Regan Lee's August 6 article in UFO Digest, "Speculation on Mary as a Trickster" was most fascinating. I would tend to agree with her that many if not all of the apparitions of Mary whether they are on a barn or on a tortilla or in the skies above Lourdes, are examples of tricksters, or what I would call demonic manifestations. No wonder that many of these apparitions are associated with UFO phenomena which I also believe to be demonic manifestations of fallen angels sent here to deceive people. The Catholic Church in it's exuberance to win over native people's often incorporated pre Christian symbols and practices. While Mary was the favored one (Luke 1:28) whom God picked to bear Jesus, she was never to be deified. She was not the saver of souls. She cannot forgive our sins.

"There is salvation in no one else for there is no other name (but Jesus Christ) under heaven by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Only the "Son of man (Jesus) has power to forgive sins" (Matthew 9:6).

The Virgin of Guadalupe was an example of taking an Aztec feminine icon and deifying her. This was done to Astarte (Easter) and other feminine pre Christian goddesses and has led to a worship of Mary in the Catholic Church.

In my mind, these are examples of Ms.Lee's trickster motif. By "tricking" people into believing that Mary can save people or forgive their sins, they are kept from the truth that only Jesus can do these things. To associate these false apparitional tricksters with UFO sightings makes my case that both manifestations are demonic delusions to lead people from the truth.

Where I seem to separate myself from Ms.Lee is in her statement that Mary was not a virgin and might have been impregnated by an angel etc. Scripture is clear that the real Mary was a nice Jewish, virgin girl who found favor with God (Luke 1:27-35) and was immaculately infused by the Holy Spirit (God) not by an angel. The angel just told her what was happening.