Most humans need mystic or religious experiences in their lives. Rejection of orthodox religions and old religious practices leads many to look for replacements. Some choose harmless variants on old themes or develop other New Age mystic practices. Science itself is seen by some to replace the need for religion, for others it is elevated into mysticism. Aliens can be seen as personifications of science and the ultimate in 'Other Worldliness'. In 1968 Von Däniken claimed, in his book Chariots of the Gods? (which was later made into a documentary) that the gods of old civilisations were in fact alien visitors, who had built the great monuments of these civilisations - Stonehenge, the pyramids etc. Perhaps there were no gods, just supremely powerful aliens. For many, support groups for 'survivors of alien abduction' have become the means to 'spiritual growth'. Others have developed religious cults based on ideas developed from the myth of the Alien and UFOs. A number of cults have taken these ideas to extreme. Some could be harmless. Others lead to terrible disaster. Heaven's Gate religious group was one such. It began in the early 1970s - as did a number of others but in 1997 the current group members, and some former members committed suicide. Thirty eight members and the leader were found dead in their 'community' in California. They believed that the Earth was about to be recycled and that they would be elevated to a higher plane by aliens. |
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