Ancient Aliens

I have been watching a series of programmes called Ancient Aliens that I came across by chance on an obscure channel. It discusses the theory that human civilisation was initially seeded by extraterrestrial beings who visited this planet when we were in a primitive state and, so to speak, jump-started our evolution, giving us the rudiments of technology and culture. It is even suggested that these beings manipulated our DNA to advance us intellectually and in terms of our conscious awareness of life. Constructions and artefacts from around the world are brought in to support the theory ranging from the Mexican pyramids at Teotihuacan to the rock cut Kailasa temple at Ellora in India and many other places. Myths and legends are also examined to help give credence to the idea. The programmes even investigate the possibility that there were extraterrestrial bases on Mars which may have been destroyed in massive thermonuclear explosions for which there is apparently some physical evidence.

It's all very intriguing though I wish the subject wasn't presented in the sensationalist manner it inevitably is. It is a sensational idea, of course, but it doesn't need portentous music, melodramatic commentary and over-the-top graphics to make its point. Some of the people interviewed, experts in their fields, are interesting even if they are only allowed short bursts in which to speak. All of which is to say that while there may be some substance in the programmes they are tabloid in style. 

But what about the theory? I suppose it goes back to Eric Von Daniken whose books were bestsellers in the 1970s though I haven't read them. As I recall, even at the time they were shown to be full of errors and false assumptions. I don't necessarily dismiss the theory on that account. Von Daniken may just have been over-enthusiastic in presenting it and seeing evidence for it all over the place through eyes that wanted to see it. But, as these programmes make clear, there are a lot of unexplained mysteries about the past, and when you factor in the many contemporary reports of UFOs and alien abductions from all over the world, it is obvious that something is going on which our modern worldview cannot explain.

But what? My understanding is that flying saucers and so-called extraterrestrial visitors, where they are real, come not from another part of this physical universe but its inner dimensions. They can materialise at certain times and under certain conditions but not for very long. This is why they appear and disappear suddenly. I believe there are many beings that exist on different levels (planes) of the material universe (using the world material to include non-physical realms outside the true spiritual world) and some of these may belong to what we might perceive as advanced (compared to us) civilisations. But this does not make them spiritual in the true sense. They may have great knowledge, psychic powers, occult abilities. They may have technologies beyond our knowledge and they may even, as one of the programmes claims, be trying to psychically inspire us to develop these technologies through impressing our brains with ideas. But that does not make them spiritual. Indeed, let me tell you that real spiritual beings have no technology. They do not need it. Technology is a material thing.

I notice that none of the programmes mention God, still less Jesus. They do mention higher states of consciousness, paranormal powers, inner dimensions of being, advanced evolution, that sort of thing, all of which is dubbed spiritual which most people think it is. However, I would say that these things can be grouped under the category of occult rather than spiritual. They are not necessarily bad but they relate to the non-physical levels of the material world rather than the true spiritual levels that we associate with God, Christ and heaven. They can be accessed by developed mind power regardless of spiritual or moral state and are to do with knowledge rather than the spiritual heart. Hence they fall into the category of "ye shall be as gods". 

Does this give us a clue as to what might be going on here? I am sure that true spiritual beings, angels from God, have been with humanity from the beginning, inspiring us and trying to move us along the spiritual path. But we know that demons have also been present from the beginning and they too seek to influence us in their way. Both operate through the mind but at different levels. In early times both may have been physically present in the world. Mythology alludes to both and sometimes it can be hard to prise them apart. But we know that Christ is the touchstone to which all things must relate to be true. As far as I am concerned, if these higher, supposedly more advanced beings do not reflect the real light of Christ, they are not spiritually healthy. I am not saying they are all evil. Some are demons but others may just be beings from other dimensions of the universe who have their own agenda as we humans would too if we encountered other beings, indeed as we did when we explored the globe and different peoples encountered each other. They might be good, bad or indifferent but they are not messengers from God.

Apparently this television series premiered in America on the History Channel in 2010 and has had 16 series with well over 100 episodes so far. I can't really recommend it because of its tabloid style and uncritical stance but it does have some interesting points to make.