Back

UFOs: Why No "Open Contact"?

Posted by Mac Tonnies, Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at 09:00 AM by Mac Tonnies
Assuming that UFOs represent extraterrestrial visitors (whether humanoid aliens in spacecraft or something stranger), there's no denying the secretive way in which the phenomenon has unfolded since the dawn of the "modern" UFO era in 1947. Strident debunkers have seized on the "ufonauts'" seeming desire to remain unseen as evidence that they don't exist--and maintain that studying evidence that might suggest the contrary can only be a waste of resources. Although I think the debunking argument is steeped in anthropocentric baggage, it's a fair enough question, at least in principle: Why would aliens go to the trouble of crossing interstellar distances if they possessed no interest in revealing themselves?

39 Comments:

	Posted by Student April 27, 2008 at 07:21 AM To Atrueoriginall: I'm sorry, I don't understand what you are saying, especially about publishing a book? But I sense your discomfort. I come from a background in law enforcement and investigations and I certainly don't accept anything at face value unless it touches a core truth inside of me. And, to CJ, I think that deep knowing inside that you speak of is our connection to the Creator - whatever you conceive that to be. It is the one constant in all faith traditions and will speak to us of our purpose and direction if we listen to it. Our ultimate authority and fulfillment in life resides within the power and Knowledge we carry inside ourselves - not from a belief system or savior from without (whether human, avatar or extraterrestrial).
	Posted by Atrueoriginall April 21, 2008 at 09:25 AM TO STUDENT: This is why I can't take such people too seriously. They have too many items of a capitalistic nature going on while at the same time trying to convey a message to the world. That doesn't jive with me. If someone had a serious message to deliver they would do it in a way that maybe means that they should be newsprint to publish a book - costing them next to nothing. Then again, there's this page where I felt like I was visiting a communist country that wouldn't allow me to speak my mind but instead go with their flow. http://www.alliesofhumanity.org/studygroup/respond.php .
	Posted by Atrueoriginall April 21, 2008 at 08:51 AM CJ said: "Time is short folks; we need to start making better choices on a daily, personal level - and don't go all religious on me here - it's really all about knowing deep inside what we are and doing the Right Thing." Agree. I have to agree here because I have been so inundated with certain things put in front of me over the years by them. Aliens are all about spirituality and never consider religious text even though I've delved in - on occasion. Unfortunately that gets twisted by the worshipers who think they're demons and such. Hey, good laughs are okay on occasion. lol Just the same, they (aliens) have ulterior motives that aren't so pleasant and in many ways hypocritical. Such things are used to serve a point in my thoughts so in essence, hypocrisy is used in their words in order to portray particular situations and predicaments. Yes, it's basically for cleaning up our act. The question is, what good does it do one on one since one or even a thousand individuals can accomplish little. The answer I don't have but certainly they've thrown ideas around in my head so I've heard some things. I don't believe everything they say though. Not necessarily because I think it's a lie, I just don't know it to be a fact. As a matter of fact, unless I can prove to myself that something they say is actual fact, everything else I throw on a back burner for another day. That day never seems to come, which tells me their testing my belief system - so to speak. Damn I hate my life.
	Posted by CJ April 21, 2008 at 06:25 AM Seen with my own eyes on many occasions, touched with my hand on a few, some of my contacts have been observed by witnesses: Oct. 18th, 1973, Shelby Ohio being the most famous. Where else? Michigan 1980, California 1989, Pennsylvania 1989 and Arizona 1991 1994, 1995, 1997 (yes, I saw the "Phoenix Lights" and had direct observation of a low flying "triangle" craft on another occasion with a witness) What have I gathered from these encounters? 1) We are special in all the Universe and they are watching events unfold here. Will we succeed or merely survive our coming future? 2) We are still cavemen grasping at shadows, our fragile mental structure unable to grasp fully the profound effect First Contact would have on our societies. 3) Mistakes have been made on their part in past contacts, which go back millennia, thus a general "hands off" rule is in effect. 4) The question is not only where some of them are from, but also when. Hyperspace travel is not necessarily relevant when you can just "open a door". Time is short folks; we need to start making better choices on a daily, personal level - and don't go all religious on me here - it's really all about knowing deep inside what we are and doing the Right Thing. period, end of report.
	Posted by Atrueoriginall April 20, 2008 at 03:46 PM STUDENT: Yes, I'm familiar with it certainly. I'm a contactee. Their statement "unprepared and largely unaware" is actually the way it's suppose to remain so I don't know why they feel they have something to share. Of course that is IF it's not fiction and a tool used to sell their wares, then they're unknowingly vehicles that are being used themselves, such as myself. I would give my right arm for this to stop. It's been going on since January 7, 1997, at the age of 45 and I'm completely drained, sick and tired and will be 56 next month. Just the same, what I know, which is similar to what they state I wouldn't share simply because there are 6.5 billion people on this earth and there is no way in the world they could ever cover such ground, as it was meant to be. There's another way and it's the way that they explained to me but it's about as corny unless your mind is wide open. Visit me sometime. http://aliencases.conforums.com (aka:alien_contactee)
	Posted by Student April 20, 2008 at 01:36 PM Atrueoriginall, have you checked out this site? http://www.alliesofhumanity.org/
	Posted by Atrueoriginall April 20, 2008 at 08:28 AM STUDENT, I agree wholeheartedly. "they are here to help themselves"!
	Posted by Student April 20, 2008 at 05:57 AM I'm sorry Psycho78, but I'm not anybody's cattle. You appear to have been pacified. I repeat - if "they" are here for a benign purpose, let them prove it. If they are here to help us, why are they surreptitiously abducting humans and influencing them to believe they can be happy cattle or rats in some galactic science project? Technological advancement does not equal spiritual or moral advancement. (Look at us if you want proof of that) They are not here to help us - they are here to help themselves.
	Posted by Psycho78 April 18, 2008 at 01:30 PM Sorry for the double post below! I just wanted to point out that while I have never been abducted, that I am aware of... Im sure the tiger in a zoo feels that its vet is a hostile force when it gets wrangled in for its annual tooth cleaning. They dont have to be gentle to mean us no harm, and like the tiger, you may feel violated, but your still alive.
	Posted by Psycho78 April 18, 2008 at 01:21 PM I have seen UFOs on multiple occasions and I have past life memories (without hypnosis). I believe, after much study into both subjects, that we are indeed being harvested, or rather our spirits are being cultivated. Why? I can not say, but I dont think our spiritual cultivation could take place if we did understand our true purpose. All we need to know about UFOs while we remain in possession of earth bound bodies is that they are the farmers and we are the animals. It sounds crude, but really, this crude world is where we come to grow and until we have grown enough, knowing from where we come and to where we must go will continue to ellude us. The native americans believed that god is the spirit that moves through all things, and as such it must also move through the beings who pilot ufos. In the end we are all part of the same energy. The sooner we can all learn to accept that, the sooner we will arrive at our next destination. If that isnt enough to calm the fears of those who believe in an alien conspiracy to dominate humanity, what makes you think they need to dominate us? If they can travel the stars, they can make machines that make machines that makes machines that can make anything we can dream of and beyond from the limitless resources of the universe. They dont need to harvest anything from our bodies that they cant make on their own. They dont need us to be slave workers. Every complex element on earth is born from stars. If there is one thing the universe has in great abundance its stars. There is nothing special about earth, except our living minds. What they need us to be is a tiny speck of intelligent living beings in the vast lifeless expanse of the physical universe. How valuable our lives must be to them compared to the infinite amounts of lifeless rocks and gases. Even if being cattle is our purpose. Soon enough you will pass from this world and choose a new existance with new challenges. And your attachment to your current body will fade, much as your attachment to your last car faded as you began driving that shiney new one. So cheer up, let your anxiety go and make the best life you can for yourself and others with the time you have left. You\'ll be happy you did.
	Posted by Psycho78 April 18, 2008 at 01:21 PM I have seen UFOs on multiple occasions and I have past life memories (without hypnosis). I believe, after much study into both subjects, that we are indeed being harvested, or rather our spirits are being cultivated. Why? I can not say, but I dont think our spiritual cultivation could take place if we did understand our true purpose. All we need to know about UFOs while we remain in possession of earth bound bodies is that they are the farmers and we are the animals. It sounds crude, but really, this crude world is where we come to grow and until we have grown enough, knowing from where we come and to where we must go will continue to ellude us. The native americans believed that god is the spirit that moves through all things, and as such it must also move through the beings who pilot ufos. In the end we are all part of the same energy. The sooner we can all learn to accept that, the sooner we will arrive at our next destination. If that isnt enough to calm the fears of those who believe in an alien conspiracy to dominate humanity, what makes you think they need to dominate us? If they can travel the stars, they can make machines that make machines that makes machines that can make anything we can dream of and beyond from the limitless resources of the universe. They dont need to harvest anything from our bodies that they cant make on their own. They dont need us to be slave workers. Every complex element on earth is born from stars. If there is one thing the universe has in great abundance its stars. There is nothing special about earth, except our living minds. What they need us to be is a tiny speck of intelligent living beings in the vast lifeless expanse of the physical universe. How valuable our lives must be to them compared to the infinite amounts of lifeless rocks and gases. Even if being cattle is our purpose. Soon enough you will pass from this world and choose a new existance with new challenges. And your attachment to your current body will fade, much as your attachment to your last car faded as you began driving that shiney new one. So cheer up, let your anxiety go and make the best life you can for yourself and others with the time you have left. You'll be happy you did.
	Posted by Bill April 18, 2008 at 02:30 AM The absence of proof does not make something false. Leprechauns may exist after all, since nobody can disprove that they exist. The same can be said for extraterrestrials. The quest for the elusive leprechaun is the more lucrative pursuit, considering the pot o' gold hoarded by every leprechuan. Furthermore the search space for the leprechaun is many orders of magnitude smaller than the search for extra terrestrials, being mostly limited to Ireland with possible sightings reported in Wales.
	Posted by Elias April 17, 2008 at 10:08 PM What is deemed extraterrestrial is very real organic and advanced far beyond the idealism of simple contagion this reality is a race of insect like organartifice half breed cultish tribelike races so far beyond simple cultureshock our meeting them would be that the reach is much to distant in differences to even attempt ! Theirs is a tribelike rooted hive kingdom with ecosystems built in a living fashion organic wasplike floating hives technologies so far advanced that control over their hive systems is controlled from their powerful limbic systems imagine what is going on with the rest for emotion even is crude and ancient that their limbic systems control every facet of their technologies and rule and order is efficient and their unlimited lust is for that very fibre in galaxies that is the essence of all energy and power as we begin to mold into the milky way and our red dwarf galaxy is consumed so to these aliens of hive kingdom organic pod built machinations all in servile dedication to their queens PLASMA is the essence of their very being the plasma that exsists in space that they consume to power their kingdoms and the plasma that they need to surivive by allowing the fattening up of their cattle and pork industry to drain plasma our blood the second plasmodic tangible source of life yes unlike the Geiger prophet visionary who hit the mark so close it was and always may be considered a fluke of a seer yet the Spider Hive of advanced Limbic generating technologies thrives and hides to auswitz us off to plasma draining worlds all giant weblike artificial alien slave world pods where we are used spun drained and then our dried up carcasses used for fuel in their energy sustaining artificial ovens yes be afraid be very afraid they exsist and as the Mayans who knew them before wrote of our destruction in 2012 xmas eve so to that is when shortly before we will be rounded up frozen and sustained to be unfrozen on these webworlds of spiderhives alien races to be delicacies one by one either as fuelto power their hives or to have for dinner so overpopulate our food supplies ours one of many food worlds where bio genetic beings as us function as easy when naked and unarmed literal blood sausage to these Giant Hive Spider Vampires of the Web World Hives watching their food supplies grow until we become space tv dinners all party to a horrible death the spared will be the blood diseased auto immuned functioned and other related diseases what we thought was a terrible wasting death could really have been mother earths way of protecting her children from these incubate and drain alien spider race tribe hives who we will not meet until it is time and we shall wish we didn,t when the time comes savage evil insects vamps and emotionless as spiders naturally are we are just a food supply ET if there ever were such a race became food long ago and the exterminators exsist out there but they have been long gone from this end of the galaxy for a long time and lets not forget arachnid of huge proportions could only scissorlike surgeon precise cut and drain all plasma from the occasional cow that gets dropped from the hive once drained it is upon us and our governement beleives they can barter with these insects ? I would rather self ignite our own beautiful plan et than surrender it to these vampires of the ethos beleive it or not NASA knows and now you DO TOO !!! Elias the Seer
	Posted by NightFlight April 17, 2008 at 09:42 PM After much deliberation among the 42 different species and sub-species that have been visiting planet earth, a messenger was chosen to deliver the human race a message. The messenger, Zorg96, contacted all the appropriate governments and news media to meet at a predetermined area that would accomodate the spacecraft, media and people. An abandoned airbase, Victoria Pratt airbase in Kansas, was the chosen place. Zorg96 found it necessary to convince the media of his sincerity and succeeded. The selected date and time arrived, the ship was landed, a 200 meter diameter saucer, the port opened and Zorg96, fluent in 59 earth languages, stepped out and up to the microphone. Tapping it, he asks "is this thing on?" Satisfied, he starts "People of earth, I have brought a message to you from our groups - this is the message: Humans are f**cking idiots. After millenia of creating hybrids we have determined that the human hybrids are idiots, also. We will never contact you again. Bye." With that Zorg96 departed.
	Posted by Jimbo April 17, 2008 at 07:11 PM What if they have made contact with governments, or at least one or two governments, but its the governments that wish to keep this news from the general public?
	Posted by Monte April 17, 2008 at 03:19 PM No one has mentioned a very real danger, to alien organisms as well to ourselves: biological contamination. Microorganisms are fantastically tough, and it's been proven that many can survive incredibly punishing conditions (including the fierce heat and cold and radiation of space). And they evolve restlessly, and therefore can't be completely predicted or contained. If life throughout the universe has the same chemical basis (and the discovery of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons throughout interstellar space implies that it would be) than it's a very bad idea to land on an alien world and pop open the door. Only one microorganism has to get through one's defenses to reproduce and cause harm, and even a highly advanced technology would have trouble screening out every last microbe. (The plasma sheaths surrounding UFOs would make fine sterilizers, by the way, perhaps that's part of their purpose.) And it doesn't have to be a whole organism: look at prions, which are just twisted pieces of protein, but that's enough to cause devastating damage to biochemical process. An ancient technological civilization might have a handle on its own biological complexity, but what would happen when the ecologies of two worlds meet is surely beyond prediction and therefore fantastically risky. Perhaps the UFOs keep their distance out of fear of contamination, and if that's the case we should be thankful that they keep their distance. With every new robot probe we send to Mars we learn how absolutely crucial it is to scrub the machines of every terrestrial microbe, and what a near-impossible task that is. We drop as little foreign material on Mars as we can, to minimize contamination. So it doesn't surprise me that there's so little evidence for UFO's: paucity of evidence is to be expected, if contamination is the problem I think it is.
	Posted by Doc C April 17, 2008 at 02:40 PM I like the question. It's a starting point for good dialogue. I'm not sure that this intelligence is extraterrestrial but for the sake of argument I'll go with that and point out that it's hardly avoided contact. Even adjusting for confusion with known phenomenon, thousands (or exponentially more) have witnessed something that remains unidentified and unexplained. The argument "if they were real they would land on the whitehouse lawn" ignores that fact that, working in the dark, behind the scenes as it were, this intelligence has had an effect on peoples lives and on groups in a subtle but real way. In our current environment where the beliefs of science are essentially a religion, if one has contact with this intelligence it will be at once profoundly life changing and appear implausible to others (especially if the others are heavily invested in the status quo).
	Posted by Tony S aka Wolf April 17, 2008 at 02:16 PM Did anyone ever think to consider that an alien life form must adapt to our atmosphere. Maybe there are just a very few that have achieved this, and, in doing so they have made some what of contact. The rest of the lifeforms may as of yet been able to withstand our atmosphere. The atmosphere they know may be all to different from our own and they must evolve to some extent or make a breathing tool to withstand our air. Also we may have sicknesses they may be deathly allergic to and they must make vaccine\\\\\\'s in order to withstand our environment. With them making what contact they have, maybe they are still trying to figure it out. And when they do, if we are lucky enough in our life time, they will make an entrance to calm all our disbeliefs. Just my little opinion on the matter.
	Posted by Dan April 17, 2008 at 01:33 PM I love it when people say if it's real the prove it. The absence of proof does not make something false. Something remains ‘possible’ until it has been proven one way or the other. Either we develop technology that allows us to travel the universe and visit every single planet to disprove it, or aliens make their presence know (or are ‘discovered’) to the mass and prove it. Either way, whether or not I believe, to dismiss the ‘possibility’ solely on a lack of “proof” seems, well; closed minded. To an alien would you rather take it slow introducing yourself to such a race and be greeting with good intentions and intelligence and an open mind or on the end of say an ICBM (not that a being capable of such travel would probably be scared of such a “primitive” weapon).
	Posted by odg24tisuhtr2uy April 17, 2008 at 12:23 PM The aliens and the government have the same reason to keep contact seceret. If humans knew about the alien technology it could be used to produce extremely dangerous weapons. Even just knowing such technology as faster than light travel or alternate energy sources is possible could give clues that would lead to scientific discoveries. If contact were open it would be even harder for the aliens to keep their capabilites secret. Imagine how hard it would be to stop a faster than light missile or bomb based on the energy that could power such a vehicle.
	Posted by Paul Robinson April 17, 2008 at 12:02 PM Open contact would just be too plain scary... probably even now. Though one wonders if it wouldn't have worked out better had an ET civilization hadn't made contact during the stone age, and made regular, open visits since then. We'd already have been used to it and early man wouldn't have had all the hang ups that we do today. As for evidence, I couldn't care less. Nor do I care if anyone 'believes' or not. If there's nothing to this whole thing, why won't the CIA/NSA, etc. cough up all their UFO documents...?! If you want evidence go hassle the government for it en masse -- if anyone has it, they do. No one else has access to the equipment the likes of the USAF, CIA, NSA, NASA, NRO, etc. has, and that's what is needed to gather any decent evidence of the existence of UFOs. It's highly unlikely that they'll park outside your house in broad daylight, knock on the door, and wait while you go get your camera, so let's knock that crap off for a start!!
	Posted by Dan April 17, 2008 at 10:25 AM Over 60 years of deception just to take our recourses? While time goes on we squander more, population increases drastically only to further tax them and all the while (as time pushes on) we develop more lethal and interesting ways to kill ourselves making a subtle sneak'n'grab less rewarding (in the means of less resources to steal) and more difficult to achieve (in the means of us getting better at defending ourselves even if it would mean killing ourselves to do so) "If" they exist I would be more inclined to believe a cautious approach in an effort to preserve our sanity (because honestly, is the "mass" ready to believe such a thing?) and wait until we are both mentally capable and say more tolerance and evolved on to putting petty squabbles behind us and working as a race to unify and focus on "real" issues that humanity should address as a whole and get over this cultural, religious, etc segregation. Hence, actually ready to evolve to ‘their’ level. What would happen tomorrow if we woke up and realized aliens did exist and they were here to help us move beyond our own world and get out strutting the stars; we would become that which a lot fear ‘they’ are here for; we would become nothing more the bullies of the universe taking what we want whenever it appeased us. We are (as a society not individuals) quite closed minded and believe what we believe because we are told to do so (for the most part). It is easier to believe what someone else tells us than to strike our own opinions and all in all that makes the masses happier and is a lot easier for them to do and live their lives happily. What are the number one arguments (most people cling to) for UFOs not to be possible….? Proof, Religion… anything else? Look at history, first the world was flat, we knew this to be true; WE were the center of the universe, until that was proved wrong and we were able to grasp that concept. It couldn’t prove it for the longest time, and people knew also for the longest time that they were right and those that speculated and believe otherwise were just crazy. X years later; whadda know those speculations were right. One would speculate that and advanced being, capable of traveling the universe would have evolved beyond the limits of our own minds and greed and quite honestly would know what is better for us in introducing themselves to us. Mother knows best after all. So really, if they were here to just plunder us; it would have been much easier and reaped more booty to have done it 60 odd years ago. Or maybe they are just waiting for us to kill ourselves off so they can move in with a clean conscious…
	Posted by Bill April 17, 2008 at 09:38 AM The \\\"extraterrestrial visitors\\\" have not presented themselves for the very same reason the leprechauns have not, because neither exists. The main difference is there is not a lot of \\\"wishful thinking\\\" about the presence of leprechauns, no book deals and fan conferences & profiteering on public deception as there are for ET\\\\\\'s. If you apply the same standard of scanty anecdotal evidence that is used to \\\"prove\\\" the existence of extraterrestrials, by that same measure there is much more evidence that leprechauns exist.
	Posted by alkejf2iuhtg9g April 17, 2008 at 06:50 AM all of the above
	Posted by Daren April 17, 2008 at 05:57 AM Personally I think the 'Alien Agenda' is controlled by a 'treaty' of non-disclosure created in mankinds history. Not to reveal them selves or technology as it would belittle the wrold controllers and lessen the value of the 'blind man' effect. IF, we humans had access to free power would we not use it. IF, we had the ability to travel from universe to universe would we not use it. IF we had the power to cure all diesease we would most assuredly use it. Thus, over population, starvation, and unknow risks in interstellar space travel but the good one is free energy to promote a more healthy planet to exist on. The abductees under hypnosis has revealed their captors and even Betty Hills star chart has come to light as being authentic. Skeptics are blind folowers who believe what they are told to believe as where an open mind can see further than the eye or knowledge leads them.
	Posted by Student April 17, 2008 at 05:48 AM If you accept the premise that there is other intelligent life in the universe, ask why these entities would expend tremendous effort and energy to reach our earth. If we look at our own history as an example, and ask why humans have expended effort and energy to visit new worlds, what do we learn? Did Columbus come to the Americas to share his peaceloving spirituality, or his knowledge of technology? Did Cortez bring peace and prosperity to the Aztecs? On a more modern note, does Wal-Mart bring economic security to communities and small businesses? What has always been the fuel behind expansion and exploration? Unfortunately, it is usually the strong seeking to exploit the weak - for their land, their water, their oil, their workforce. Why would ET be any different? Do we think greed, empire-building and power-seeking are strictly human traits? Our own history, again, gives us a clue. When civilizations reach a certain point, they begin to destroy and pollute their habitat. They reach population overshoot and run out of resources. Then it's time to expand their territory; to negotiate, coerce or take what they need by force or deception. Well, there are good humans, so we hope there are good ETs as well. But are the good humans the ones who exploited Africa for gold and diamonds, America for land, wildlife and other vast resources, Iraq for oil? The wise and the spiritually advanced do not violate other people's sovereign rights by visiting their lands with no invitation, by kidnapping their citizens or by stealing their resources. If they are here for a benign purpose, they should make it absolutely clear and wait for an invitation. I fear they are resource explorers (and humans are resources, too). They will not want to take our resources by force, but by deception, so that the goods aren't damaged. Very clever - they can slowly infiltrate our world and society covertly and take it over without firing a shot.
	Posted by observer52 April 17, 2008 at 04:51 AM This is one of the central questions involving ufo or other kinds of anomalous experiences that can be asked; why so incredibly elusive? In the search for answers, and as one who has had two very different encounters myself, 35 years apart, a number of thoughts come to mind. First and foremost, there is the will to believe. By that I mean there is an aspect of mind that strives and wishes for certain things to be true, as if one may have encountered the numinous, whether one actually has or not. This is referred to generically as the psychosocial hypothesis--that what is experienced is either created within the mind without one being directly conscious of it, or that one may experience something truly anomalous, but inexplicable, caused by some external or outside force, energy, or encounter of unknown source or cause, and due to cultural and sociological influences and mythos, a scenario or "story" is synthesized within the mind to try to explain it or define it, which often leads to a kind of interpretive explanation. This reductionism via the processes of mind embedded within differing cultures at different times has lead to many sources of myth and misinterpretation. In other words, something can be self-generated, or an external influence can be real, but in the factoring of it by the mind, we more often than not, in the need to explain it, if only to ourselves, also create some kind of "answer" that itself is likely not to be what we end up thinking whatever "it" was, or actually might have been. This gets very, very tricky. So, on one hand, we have both hallucination, in a way, or internally generated phenomena, and we have other actual phenomena, which may or may not be natural, that cause the mind to actually experience the effects of these various outside energies, visual sightings, direct encounters of one form or another, but our minds process this real unknown phenomena in ways that are limited by our intellects, current evolutionary level, and prior learning, or cultural/socio/anthropic expectations and/or ability to interpret. Our memory, and recall, and definition of what we may have encountered, in the cases involving real contact of some sort with the unknown, can often lead to stereotypical or common mythic interpretation. On the other hand, considering the body of evidence over the past 60 years in particular, in the best cases, which involve multiple witnesses, geographic dispersion of witnesses, external sensor recording (such as radar, masint, photographic and film or video evidence, etc.), and there are a good number of cases such as this (for example, read up on the 1957 RB-47 incident), then we have another puzzle to deal with. In these cases, again there is often a form of elusive incompleteness, or just something we do not yet understand the nature of. But, whatever it is, it is real. Something of this sort apparently occurred in Phoenix, AZ in 1997 and again, more recently, in Stephenville, TX in January of this year. And at O'Hare airport in Chicago in November of 2006. And in France in 1954. In Washington, D.C. in 1952. During WWII in both the European and Pacific theaters of war. In Vietnam. Numerous incidents in 1973. I could cite multitudinous other cases of similar seriousness and reality. But the question of what each of these incidents were or are remains unknown. Not proven to the satisfaction of what we would consider strict scientific standards. They are ineffably inexplicable. But they were real, on some level, and extraordinary. I do not pretend to know what they were, or whether there was any non-human intelligence or consciousness involved or not. But they cannot simply be dismissed, as they were seen by too many people at the same time. And recorded, and much of that evidence remains undisclosed and classified. What is quite interesting in many of these cases, including ones I personally have investigated, is how, even in cases where several people were standing next to each other, each will describe both similarities in what was witnessed, and even more intriguingly, distinct differences in the appearance of what was seen. I should say in conclusion that there is and has been for a very, very long time something going on, witnessed, and experienced; a variety of phenomena, some rare but natural, others inexplicable, some apparently of aerial structures or objects of some kind that seem reactive or behave in anomalous but seemingly artificial and unknown manners which at least suggest a form of advanced technological capability, which in turn suggests a form of non-human intelligence, but that if this is so, maybe one purpose is to create a kind of inherent plausible deniability which is subject to interpretation within a range of possibilities that would both imply and operate in such a way as to both remain elusive, but also to show that there is something operating within our sphere of existence, at the very least, that is both beyond and other than us, or hallucination, or confabulation, and that these latter cases are the ones that most deserve further, deeper, scientific and other multi-disciplinary resources to be brought to bear on the paradox and enigma. It's almost as if "this other," whatever it may be, and I would guess multiple sources and origins are involved, wants us to know there is another aspect of reality and the universe that exists, but does not want to be overt, or too obvious, while at the same time not so elusive as to be never observed or encountered. How much is the human mind, and how much is "the other" has yet to be determined, but I have no doubt, based on my own experience, and of those others I trust most, that there is something operating which suggests an interaction with the human species with some degree of apparent intent. Whether acting as an aspect of the universe that we just don't understand yet, or as a form of non-human intelligence, or as an evolutionary driver, or as something completely different and currently unknowable are all to be considered. But something outside of ourselves is going on, and in a way that inspires curiousity, inquiry, and should spur further serious research. In a way, like dark matter and dark energy, which we did not even really know about until the last 10 years, even though theorized about as early as the 1930's, there are some things that are real but simply as yet unknown. And perhaps unknowable to us at our current level of intelligence and ability to recognize and discern the patterns and actual nature of.
	Posted by Zorby April 16, 2008 at 05:54 PM Maybe no one has offered to them to our leader.
	Posted by skeptic April 16, 2008 at 02:48 PM Well said Robert. That's the obvious answer that the "I want to believe crowd" won't even consider. Anyone who disagrees with them is automatically impugned as being close minded.
	Posted by SM April 16, 2008 at 01:38 PM From what I\\'ve seen and heard, assuming this is a \" real\" phenomenon and not a psychological one, we cannot assume that there is only one motive. There are a fair number of reported types of entities. It would be very doubtful that they would all have the same motive for coming here. I suspect that because they would be so different from us that their motives would possibly even be incomprehensible to the human mind. At this point we also don\\'t know if we\\'re dealing with an interdemensional phenomenon which may or may not involve intelligence. We are seeing something.. as to what it is we really and honestly do not have a solid handle on it yet. But then how long did it take from the inception of mankind to figure out microbes?
	Posted by Chuck April 16, 2008 at 12:52 PM Joe, I think the possibility has to remain open that the source of this phenomena maybe outside of our current knowledge and maybe much stranger than we can understand. The simple ET answer suffices for many but there is no proof for this simple culturally bound interpretation. Most of the various speculations are based upon what we believe we know about human behaviour and human history and attempting to fit this phenomena within that understanding. It may not fit that understanding. I think that maybe an uncomfortable conclusion to those that need to 'know' but I believe this allows for a more open minded search and actually makes this more exciting.
	Posted by joekalk April 16, 2008 at 12:39 PM Using the scientist as an analogy, If God has work to do in our petri dish, would He bring his shovel rake and hammer to use to manipulate the tiny particles. Or would he introduce manipulated particles to conduct his details...
	Posted by Joseph Capp April 16, 2008 at 12:29 PM I love the way some people want a simple answer to everything. Beyond any evidence of a trickster or collective consciousness that has ever been or will be presented as an answer for UFOs ETs are of a much greater possibility. Why because that is exactly what we are. If and when we go to other star systems, would we be dumb enough to make contacts with war faring creatures like us. I hope by then we are much smarter than that. If they have been here a long time and stay mostly hidden and do what they are doing they would disguise themselves in metaphysical and even magic exactly like Arthur C. predicted. If our visitors are here, they are doing a masterful job of confusion us, and maybe that is the point. Recently though, I must admit something more seems to be going with our visitors. Joe Capp UFO Media Matters
	Posted by Joseph April 16, 2008 at 11:46 AM Considering that ETs or UTs, in various forms such as elves or black dogs or Bigfoot or Marian apparitions, have been with us seemingly forever, and also considering that the history of ufology is quite liberally peppered with ufologists who constantly predict that the answer is imminent while no answer ever seems to actually materialize, what makes you think that you or anyone else will ever find the answer? And would \\\"the answer\\\" be anywhere near as interesting as the search?
	Posted by Chuck April 16, 2008 at 10:10 AM How about \\\\\\'none of the above\\\\\\' the motives/behavior of whatever the source of this phenomena is, maybe beyond our comprehension. Attempting to understand it via our own experiences and knowledge-which maybe all we can really do-may not be relevant.
	Posted by Atrueoriginall April 16, 2008 at 08:56 AM But there is contact. There has been contact for a very, very long time. The only reason you and the masses don't realize it is because it was designed for you not to believe it or accept it, just yet. It's all about alien stealth technology. I say this because there has to be a common denominator somewhere that relates to the multitudes of the off the wall stories. There simply cannot be so many crazy (every day) people out there reporting such and instead it has to be something else. I always seem to go out on a limb when I write such statements and then regret it later but here goes. The alien's tweaky ways are quite prevalent amongst all experiencers. So much so that it appears to be a large form of stealth that the aliens created and planned on. After all, who's going to believe the enormous amount of unusual tales that look like something out of a grocery store rag. I'm absolutely positive that they know that both embarrassment and ridicule are two tremendously strong emotions that humans avoid like the plague. Who's to say that they're not playing on such emotions in order to hide their existence from the masses (for now). Instead, they tend to piecemeal their existence - breaking us in, so to speak. Abductees have memories removed, leaving them with remnants of a very unusual experience, representing more stealth for the aliens since who's going to believe their stories. Even I believe nothing that I read of another’s unless I had an identical or similar experience and trust me, I've seen it all. I'm actually embarrassed for others as I read certain things that 'they' write. I'm an abductee and I have more kooky stories than the next but I don't share, not much anyway and for all of the same reasons as the rest that don't share. Technically only some can believe such since they weren't the observer so everyone other than an abductee and maybe one who has sighted a legitimate UFO has to sit on the outside and only wonder and question. Scientifically speaking, nobody can 'believe' anything unless they've at least observed it for themselves. Even UFO sightings have greatly disappeared (for the most part) in regard to a solid object and have been replaced by lights in the sky. This could simply be another form of stealth that encases the UFO and hides it's actual physical appearance. Their previous disappearing act utilizing a different form of stealth (possibly a magnetic flux or holograms - who knows) doesn't appear to be sufficient enough for them anymore since too many UFOs were sighted in the past and they know this. Not to mention, what government's military is going to shoot at a light? Meanwhile, nobody cares about the lights. That's what they anticipated and that's what they got. To John M.: It's funny from where I sit. As I dwell amongst the rest on the Internet I trip over Shostak all too often. I can only shake my head because contact has already happened amongst many people and continues to happen as I type. It's almost as if it's a statement by the aliens that sounds like, "lol we're only interested in the little people". It's sad for me as I read because I know that some day he will be greatly humbled by his own words, as will Shermer of course. I don't think I have to convince anyone that an alien would see a closed mind as a human deficit, because they do. There are two alien agendas that you didn't mention and I won't either because even though I know what I know through hearing, it's too 'out there' to talk about. Also, I can only say I know and not say that I believe what they say is true. They do however consider us as a Disneyland of sorts. They're no different than us in that respect and you're dead on in regard to the fragile social paradigms, which is a concrete block that stands in their way. My main point is that there already is contact and that is a belief of mine and not just something I think I know. Mac your new meme of the month should sound something like 'alien induction'. I know your stance on aliens and UFOs. I've read everything you personally have written in your blog and website so I know where you're coming from. I enjoy both you and Bruce Duensing probably the most. You write extremely well and you have been known certainly for going out of your own realm of personal beliefs on occasion. I say this because somebody needs to touch on alien induction in depth because (now here's the kooky part) these beings are most certainly living amongst us and I don't mean in the body either. Okay, that's enough kooky now for this kid. Like I said, I regret much of what I repeat sometimes but darn it, some things just have to be said by someone at some point. So now I'll duck under my desk and crawl up into a little ball where I'll feel safe as a bug in a rug once more. lol Another great article by the way.
	Posted by Will April 15, 2008 at 10:11 PM "Plausible" is another way of saying "meets my expectations", or "is in accord with what little I know".
	Posted by John M April 15, 2008 at 08:01 PM There is ample evidence that something strange and worthy of notice is going on. Just because people refuse to examine or even acknowledge this evidence does not negate it. When people like Michael Shermer and Seth Shostak only read the works of people like Philip Klass and Kal Korff, it's no wonder they find an absence of evidence. The work of professional skeptics is a blight on science and will be commonly regarded so in the future. Others who follow their lead, tacitly or explicitly, are dupes of one of the biggest cons foisted on the general public. The pseudo-science of these so-called skeptics will barely warrant a footnote in future history.
	Posted by Robert April 15, 2008 at 10:39 AM Really? Not a single scenerio that you listed is even remotely plausable. Creating a human-alien hybrid? Vacationing? How about they just aren't here? There is no evidence they are here so why keep the hypothesis that they are?

Leave a Comment

Name: Email: Comment: Validate:      <- Enter Validation Code

 Back