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Scholar Diana Walsh Pasulka argues that the debate over UFOs is no longer just a cultural phenomenon, but reflects a deeper crisis of trust in traditional institutions in the US.
The recent declassification of security documents related to UFO cases, for some researchers, constitutes a reflection of a profound cultural and spiritual shift that is reshaping the very meaning of faith in American society.
In an opinion piece published in The Washington Post, Diana Walsh Pasulka, professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina, emphasized that the growing discussion of UFOs is no longer simply a phenomenon of popular interest, but is performing functions similar to those of religion in modern American society.
The author examined the dimensions of this phenomenon in relation to the publication of relevant materials by the US Department of Defense.
According to the professor, this step, although it does not definitively prove the existence of extraterrestrial life, represents an important development: by creating an official government-approved archive, the US administration has given support and tacit recognition to a new form of belief.
Belief in flying saucers is not a religion in the traditional sense, as it does not rely on "a gateway, a sacred text, or an institution that imposes belief," but it performs the same historical functions that religions have had, organizing society, constructing narratives of transformation, and giving meaning and interpretation to human existence in the universe.
She said polls show the idea is on the rise, with about 47 percent of Americans believing that extraterrestrials have visited Earth. This coincides with a weakening of ties to traditional churches and temples, which she said is “no coincidence,” as “people have a continuing inclination toward anything mysterious and are willing to learn what they don’t know.”
This type of faith is anti-institutional, with its supporters sharing a distrust of governments, traditional media, and the academic world. According to her, this trend is no longer limited to marginalized groups, but has also spread to prominent scholars and politicians who have called for the full release of the files, including Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer and Republican Mike Rounds, who have called for more transparency regarding these archives.
Pasulka made a historical comparison between the way celestial phenomena were interpreted in the past and today, citing the apparition of the Virgin Mary in Portugal in 1917, when interpretations were subject to the authority of the institutional church, in which believers had faith.
Meanwhile, the current UFO community is building its networks horizontally on social media platforms and podcasts, where individuals publish videos and personal testimonies outside of any institutional oversight. This, according to the author, exploits the cultural heritage created by mysterious phenomena and reinforces the idea that governments are hiding information about “non-human intelligence.”
The continued publication of these documents will not provide definitive answers, but will only strengthen a belief that is fueled by doubt, because "this kind of belief thrives in the shadow of uncertainty and ambiguity."
In conclusion, Pasulka argued that the excessive growth of belief in UFOs reflects the reality of modern society, where religious motives have shifted towards new technological spaces beyond "gatekeepers," a metaphor that refers to people or entities that control the flow of information or access to resources.
According to her, the "growing belief" in UFOs reflects a deeper crisis in American society, where "anti-establishment" has become America's "new national doctrine."
Ua kane shpelare trute te mjereve me drogen, qe mishi i "ailieneve" eshte shume i ushqyeshem.