By Kelly E. Hayes

UFOs and Utopian Thinking: Envisioning a New World

Since the dawn of the Space Age, few subjects have captivated the public as profoundly as the UFO, also known as the UAP or unidentified anomalous phenomenon¹ These enigmatic objects, often seen as harbingers of otherworldly intelligence, seem to fuel our collective dreams and anxieties. Yet, beyond the mysterious allure of extraterrestrial encounters, UFOs also serve as a cipher for our deepest utopian aspirations.

The Utopian Impulse

At its core, utopian thinking is the pursuit of an ideal society—a vision of a world transformed by justice, equality, and harmony. Since Thomas More used the term “utopia” in his 1516 book of the same name, utopian ideals have been shaped by the cultural and technological contexts of their times. In the 20^th century, the advent of space exploration offered new ways to think about humanity’s age-old fascination with otherworldly beings and introduced a new element into utopian thought: the UFO. Condensing ideas about advanced technology, scientific progress, speed, evolution, and the possibility of other, better worlds, the UFO offers a powerfully resonant—even iconic —symbol. Alongside its regular appearances in movies, television shows, books, and other pop culture creations over the last seventy-five years, the UFO has captivated the religious imagination, inspiring various “UFO religions.” Many of these groups combine popular speculation about alien intelligences with Theosophical teachings about wise and benevolent masters who work to help humanity evolve. Some, however, propose a more pessimistic scenario.

Herewith, a select guide to the major constellations of the imaginative realms where starships and visions of society and salvation collide.

Unarius Academy of Science: Established by Ernest (1904-1971) and Ruth Norman (1900-1993) in 1954 in southern California, Unarius (an acronym for Universal Articulate Interdimensional Understanding of Science) teaches that advanced extraterrestrial beings, known as the Space Brothers, are guiding humanity’s spiritual evolution. These beings are said to reside on higher frequency dimensions and communicate with humans through channeled messages. Once the “earth people” are ready to heed their call, the Space Brothers will return to usher in a utopian age of reason, love, and world peace. Central to Unarius’ philosophy is the concept of interdimensional understanding, which posits that all life is interconnected through a vast network of energy that transcends physical realities, enabling the soul to reincarnate over many lifetimes in pursuit of spiritual evolution. The Academy’s curriculum emphasizes past-life therapy, which helps adherents resolve karmic issues and achieve personal growth.

Suggested reading: Diana Tumminia, When Prophecy Never Fails: Myth and Reality in a Flying-Saucer Group (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005).

Unarius storefront, San Diego, California, 2019

The Aetherius Society: Founded in California in 1955 by George King (1919-1997) after a life-changing encounter with an extraterrestrial named Aetherius, this UFO religion teaches that advanced beings inhabiting other planets, known as the Interplanetary Intelligences, are concerned with the welfare of planet Earth. King taught that the ecological and social devastation of the atomic age was the result of a profound spiritual imbalance, and that humans have the choice to either evolve or self-destruct. The Society’s activities include prayer, meditation, and the use of “Spiritual Energy Batteries” to heal the planet and uplift humanity. Members believe these activities will hasten the coming of “the next Master” from space, who will inaugurate a utopian era of peace and prosperity.

Suggested reading: John Saliba, “The Earth is a Dangerous Place: The World View of the Aetherius Society,” Marburg Journal of Religion 4 (2): 1999.

The Aetherius Society Healing Centre, Tankersley, England, 2010

The Valley of the Dawn: Founded in the 1960s by Brazilian spirit medium Neiva Chaves Zelaya (1925-1985), known to her followers as Aunt Neiva, the Valley of the Dawn is now a global movement with nearly 800 affiliated temples worldwide. Its members, who call themselves Jaguars, believe that they are the reincarnated descendants of advanced extraterrestrials sent by God millennia ago to galvanize human evolution. The great pyramids of Egypt and Mesoamerica, they believe, were inspired by the Jaguars’ ancient wisdom, but eventually the Jaguars lost contact with their cosmic Masters and descended into war and chaos. In 1964, Aunt Neiva reunited the scattered spiritual tribe of the

Jaguars, urging them to redeem their karma. Their mission? To rekindle their lost connection to the stars and prepare humanity for the transition to the Third Millennium, when Earth will pass into a new metaphysical state and the era of karmic redemption will close. In their daily rituals, members summon “cosmic energies” to banish negative energy and promote healing and karmic balance. They offer healing to anyone who seeks it, regardless of membership status.

Suggested reading: Kelly E. Hayes, Spirits of the Space Age: The Imagined World of Brazil’s Valley of the Dawn (New York: Oxford University Press, 2024).

Valley of the Dawn, Brasília, Brazil 2012

Heaven’s Gate: Founded in the early 1970s by Marshall Applewhite (1931-1997) and Bonnie Nettles (1927-1985), known within the movement as Ti and Do, this American religious group captivated followers with promises of cosmic ascension. Their theology blended elements of Christianity, science fiction, and extraterrestrial lore. Ti and Do, the celestial shepherds, proclaimed that Earth was a waystation, and followers needed to evolve to the “Next Level,” a higher dimension of existence where physicality would be transcended. In 1997, as the Hale-Bopp comet streaked across the Earth’s skies, Heaven’s Gate members donned matching black uniforms and Nike sneakers. Their cosmic exit strategy involved ingesting a lethal cocktail of phenobarbital and vodka in a mass suicide ritual. Their bodies, arranged in bunk beds, awaited a spaceship following the Hale-Bopp comet, the cosmic transport they believed would transport them to the Next Level.

Suggested reading: Benjamin E. Zeller, Heaven’s Gate: America’s UFO Religion (New York6: New York University Press, 2014).

Heaven’s Gate official logo

Raëlism: Reputed to be the largest “flying saucer religion” in the world, Raëlism (or Raëlianism) was founded in 1974 by Claude Vorilhon (born 1946) after an alleged encounter with a UFO near Clermont-Ferrand in France. Based on the knowledge he received from this and subsequent contacts, Vorilhon claimed that life on Earth was created by the Elohim, a spacefaring, extraterrestrial race of scientists possessing highly advanced biotechnology. Raëlians believe that the Elohim have been mistaken for gods throughout history and that religious prophets such as Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad were messengers of the Elohim. As the Elohim’s final messenger to humanity, Vorilhon took the name Raël (meaning the “bearer of light”). Raëlians believe that once humanity achieves world unity, peace, and scientific advancement, the Elohim will return to Earth to share their technology and establish a utopian golden age. In preparation for that event, Raëlians advocate for a world government and the construction of an embassy to welcome the Elohim.

Suggested reading: Susan J. Palmer, Aliens Adored: Raël’s UFO Religion (New Brunswick, Rutgers University Press, 2004).

Raëlians

Reptilian Agenda: British writer David Icke (born 1952) offers a notable exception to UFO religions that depict aliens as benevolent or neutral observers. Icke posits that shape-shifting extraterrestrials have infiltrated governments around the world and hold positions of power to prevent humanity from realizing its highest potential. While the so-called Reptilian Agenda or Reptilian Conspiracy has yet to spawn a full-fledged religion, Icke’s dystopian message that those in power are not just corrupt but fundamentally different and malevolent appeals to certain individuals suspicious of authority and the contemporary global order.

Anti-Trump demonstration in Baltimore, Maryland, 2016

Utopian Promise

As this brief survey demonstrates, the allure of UFO religions lies in their diagnosis of contemporary ills and their promise of a future where humanity’s potential is fully realized. These movements offer cosmologies that reconcile scientific advances with religious belief and a sense of hope and purpose in times of social and environmental upheaval.Earth, they claim, stands at the precipice of transformation. Whether through cataclysmic upheaval, the arrival of benevolent extraterrestrials, or overthrowing our alien masters, our world will be reborn. In this cosmic drama, the UFO serves as both harbinger and ark—an emissary from the stars, bearing tidings of renewal as well as warnings of danger.

In contemplating UFOs and utopian thinking, we are reminded of the power of imagination to envision new worlds. Whether or not utopia can ever be fully realized on Earth, the visions inspired by UFOs challenge us to strive for a more just, peaceful, and harmonious planet. As we gaze at the stars, we are invited to dream not only of other worlds but also of the utopian possibilities within our own.

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Kelly E. Hayes is a Professor of Religious Studies at Indiana University-Indianapolis. She earned a Ph.D. in the History of Religions at the University of Chicago and has been conducting field research on religion in
Brazil since 1997. Her research project at CAS-E is titled “The Valley of the Dawn: A Case Study of Contemporary Esotericism in Brazil”. She is a permanent fellow at CAS-E.

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The views and opinions expressed in blog posts and comments made in response to the blog posts are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of CAS-E, its founders, its staff, or any agent or institution affiliated with it, nor those of the institution(s) with which the author is affiliated.

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Image 1: Unarius storefront, San Diego, California, 2019 (Photo by Kelly E. Hayes)

Image 2: The Aetherius Society Healing Centre, Tankersley, England, 2010 (Photo from https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1689683)

Image 3: Valley of the Dawn, Brasília, Brazil 2012 (Photo by Kelly E. Hayes and Márcia Alves)

Image 4: Heaven’s Gate official logo (Photo from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven’s_Gate_(religious_group))

Image 5: Raëlians (Photo from carmenslade, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

Image 6: Anti-Trump demonstration in Baltimore, Maryland, 2016 (Photo from

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reptilian_sign.jpg by Elvert Barnes Protest Photography)

Image 7: Header picture (Photo from https://blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk/2022/03/the-aliens-are-coming/)