Aliens, UFOs & The Bible

'The Mud Guy' approaches hot topics from a biblical perspective

“Aliens and UFOs have become ingrained into our culture. Movies, TV shows, comics and printed fiction fuel our culture’s interest and intrigue about this topic. But the question is, where do these topics stand when it comes to the Bible?”

Rich Aguilera, aka “The Mud Guy” from Guide Magazine, a printed periodical produced by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and intended for kids ages 7-12, has a unique interest for a Christian scientist.

“This is definitely not one of the ‘usual’ topics we hear about at Christian meetings, yet this is a major interest and fascination in the world,” he says. “Upon a closer inspection of the topic, we will discover that the secular worldview is not compatible with the biblical worldview. Are Christians prepared to answer difficult questions about this subject?”

Aguilera’s goal is to make the answer to that question a resounding “yes.” To that end, he will present “Aliens, UFOs and the Bible” on Friday, May 20, at 6:30 p.m. in the Howard Performing Arts Center on the campus of Andrews University. His newest presentation will include use of a giant screen, sounds, interactive elements and special effects surprises that will engage people of all ages.

“Kids grow up watching stories about Superman and Yoda and they love playing video games from outer space,” Aguilera points out. “Adults are just as fascinated and have become increasingly curious about the truth of what is out there, and whether or not we’re alone. I want to open up a conversation about what the world has to say about this from a biblical perspective.”

Having done many presentations for both kids and adults around the world, Aguilera understands the need for ministry to address relevant “hot” topics such as evolution/creation and dinosaurs. He also understands that these are topics that are rarely addressed in the church.

“I believe it’s better to confront a difficult topic than to hide from it,” he says. “Christians still need to be able to intelligently engage people in conversations about the issue, so our goal is to shed some light on what the Bible says about aliens and UFOs so those conversations are both possible and productive.”

Aguilera spends about half of his weekends annually on the road, presenting events or filming projects in different parts of the world. His home base, however, is Berrien Springs, where he currently lives, which is why he enjoys presenting in the Howard Center so much.

“Doing an event at the Howard is extra special because it’s home!” he says. “It’s also an exceptional facility and it’s a treat to be able to present there.”

Currently wrapped up in writing a screenplay, Aguilera has been focusing all of his recreational reading on understanding the nuances and tricks to writing and producing a screenplay. But his main ministry is reaching young people with relevant information on topics they care deeply about.

“I love kids, and it pains me to know how from a Christian point of view they are targeted for extreme secularization in this country,” he says. “School, movies, TV, books, museums—they all push a secular viewpoint. I’m all for kids learning about all the different explanations out there, but the culture is actually moving hard toward suppressing the Christian worldview. I work to give young people a chance to understand the biblical world view and also help them see that the secular view actually has many more challenges than the Christian worldview.”

Over the next six weeks, Aguilera will travel to Florida, South America, Nebraska and Toronto, Canada for both speaking engagements and filming. To learn more about “The Mud Guy,” read his bio on the Guide Magazine website.

To purchase tickets, go to howard.andrews.edu or call the Howard Box Office at 269-471-3560. Tickets are $10 general admission; $8 for children.