BOOK REVIEW: The UFO Deception: An Orthodox Christian Perspective by Father Spyridon Bailey

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The UFO Deception: An Orthodox Christian Perspective by Father Spyridon Bailey

Review by Perrin Lovett

 

Unless your reviewer is mistaken, there is an excitement in the popular culture of the West, bordering on hysteria, over the prospect of a coming disclosure about the existence of UFOs and intelligent alien life. Without hesitation, I suggest that if this happens, then Christians will be urged to renounce their faith. If one has questions about the pomp surrounding this phenomenon and what lurks behind it, then one should know that today’s book has all the answers a Christian needs.

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(© Fr. Spyridon Bailey)

Bailey, Father Spyridon, The UFO Deception: An Orthodox Christian Perspective, Solihull, UK: FeedARead, 2021 (Kindle Ed.)

Father Spyridon Bailey is a priest in the Russian Orthodox Church in England. In addition to his pastoral duties, he has undertaken a popular public ministry with his YouTube channel and his Simple Path to God Podcast. Blessed with a most sincere and pleasant conversational demeanor and he is also an excellent scholar and writer. He gave a brief interview about his book a few years ago. The UFO Deception is available at Amazon.

I would be remiss not to thank the esteemed Jose Miguel for recommending this excellent book. Thank you, sir!

Six years ago, at the beginning of the great COVID deception, I predicted that the aliens might be next. Perhaps I was careless in joking about the possible spectacle back then. Humor is good medicine, but it may not be the correct response to evil. And the evil is growing, as seen in recent news articles. And it is everywhere. The Daily Mail just ran a report suggesting potential news about UFOs may create uncertainty about Christian beliefs. Just a few days before that, the Miscellany News hosted an op-ed by a Vassarite, no doubt a conscientious young woman, who believes we must try to contact alien beings. Her belief, which is almost religious in nature, is firm despite her concurrent admission that for all the attention paid by SETI and other listening outfits, there is absolutely no evidence these beings exist. 

Father Spyridon mentions such futile listening efforts in The UFO Deception. He also goes into great detail recounting the history of UFO speculation from ancient times until the present. His book is extraordinarily detailed and thoughtfully edited. And he points out, on page 8, that concerning his title matter, “with few exceptions, the Orthodox Christian perspective is missing.” In getting to the unchanging position of the Church about various supernatural or mysterious curiosities and the nature of the deception(s) behind UFOs, he covers many historical, scientific, and cultural bases.

Father Spyridon observes, on page 218, that there is no conflict between true science and true Christian belief. He makes theological and observational points about the theory of evolution, which is always taken as an iron law by its proponents, that are remarkably similar to the mathematical dismissal of Darwinism found in Vox Day’s Probability Zero and The Frozen Gene. The similarity is refreshing, and it goes a long way towards answering my previous question about the compatibility of Day’s work with existing Orthodox doctrine, as outlined in Father Constantine Bufeev’s The Orthodox Doctrine of Creation and Theory of Evolution

Also refreshing is Father Spyridon’s repeated and well-documented assertions that the CIA and other government agencies, in the West, and especially in the United States, are and have been involved in long-standing efforts to create and control public perception about UFOs. These asservations dovetail nicely with what has already been exposed about the CIA and other intelligence agencies in books like Gekaufte Journalisten by Udo Ulfotte and The Mighty Wurlitzer by Hugh Wilford. 

Concerning popular culture and how entertainment, particularly science fiction, is used to sway the public, Father Spyridon makes several very interesting points. Chapter Sixteen, “The Spirit of Science Fiction,” is full of gems. One of them, on page 191, one I had never noticed before, is the inverted pentagram behind the robot throne in the 1927 German film Metropolis. Keep that in mind for a moment. He also exposes, as does Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin, that so much of science fiction is intentionally dystopian. And so much of it is aimed at children. 

The heart of the Orthodox perspective is found in Chapter Seventeen, “The Truth Behind the Deception,” and Chapter Eighteen, Father Spyridon’s Conclusion. Cutting to the chase, the alleged UFOs and aliens are merely demonic manifestations. He notes that while modern people are experiencing historic levels of demonic exertion, they are no longer equipped with the proper Christian knowledge of how to handle it. The fallen angels have updated their appearance and methodology in keeping with modern technological times. But their intentions are the same as ever. Father Spyridon provides a wealth of sources, from the Bible, from the Saints and Patristic Fathers, and from modern thinkers that show the connection between man’s perceived otherworldly visitors and the demonic. Here, I note that when reading a book on Kindle, I usually highlight important portions for later use in reviews; I essentially marked up the entirety of Chapter Seventeen. Ergo, read it all. One part of special interest is on page 212, wherein Father Spyridon discusses Saint Anthony of the Desert and the power that demons have over Christians: they have none whatsoever unless we offer ourselves to them. 

In his conclusion, Father Spyridon summarily addresses the two tandem deceptions at work in the realm of UFO hype and illusion. The first is the demonic, with satan and his followers trying to deceive mankind. The second is the use made of that deceit by governments, including the one in Washington, D.C., using the phenomenon as cover for various military, technological, and social projects. For my part, I suggest there is probably a strong link between the two duplicities. Just as in Metropolis, in keeping with the original plans drafted by Pierre L’Enfant, Washington hosts a gigantic inverted pentagram around the White House. It is almost a certainty that many, if not most, high officials in the U.S. government, and other Western governments, regularly commune with demons or their earthly emissaries. 

Regardless, at the end, on page 221, Father Spyridon firmly and wonderfully states that UFOs cannot harm Christians as long as we maintain fidelity to God. “Satan is a liar and we must reject his deception.” Amen.

If any of the recent predictions come true, if mankind is ushered into a new alien delusion, and if the attendant revelations follow the patterns established by COVID and other hoaxes, then decent people will be very hard-pressed to fear, give in, give up, and conform to the new unreality. Accordingly, if one has questions or concerns about the late UFO hysteria or if one wants to know more about Orthodox Christianity in general, then one must read The UFO Deception

COLUMN: Multipolar Post-Literacy?

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Multipolar Post-Literacy?

 

I grew up with books. And one day, I started contributing some words of my own. It’s more than what I do, it’s who I am. Somewhere along the way, I was mildly surprised to learn that many other folks don’t share my level of affection for the written word. Eight years ago, I lamented the new American age of post-literacy. Six years ago, I elegized the remodeling of the elite prep school library—huge spaces, few books. Last year, I was amazed at the results of the Bleak House test, which demonstrated that only 5% of American college English majors are fully literate. The study covered two midwestern universities, but it corresponds with what I’ve seen or read about at Harvard, Columbia, the University of Georgia, Chicago, U.C. San Diego, and other schools. USA Today just ran a piece about the rise of audiobook bookstores. To me, that’s not the same as book bookstores, but in America, we may have to take what we can get.

(A random book.)

Lately, I’ve read that the trend may have gone international. Writing in the View (translation may be required), Igor Maltsev declared, “We are no longer people of the book.” Upon describing the works he reads, he then asks what his tastes say about him. His answer? “It doesn’t matter. [My] children, most likely, will not throw away these books when I die; they are still brought up to respect books. But I won’t risk speaking for my grandchildren. And this, in fact, will happen to everyone. Because that world is over. Forever.” In Russia, the land of Tolstoy, Chekhov, and Dostoevsky! 

One of his readers wrote in a comment: “The author is right, and it’s sad, just as it’s sad to be an intelligent dinosaur looking at young, fussy, shallow and dull, carnivorous (and ruminant) small mammals. They get under their feet, fuss a lot, know almost nothing and don’t want to know how, but this is their world.” Harsh? Perhaps. Another commenter quickly reminded the first one that the ways of the young have been bemoaned since ancient Greece. That is true; in the 8th century B.C., Hesiod quipped, “I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today.” Though he died at the temple of Zeus long ago, Greece still exists. Greece has changed, of course, but it and its people are still around. So, by historical comparison, there is hope. Still, we must not let our guard down. 

If reading is at risk in the American and Russian poles, then we might look to other lands for inspiration. In 2023, I wrote about the little bookstore that refuses to die. Samir Mansour’s store in Gaza has been bombed into rubble again and again by the occupying Zionists. But as of this January, despite constant attacks, despite the murder of his readers and the wrecking of his stock, Mansour endures, books in hand.

In 2024, based on an article I read at IRNA, I looked into a little bookstore in Isfahan, Iran. Dr. Mohammad Shahrestani runs one heck of an operation at the Yara Bookhouse, complete with a snack bar and(!) a philosophy school. His problem, as originally addressed in IRNA, is that big-box discounters and supermarkets undercut the pricing structure for independent bookmen. I suppose that is akin to the Russian conundrum of Ozon and Wildberries hawking titles at bargain-basement prices and the American issue of Amazon killing authors’ profits with ebooks, among other Amazon issues. 

But Iranians love books. The Tehran Book Garden, around the corner from the National Library, is the biggest, craziest bookstore I’ve ever heard of. They carry loads of books in many major languages. There, one will find Haruki Murakami’s novels, for example, and they’ve even had him speak in person. A mall of sorts surrounds the bookshelves, with eateries, amusements, and more. And if that’s not enough, they even have a publication office where patrons can print and bind their own books.

Between Yankee freedom-and-democracy bombing sprees, this year, Ensaf News ran several stories about books as bulwarks against strife. In one, they noted, “In times of crisis, books are a safe haven to escape from bitter realities and a solution to raise awareness and align national ideas.” Hear! Hear! In another one, a report on what Iranians are reading at the moment, it was revealed that the Trumpanyahu war for Greater “Israel” has Iranians learning about the other side of the conflict: “The voluminous book Iran and America by John Qazvinian, which has several translations and editions in the market, attracts attention. Probably, now that we have entered into a face-to-face war with the United States, many people who are not very educated would like to know what happened.” If only Americans could do something like that.

The problems in West Asia stem from economic transitions and outside interference. The issues in Russia are somewhat similar, though they might be more a product of changing tastes in formats, say, from paper to screens. All of it is of concern. And much of it lies behind the American troubles, though those are also products of the decline of the average American IQ and the old American culture. 

Moving forward, readers and writers may need to adopt new strategies for keeping books in circulation. Technology is available to help us if we can make proper use of it. If you write, then keep writing. If you read, then keep it up. If you like a book, then spread the word. Let’s all adopt Samir Mansour’s attitude that nothing can stop the books. Nothing.

BOOK REVIEW: ULTRA HEAVY by Tim Kirby

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ULTRA HEAVY by Tim Kirby

Review by Perrin Lovett

 

Today, dear readers, we examine something a little different: a Sci-fi novel. Having grown up in the 70s and 80s, your reviewer supposes that he should have been more attuned to the genre, yet that has not exactly been the case. However, the right book can do wonders for anyone, and Ultra Heavy by Tim Kirby is one of the few that caught and held my attention. Here follows a brief overview of this new and very interesting tale of future imperial reach, rebellion, and, yes, even coherent philosophy. 

Multipolar Press)

Kirby, Tim, Ultra Heavy: Book 1: Edge of Empire, Multipolar Press, 2026 (Kindle Ed.).

Born in the United States, Tim Kirby lives and works in Russia. Popularly known as the “most Russian American,” he has worked for RT, is a champion of the “American Village” outside of Moscow, regularly makes sense of the collision between postmodern Westernisms and sovereign traditions, and educates interested Westerners about the Russian civilizational state. Find him on Telegram. Ultra Heavy, edited by the esteemed Constantin von Hoffmeister, is available from Amazon.

Set roughly 2,000 years in the future, Ultra Heavy finds a reinvigorated Russian Empire building and maintaining artificially terraformed colonies around the Solar System. An unusual soldier requests a mission from an unusual Tsar, and both have specific goals for the undertaking. Accordingly, an investigatory expedition is launched to Titan, Saturn’s moon, discoveries are made, ideologies are probed, and a battle takes place. For a book styling itself as “Hyper Masculine” and “Turbo Violent,” which is true, it also comes with a fair dose of erudition and contemplation. And, all that aside, it’s a fine story to boot.

Ultra Heavy moves ultra fast. One will note that it is styled as the first in a series; that is excellent because when one is finished with it, and it is a quick read, one will invariably want to see more. It has a distinctive style containing various subparts. Ala Dracula by Bram Stoker, Ultra Heavy proceeds from a partial epistolary format: there is a series of techno updates and notes that move the sequences along while also providing some backdrop and commentary. Immediately, the reader is presented with a certain depth via assorted terms and phenomena placed without explanation. For example, one may wonder what “the Curse” is. But these elements only served to deepen Kirby’s world, eventually being defined or, otherwise, becoming self-explanatory. 

The book is essentially the story of a very old knight, permanently shrouded in custom and honor, who must contend with societal changes and rank, no-gray-about-it evil. He is a bit heavy-handed, though he comes off as stoic, respectable, and even endearing. Not many protagonists are merely known by a number. Kirby’s hero earns a name at the end, and his new moniker is deeply Russo-Slavic, whether considered in literary, cultural, or historical terms. He also gets a girl, as Kirby integrates a rather manly romance within his action thriller. Few books come with their own built-in, appropriate summaries, but Ultra Heavy is one of them: from page 94, it is something “like The Master and Margarita but with a horrific and gory ending.” The ending, should one wonder, is action-packed, unusual, but also happy. Kirby has a style somewhat reminiscent of Bulgakov and Lovecraft, and he honors many of the older, grittier authors of science fiction past. Your reviewer found elements of the classic Western throughout the story, which was a pleasant finding.

There’s a spirit at work in Ultra Heavy, one deeply Russian and laced with the tenets of Orthodox Christianity. This Christianity is muscular; one will enjoy the good priest’s battle cry on page 124. It also dispenses with the inversion that, when confronted with evil, hate is not a Christian value. It is, and on page 113, Kirby reminds readers of Proverbs 8:13: “The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.” There is another form of correction afoot, one that takes aim at the meaningless and surrender too common in modern science fiction. One may recall that in his interview with Tucker Carlson, Professor Alexander Dugin mentioned that so much of futuristic fiction is dystopian by design. Kirby’s work leans in that direction, though it is exceptional in that chaos and nihilism present as things to be resisted and defeated. 

Kirby also includes a few political truisms, which the reader should find, like the observations of H.L. Mencken, suitable, perhaps alarming, but also amusing. For instance, on page 20, Kirby addresses the perpetual naivety of those who think authority, under any political system, is always the answer: “The populace … are absolutely sure that every wrong can be righted by complaining incoherently to power, but this has never been and never will be the case.” If that were the case, the bereft residents of Titan could amenably appeal to their self-instated tyrant, the villain of the book. He is of the old forked-tongue school, promising nebulous liberty and delivering slavery. Kirby’s hero is no saint, but compared to his wicked adversary, he comes off like a Christian warrior-philosopher dealing with a demon-possessed toddler. Kirby uses his antagonist to paint a novel yet powerful example of blasphemy (see page 129), and he demonstrates the proper response to such distasteful affronting. Behind Icon by Georgia Briggs, Ultra Heavy is the second Orthodox-grounded novel I have read in the past few years that subtly confronts an American champion of transcendental do-as-thou-wiltism. Astute readers will catch that on page 130. There’s a lot to catch in this novel, so perhaps one might want to give it a go, say, this weekend.

If one is looking for a hardcore action novel, tempered by unabashed masculinity, yet presented with thoughtful vigor and even humor, then Ultra Heavy fits the bill. I highly recommend readers, both of science fiction specifically and fiction in general, consider it a most worthy candidate for their immersive enjoyment. And I thank Tim Kirby for writing it.

May Update

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Happy May Day, all.

In the not-too-distant future, I’ll have a few more book reviews and possibly a random column. And I am waiting on the process to work so I’ll have a new novel to share, hopefully, before too long. And there’s one behind it too.

AND! As a project that kind of came out of nowhere, and has consumed many months now, I am edging towards a completed first draft of what will be my longest novel ever. It’s already over twice the length of The Substitute and maybe 2.5X as long as Athena. No promises on when the monster will be ready, but it will be good.

That is all for now.

P

BOOK REVIEW: The Formation of the Bible: A Defense for the Deuterocanon by Dr. Aaron Walden

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The Formation of the Bible: A Defense for the Deuterocanon by Dr. Aaron Walden

Review by Perrin Lovett

Sixty-six? Or Seventy-three? How many books are in one’s Bible? Why is there a difference? And does it matter? All of these questions and more are resolved in today’s subject book. As He ascended into Heaven, Jesus did not momentarily pause, poke His head through the clouds, hand down a book, and say, “Here’s your Bible.” While divinely inspired, the Christian Scriptures were assembled by men on earth via the great gift of assistance of the Holy Spirit. They have since been read, rearranged, and debated by the Faithful, a process that continues today. Dr. Aaron Walden has given us a guide that, with high authority and handsome presentation, explains that process. 

(© Dr. Aaron Walden and Northwood Biblical Studies)

Walden, Dr. Aaron G., The Formation of the Bible: A Defense for the Deuterocanon, Augusta: Northwood Biblical and Canonical Studies, 2026 (with Robert Bowden as Contributing Editor)(Kindle Ed.)

Dr. Aaron Walden, D.Min., “a biblical scholar, teacher, and Catholic content creator,” is a man of many talents and one holding true fidelity to Jesus Christ and His Church. Walden possesses extreme scholarly prowess concerning scriptural matters. And he has an uncanny way of presenting his research in a manner both informative and easy to read, a phenomenon on display in the subject work of this review. This new book is, to your reviewer’s knowledge, Walden’s first published tome, though it is not the first of his Biblical writings I have had the privilege to read. (I remember Ruth, Dr. Walden!) The Formation of the Bible is available at Amazon

Robert Bowman is an excellent editor. And in his introductory remarks, he appropriately sums up the principles that make The Formation of the Bible work: “This book on the formation of the Bible may be read with confidence, as its historical treatment, theological reasoning, and overall framing stand comfortably within the Church’s received understanding of Scripture and the canon.” The book is a survey, not an argument. And while it is geared towards Western Christianity, and proceeds primarily from a Western history, it is an accurate representation of the title matter. Therefore, for those interested in why certain editions of the Bible contain books that others do not, it is an indispensable resource. Bowman also did a fine job of assuring clarity and continuity of thought and organizing the book in a way that is authoritative and relatable. 

Noting the proper placement of the deuterocanonical books into the Bible, in his Preface, Walden is candid about his purpose and intentions: “I wrote this book to serve readers who, like the man I once was, hunger to understand how the Bible came to be yet lacked access to advanced theological libraries or formal academic training. … This book is intended for serious readers of Scripture, both clerical and lay, who seek historical and theological depth presented in plain language.” He then delivers what he promises.

There is a tacit assumption at work that the reader is a pre-existing Christian of some denomination, or is a potential convert actively seeking reference guidance. There is no stern push towards one camp or another. That is refreshing in a Christian world where theological or doctrinal pronouncements are too frequently “my way or the highway.” Walden merely presents what came to be, along with the attendant hows concerning the whats. 

Walden begins with necessary definitions and subtle differentiations. He then proceeds to ground the superseding Christian doctrine on the ancient Hebrew Scriptures as observed before the miraculous fact of Christ’s birth. Next, he walks through the fulfilling words, actions, and ways of Jesus and His Apostles, including the fitting in of the deuterocanon. Then he works into the early patristic life within the Great Church. A key passage comes on page 38, concerning the approach of the early Fathers to the deuterocanonical books:

Their approach to Scripture was profoundly ecclesial. The canon was not a private academic puzzle for individuals to grasp, determine, or interpret on their own. It was a matter of lived faith within the communal life of the Church, expressed primarily in liturgy, catechesis, and the continuity of apostolic tradition. The Fathers read the Scriptures in the Church, through the Church, and for the Church. Their frequent and authoritative use of the deuterocanonical books demonstrates that they did not regard these writings as marginal or secondary, whether in a scholastic or merely devotional sense. Instead, they saw them as integral components of the Christian scriptural inheritance, faithfully continuing the apostolic witness received from the generation before them.

Walden’s book is also a pristine defense, explicating without preaching, of the mandatory importance of participatory life within the Church, Christ’s Bride. He deftly harnesses history, debate, linguistic analysis, and more in his reasoning and exegesis. Moving through the Christian centuries, he notes various paths walked here and there by Believers. A wonderful subsection, “The Harmony of Faith and Reason,” is found in Chapter 8. I say “wonderful” because Walden does a beautiful job of presenting and reconciling the somewhat divergent but necessarily integral conditions of the logical and trusting approaches to Christian faith and involvement. 

“Harmony…” sets the stage for Walden’s treatment of the Reformation, centered on the Continental takes of Luther and Calvin. He does a fantastic job of explaining why certain edits were made to Protestant Bibles, as well as providing the Catholic response of 1546 at the Council of Trent. He also artfully links the adherence to the doctrine of Sola Scriptura with the fragmentation of Protestantism. Walden notes, on page 79: “The irony was profound. In seeking to restore the Bible’s authority, the Reformers removed themselves from the very tradition through which the Bible had been transmitted for centuries.” This is somewhat similar to Leonid Savin’s brief examination of Protestantism in Ordo Pluriversalis (2020), though, whereas Savin expands his review into political and economic matters, Walden limits his analysis to the divergent traditions of the various Scriptural doctrinal principles. 

In his conclusion, Walden speaks, on page 87, to the importance of fidelity to the Scriptures, including the deuterocanonical volumes among them: 

The Church did not create Scripture; she received it. Yet she alone possesses the divine commission to guard and interpret it faithfully. The canon did not emerge from private study. Quite the opposite, it was received through public worship. The Scriptures were recognized as inspired because they were prayed, proclaimed, and lived in the life of the Church. The liturgy itself served as the proving ground of inspiration, as it was the place where the faithful encountered the living Word of God and still do today.

The appended materials are a plethora of guiding summations. In them, among other information, the reader will find easy-to-follow canons of the Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, and even Coptic Christian faiths. Appendix G: “Common Objections to the Catholic Canon and Responses” is worth reading in its own right. The book ends as it begins, with a glossary of definitions and a comprehensive list of citations. 

Nothing in Walden’s book is a condemnation of any Christian’s particular route to appreciating the Bible. Rather, it is a synthesis, lovingly exhibited in order to foster better and congenial understanding. One day, by the grace and power of God, all fractured Christian sects will be reunited. But we are under a duty while we wait to live, worship, commune, and fathom as best we are able. Aaron Walden has just helped us out in this paramount endeavor.

The Formation of the Bible is available in paperback and digital formats. It is a needful and wonderful resource that will benefit any and all Christians, along with anyone else who desires more information about the processes that led to the published editions of the Bible today, whether Protestant, Latin Catholic, or Orthodox. I strongly recommend that the reader add it to his library. 

On the Art of Writing Novels and More

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Here follows Christ Orcutt’s full interview with the amazing Danielle Hutchison.

In addition to talking about BTTA, he goes deep into the art and science of what makes a writer tick and how one can or should face the craft today. If you’re a writer and/or a reader, then this is for you. Pay close attention to what he says about writing being the only art form where outside assistance is expected. I’ve never before heard the comparisons he makes, but he is dead on the money. Some help for the author — proofreaders, artists, etc. — is beneficial. But with AI and other modern innovations, it simply is not mandatory now. And the old dinosaur ideas about “the way” to publish a book are dead and buried in a mad world without rules. Heck, the largest book retailer in the world is trying to kill books entirely. Increasingly, it’s either the author’s own way or absolutely nothing. Here’s one of the best interviews about writing around:

Happy Orthodox Easter

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While the US’s “drooling baboon of barbaria,” as Pepe Escobar calls el Trumpo, blasphemed, blustered, threatened, and cursed his way through Western Easter, Russia’s legitimate leader celebrates Christ’s victory with the people of Moscow (with(!) the ever-present Mayor Sergei Sobyanin too).

Click here for the story and videos.

Happy Easter. Christ is Risen!