Ignorant comment(s)!

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A semi-regular here offered a few comments, for my UFOs/Reality post the other day.

This persons took offense at my writing that Constantine saw a UFO at the Milvian Bridge [312 A.D.] during the civil war battle with Maxentius.

Constantine had a dream before the battle wherein he allegedly saw the heavenly sign of God, interpreted as the chi-ro Christogram by some but interpreted as a staurogram, a variant of the chi-ro Christogram by Lactantius in his On the Death of the Persecutors (ca. 315). [Page 135, Constantine by Paul Stephenson, The Overlook Press, 2009]

On the day [sic] of the battle, Constantine saw, in the sky, the cross of Christ, as reported by Church Father Eusebius, which is my source for suggesting that Constantine saw a UFO in the sky.

Stephenson, in his book (cited above) writes “Constantine’s vision has a vast literature. For skepticism on the need to find a rational explanation … see Averil Cameron Constantine and Christianity … and O. Nicholson, ‘Constantine’s vision of the Cross’ [in] Vigilae Christianae 54 (2000: 309-23).” [op.cit. Page 332]

The skeptical views are remarkably similar to those for the Airship wave(s) of 1896-1897.

Stephenson cites P. Weis writing that the ‘vision’ was of a solar halo in 310 [?] and other papers stating “the vision took place in September 312 when the planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars were aligned in the constellations of Capricorn and Sagittarius. Later in October 312, Venus was also virtually [sic] in line with Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars. A fixed line of visible stars crossed the axis, creating a cross and one could discern at the end of this line Vega, the brightest star in the configuration … It was this configuration of planets and stars, it is argued, that Constantine saw and turned in his favor as he approached Rome … Although such a configuration would have been visible to all at night, it would not have been clear during the day. Eusebius maintained that the vision took place during the afternoon, while the sun was high in the sky, which would have obscured, not illuminated, an alignment of planets.” [op.cit. Pages 338-339]

As you can see, skeptics of the “vision” go to extremes to debunk, and the person commenting on my assertion of a UFO observation also went on, after employing an explanation like that of the skeptics above, writing that Constantine’s “vision” was a contrivance, a ruse, to cement his (Constantine’s) conversion to Christianity in the minds of Roman citizens.

The possibility that Constantine created his dream and vision, while in the midst of battle, or immediately thereafter is a possibility, I admit, but one that is so outlandish when one reads the extant accounts of the battle and Constantine’s mind-set, any sensible person would eschew the suggestion.

But this isn’t the only ignorant element of this person’s commentary. He went on to scold me for suggesting that John Keel was done in, eventually, by his obsession with UFOs.

This John Keel fascination has become a staple of ufological madness lately. Persons, who should know better, ignore the descent into dementia that John Keel was experiencing in the latter part of his life: the supposed connection(s) to extraterrestrials or alien spirits whom he thought he was in communication with.

Now I think Keel wrote a few books and articles that are precious for UFO believers: Operation Trojan Horse and The Mothman Prophecies, to name a few.

But such “erudite” renderings do not establish an end-of-life sanity. Everyone knows, nowadays, that dementia, Alzheimer’s, and total madness are rife among the aging population, and even among younger members of humanity.

That some UFO enthusiasts continue to laud John Keel, in the absence of anyone else with his former cachet, is a kind of madness itself, or an ignorance that disallowed me from inputting the person’s commentary.

Finally, as for Constantine’s “vision,” I accept it as an historical given, following the rules of Derrida about fictive truths.

And here is a modern artist’s rendition of that “vision.” From:

https://www.deviantart.com/julian-faylona/art/Constantine-s-Vision-488461620

Constantine raised his eyes to the heavens, and fell in awe at the sight of that great expanse. Then he heard the voice of God, "By this symbol you will conquer".

RR