Ep 6. UFO Cults

The show UFO Files delves into the world of unidentified flying objects and the stories surrounding them. Season 3 Episode 6, titled UFO Cults, explores the intersection of UFO sightings and groups of people who believe in extraterrestrial life to the point of forming a cult.

The episode presents several cases of UFO cults, starting with the Heaven's Gate group. In 1997, 39 members of the cult committed mass suicide believing that they would be taken by a UFO to a higher level of existence. The episode analyzes the beliefs of the group, the leaders who convinced them to take their own lives, and the connection between their beliefs and several UFO sightings they experienced.

The show then moves to another cult formed by a man named Claude Vorilhon, who renamed himself Rael and claimed to have been contacted by aliens who revealed their knowledge to him. Rael formed the Raelian movement, which advocates the belief that humans were created by extraterrestrial scientists and that they will return to Earth in the near future. The episode examines the group's UFO sightings and their connection to an attempt to construct an embassy for extraterrestrial visitors.

The episode also features another UFO cult formed by Marshall Applewhite, who believed that he was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ and that a UFO would pick up his followers from Earth. Applewhite convinced his followers to commit suicide in order to reach a higher level of existence. The episode analyzes the group's beliefs, the connection to several UFO sightings, and the psychological factors that led to such a tragic end.

The show also presents a cult that is less known, but still has a connection to UFO sightings. The Order of the Solar Temple was a secret society that combined elements of Christianity, Eastern mysticism, and New Age beliefs. The group believed that they would be taken to a better world by a UFO and that their deaths were part of a spiritual journey. The episode examines the group's beliefs, their connection to UFO sightings, and the tragic ending that led to the deaths of dozens of members in Switzerland and Canada.

Throughout the episode, UFO Files interviews several experts in the field and investigates the psychological and social factors that lead to the formation of UFO cults. The show discusses how these cults can have harmful consequences and how they are not representative of the larger UFO community.

The episode also examines how these cults are not unique to the United States, as similar occurrences have been reported in other parts of the world. The show highlights how the need for a higher power and the search for meaning and connection can lead people to believe in UFOs to the point of forming a cult.

Overall, UFO Files Season 3 Episode 6 provides a thought-provoking and insightful examination of the connection between UFOs and cults. The show offers a warning against the dangers of blind belief and the importance of critical thinking when examining UFO sightings and extraterrestrial claims.