Signs and Symbols of the Second Coming: Revised and Updated Edition

. There is a general consensus among a large group of UFO believers that we should await some form of open, mass landing seen by the entire world. What if this expectation is not fulfilled until the Battle of Armageddon? Perhaps we are mistaken in looking for a "morally indifferent" landing on the White House lawn and should instead anticipate a vengeful mass landing in which the often seen flying saucers return to destroy the armies gathered by the Antichrist and establish the millennial reign of Jesus.

. Theories about the Second Coming and how it will manifest itself are varied and many-faceted. Sean Casteel's "Signs and Symbols of the Second Coming" makes the job of sorting between competing beliefs a little easier by providing answers from a range of theological and paranormal experts. For instance, what does the Second Coming mean to ordained minister Dr. Barry Downing? Downing's impressive academic background in both science and religion, combined with a longtime study of the UFO phenomenon, makes his opinion as "expert" as they come.

. Biblical prophecy expert Gary Stearman discusses how the long awaited Rapture will be timed to events in Israel and explains how UFO waves in that embattled stretch of Earth have always been an expression of God's unfolding plan in the modern world. One must learn to live with the idea that the Day of the Lord will arrive as a "thief in the night," catching the entire world off-guard and entering our reality unannounced.

. There are also chapters offering a less apocalyptic view of the Second Coming. In interviews with religious and UFO scholar Dr. Brenda Denzler and prophecy researcher G.C. Schellhorn, Christ's return is portrayed as a quieter transformation of humankind's collective consciousness, a kind of moral rebirth taking place on levels too subtle to be readily apparent to the unenlightened observer. What if Christ and the other prophets can achieve their merciful ends without a "blood and guts" confrontation with the wickedness of the world?

. The legendary husband and wife team of Brad and Sherry Steiger are interviewed for separate chapters about their beliefs on the Second Coming. Brad recalls his youthful days in Bible class and explains how his views are now less extreme, less black and white regarding what we mean when we discuss things like the fearful aspects of the Book of Revelation. Meanwhile, Sherry also feels her childhood religious beliefs and even time spent in a Lutheran seminary as a young woman did not prepare her for the truths she would later discover. What should be emphasized, she believes, is the commonality between all world faiths and the peaceful, good intentions of the prophets who introduced them to us. Yet she concedes she is troubled by portions of Book of Revelation and believes the Mark of the Beast could easily become a reality. Read her chapter in "Signs and Symbols of the Second Coming" to find out why.

. Did the late Dr. Frank Stranges correctly identify the Antichrist? He is among the many who have tried to "name names" in that regard, but in this exclusive interview he explains his reasoning for doing so in some detail, while at the same time decrying the "fear mongers" who use the Second Coming to terrify rather than to inspire. Will the UFOs eventually spread the wisdom and grace of Christianity to the entire universe after carrying out the Second Coming on Earth?

. Finally, the author himself touches on the possible use of holograms to stage a false Second Coming and offers a checklist of signs to watch for in the countdown to the Day of the Lord. We stand on the threshold of Doom and Salvation, and the mysterious, ubiquitous UFOs are a crucial element of both."