The news is buzzing this week with reports of UFOs buzzing around New Jersey.

UFOs are certainly among the most puzzling paranormal phenomena. BTW I like Jimmy Akin’s distinction between “paranormal” and “supernatural”. Paranormal refers to phenomena that are beside or outside normal experience.  “Supernatural” refers to phenomena “above” the natural. In other words, paranormal phenomena are events or experiences that expand our normal ways of experiencing reality, but which are probably still part of the natural order (albeit presently beyond our capacity to explain and understand) Supernatural phenomena are experiences or events that are above the natural order in which powers above the natural order (God, angels or demons) interpose themselves into the natural order. Bigfoot, fairies, UFOs, ghosts–would be paranormal. Angel encounters, demon possession, miracles–are supernatural.

So what to make of UFOs? The three main theories are proposed: they are flown by alien beings from another planet or they are demonic manifestations or they are from a parallel universe.

I doubt whether there are aliens from other planets arriving here from light years away in physical aircraft with advanced technology. This theory evidences a dull, materialistic solution based on some pretty faulty assumptions: that other planets and other beings are essentially like us–that is, they think in materialistic terms and like to invent technologically flashy toys. It also assumes that this is the only kind of existence there is. If there are, in fact, alien beings on other planets, why do we assume that they would be anything like us at all? Their whole mode of existence would probably be something we would not even have the mental concepts to even begin to comprehend.

So are they manifestations of demons? This is a possibility, but why would demons play around manifesting as flying saucers? To deceive or terrify mankind? They have other far more effective ways to deceive and frighten us. I don’t know, but from what I know from experience and reading about demons–this is not the kind of thing they have the power to do. However, I am not an expert demonologist and I am open to the idea that UFOs have some sort of supernatural, demonic genesis. It certainly seems a stronger hypothesis than aliens (who are pretty much like us) that come here to visit from a galaxy far, far away.

The third theory of alternate or parallel worlds is, to my mind, just a more scientifically sounding version of the demon hypothesis because demons are essentially intelligent entities from a parallel dimension.  It just that “intelligence from a parallel dimension” sounds less spooky and superstitious and religious than “demons”.

Putting these three theories aside, I have always been intrigued–and partially convinced– by the theories put forward in Patrick Harpur’s seminal work on the paranormal Daemonic Realities. Harpur is influenced by the theories of psychologist Carl Jung and speculates that paranormal phenomena are the product of the collective unconscious. The theory goes like this: when humanity (or a group of humans) reaches a crisis point–a time of collective stress and tension the accumulated fear is projected in such a way to produce paranormal phenomena. The phenomena are “real” inasmuch as they are perceived by our physical senses,  but they remain elusive and immune to either capture or scientific verification. However, they may be “real” enough to leave imprints or scraps of “evidence” in the material world. So, for example, a UFO might leave a scorch mark on the grass after it takes off. A Yeti might leave a footprint in the snow. A fairy might leave behind a tiny shoe or jacket. However, we will never capture a Bigfoot or a swamp monster or an alien and put them in a zoo. We will never get a crashed UFO and put it on display in the NASA museum in Washington.

Harpur goes on to speculate that these phenomena are produced by the collective unconscious in a mysterious way that we will never fully understand because the process is, itself, unconscious. Furthermore, we produce phenomena that reflect our own culture and paradigms of understanding. In medieval Europe they saw fairies and leprechauns and other kinds of “little people” who were pretty much like them. We see “little green men from Mars” because we live in the space age, not the Middle Ages.

For my money, Harpur’s theory rings true. If you are interested you ought to get his book its fascinating.