Abstract
Since the 1950s, several religious movements have emerged centered on extraterrestrial beings and UFOs. Over the decades, these groups and belief systems have diversified and adapted to different cultural contexts. The Brazilian case is particularly interesting, as it is based on the country’s remarkable religious diversity and has seen some of its groups spread throughout Europe and the Americas. Different Brazilian UFO religions have been studied from 2010 to the present using the ethnographic method, seeking to understand the profile of their members, their belief systems and practices. Among the main conclusions of these studies, their members typically have a long history of changes in their religious affiliation, having previously been Catholic, Evangelical, Spiritist, Candomblecist or Umbandist. Often, such people report having experienced some level of helplessness, prejudice and non-acceptance within these religions, with subsequent disenchantment with religious institutions. UFO religions end up filling this empty space in their lives, also allowing them to reconnect with a group and find belief systems that unite traditionally sacred themes such as God, reincarnation and the meaning of life, and contemporary themes that are appealing, such as extraterrestrials, conspiracy theories, science fiction and social representations of science. Such a union allows for interesting belief systems in which, for example, Christ or Orishas are seen as the supreme commanders of legions of benign extraterrestrials that visit us while fighting evil aliens that rule the Earth secretly.
Presenters
Leonardo Breno MartinsCollaborating Professor, Social Psychology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Religious Community and Socialization
KEYWORDS
NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS, RELIGIOUS SYNCRETISM, SCIENCE FICTION, CONSPIRACY THEORIES
