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SCEPTICS
AND DEBUNKERS |
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Last Updated:
May 23, 2008 18:31
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This
article, penned by Site Author Geoff Richardson, was published
in EYE Magazine - Autumn 2002. |
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Let's get Sceptical with the
Sceptics!
"There's UFOs over New York and
I ain't too surprised! ……….strange
days indeed" John Lennon
Some years ago, after spending some time in South London, my
wife and I were driving back to the North of England along
the M1. It was early Sunday evening at the end of a glorious
September day and my wife suggested that we stopped at the
next "services" for a short break. This we did and
whilst we drank our coffee the sun set, followed by the usual
drop in temperature.
On returning to the M1 we soon realised that the change in
temperature had caused patchy fog to form - typical of the
time of year.
We had only driven a few more miles when it felt as though
we had been transported to a war zone - the motorway was littered
with crashed cars and people stood on the hard shoulder, probably
shocked but also, no doubt, thankful to be still alive. I pulled
the car to a halt amongst flashing "hazard lights" and
looked around. Thankfully no-one seemed to be injured and
the police, along with rescue services, soon arrived.
Then began the "long wait" and as the recovery vehicles
trundled their way up and down the hard shoulder I decided
to count the number of crashed vehicles being towed away. On
the hour a traffic warning was given out on a National radio
station advising of a nine mile tailback on the M1 caused by
a multi-vehicle crash involving twenty cars. I had already
counted in excess of thirty vehicles at this point but did
not give the matter any more thought.
Another hour passed, vehicles were still being towed away and,
once again, the traffic warning came over the radio - still
reported as involving twenty cars.
A short time later the motorway was clear enough for us to
continue our journey - I drove along thanking our lucky stars
that we had stopped for a break, almost certainly avoiding
being directly involved in the "pile -up".
However, another thought struck me - the discrepancy between
the media report of the event, namely twenty cars being involved,
and the truth of the matter which, in fact, involved nearly
forty crashed vehicles. The thought also struck me that if
on the following Monday morning I had to prove the fact that
the radio report was inaccurate, I would definitely have great
difficulty in doing so. You see we had been involved in a highly
unusual event, multi car pile-ups are, thankfully, quite rare
and when we set off on our journey I never thought to carry
my camera, camcorder or audio recorder - we were unwitting
witnesses to something out of the usual.
In much the same way as the ordinary, unsuspecting people who,
out of the blue, become unwitting witnesses to UFO sightings
or events. If they had advanced warning of what they were soon
to experience they almost certainly would take steps to obtain
some form of evidence or as the sceptics like to say - proof.
Last Autumn I was unfortunate enough to witness another far
less serious event but one which, certainly at the time, I
would have preferred to have missed - namely a television programme
discussing UFOs. During the programme two ordinary, sensible
ladies described a UFO sighting they had experienced - their
account was clear and to the point - it seemed perfectly honest.
Also it seemed, understandably, the ladies were somewhat perplexed
and confused over the event.
Enter the sceptic, who, obviously believing that a "powerful
personality" indicates a superior point of view, continued
to insist that the ladies' joint account had no value - repeating
his almost
"chant- like" demand - "Give me proof!" This
was despite a correlating report from someone else that substantiated
the ladies' claims - yet once more - "Give me proof!"
What this sceptic failed to take into account (and is probably
unwilling to acknowledge to this day) is that these two people,
going about their everyday business, had become unwitting witnesses
to an highly unusual event, leaving them with the urge to find
an explanation for and the desire (need?) to understand their
experience.
Historically anyone who has reported a UFO sighting or experience
has risked ridicule and scepticism - these attitudes having
been almost
"programmed in" over the years - even though less "provable" beliefs,
often based on some form of illogical folklore and involving
the certainty of the existence of various deities, are regarded
as perfectly acceptable and indeed deserving of respect.
It is obvious ,therefore, that any person who has a genuine
UFO experience will think (at least) twice before even talking
about it in private - never mind disclosing it in public. It
cannot be denied that some reported UFO sightings are fictitious,
but not all. It is almost certainly true that most genuine
sightings go unreported.
To demand proof from the two ladies on the television show
was, in fact, a very easy route to take as it does not take
someone of genius I.Q. to predetermine the fact that it was
impossible for them to meet this demand - he might as well
have asked me to prove my observations of the motorway pile-up.
Certainly to provide physical "nuts and bolts" proof
of UFOs can be regarded as impossible for the "ordinary
guy on the street" - in fact just as impossible as providing
the same
"nuts and bolts" proof of the existence of stealth
aircraft.
Perhaps the sceptics' argument that there is no proof that
UFOs are craft from elsewhere in the universe or, in effect,
E.T. does not exist may "hold water". However, there
is no doubt that various
"Agency" and Military documents do refer to the existence
of UFOs and intelligent life forms from without this speck
of cosmic dust we call Earth.
In fact, despite views that some Ufologists are "in it
for the money"
and are perpetuating the subject to that effect, there can
be no doubt that some dedicated researchers have put a colossal
amount of effort into investigating and researching Military
and Government documents.
Perhaps - just perhaps - the Human Race has to make a "quantum
leap"
in it's thoughts on this subject - perhaps we may have to accept
that our relationship to a life form from elsewhere in the
Universe (or in deed another universe) may be similar to the
relationship of chimpanzees to humans. About two years ago
a representative of SETI stated on (local) Radio Humberside
words to the effect:
"E.T. has not been visiting this planet - the proof is
that beings of such superior intelligence would contact similar
beings with similar interests, they would not be interested
in ordinary people - as yet we have heard nothing". This
may explain a lot.
But let's have a look at a couple of truly odd but fascinating
statements:
"We are dealing with technologies that are fifty years
beyond that which we can comprehend. Visualise in your mind
- then fifty years beyond that - we are working on it".
"I believe that nature does not speak English. What Nature
tells us is what must be honoured - it has been speaking to
us in many domains. We have data-sets that we are still trying
to understand.
We listen where languages are not talked and verbalisation
is not used".
Surely these statements are as strange as many UFO sighting
and as bizarre as any reports of "reverse engineering" at
Area 51?
Could these statements be part of an advert for a new SCI-FI
film or well known U.S. television programme?
Are they the words of a prominent UFOlogist promoting his latest "best
seller"?
Do they come from the mouth of some deluded individual, desperate
for attention?
Surely these "meaty" statements are just the stuff
that the average sceptic can't wait to get his teeth into?
This is unlikely, because the first of the above statements
comes from the mouth of George Schmidt - Chief, Propulsion
and Research Technology - NASA.
The second are words spoken by Boyd Bushman - Head of Lockheed
Martin.
Would any sceptic be prepared to tackle these guys - regardless
of how incredible their words seem to "ordinary mortals"?
But possibly all of this is of no consequence; perhaps the
words of a gentleman who experienced a spectacular UFO sighting
over fifty years ago may sum the situation up:
"I have never had the need to talk about it.
I don't need to believe because I know.
All these clever people research and investigate, discuss
and argue, they never seem to get anywhere.
And I can go to my grave with a smile on my face Because I
know".
Strange days indeed". |
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Quotes |
"Albert
Einstein was travelling across London by bus. When it came
to buying his ticket, Einstein argued with the conductor
about the amount of change he had received - the conductor's
calculations proved to be correct". |
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