CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE 4TH KIND

Without doubt this is the most controversial area of Ufology. Yet it arguably attracts the most interest from academics. A possible reason for this is the perceived cross-over into the more academic pursuit of Psychology. Whilst the application of academic vigor is certainly welcomed in the field, it has its pitfalls. One of them is that of association with the rest of Ufology, in that any academic findings that shed a negative light on the abductees’ claims will inevitably reflect negatively on the whole of Ufology. Perhaps that is why the more mainstream sections of Ufology avoid the subject. We at Cosmic Conspiracies feel this is a mistake, and that the abductees have just as much right to have their claims looked into as conventional UFO witnesses. We thoroughly support the groundbreaking work of Budd Hopkins, John Mack, David Jacobs, Tony Dodd and even Sue Blackmore, who pursues a different direction with this subject.

For those of you who think that this subject is purely a psychological one, or an aberration of our brain’s unfathomable functionality, we would ask you to think again. Several abduction cases have been witnessed by independent third parties, for example, the infamous Brooklyn Bridge case with its multifaceted development. The classic case of Betty and Barney Hill preceded the modern interest shown by the media, and thus countering claims that the whole genre was borne out of the B-movie era. There is also a pattern of consistency to abduction cases that supports the input of a third party, be it aliens or secret government.

At the same time we recognize that the abductees’ minds are often altered by their experiences in some way, which complicates the picture greatly. The widespread use of hypnotherapy to “extract” the truth from an otherwise clouded memory is often necessary to bridge the schism caused by the mind-control-repression. But it opens researchers wide open to accusations of creating the evidence through leading the hypnotized witness to give acceptable answers. It would therefore be wise to recognize that very often hypnotherapy is not required to access these hidden memories. Often the memories are very much at the forefront of the abductee’s mind. I’m sure Whitley Strieber would have much to add here.

If one were to accept that the abduction phenomenon is for real, then the implications are far reaching.The authorities never tire of telling UFO researchers that, whatever the nature of the sighting they’re investigating, the government have no interest because it has absolutely no defence significance. But here we have a large group of people being abducted from their homes against their will, and then having experiments conducted upon them by strange beings. The procedures used are invasive, painful and psychologically damaging. The beings act with complete impunity as if we humans were no better than laboratory specimens. This situation, if true, is clearly incongruous with the stance of “no defence significance”.

Perhaps the military are not yet able to counter the threat, but can merely stand by helpless, and deny the problem is even happening. If so, then abductees are being treated like many victims of sexual abuse in the not so distant past. They are being treated as if they are the problem, not the victim. This only serves to add insult to injury.

So the question, Alien abduction, are they happening, is Stephen Speilbergs Taken based on actual events or is it just in the mind?