'Nuts and bolts' versus 'new age' thinking

Hi all,

The other day I was communicating with a colleague, about the current state of Australian UAP research. My colleague remarked that their approach could best be described as 'nuts and bolts.' By this, they meant a reference to the idea that UAP are physically real, and should be studied using the scientific approach.

While I was digesting this thought, I received an email advising details of the January 2017 close encounter conference to be held in Byron Bay, New South Wales. Part of the conference email posed a series of questions, which included:

* What is the truth about UFO reality?

* Who is visiting us and why?

* What do these intelligences really want with us?

* What happens during encounters on space craft?

All very valid questions, and still along the 'nuts and bolts' line of thinking.

Wilder speculations

However, the questions posed, then went on to wilder and wilder scenarios:

* What involvement does the military have with reverse engineered craft and abductions?

* What do the star children say about their experiences and why do they say they are here to help humanity?

* Along with sightings, there is a vast agenda of contact by various ET species...other species interbreed with us and are producing a hybrid race which they keep on their craft.

The individuals involved with these wilder speculations, often make claims which go against common sense; and are based on little or no scientific evidence, e.g. claims by 'star children' and claims that one's child is a 'human/alien hybrid.'

These 'new age' thinkers have skipped the need to produce scientific evidence for their claims, and moved directly to the adoption of their own personal, belief systems; often aided by similar communities of belief, to be found on Internet websites, often based in the USA.

Where are

* The DNA analyses of 'human/alien hybrids' which demonstrate their differences from mere humans?

* The public demonstration by 'star children' of their super human abilities, of which they boast?

* The alien artifacts,' which are clearly not human, arising from the numerous interactions with ET species?

* The medical documentation to demonstrate that even one case exists of 'missing fetus syndrome'?

Lest I be accused of not studying abduction accounts, 'star children' and such things, I spent three years doing just this. During that time, I communicated with dozens of Australians making such claims. I sat in on regression hypnosis sessions with qualified health professionals, and looked for physical evidence in terms of implants and medical documentation.

What I learnt from this study, was that the average 'new age thinker' knew nothing of sleep paralysis; hypnagogic and hypnopompic imagery; the fantasy-prone personality; hallucinations; migraine auras; or fugue states, and numerous other such psychological, neurological and psychiatric conditions which can give rise to abduction style accounts.

From the perspective of the 'new age thinker,' the 'nuts and bolts' view has had its day, failed to produce any definitive, universally accepted, UFO 'crashed saucer,' which everyone agrees has absolutely no other explanation than an extra-terrestrial or interdimensional space ship. Some holders of the 'nuts and bolts' view would argue that the 1947 Roswell crash fits these criteria; I do not.

From the perspective of the 'nuts and bolts' view, the wilder side stories of 'star children;' 'alien/human hybrids' and the 'missing fetus syndrome' tell us more about the human condition, then they ever tell us about the UAP phenomenon.

Which view; if either; or perhaps some other; ultimately succeeds in being accepted by the majority of those interested in such things; only time will tell.

A comment from Sheryl Gottschall:

"Keith you make very valid points. Personally I think the requirements for evidence in various areas of UFO research seems to have disappeared right out the window. I too have posed the question - where is the evidence for aliens manipulating our DNA? Why hasn't there been human DNA testing done to seek such evidence? Isn't that the logical next step? That evidence is needed if those claims are going to prove true, otherwise it's just words that wash over the public mind rather than have the potential to catch their attention.

While the questions about interdimensional beings and alien manipulation of human DNA invite us to think more widely about the UFO phenomenon, it concerns me that once those questions are asked, the natural next step to provide evidence for those possibilities is not sought. To me that's fuzzy research."