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Twelve The Cosmic Jokers Demonology is not just another crackpot-ology. It is the ancient and scholarly study of the monsters and demons who have seemingly coex- isted with man throughout history. Thousands of books have been written on the subject, many of them authored by educated clergymen, scientists and scholars, and uncounted numbers of well- documented demonic events are readily available to every researcher. The manifestations and occur- rences described in this imposing literature are similar, if not entirely identical, to the UFO phenomenon itself. Victims of demonomania (possession) suffer the very same medical and emotional symptoms as the UFO contactees. Demonomania is so common that it has spawned the minor medical and psychiatric study of demonopathy. Throughout most of history, the manifestations of demonology and demonopathy have been viewed from a religious perspective and ex- plained as the work of the Devil. The bizarre manipulations and ill effects described in the demonological literature are usually regarded as the result of a great unseen conflict between God and the Devil. In UFO lore, the same conflict has been observed, and the believers have explained it as a space war between the ‘‘Guardians” (good guys from outer space), who are protecting our planet, and some evil extraterrestrial race. The mani- festations are the same, only the frame of reference is different. The Devil and his demons can, according to the literature, manifest themselves in almost any form and can physically imitate anything from angels to horrifying monsters with glowing eyes. Strange objects and entities materialize and dematerialize in these stories, just as the UFOs and their splendid occupants appear and disappear, walk through walls, and perform other supernatural feats. Did ancient man misinterpret UFO manifestations by placing them in a religious context? Apparently not. The literature indicates that the phenomenon carefully cultivated the religious frame of reference in early