num_pages: 399
description: The spectre of the UFO, popularized by shows like The X-Files, has brought an astonishing slant to the face of modern religious practice. What motivates the fantastical &amp; sometimes sinister beliefs of UFO worshippers? UFO Religions critically examines some of the issues surrounding UFO worship--abduction narratives, UFO-based interpretations of other religions, the growth of pseudo-sciences purporting to explain UFOs &amp; the responses of the core scientific community to such claims. Focusing on contemporary global UFO groups including the Raelian Movement, Heaven's Gate, Unarius &amp; the Ansaaru Allah Community, it gives a clear profile of modern UFO controversies &amp; beliefs.1 INTRODUCTIONUnderstanding UFO religions &amp; abduction spiritualities/ Christopher Partridge2 OBSERVING RELIGIONSScientific creationism: a study of the Raëlian Church/ George D. ChryssidesWhen the archangel died: from revelation to routinisation of charisma in Unarius/ Diana TumminiaOpening a channel to the stars: the origins &amp; development of the Aetherius society/ Simon G. SmithLegitimating suicide: Heaven's Gate &amp; New Age ideology/ James R. LewisURANTIA book/ Sarah LewisUnited Nuwaubian nation of moors/ Theodore GabrielFrom extraterrestrials to ultraterrestrials: the evolution of the concept of Ashtar/ Christopher Helland UFO faith &amp; ufological discourses in Germany/ Andreas Grünschlob Finnish UFO tradition 1947-94/ Jaakko Närvä3 UNDERSTANDING NARRATIVESUFO religions &amp; cargo cults/ Garry W. TrompfAlien doubts: reading abduction narratives post-apocalyptically/ Jodi DeanUFO beliefs as syncretistic components/ Mikael RothsteinApocalyptic &amp; millenarian aspects of American UFOism/ Daniel WojcikAttitudes towards religion &amp; science in the UFO movement in the US/ Brenda DenzlerJung on UFOs/ Robert A. Segal Psychology of UFO phenomena/ John A. Saliba
language: English
title: UFO Religions
titlecomplete: UFO Religions
genres: Nonfiction, Paranormal, Spirituality, Religion
ratings_count: 23
publisher: Routledge (NYC/London)