List of UFO religions

Last updated

UFO religions are religious groups that deal with alleged communication between humans and extraterrestrial beings. [1] [2] Some adherents of UFO religions believe that the arrival or rediscovery of alien civilizations, technologies, and spirituality will enable humans to overcome current ecological, spiritual, and social problems. Issues such as hatred, war, bigotry, poverty and so on are said to be resolvable through the use of superior alien technology and spiritual abilities. Such belief systems are also described as millenarian in their outlook. [3] [4] Alien abduction belief can lead to formation of a UFO religion. [5] UFO religions originated with Theosophy, and many UFO religions still have many of the key points associated with Theosophy, such as belief in the same Spiritual Hierarchy. UFO religions can also be comparable to New Age thought. [6] Scholars identify the 1947 Roswell incident as a key event within the history of UFO spirituality. [6] [7]

Contents

"I AM" Activity, founded in 1930 by Guy Ballard, is seen, according to one author, as the first UFO Religion, [8] though the Aetherius Society founded by George King has also been given this distinction. [9] Heaven's Gate and Order of the Solar Temple, which both committed mass suicides, are seen as the most controversial of the UFO belief groups. [10] Scientology is seen by scholars as a UFO religion, due to its Xenu cosmogony and the presence of Space opera. [11]

List

ImageNameFounderFoundedFounding countryRefs.
Aetherius Society Logo.png
Aetherius Society George King 1955Flag of the United Kingdom.svg UK [1] [2] [10] [12] [13] [14]
Antrovis symbol.svg
Antrovis Edward Mielnik1980sFlag of Poland.svg PL [15]
Ashtar Galactic Command Thelma B. Terrill1977Flag of the United States.svg US [16] [11] [17] [18]
Association of Sananda and Sanat KumaraDorothy Martin1965Flag of the United States.svg US [19] [20]
Armageddon Time Ark BaseOrville Nodrog1966Flag of the United States.svg US [21]
Blue Rose MinistryRobert E. Short1960sFlag of the United States.svg US [22]
Cassiopaean ExperimentLaura Knight Jadczyk and Arkadiusz JadczykFlag of the United States.svg US [19]
CEIRUS Jean Miguères 1987Flag of France.svg FR [23] [24]
Chen Tao Hon-ming Chen1993Flag of the Republic of China.svg TW [19] [25] [18] [26] [27]
Chino's True Law Chino Yuko1977Flag of Japan.svg JP [28]
Christ Brotherhood Wallace C. Halsey1956Flag of the United States.svg US [29]
Church Universal and Triumphant Mark L. Prophet 1958Flag of the United States.svg US [30] [31]
Comunidade FigueiraJosé Trigueirinho Neto1980sFlag of Brazil.svg BR [32]
Cosmic Circle of Fellowship magazine advertisement symbol.png
Cosmic Circle of Fellowship William R. Ferguson 1955Flag of the United States.svg US [33] [34] [35]
Cosmic Star TempleViolet Gilbert1960Flag of the United States.svg US [36]
Cosmon Research Foundation Gloria Lee 1959Flag of the United States.svg US [37]
Delval UFO, Inc.Anthony Volpe and Lynn Volpe1972Flag of the United States.svg US [38]
École de la préparation à l'évacuation extraterrestreJeanine DerelFlag of France.svg FR [39]
Extraterrestrial Earth MissionSavizar and Silarra1986Flag of the United States.svg US [40] [41]
Falun Gong emblem.svg
Falun Gong Li Hongzhi 1992Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg CN [25]
Fiat Lux Erika Bertschinger Eike1980Flag of Germany.svg DE [19] [42] [17] [43]
Freie Interessengemeinschaft für Grenz- und Geisteswissenschaften und Ufologiestudien Billy Meier 1970sFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  CH [44] [45]
George Adamski.jpg
George Adamski Foundation Alice Wells and Charlotte Blob1965Flag of the United States.svg US [46]
God Light Association Shinji Takahashi 1969Flag of Japan.svg JP [47]
Ground Crew Project Sheldon Nidle1980sFlag of the United States.svg US [18] [17]
The Ground Crew Valerie Donner1996Flag of the United States.svg US [48] [49]
RO symbol of HS.svg
Happy Science Ryuho Okawa 1986Flag of Japan.svg JP [50]
HeavensGateRecruitmentMeetingFlyer (cropped).jpg
Heaven's Gate Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles 1970sFlag of the United States.svg US [10] [51] [52] [53] [54]
International Get Acquainted ProgramH.C. Petersen1965Flag of Denmark.svg DK [55]
"I AM" Activity Guy Ballard 1930sFlag of the United States.svg US [56] [8]
Interplanetary ConnectionsDarryl Anka1980sFlag of the United States.svg US [57]
Industrial Church of the New World Comforter Allen Michael1973Flag of the United States.svg US [18]
Last Day MessengersDave W. Bent1950sFlag of the United States.svg US [58] [59]
Mark-Age logo.gif
Mark-Age Charles Boyd Gentzel and Pauline Sharpe1962Flag of the United States.svg US [41] [49] [60] [61] [45]
Ministry of Universal Wisdom George Van Tassel 1962Flag of the United States.svg US [62] [63]
Flag of the Nation of Islam Noi flag 2.svg
Flag of the Nation of Islam
Nation of Islam Wallace Fard Muhammad 1930Flag of the United States.svg US [64] [65]
Néo-Phare Arnaud Mussy2001Flag of France.svg FR [66]
Nibiruan CouncilJelaila Starr1997Flag of the United States.svg US [67] [49]
TamaRe.jpg
Nuwaubian Nation Dwight York 1970sFlag of the United States.svg US [68] [69]
Order of the Solar Temple logo Order of the Solar Temple logo.svg
Order of the Solar Temple logo
Order of the Solar Temple Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret 1984Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  CH [10]
Projeto AlvoradaFerreira Neto1982Flag of Brazil.svg BR [32]
Projeto Portal Urandir Fernandes de Oliveira  [ pt ]2000Flag of Brazil.svg BR [32]
Raelian symbol Raelian symbol.svg
Raëlian symbol
Raëlism Raël 1974Flag of France.svg FR [1] [2] [11]
Rational Culture Manoel Jacintho Coelho 1935Flag of Brazil.svg BR [32]
Religion of Eternal Life Holy Society of GodCho Hui-song1981Flag of South Korea.svg KR [70]
Sanctuary of Thought Truman Bethurum 1950sFlag of the United States.svg US [71] [72]
The Seekers Charles Laughead and Dorothy Martin1953Flag of the United States.svg US [58] [18]
Siderella Jean-Paul Appel1966Flag of France.svg FR [73]
Science Research CenterHalûk Sarıkaya1978Flag of Turkey.svg TR [74]
Scientology logo Scientology Logo.svg
Scientology logo
Scientology L. Ron Hubbard 1952Flag of the United States.svg US [2] [11] [17] [75] [76] [64] [77]
Share International Benjamin Creme 1970sFlag of the United Kingdom.svg UK [78] [79]
Solar Light RetreatMarianne Francis1960sFlag of the United States.svg US [80]
Star Light FellowshipSterling Warren and Jackie Altisi1962Flag of the United States.svg US [81] [82]
Sunburst Norman Paulsen1969Flag of the United States.svg US [83] [84] [85]
Unarius Academy of Science Ernest Norman and Ruth Norman 1954Flag of the United States.svg US [12] [18] [86] [87] [13]
World Understanding Daniel Fry 1955Flag of the United States.svg US [82]
Universariun FoundationZelrun Karsleigh and Daisy Karsleigh1958Flag of the United States.svg US [88] [82]
Universe People Ivo A. Benda1997Flag of the Czech Republic.svg CZ [42]
Universe Society ChurchHal Wilcox1951Flag of the United States.svg US [89]
The Urantia Book.png
Urantia movement Based on a book of unknown authorship; spawned a loosely organized series of many groups1924 at the earliest and 1955 at the latestFlag of the United States.svg US [90] [12] [91]
Vale do Amanhecer Neiva Chaves Zelaya1960sFlag of Brazil.svg BR [92]
White StarDoris C. LeVesque1957Flag of the United States.svg US [93]
World Brotherhood UnionBülent Çorak1980sFlag of Turkey.svg TR [94]

See also

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Works cited