Frequently Asked Questions
  1. Does Mike review other UFO books?
  2. So what does Mike really think about alien abductions?  How does he approach the issue as an academic?
  3. Why is Mike involved in the UFO issue?  Why bother speaking at conferences and doing radio shows that cover such subjects?
  4. How does Mike refute what ancient astronaut theorists say about the line in Genesis 1:26, "let US create humankind in OUR image"--that the verse proves aliens made humans?
  5. If the word "elohim" is plural how can it refer to the one God of Israel?
  6. Is it true that Art Bell asked Mike to debate Zecharia Sitchin on his show?   If so, why hasn't Sitchin responded?
  7. How can I reach Mike for an interview?  Does he do much traveling and speaking?
  8. What I read in The Façade about Genesis 3 and the serpent was amazing.  Can Mike lay out his view for me?
  9. What is Mike's view of Genesis 6:1-4 and the Nephilim?  Does he take the "Sethite" view?
  10. Where can I learn more about the divine council?
  11. Has Mike ever had any sort of paranormal experience?  What sparked his interest in ufology?
  12. Has Mike received any recognition for his work in ufology?
  13. I think I've had an abduction experience--what should I do?  Does Mike know anyone he can recommend that I can talk to?
  14. What are the most credible academic resources for studying the UFO issue?
  15. What are the most credible academic resources for studying the alien abduction issue?
  16. What are the best online resources for learning about UFOs?
  17. What does Mike think about the views of Zecharia Sitchin?
  18. I like the way Mike put the biblical theology of the divine council into his novel, The Façade -- what are some good resources for studying the divine council?
  19. When is the sequel to The Façade going to be released?

Does Mike review other UFO books?

Yes - but only non-fiction. Mike has several reviews posted on this site:

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So what does Mike really think about alien abductions? How does he approach the issue as an academic?

Here's Mike: The short answer is that I think they're evil and I only really cares to read credentialed academics who have worked in the field. And yes, there are scholars and health professionals who focus on such things.

Now for the longer answer. Whoever is perpetrating such abductions--human or non-human--they are violent violations of human rights. This answer of course tells you that I don't think all the people who have claimed to be the victim of alien abduction are lying. Actually, I think many, perhaps even a majority, are telling the truth. That doesn't mean, though, that I think the perpetrators are really aliens like we have come to think of that term (as in, a physical being from a different planet who has a determinate lifespan, must eat and drink, must reproduce to further its species, etc.). I think "real" abductions (whatever isn't a hoax) are actually several things, but I can't put percentages on the options: (1) abductions by military personnel who implant an alien screen memory into the victim's mind, using technology that has been known (and further developed) since the 70s; (2) abductions where the victim's mind replaces their actual traumatizer with the alien - traumatization where the victim responds by what is known in psychology as dissociation - what used to be called multiple personality disorder); (3) ritual traumatization by cults or other groups for the purpose of deliberately producing "alters" (deliberately inducing psychological dissociation); (4) harassment and physical abuse on the part of a demonic entity; (5) harassment of physical abuse by some entity manufactured by a demonic entity. I haven't seen any evidence that undeniably points to a truly alien perpetrator (as in the above definition) or some sort of breeding program. I am well aware of the work of Professor David Jacobs (Temple University) on the subject, but what I'd need to believe we were really dealing with aliens would be some sort of hybrid offspring --tested and verified by a credible laboratory. All we really have are memories (mostly derived via hypnosis but not always) of sincere, mentally healthy people (the major studies on abductions have found no mental deficiencies in most abductees - see Mack and Jacobs in the bibliography at Question 15). I need more than memories. Yes, I believe these people are being truthful - something DID happen to them, and something physical in many cases. I don't believe it's aliens.

Frankly, the best research on this issue in my mind still comes from the 1992 MIT conference on alien abductions and the work of Jacques Vallee and John Keel (see bibliography in Question 15). I think the best explanation for the alien abduction issue is that we're dealing with an inter-dimensional (i.e., spiritual) reality here - one that can manifest in truly physical form - and not beings from another planet. Several scholars and scientists at the alien abduction conference at MIT in 1992 presented research that provides literally dozens of parallels between the abduction experience and ritual abuse and satanic ritual abuse. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, chances are it's a duck (or in this case, some sort of demonic manifestation). Please note I don't base this conclusion on any self-styled Christian perspective. The UFO community's own (non-Christian) researchers have convinced me that it's evil and satanic (and people like John Keel use those terms; I'm not supplying them). Yes, I know many abductees later feel "good" about their experience, but many don't (ask people like Joe Jordan - see Question 13). In my mind, this psychological coping is actually an argument for the spiritual nature of the whole event (see the Partridge book in the bibliography for Question 15).

For the sake of argument, if genuine aliens are the culprits, then (at best) they are guilty of human rights abuses and violent criminal acts. This is hardly enlightened behavior. I have had abduction researchers use the "polar bear" argument to defend the aliens here. The argument seeks to strike an analogy between what aliens are doing to people and what we do to animals, say polar bears, when we drug them, tag them, and study them. When we research animals, they are traumatized, we act against their will (it isn't voluntary), but we mean well. I understand people wanting to defend the alien like this, because if it's just about evil then that's hard to cope with--the experience is then stripped of its "meaning" to the experiencer and they are nothing but victims, pure and simple. Without getting into how that response is not theologically warranted (any victimization can have ultimate, positive meaning), let me respectfully say I'm not buying the analogy. The analogy breaks down because the polar bear can't let the scientist know that they consider what's done to them immoral and a violation of their rights. We can--and if abduction literature has told us anything, it's that the aliens are supposedly enlightened spiritual beings who can read our thoughts and DO know how we feel. We as humans develop an intuitive sense that just traumatizing a "lesser" creature is morally wrong, and we have used our technology and inner moral compass to help other species by other means. Why can't these unimaginably superior beings do the same? What Jacques Vallee said years ago still rings true: "The 'medical examination' to which abductees are said to be subjected, often accompanied by sadistic sexual manipulation, is reminiscent of the medieval tales of encounters with demons. It makes no sense in a sophisticated or technical framework: any intelligent being equipped with the scientific marvels that UFOs possess would be in a position to achieve any of these alleged scientific objectives in a shorter time and with fewer risks" (Dr. Jacques Vallee, Confrontations, p. 13).

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Why is Mike involved in the UFO issue? Why bother speaking at conferences and doing radio shows that cover such subjects?

I do it for a couple of reasons. One, I'm a believer that scholars should serve the public interest. Too many scholars ignore this subject and the people whose worldview revolves around it. They claim they're too busy or it's not important. I can't think of anything much more potentially paradigm-shifting than the question of whether there is extraterrestrial life. The question takes you into religion, politics, physics, metaphysics, etc. Two, I want to minister to those whose experience has caused them to feel abandoned by their church or synagogue because their spiritual leadership isn't intellectually equipped to help them, or fears real interaction with the supernatural. Three, I want to correct error-riddled teachings on the part of researchers whose attitude isn't antagonistic, but whose work is seriously flawed. I don't think it's right, given my training, to just let people be deceived. Four, I think I need to stand up and call the bluff of people who rape the biblical text (and other texts) in an effort to prop up an anti-God, anti-theistic worldview. Five, if there is an ET reality that can be divorced from demonic entities and that reality has intersected with our own, the public has a right to know about it (at least at the "yes" or "no" level) and the Church needs to understand how its theology can accommodate it (since it's spent so much time laughing at it or ignoring it). Six, it's just plain fascinating in many cases.

I've found there are basically five kinds of people involved in UFO research and the UFO community at large: (1) the nuts and bolts scientists - they are dealing with questions of interstellar travel, the possibility of ET life, and propulsion issues. The religious dimensions of the issue are barely on their radar. They typically have already dismissed God because of their faith in evolution (and their failure to discern the philosophical incoherence of an uncreated or self-created universe). A good number in this category are also politically active for the cause, but should not be confused with # 5 below. (2) The UFO or abduction experiencer who wants to keep their Judeo-Christian faith but is struggling with that. These are the people who have some experience and have tried in vain to get help from their pastor or other Christian friends to process the experience, to fit it into their faith worldview. They may or may not leave the organized church, but they surely are left on their own to deal with the experience. They rely on alternative sources of information and fellow experiencers to make spiritual sense out of it. They are vulnerable to nonsense like that of Zecharia Sitchin since some see it as the only way to make sense of things from their Bible. They are also vulnerable to redefining their faith in Gnostic terms. (3) The UFO or abduction experiencer who rejects the faith afterward, and who becomes antagonistic toward the faith. These people often operate out of anger toward the Church and may become openly hostile toward it. (4) The people who see the UFO / ET issue as the platform they've wanted for years to vent their hatred toward Christianity and make money while doing it. These are the self-styled pseudo-scholars in the movement (usually with respect to ancient texts that they can't actually translate). This crowd treats those of the Judeo-Christian faith with contempt and ridicule. These are the people whose bluff needs to be publicly called. (NOTE: I don't put Sitchin in this category since he doesn't seem overtly hostile to Christianity or traditional Judaism). (5) The "New Agers" who want to use the UFO issue for a religion, for left-wing political purposes, or to become avatars in their own time and mind. They see ET as their saviors in just about every way.

I'm guessing most of you in the Christian realm (academic or not) will get why I do this. If not, please feel free to email me and tell me why I should let the people in this community continue on in their Christ-less or God-less worldview, or why I should refuse to help them in their spiritual struggle.

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How does Mike refute what ancient astronaut theorists say about the line in Genesis 1:26, "let US create humankind in OUR image"--that the verse proves aliens made humans?

Click here for a brief discussion on this, and see the question below on elohim for more. You can also visit my Sitchin site.

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If the word "elohim" is plural how can it refer to the one God of Israel?

The Hebrew word elohim is morphologically plural (that is, it's "shaped" as a plural, or "spelled" as a plural).  However, in roughly 2,200 cases (by far over 90% of the biblical occurrences), the word elohim is used as a proper name for the ONE God of Israel.  We know this because it's a cold, hard fact from the text.  In those 2,200 or so cases, elohim is the subject of a SINGULAR verb (all languages have subject-verb agreement) or is referred to by a SINGULAR pronoun (him, his).  What this means is that, most of the time in the Hebrew Bible, although elohim has plural FORM, it's MEANING is singular.  It all depends on the sentence in which it's found and the surrounding grammar and context.  We have words like this in English.  If I say "sheep", by itself you can't tell if I am referring to one sheep or more than one sheep.  I need to put it in a sentence where the grammar tells you what is meant.  "The sheep is lost" refers to ONE sheep since "is" = a singular verb form.  "The sheep are lost" refers to more than one sheep because the verb form is plural.  Click here for more. You can also visit my Sitchin site.

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Is it true that Art Bell asked Mike to debate Zecharia Sitchin on his show? If so, why hasn't Sitchin responded?

Yes, this is true. The request was made in 2002 as I recall. I of course agreed immediately. As far as why Sitchin never agreed, I think the answer would be that he isn't stupid. He has nothing to gain and a lot to lose. But it was nice of Art to ask.

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How can I reach Mike for an interview? Does he do much traveling and speaking?

I don't do much traveling to conferences to speak because I'd rather use my time off for family vacations. I like to restrict speaking events to 3-4 a year. I can do radio much more frequently. I can be reached at michaelsheiser@yahoo.com.

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What I read in The Façade about Genesis 3 and the serpent was amazing. Can Mike lay out his view for me?

Mike has written an in-depth paper on this very subject entitled "Why Eden's Serpent Was Not A Snake" - it is available in PDF form from Acid Test Press.

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What is Mike's view of Genesis 6:1-4 and the Nephilim? Does he take the "Sethite" view?

No, I don't accept the Sethite interpretation. It simply has no merit. It cannot account for the morphology of the Hebrew term "nephilim"; it is contradicted by the New Testament; it was not held by anyone, Jew or Christian, prior to the 3rd century A.D.; and it's internally contradictory. There are a number of decent critiques of this view on the Internet (e.g., here and here; note that inclusion here does not necessarily mean endorsement of the entire articulation). Nephilim are clearly giants according to the morphology of the word and the internal biblical witness. Click here ($4.95) for a discussion of the word itself and comments on the views of Zecharia Sitchin in this regard (the well-known ancient astronaut theorist).

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Where can I learn more about the divine council?

Go to Mike's site devoted to that subject. http://www.thedivinecouncil.com

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Has Mike ever had any sort of paranormal experience? What sparked his interest in ufology?

Nope. I've just always been interested in anything that was old and strange.

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Has Mike received any recognition for his work in ufology?

Yes. FATE Magazine recently named Mike to its list of "The 100 Most Influential People in UFOlogy."

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I think I've had an abduction experience--what should I do? Does Mike know anyone he can recommend that I can talk to?

Yes. If you are specifically concerned about what you think was an abduction experience, I recommend you contact either Derrel Sims, Guy Malone and Free and Amy at the ARHQ in Roswell, Chris Ward, Joe Jordan, or Jim Wilhelmsen.

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What are the most credible academic books for studying the UFO issue?

For my own research in ufology, I only read material that is either (a) academically peer-reviewed; or (b) written by sober, serious researchers who have credible academic credentials. I don't waste my time on things produced by untrained researchers whose sole purposes are either therapy or to put forth some idea they think only they have thought of. I also don't waste my time on channeled B.S. or people who write to pass themselves off as the next Zecharia Sitchin (and who are equally unqualified to write about ancient texts). If you want tripe, look for someone else's recommendations. If it's on this list, it's worth reading. However, do not assume I endorse all or even most of the content. It's on the list because it's serious and content-rich, not necessarily because it's right in my mind.

Here's my "must read" list for the subject of UFOs:

General Ufology

Roswell and Majestic 12

  • Body Snatchers in the Desert: The Horrible Truth at the Heart of the Roswell Story

    Nick Redfern

    An expose on the view taken in this book, that the alien bodies reported by witnesses at Roswell were human unfortunates (the view I articulated in 2001 in my novel, The Façade). A very coherent defense of this view, focusing on Japan’s Unit 731 and our nation’s nuclear propulsion program. See Mike's review.

  • Crash at Corona : The U.S. Military Retrieval and Cover-Up of a UFO

    by Don Berliner and Stanton T. Friedman

    Stanton Friedman is probably the world's expert on the Roswell incident (he believes it was alien). Stanton tends to dismiss anything that would interfere with his paradigm, at times blithely by making mountains out of molehill gaps in evidence. Still, for the alien view, he's the best there is.

  • TOP SECRET/MAJIC: Operation Majestic 12 and the United States Government's UFO Cover-Up

    Stanton T. Friedman and Whitley Strieber

  • The Roswell UFO Crash : What They Don't Want You to Know

    Kal K Korff

    Korff is a skeptic. A coherent refutation of the alien explanation of the Roswell event. Narrows the issues well, and shows how the truth of the story depends on several crucial items.

Operation PAPERCLIP and Nazi UFOs

Cattle Mutilations and BSE/CJD

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What are the most credible academic resources for studying the alien abduction issue?

As I noted above, if it's on this list, it's worth reading. However, do not assume I endorse all or even most of the content. It's on the list because it's serious and content-rich, not necessarily because it's right in my mind.

Alien Abduction Phenomenon

What are the best online resources for learning about UFOs?

As with the books above, if a site is on this list, do not assume I endorse all or even most of the content. It's on the list because it's serious and content-rich, not necessarily because I agree with everything (or even most of it).

  • Majestic 12 Documents: A Forensic Linguistic Report

    www.mj12documents.com

    Due to the explosive nature of their content, the Majestic documents are considered by many to be the core evidence for a genuine extraterrestrial reality and alien visitation of planet Earth in the 20th century. United States government personnel have denied their authenticity...

    Now for the first time ever, state-of-the-art scientific forensic linguistic testing has been applied to the controversial UFO documentary evidence known as the Majestic documents.

  • The CUFOS homepage

    www.cufos.org

    CUFOS stands for "The Center for UFO Studies.” According to its own website, "The Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS) is an international group of scientists, academics, investigators, and volunteers dedicated to the continuing examination and analysis of the UFO phenomenon. Our purpose is to promote serious scientific interest in UFOs and to serve as an archive for reports, documents, and publications about the UFO phenomenon."

  • The MUFON homepage

    http://www.mufon.com/

    MUFON stands for the Mutual UFO Network. It is a grassroots organization of volunteers and scientific organization "composed of people seriously interested in studying and researching the phenomenon known as Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) by combining their mutual talents, areas of expertise and investigative efforts."

  • The National UFO Reporting Center

    www.ufocenter.com

    This site is dedicated to data gathering and archiving UFO sightings from around the US.

  • The Black Vault

    www.blackvault.com

    This is the motherlode for genuine government documents relating to the UFO phenomenon. The site consists of its owner's scanned Freedom of Information Act requests, the scanned responses, and text-conversions of those scans. Literally tens of thousands of pages (most of which are unspectacular) demonstrate both the military's disingenuous attitude toward the UFO phenomenon and its own documented experiences.

  • Majestic 12 Documents

    www.majesticdocuments.com

    Second in scope and size to the Black Vault, but this could still be considered the best site on the Web for MJ-12 and the MJ-12 documents.

  • Derrel Sims' homepage

    www.alienhunter.com

    Derrel is former CIA, and has decades of experience in UFO / alien phenomena. An expert in all things ufological, his specialties are implant and mind control technologies and healing for abductees. If there's a Mulder, it's Derrel.

  • The National Institute for Discovery Science

    www.nidsci.org/

    Though now defunct, NIDS represents the best in professional, scientific inquiry into UFOs and other paranormal topics. The organization was staffed by experts with PhDs, MDs, or DVMs in their respective fields, and also employed former FBI and other law enforcement officials in its investigative arm. Some of the best, most up-to-date information you'll find anywhere – without the quackery. Excellent resource for propulsion system analysis and government or privately-funded reports (see below) on the psycho-social impact that intelligent extraterrestrial life would have on humanity.

  • Alien Resistance Headquarters

    www.alienresistance.org

    If you are a Christian and want to get up to speed on the various views of UFOs within Christianity, this is the best site. ARHQ is also the place to access help if you believe you are an abductee.

  • Budd Hopkins' homepage / the Intruders Foundation

    www.intrudersfoundation.org

    Budd Hopkins is the pioneer of abduction research. As John Mack (see below) notes: "For twenty years, New York artist Budd Hopkins has carefully investigated reports of abduction by aliens.” In 1989 Hopkins founded the Intruders Foundation (IF), devoted to research and public education concerning the UFO abduction phenomenon. He is known for his investigation of many aspects of the abduction experience, including episodes of missing memory (dubbed "missing time," in his pioneering book of the same name)."

  • Dr. John Mack's homepage / the PEER homepage

    www.peer-mack.org

    Dr. Mack is a psychiatry professor at Harvard University and author of several works relating to his study of the alien abduction experience. As part of his research efforts, he founded PEER (the Program for Extraordinary Experience Research). As the above homepage notes: "PEER's work is motivated by the understanding that expansions of human knowledge come with the exploration of unexplained phenomena. Recognizing the social barriers to the study of anomalies, the program seeks to foster conditions for candid inquiry through careful observation, open dialogue, and development of a network of compassionate support for experiencers."

  • Dr. David Jacobs' Homepage / International Center for Abduction Research

    www.ufoabduction.com

    Dr. Jacobs is a tenured professor of history at Temple University in Philadelphia. Dr. Jacobs did his Ph.D. dissertation on the UFO phenomenon in America at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the sixties. He is author of several books on UFOs and abductions, several of which are the only UFO-related books published by university presses. As stated by his website: “The International Center for Abduction Research (ICAR) is an organization devoted to the dissemination of trustworthy information about UFO abductions. The ICAR will provide accurate information to therapists and lay individuals who are interested in abductions, and help cope with the myriad of problems that arise from the use of hypnosis and other memory collection procedures.”

What does Mike think about the views of Zecharia Sitchin?

Not much. I actually don't think Sitchin knows any ancient languages. His books suggests that much. He even makes mistakes in Hebrew and he's Jewish. That's understandable, though. Just because Hebrew is one's native tongue doesn't mean that the person could do grammatical analysis in the Hebrew Bible (or even know much Hebrew grammar). Ask yourself as an English speaker - could you diagram the sentences in this paragraph? Could you tell me about the parts of speech? Could you explain the grammatical and syntactical functions? I think you get the idea. Sitchin just doesn't know his biblical Hebrew grammar, which is very important for this kind of work (and to back up his claims). For an overview of what I think about specific claims he has made, click here.

I've read The Façade and enjoyed how Mike wove the biblical theology about the divine council into the novel. What are some good resources for studying the divine council?

Unfortunately, much of the good stuff is either out of print or requires a good knowledge of Hebrew and Semitic languages to digest. One could always go to my website devoted to the divine council. In fact, that's really the best place to start. The site has my BibSac article listed below and other reading material. I am currently working on a non-fiction introduction to the divine council and the Old Testament biblical theology that springs from it. Subscribers to my newsletter are reading it as it develops. Aside from that, here are some digestible sources. I have included the two major scholarly works on the council (other than my own dissertation) just so you know about them.

  • Michael S. Heiser, "Deuteronomy 32:8 and the Sons of God,"

    Bibliotheca Sacra 157 (January-March 2001)

  • Michael S. Heiser, “Divine Council,” Dictionary of the Old Testament: Psalms and Wisdom Literature

    (forthcoming, Intervarsity Press, 2007)

  • Dr. E. Theodore Mullen, “Assembly, Divine,” Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 1

    (Doubleday, 1992)

  • The Divine Council in Canaanite and Early Hebrew Literature

    E. Theodore Mullen, PhD; Harvard Semitic Monographs, no. 24 (Missoula, Montana: Scholars Press, 1980)

  • Among the Host of Heaven: The Syro–Palestinian Pantheon as Bureaucracy

    Lowell K. Handy, PhD (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1994)

When is the sequel to The Façade going to be released?

It depends on how many people want it to be written!

Mike is a busy guy and doesn't really want to write a sequel to a book that no one wants to read. As you may have noticed, The Façade is in a category all by itself. There aren't a lot of books like it out there that can combine Roswell, Area 51, aliens, ancient texts, Nephilim, watchers, UFOs, nanotechnology, Christian / Jewish worldviews and so much more, all in one seamlessly integrated fast-paced thriller! That's a mouthfull huh?

So it really comes down to your interest in helping spread the word about The Façade wherever you can. It needs to be reviewed by the mainstream press, websites, newsletters, radio programs, newspapers, magazines, book clubs, blogs, and any place that can get the word out.

Link to http://www.FacadeTheBook.com from any sites you can. Post links to it in newsgroups and chat forums or blog comment fields. Help spread the word! Remind people that they can get the first chapter free to check it out. Ask people to post reviews of the book.

Let's get the word out! This is not a wild-eyed crazy man book. This is a great read that ties it all together in a real way - not just for the UFO enthusiast or Ufologist, but for your average everyday reader who wants a great book. Spread the word!

How would you describe The Façade to someone that had no idea what it was?

  • Supernatural Thriller
  • Conspiracy Theory
  • Science Fiction
  • Fiction Thriller
  • "X-Files" stlye
  • "Left Behind" style
  • "Faction"
  • Religious Fiction
  • Christian Fiction
  • Alien Story
  • Mystery
  • Suspense

Can you see the problem? It is in a category all by itself, and that makes it hard to describe to people enough to make them want to read it. So figure out the way that makes the most sense and tell people to get a copy today!

We really hope Mike will be able to write the sequel, so if you want to be alerted by email when it is available, send an email to: thesequel@aweber.com with the subject line: Subscribe sequel - and you will be added to the list.

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