Fides et Ratio (encyclical, JP II, 1998): “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth…”
Whilst this is one of my favourite opening sentences of any piece of writing, I am not a big fan of *organized* religion (versus personal religion) when it comes to these things.
Religion is neither a necessary nor sufficient condition for understanding the UAP/NHI phenomenon(a), or minimizing ontological shock. To illustrate, I am sure the Chinese government has plans for how it would communicate with its population about disclosure, and I doubt they would be invoking religion.
*Organized* religion has *always* been used by a few to control and manipulate the many. The folks at the top of the food chain of *organized* religion should never be trusted. *Personal* religion/faith is an entirely different thing. My spouse is a deeply religious individual, an adherent of one of the world’s “major” faiths (i.e., large numbers of adherents), but her faith is extremely personal. She has very little patience for the organized side of her religion, and in any event, very little time, being a small business owner who works six days a week (and that’s post cancer surgery and radiation).
I get that religion provides the “3 Bs” (belief, belonging, behaviours), among other things, and I have sometimes even envied folks of deep faith who have gotten through very tough times in part because of their faith.
But for me, I think the cons outweigh the pros. Maybe one day I’ll change my mind. Even if I do, I reckon I will choose a tradition that has relatively small number of adherents, like Zoroastrianism.
Is it really necessary to have a “celebrity” at the launch of a Papal Encyclical? And why even a launch? Can’t the encyclical simply be published, quietly. Why does everything have to be hyped these days? What’s next - Pope Leo will sing at the Superbowl half-time show?
“Yes, U.S. Representative Thomas Kean Jr. (R-NJ) and author/investigative journalist Leslie Kean are relatives. Leslie Kean is the cousin of Rep. Thomas Kean Jr.. Both are part of the prominent New Jersey political family, as they are both grandchildren of former U.S. Congressman Robert Kean”
I finally decided to get a payed subscription so I can read the rest of your Substack. You’re the only sub I have on here, and I really didn’t want to put my card on here. I’ll have to post about it, but last night something clicked for me.
Thank you for hanging in there, I’m sure it hasn’t been easy, I’ve been guilty of angry/suspicious posts.
Most of my family will be captured by this demon narrative, very pious church I grew up in. Not even instruments and dancing allowed in the church I grew up in.
Also, I’m wondering if this whole “disclosure” thing is:
1. A way to get people back to the “church” - fear! End times! Demons!
2. Above, but for the government. Big daddy USA will save us.
3. A project for the transhumanists - if there’s other dimensions/nonhuman entities, we as humans can lose our “pesky humanness” because there’s something bigger/better for us (see substack post).
All this said: I do believe in these entities. I don’t know what they are but I hesitate with the binary of good/evil. I am Christian, as in a follower of Jesus, but without the Nicene creed. And finally, I do worry about transhumanism and want us to remember what it means to be human — the gift and blessing of that. And that our ecological concerns could be viewed in that vein - when did we forget what it means to be human? To remember our place on this great green earth?
What stood out to me most after initially reviewing the released imagery and other materials that is how ambiguous everything is. I feel as if we are being subjected to a large-scale projective test and the powers that be are attempting to determine how the majority is going to interpret the information before deciding to move forward with whatever comes next. Appreciate your insights and looking forward to your next book.
The best part of this written work explains that discernment over time helps us understand. One cannot make judgment on quick snippets of words stated. Also how does one trust what is stated? Some things we will never know. Combine what others say with personal experience, but remember to live a good life. Great comments on a timely topic. So much to unpack...but all good if your mind is in the right place.
Diana, thank you for these thoughtful comments, which include a reference to a recent meeting between well-known pastors and (religious) members of the intelligence community about the implications of ETs for Christianity in particular. The notion that what we call ETs or ETI may be demons (rather than beings from other planets or dimensions or the future) has been most forcefully articulated by Daniel O’Connor in his recent book “The First and Last Deception: Aliens, UFOs, AI, and the Return of Eden’s Demise.” I’ve discussed the book in a blog at the Society for UAP Studies: https://www.societyforuapstudies.org/post/are-ets-demonic-a-review-of-the-first-and-last-deception-aliens-ufos-ai-and-the-return-of-ed Whitley Strieber argues that the Others can’t be demons because the Others manifest fear, an emotion not typically associated with demons. The demonic framing might impede a more constructive effort to make sense of what the Others want and how best to relate to them. On the other hand, as a Catholic I take seriously that there is a dark side, a demonic force at work in the world that may help to explain horrendously evil deeds that seem beyond what human psychology can conjure up. That the Others excel at deception and dissimulation may reinforce a diabolical view of them. Currently, I remain agnostic about the identity of the Others, apart from this: They are creatures, that is, they too are ultimately aspects of Creation, aspects that we don’t yet understand. This seems to be the way Pope John Paul II conceived of them.
As always, your posts, and this one in particular, bring a sense of clarity to this topic. I developed a sense of distrust for all things government in the late 60s. And so, I feed my interest in this current ufo/uap development, with discretion and discernment. Which is to say the organic spiritual sense of the word discernment. I have the uncommon luxury of not being terribly moved by most things. This being said, my interest in this topic, does not rely on most of the information fed (spoon fed?) to people today. In short my practice of discernment led me to your work. Thank You for what you do, have done, and will do. Stay Safe and Well.
Fides et Ratio (encyclical, JP II, 1998): “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth…”
Whilst this is one of my favourite opening sentences of any piece of writing, I am not a big fan of *organized* religion (versus personal religion) when it comes to these things.
Religion is neither a necessary nor sufficient condition for understanding the UAP/NHI phenomenon(a), or minimizing ontological shock. To illustrate, I am sure the Chinese government has plans for how it would communicate with its population about disclosure, and I doubt they would be invoking religion.
*Organized* religion has *always* been used by a few to control and manipulate the many. The folks at the top of the food chain of *organized* religion should never be trusted. *Personal* religion/faith is an entirely different thing. My spouse is a deeply religious individual, an adherent of one of the world’s “major” faiths (i.e., large numbers of adherents), but her faith is extremely personal. She has very little patience for the organized side of her religion, and in any event, very little time, being a small business owner who works six days a week (and that’s post cancer surgery and radiation).
I get that religion provides the “3 Bs” (belief, belonging, behaviours), among other things, and I have sometimes even envied folks of deep faith who have gotten through very tough times in part because of their faith.
But for me, I think the cons outweigh the pros. Maybe one day I’ll change my mind. Even if I do, I reckon I will choose a tradition that has relatively small number of adherents, like Zoroastrianism.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-18/anthropic-s-co-founder-to-launch-encyclical-on-ai-with-pope-leo
Is it really necessary to have a “celebrity” at the launch of a Papal Encyclical? And why even a launch? Can’t the encyclical simply be published, quietly. Why does everything have to be hyped these days? What’s next - Pope Leo will sing at the Superbowl half-time show?
“Yes, U.S. Representative Thomas Kean Jr. (R-NJ) and author/investigative journalist Leslie Kean are relatives. Leslie Kean is the cousin of Rep. Thomas Kean Jr.. Both are part of the prominent New Jersey political family, as they are both grandchildren of former U.S. Congressman Robert Kean”
Respectfully, I don’t believe a word that comes out of those Pentecostal pastors’ mouths.
It is the best, and original starting point.
Happy Disclosure Day!
I finally decided to get a payed subscription so I can read the rest of your Substack. You’re the only sub I have on here, and I really didn’t want to put my card on here. I’ll have to post about it, but last night something clicked for me.
Thank you for hanging in there, I’m sure it hasn’t been easy, I’ve been guilty of angry/suspicious posts.
Most of my family will be captured by this demon narrative, very pious church I grew up in. Not even instruments and dancing allowed in the church I grew up in.
It hasn't been easy.
I am curious what you think about this substack - “the factory reset”, and the ideas of human beings and becomings: https://courtenayturner.substack.com/p/the-factory-reset?r=3zhdi&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
Also, I’m wondering if this whole “disclosure” thing is:
1. A way to get people back to the “church” - fear! End times! Demons!
2. Above, but for the government. Big daddy USA will save us.
3. A project for the transhumanists - if there’s other dimensions/nonhuman entities, we as humans can lose our “pesky humanness” because there’s something bigger/better for us (see substack post).
All this said: I do believe in these entities. I don’t know what they are but I hesitate with the binary of good/evil. I am Christian, as in a follower of Jesus, but without the Nicene creed. And finally, I do worry about transhumanism and want us to remember what it means to be human — the gift and blessing of that. And that our ecological concerns could be viewed in that vein - when did we forget what it means to be human? To remember our place on this great green earth?
The phenomenology of all of this is fascinating.
What stood out to me most after initially reviewing the released imagery and other materials that is how ambiguous everything is. I feel as if we are being subjected to a large-scale projective test and the powers that be are attempting to determine how the majority is going to interpret the information before deciding to move forward with whatever comes next. Appreciate your insights and looking forward to your next book.
The best part of this written work explains that discernment over time helps us understand. One cannot make judgment on quick snippets of words stated. Also how does one trust what is stated? Some things we will never know. Combine what others say with personal experience, but remember to live a good life. Great comments on a timely topic. So much to unpack...but all good if your mind is in the right place.
Diana, thank you for these thoughtful comments, which include a reference to a recent meeting between well-known pastors and (religious) members of the intelligence community about the implications of ETs for Christianity in particular. The notion that what we call ETs or ETI may be demons (rather than beings from other planets or dimensions or the future) has been most forcefully articulated by Daniel O’Connor in his recent book “The First and Last Deception: Aliens, UFOs, AI, and the Return of Eden’s Demise.” I’ve discussed the book in a blog at the Society for UAP Studies: https://www.societyforuapstudies.org/post/are-ets-demonic-a-review-of-the-first-and-last-deception-aliens-ufos-ai-and-the-return-of-ed Whitley Strieber argues that the Others can’t be demons because the Others manifest fear, an emotion not typically associated with demons. The demonic framing might impede a more constructive effort to make sense of what the Others want and how best to relate to them. On the other hand, as a Catholic I take seriously that there is a dark side, a demonic force at work in the world that may help to explain horrendously evil deeds that seem beyond what human psychology can conjure up. That the Others excel at deception and dissimulation may reinforce a diabolical view of them. Currently, I remain agnostic about the identity of the Others, apart from this: They are creatures, that is, they too are ultimately aspects of Creation, aspects that we don’t yet understand. This seems to be the way Pope John Paul II conceived of them.
As always, your posts, and this one in particular, bring a sense of clarity to this topic. I developed a sense of distrust for all things government in the late 60s. And so, I feed my interest in this current ufo/uap development, with discretion and discernment. Which is to say the organic spiritual sense of the word discernment. I have the uncommon luxury of not being terribly moved by most things. This being said, my interest in this topic, does not rely on most of the information fed (spoon fed?) to people today. In short my practice of discernment led me to your work. Thank You for what you do, have done, and will do. Stay Safe and Well.
Thank you, Frank. Appreciate the feedback.