Scripture prophesies the coming one day of a great deception heralding the imminent arrival of “the Lawless One” (2 Thess 2) just prior to Parousia(1).

Prof. Daniel O’Connor writes,

“As modern man turns away from his own Christian patrimony, the myths he turns toward are no longer found within the pages of Hesiod. They are, rather, seductively detailed in the deluge of science fiction works which, especially in the last century, have tantalized their consumers with enrapturing descriptions of alien civilizations visiting earth. This book’s purpose is simple: to deliver its readers from the clutches of a movement that is already seducing millions into exceedingly dangerous spiritual realms, and which is poised to soon become a veritably apocalyptic diabolical deception.

Those who read it will be prepared to contend against the principalities, powers, and rules “of this present darkness, against the spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12) They will be equipped with Scripture, the Magisterium, science, and more, to understand—and help others understand—that we can be certain there are no aliens (only demonic illusions pretending to be aliens), that AI cannot ever become sentient or rational, and that other related sci-fi-originated proposals are likewise deceptions constituting the “return to myths” that Scripture prophesies for our times.

Those who should be discerning the signs of the times in the light of faith are instead giddily and credulously consuming the lies they are fed by the false prophets of the present deception: men (and demons) whose motives are anything but sincere. They promise imminent contact with extraterrestrials and a welcoming of the “Singularity” when AI becomes superintelligent, but in proclaiming these and other lies, they are only paving the way for the rise of the Antichrist.”

Scripture prophesies the Great Deception heralding this Lawless One. It will be a “strong delusion” accompanied by “pretended signs and wonders,” wherein men turn from the truth to “wander into myths” and embrace the teachings of demons.” The Catechism warns of a “religious deception” that offers men “an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth.” Pope Leo XIII was shown Satan being given “75 to 100 years of greater power on earth.” Pope Paul VI saw “the smoke of Satan entering the Church of God” through the “pagan prophets of science.”

2 Thessalonians 2: ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by his appearing and his coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one by the activity of Satan will be with all power and with pretended signs and wonders, ¹⁰ and with all wicked deception for those who are to perish, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. ¹¹ Therefore God sends upon them a strong delusion, to make them believe what is false, ¹² so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

A comprehensive Catholic analysis

Daniel O’Connor is an adjunct professor of philosophy and religion at a State University of New York Community College, where he has taught for seven years. For over a decade serving as an educator, he is honored to have instructed thousands of students in courses on philosophy, existentialism, Catholic catechesis, comparative religion, mathematics, physics, and more.

(1) The Parousia, I e., Second Coming of Christ