The Other Side of Truth Podcast

Paul Kimball has provided his latest podcast, with Dean Radin; two intellectual guys ruminating about things paranormal and otherwise.

http://redstarfilmtv.com/radio/the-other-side-of-truth-podcast/volume-2/episode-2-8-dean-radin/

RR

UFO-like events/sightings and Odd Occurrences in Ancient Times

Copyright 2013, InterAmerica, Inc.

When one reads historical or quasi-historical material from earlier times (B.C. through early A.D. years), they will find mentions (asides) that replicate UFO sightings or events of our time, the modern era.

Such asides are passingly presented, as if they are tangential to what’s being related. But why are they mentioned at all?

For instance, in The Barbarian Invasions of The Roman Empire, Volume II, The Huns and the Vandals by Thomas Hodgkin [Folio Society, London, 2000] one will find, by scrupulous attention to the text, that odd (actual?) events are sprinkled throughout.

Some of the history presented comes from such activity of early monarchs as Che-Hwang-te who, following the Chow Dynasty – his the Tsin Dynasty – in the 3^rd Century B.C. destroyed all the earlier histories to “cleanse” the past of corrupted stories, thus removing much that came from oral traditions, providing what may be considered a more accurate accounting of human (in this case, Chinese) historical accounts.

Other accounts come from sources such as the Alexandrian Chronicles composed during the reign of Heraclius about 630 A. D. but many of doubtful authority.

One can assume that they are sometimes reading rather accurate renderings of what transpired and is being presented as true history – one can assume – but then …

So what does one make of such things as this:

The Bishop of Tongers in Belgium, Servatius by name, implored God, amidst fastings and watchings and constant showers of tears, that he [God] would never permit ‘the unbelieving and ever-unworthy nation of the Huns’ to enter Gaul. Feeling sure in his spirit that this prayer was not granted [interesting intuition?], he sought the tomb of the apostle Peter at Rome, and there, after three days’ fasting pressed his suit. The apostle appeared to him in a vision…(offering no consolation whatsoever, which sent Servatius to his home, where he prepared for his death which, indeed, took place). [From Gregory of Tours, Historia Francorum, ii.5] (Page 72 of Folio book)

Or this:

Meanwhile the consternation within the city of Orleans went on increasing, as the citizens saw their walls crumbling in ruin beneath the blows of the battering-rams of Attila [the Hun]. One day, when they were fervently praying in the church, ‘Anianus said, “Look forth from the ramparts see if God’s mercy yet succors us.” They gazed forth from the wall, but beheld no man. He sais, “Pray in faith; the Lord will liberate you today.” They went on praying; again he bade them mount the walls, and again they saw no help approaching … When their prayer was ended, a third time … they mounted the wall, and  looking forth they saw from afar, as it were, a cloud rising out of the ground.

 (Attila was foiled in his attempt to take Orléans) [From Apollinaris, Panegyric of Avitus, 328-356, considered a doubtful authority ] (Page 75 ff. in the Folio book)

While many of such account have a religious patina, but only because that is the mental patina of the times; what other frame of reference did early humans/historians/story-tellers have?

The question is why such interventions were interpolated in these “historical renderings”?

One reason, postulated by historical scholars, is that divine interventions were used to enhance the persons being remembered and, also, the person hoping they are remembered.

But is that always true? Is it possible that “visions” and “clouds rising from the ground” actually took place? After all, such inserts, as I’ve mentioned, are often peripheral to the stories, or subdued.

It’s as if the intercession is just a minor adjunct to what has taken place, or is it the crux of the story?

How can we know? And how does this factor in to modern UFO accounts, which rarely, nowadays, has a true religious overlay?

Yes, technology has pretty much replaced divinity as the deus et machina of UFO reports but, still, there is a mystery why intrusions take place at all, in situ, hallucinatorily, or even actually.

UFO interventions, even if just by sight – no encounters – helped the ancients (Moses, Alexander, Constantine, et al.) achieve whatever goals they had in mind.

Today, UFO interventions do nothing, but stymie fans of odd phenomena.

UFOs have become silly, either by our interpretations, or in reality.

What caused the change?

RR

Set Your Brain to Stun!

This book, by Steve Pearse, which sells for $21.58 (as a paperback) at Amazon (or $9.98 in its e-version) purports to prove that the United States government has absolute proof of extraterrestrial visitations to Earth.

Here's the publicity blurb from Amazon's site:

Book Summary This book is a scientific [sic] investigation into the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis, which demonstrates beyond a reasonable doubt that we are being visited by extraterrestrial Beings from another World. This story involves two unrelated cases of abduction. The first case is the well known Betty and Barney Hill case that was published in The Interrupted Journey in 1961, and Captured in 2007. The second case involves a married couple named Kay and Erik Wilson whose experiences were published in The Alien Jigsaw in 1993 and its accompanying Researcher's Supplement in 1994. Information from both of these cases have been merged together to prove that the star map that Betty Hill drew was not only real, but it was actually Earth based. The Wilson case proved to be the key in unlocking the door. Like Betty Hill, once again, a brave soul had the courage to ask the Beings where they come from; and as a result of this unique one on one conversation between Erik Wilson and a Grey, without realizing it, he was given major clues to find their home world. Set Your Phaser To Stun! reveals that Betty's star map is real and the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis has been purposely skewed to deceive the public. When Carl Sagan involved himself in this dispute many years ago, he claimed Betty's star map only showed meaningless random dots, which were not specific points of reference for any known stars. This book proves that Sagan was wrong and was involved in what some people claim to be scientific misconduct relating to the UFO subject. The stars that Betty Hill drew of the star map she was shown in 1961 are anything but random. Set Your Phaser To Stun! takes a fresh new look at the Betty and Barney Hill case and examines previous interpretations of the star map, with particular emphasis on Marjorie Fish's Zeta Reticuli Interpretation. This new research, which began in the year 2000, uncovers the fact that some of our closest neighborhood stars are linked in a network of trade and exploration by a highly advanced extraterrestrial civilization that is less than 50 light years away from us. The real shock is the location of Sol, our sun, and the role humans play in the aliens' agenda. For far too long the establishment has systematically denied the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis has any substance. This opinionated stance has been based on the urgent need to control the dissemination of news that they feared would ultimately damage the fabric of our society should it be released. An extreme political drama of the highest order has been blocking disclosure. The Military Industrial Complex has been unwilling to relinquish control to civilian authorities and there is a grave fear that disclosure will have a severe, negative impact on our Religious Institutions worldwide. They fear allowing the public access to information which would severely challenge the traditional belief that humanity is unique and has a special relationship to God. The official position on this subject is based upon the idea that society is not prepared to handle the psychological impact of the knowledge that we are not alone in the universe. They have even gone so far as resorting to scientific misconduct because they are deeply afraid of possible societal upheaval. Fortunately, in May of 2008, a remarkable turn of events occurred within the Catholic Church when astronomer Father Gabriel Funes wrote in the Vatican Newspaper that "intelligent beings created by God could exist in outer space." He moved further toward official legitimization of the acceptance of other life by calling the aliens our "Brothers and Sisters." This was the beginning of a slow and well planned acclimation process of one billion Catholics worldwide. It has often been stated that we would have to rewrite history if contact with an alien civilization ever took place.

Is it any wonder that the UFO topic is consider subject matter for people with addled minds?

RR