on contactée religions. The essayshypnosis) or myths and images of demons. The
include an overview of diverse contactéeinteresting ethnography of Star Trek Klingon fan
religions, defined as "an organized following thatgroups by Jennifer Porter nicely describes how
forms around a contactée mystic" andfans "play" with cultural norms; but, unlike the
characterized by mythology, channeling, ritual andother essays, it does not concern plausible
a "millenarian worldview" (xxix), and also includeextraterrestrials.
topics such as explanations for alien abductionPart IV is entitled "Ufological Science and
experiences, "Ufological science," and supportTherapy." What is the relationship between
groups for abductees.ufological science, traditional science, and religion?
Part I represents an overview of variousJames F. Strange advocates an open-minded
contactée religions. These chapters give theposition toward extraterrestrials, positioning "awe
beginner an overview of these groups (evenand wonder" against fear and aggression as
though this section is not intended to bepossible responses. Other chapters in this section
comprehensive). Some of the chapters seemdiscuss how ufology and beliefs in extraterrestrials
merely descriptive (Jerome Clark's chapter on the(Cross's chapter) or archaeology and beliefs in
"Odyssey of Sister Thedra" or Diana G.extraterrestrials overlap (Anderson's chapter).
Tumminia's chapter on "The Universal IndustrialChristopher Helland's chapter on the Raelians's
Church of the New World Comforter"). Whereasequation of gods with scientists who clone takes
others were written with specific key points inthis reasoning a step further.
mind, such as the sanctification of the leader ofThough some chapters are rather weak
the Aetherius Society (George King) in officialtheoretically, we found this book very informative
texts, or an ethnographer's (Tumminia's)and eye-opening, especially because it is written
comparison of the construction of knowledge ofboth by academics who take an objective or
members of Unarius with her own view of reality.neutral stance toward the phenomenon (i.e., most
The chapter by Bryan Sentes and Susan Palmerof the authors) and those who seem to be
that connects Radians' popularity to theadvocates (e.g., James F. Strange). It also seems
"postmodern condition" seems especially wellto fill a gap in the literature and gives the reader a
thought-out and conceptualized. Its central thememuch-needed presentation of what is going on in
is that "Raelianism replaces the supernatural withthe Alien Worlds.
the extraterrestrial and technological in order toHowever, the chapters are quite loosely
demystify and demythologize primarily theconnected, and at times it was not easy to see
Abrahamic religions, simultaneously (ifhow it forms a whole. Another way to categorize
unconsciously) mythologizing and ideologizingthe various chapters is around these themes:
science and technology" (59).contactée religions and postmodernity (Sentes,
Part II centers on alien abduction experiences andPalmer, and Kubiak); the mythologizing of science
explanations for them. Authors propose suchor overlap between science and beliefs in these
explanations as "sleep paralysis" as well as culturalgroups (Sentes and Palmer, Cross, and Heiland);
and social environmental factors for theseUFO as representing an Archetype as originally
phenomena such as the availability of abductionpresented by Carl Jung (Vallee and Kubiak); the
narratives to compare one's own experiencesrole of the sociology of knowledge in the
with, or "secondary beliefs," a following basedconstruction of beliefs and narratives (Tumminia
upon hearing other people's confessions. Here, weand Vallee); and ethnographic research on
found Scott Scribner's chapter to be especiallycontactée groups or random (Tumminia, Porter
interesting, since he highlights parallels betweenon Klingon fandom, and Bader's research on UFO
religion and these experiences, notably in the areaAbduction groups) ( perhaps replacing the titles of
of "interactions with supernatural beings, stmgglesPart I through IV with titles describing these
between good and evil, encounters withthemes).
overpowering benevolent ('light') forces orNevertheless, we would recommend Alien Worlds
malevolent ('dark') forces, conversion andto readers interested in the extraterrestrial
reframing of interpretations (belief templates), thephenomenon and in how religion is expressed in
notion of being chosen, visions, testimonialatypical forms or through popular culture. It is
evidence, the occasional channeling of otherworldlysuitable for both undergraduate and graduate
beings, altered states of consciousness, healingcourses in the sociology and psychology of
narratives, and apocalyptic pronouncements"religion, and parts of it can surely also be used in
(151-152).media courses.