By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR
A former NASA astronaut has issued a chilling claim that UFOs are demonic beings rather than extraterrestrials, citing a warning in the Bible as proof.
Charles Duke, who served as lunar module pilot on Apollo 16 in 1972, shared his belief with the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), pointing to 2 Corinthians 11:14 in the Bible.
‘The Lord says what we’re seeing is real, but the devil can appear as an angel of light, the Bible says,’ Duke said.
The video player is currently playing an ad. You can skip the ad in 5 sec with a mouse or keyboard
He claimed UFOs were drawing people away from their faith and encouraging them to pursue supposed alien beings. ‘UFOs are trying to turn us away from the truth,’ he said. ‘They’re demonic.’
Duke, 91, said he had long held this belief, recalling a moment when he prayed to God for a sign to confirm his suspicions.
He asked for something specific: that a close friend, a businessman who never discussed such topics, would bring up UFOs at breakfast the following morning.
According to Duke, that is exactly what happened. ‘Charlie, come on over. I want to start talking to you about UFOs,’ he recalled his friend saying.
Duke interpreted the exchange as an answer to his prayer, reinforcing his belief that the phenomena have a demonic origin.
+4
View gallery
Charles Duke, who served as lunar module pilot on Apollo 16 in 1972, discussed his belief about UFOs, saying they are demonic and are leading people away from Christianity.
Duke’s comments echo 2 Corinthians 11:14, which says: ‘And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.’
In the surrounding passage, the Apostle Paul warns believers about false apostles and deceitful workers who present themselves as representatives of Christ.
Duke appeared to apply that warning about deceptive appearances to UFOs, suggesting that supposed extraterrestrial visitors could conceal a demonic identity and draw people away from their faith.
Religious interpretations of UFOs have also been voiced by Vice President JD Vance and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.
Vance has said he believes in supernatural phenomena and suggested that a powerful being that harms humans could be understood as a demon, while one that helps them might be seen as an angel.
He argued that such beings could appear indistinguishable from technologically advanced extraterrestrials to a human observer.
Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast in 2024, Carlson said: ‘They’re from here, and they’ve been here for thousands of years, whatever they are.’
‘And it’s pretty clear to me that they’re “spiritual entities,”‘ he continued, ‘whatever that means.’