On a quiet day in Los Angeles, the hum of traffic outside a nondescript storefront belies the extraordinary conversations and claims unfolding within. Inside, neon signs flash the words "art" and "love," while a crucifix depicting an alien hangs above the entrance, catching the attention of passersby. This is the Alien Church—a spiritual collective that fuses religion, art, and extraterrestrial belief—and it stands as a vivid testament to the evolving tapestry of UFO culture in America.
But Los Angeles isn’t the only place where the line between the earthly and the otherworldly has been blurred in recent months. In Washington, D.C., Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) recently brought national attention to the subject by recounting her own baffling encounter with an unidentified anomalous phenomenon (UAP) during her tenure at the Portland Air National Guard Base. As reported by multiple outlets, Luna’s story has reignited debate over what, exactly, is happening in American skies—and why so many people, from military pilots to everyday citizens, are now stepping forward with stories of the unexplained.
Luna, who served six years in the Air Force as an airfield management specialist, described the incident on "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast. "There had been an airspace incursion that had taken place when I was still at the Guard, and I remember talking to some of the pilots about it, and I was like, ‘What was that?'" she recounted. What she heard from the pilots was both unsettling and cryptic. "They’re like, ‘Eh, we can’t really talk about it.’ And no one really wanted to address it." Luna said that one F-16 pilot, in particular, seemed shaken and unwilling to discuss the details. "From what I gathered, he didn’t want to get taken off flight status, and was like, ‘I really can’t discuss it,'" she explained. The pilot did, however, confide that the object "essentially outperformed them" and could not be identified.
For Luna, the experience was more than just a curious anecdote. It became a catalyst for her current work as the head of a task force established by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to investigate UAPs. She has since become an outspoken advocate for greater transparency from the U.S. government. "I’d like to see the federal government roll out some of the stuff we’ve been given access to because I think that information belongs in the hands of the American people," Luna told Rogan. She also suggested that the government may be attempting to replicate technology from craft believed to be of extraterrestrial origin, adding, "Based on the photos that I’ve seen, I’m very confident that there’s things out there that have not been created by mankind."
Luna’s call for openness comes at a time when reports of UAP sightings are surging. According to the National UFO Reporting Center, there have already been more than 2,100 reported sightings across the United States in 2025—a notable jump from the 1,492 sightings recorded in all of 2024. Despite this uptick, the Pentagon continues to maintain that there is no evidence linking these unexplained sightings to extraterrestrial life, and has publicly denied the existence of any UFO retrieval programs.
The growing interest in UFOs isn’t limited to official channels or government investigations. In the heart of Los Angeles, the Alien Church has emerged as a focal point for those seeking answers—or at least community—in the face of the unknown. Founded by a man who calls himself Mercury, the collective offers weekly "TGIF interfaith sermons" on topics ranging "from angels to aliens," as well as nightly energy healing sessions. The church’s interior is a blend of pop culture and spiritual iconography: a painting inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s "The Last Supper" replaces Jesus and his disciples with aliens, while shelves display 3D-printed crowns of thorns and other symbolic artifacts.
Mercury, who grew up in Mexico with a Christian background, says he lost faith after witnessing contradictions in traditional religion. He insists that the Alien Church is not a cult, but rather a multipurpose space—a gallery for artists, a venue for performers, and "a special place for positive actions." The center, he notes, is privately funded through his other businesses, including print manufacturing and a truck rental service. "I'm not seeking any type of profit from people who come to services," Mercury told SFGate, emphasizing that merchandise sales are intended only to help support the space.
Yet, the Alien Church’s unusual blend of beliefs and practices has drawn scrutiny. Comparisons to other fringe religious movements in California—most infamously, the Heaven's Gate cult, which ended in tragedy in 1997—have led some to question the group’s intentions. Mercury and his ministers, however, are adamant in their denial of any cult-like behavior. As one minister, known as Jah, put it: "We are not a cult."
The church’s members are no strangers to extraordinary claims. Isaiah Dupree, recognized within the group as "Isaiah The Alien Implant Survivor," asserts that he was abducted by aliens as a child. To support his claim, he demonstrates a magnet sticking to his finger, which he says is evidence of an extraterrestrial implant. Dupree has even been photographed shining a light through the flesh of his finger, pointing to what he believes is a piece of metal placed there during his abduction.
Experts say the rise of groups like the Alien Church is part of a broader trend. D.W. Pasulka, a professor of religious studies, argues that belief in extraterrestrials is becoming a new form of religion. Astronomer David Weintraub, who studies the intersection of science and belief, notes that pop culture, technological advancement, and the internet have all played a role in fueling interest in UFO-based ideologies. "You don't have to be a scientist or knowledgeable—let alone accurate about anything—to spread information or disinformation," Weintraub commented, highlighting both the accessibility and the risks of today’s information landscape.
Meanwhile, the scientific community continues to grapple with its own mysteries. In early July 2025, Harvard physicist Dr. Avi Loeb made headlines by suggesting that new images of a Manhattan-size interstellar object hurtling through our solar system could indicate it is not a comet, but possibly an alien probe. "Here, the glow is actually in front of it. We’ve never seen such a thing. A comet doesn’t glow in front," Loeb explained, fueling further speculation about what may be out there.
As sightings mount and stories proliferate—from the halls of Congress to the streets of Los Angeles—one thing is clear: the conversation about UFOs, UAPs, and extraterrestrial life has moved from the fringes to the mainstream. Whether driven by personal encounters, artistic exploration, or scientific curiosity, Americans are asking questions that, for now, remain tantalizingly unanswered.