Page Content (OCR)
49 The most common explanation offered to account for UFOs is, of course, the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis. According to this belief, UFOs come from amazingly advanced civilizations out in the cosmos which are seeking to study, contact, and influence mankind on the earth. However, editor Gordon Creighton of the British journal Flying Saucer Review, a widely hailed leading UFO publication which has investigated the phenomena for forty years, founded in 1955, and which has viewed the subject objectively and thoroughly, now says: “There seems to be no evidence yet that any of these craft or beings originate from outer space.” Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clark agrees. He says, “One theory that can no longer be taken very seriously is that UFOs are interstellar spaceships.” Two of the most highly respected and qualified researchers, Jacques Vallee and Allen J. Hynek, have discarded the ‘Extraterrestrial Hypothesis” completely. They point out with sense and rational logic: “If UFOs are indeed somebody else’s nuts and bolts hardware, then we must still explain how such tangible hardware can change shape before our eyes, vanish in a Cheshire cat manner (not even leaving a grin), seemingly melt away in front of us, or apparently ‘materialize’ mysteriously before us with- out apparent detection by persons nearby or in neighboring towns. We must wonder too, where UFOs are ‘hiding’ when not manifesting themselves to human eyes” (Hynek, Edge of Reality, p.xii-xiii). Many people, however, seem to desire to believe the extraterrestrial origin of UFOs. Some scientists use this as a means to gain funding for research to look for “life out there” in space. There has been no evidence whatsoever that such extraterrestrial life exists, however. A third theory, which is beginning to receive much study and analysis, is that UFOs represent contact with another dimension of reality -- what could be called a “parallel universe” or a “spiritual/psychic dimension.” Tens of thousands of UFO reports involve “close encounters” with UFOs, where the observers actually see UFOs or even their occupants at close range. Thousands of more reports actually claim incredibly bizarre and life-changing experiences, that literally shake up the individual in a powerful manner. Many of these include the individual actually reporting that they were “abducted” and taken aboard UFO craft for “medical experiments” and often involve “sexual” research of one kind or another. Thirdly, thousands of other people report that they actually are in personal contact with UFO aliens or entities. These are called “contactees” in the literature. Interestingly, those who have studied the subject in detail report that UFOs appear to be slowly, in a calculated manner, deliberately revealing themselves to the world more and more, as we approach the end of this age. UFO reports occur in most all nations, and many major Visitors from Space? Other theories include the ideas that UFOs are simply the result of misunderstanding natural phenomena, or are in some cases deliberate hoaxes.