Apologies if the inferences aren't clear. Allow me to illuminate with a few theories I do not believe in but illustrates how beliefs could be "the thing."

1. Invading alien force trying to guide us to defenselessness on their way with their actual physical ships have sent ahead AI drones to make apparitions appear. They have injected several religions into human society co-opting peaceful political rule keeping them divide. In 10,000 years when the alien force arrives humanity had no chance to catch up in technology to defend itself. (similar to The Three Body Problem).
2. In a conscious part of the universe or another universe we're not aware of, we're being manipulated and guided to give power to beings who need our attention to survive. They get this in the form of worship and influence. (similar to American Gods).
3. A monotheistic God is real and we're being preyed upon and defended by two unseen forces. One force is looking to help guide us, the other to either make us stumble or illuminate to God, our true natures. Efforts to technologically tint the entire phenomenon are an attempt to divert attention away from actual God. (Tanakh, Bible, Quran, further reading: American Cosmos)
4. We're all about to have special powers that somehow ties in and there's gonna be a UFO we're gonna build and movies and my name is Tom Delonge and I was found on the Clinton/Podesta e-mails along side some Generals (I want to say, Idiocracy?)

I, have no idea, but, beliefs could be the thing.