Abductees CH 12

Commentary: This posting is in a series of posts summarizing the book, "Lights In The Sky and Little Green Men" by Hugh Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark. Hugh Ross is a scientist in physics and Clark has a PHd in political science. The other authors specialize in social sciences, philosophies, and international relations.  The full series can be reviewed at UFOs an Alternative Look.

Introduction

Kenneth Samples authored this chapter. Samples discusses the 'high strangeness' of alien abductions as they are the most controversial aspect of the UFO phenomenon. Researchers call abductions "Close Encounters of the fourth kind."

Samples claims abductions are not unique to a specific group of people. Thomas Ballard, a folklorist, notes that abductees have no telltale signs distinguishing them from the population. Abduction reports have captured the imagine of the public providing the theme for many books, movies, and TV shows. The persistence of reports combined with a pattern raises questions if there is something to UFOs and abductions.

A Short History of Alien Abductions

Thomas E. Ballard has studied and catalogued hundreds of abduction cases. Early abduction cases were considered the lunatic fringe. Two abduction cases, one during the 1960s and the other during the 1970s, brought alien abductions into the public consciousness.

The first case occurred September 19, 1961 to Barney and Betty Hill in New Hampshire.  The case was highlighted in the book The Interrupted Journey by John G Fuller.

The second case occurred November 5, 1975 to Travis Walton near Snowflake, Az. The case was highlighted in the book The Walton Experience by Travis Walton and became the movie Fire in the Sky.

During the 1980s reports of abductions flourished as perhaps books on the topic stirred increased interest in the topic. Scientists and the mental health industry viewed UFO abductions with skepticism until 1992 when Massachusetts Institute of Technology held a abduction conference. From this point on scholars and researchers deemed the subject worthy of careful evaluation.

The Abduction Scenario

Thomas E. Bullard created a generalized model for the abduction phenomenon. There are eight episodes during an abduction event. However, not all events include all eight episodes and they may occur in various sequences. Each event is considered on its own merits and does not fit into a cookie cutter approach. Moreover, the media reports of these events often do not fit the research data. 

1. Capture - Usually late night in bed or with traveling in an automobile.
2. Examination - Usually crude and painful with a focus on reproductive organs.
3. Conference - Aliens communicate telepathically and usually hostile and decietful. 
4. Tour of the Ship - Shown the engine room, bridge, and/or incubatorium.
5. Other Worldly Tours - 25% visit another world.
6. Theophany - Abductees may experience a religious or spiritual event. 
7. Return - Aliens return the abductee to the point of capture.
8. Aftermath - Abductees experience a life changing event often relive fragments of the abduction.

Half of the abductees report multiple abductions, observe apparitions, experience poltergiest, develop psychic and ESP skills, as well as report additional sightings. In general, the abduction marks people permanently.

The Abductors

Everyone wants to know something about the abductors.

Appearance: Most are humanoid forms that fall into two general categories. The 'grays' and the 'Nordics'.  The Grays are short, grotesque, and have gray skin.  They also are hairess, have large heads and a frail build. Grays are associated mostly with North America. The Nordics are tall, blonde hair, blue eyes, and typically command when with Grays. Nordics are friendlier than Grays.

Origin: Abductees are unable to report much on the origin of the abductors other than either from somewhere else in the universe or from another reality. 

Nature: Reports different widely about the true nature of the aliens. Most indicate physical humanoids. Others report spiritual, psychic, or extra-dimensional vistors.

Intentions: Two views; benevolent or malevolent. The benevolent visitations warn of catastrophe. The experience is general positive and uplifting. The malovent visitations attempt to recondition or control belief systems and conduct physiological explotation. 

Explanatory Hypothesis

The question asked is, "What can be made of abductee claims?" Bullard writes, "Abduction reports combine outstanding information with problematic veracity, the testimony of persons too credible to doubt with descriptions too fantastic to believe."

Some believe that alien abductions are real as abductees have consistency in thier reports with no reason to decieve. They point to physical evidence left behind.  Others dismiss this position as based upon anecdotal evidence, glory grabbers, and other decietful acts. Popular UFO theorist have the following theories:

Brain Effect:  A belief that natural occuring phenomenon product electrical fields that stimulate the temporal or other lobes of the brain resulting in hallucinatory episodes.

Hoax or Fantasy: No basis in reality. Events are staged or drawn from the subconscious.

Dormant Memory of Birth: Parallels occur between natural birth and abduction episodes suggesting that latent memories resurface later in life.

Dream or Hallicunation: The abduction is an outcome of a vivid dream or an hallicunary episode.

Psychological Cover for Abuse: Most abductee's have had physical, sexual, and/or psychological abuse as children. The alien abductions may be a cover for the painful memories.

Transformation of Human Consciousness: Alien abductions have a benevolent purpose of enlightenment and spiritual development of the abductee.

Extraterrestrial Experimentation: Millions of humans are being abducted and used like lab animals for the purpose of creating a hybrid race. This accounts for the genetic material extractions and incubacutories.

Contact with ExtraDimensional Beings: Malevolent intelligences from dimensions beyond space-time appear in space-time consistent with Biblical accounts of demons.

Demonic Implementation of Memories: Demonic implantation of false memories which are usually an outcome occultic practices.

In general, people want to believe what they want to believe.  The human mind shows an uncanny ability to create fiction as reality. People create counterfeit realities to suppress truth and avoid God as well as moral accountability to him.

Comment:  What ever the issues and theories are the RUFO seems to have been increasing in activities since the 1940's. The fact the scholarly attention is refocused on RUFOs indicates that there is some sort of strength to these claims.  Since the Universe is principally of natural order there is most likely a natural cause for the abduction experience. However, the human expereince is both natural and spiritual. There may be a spiritual edge to the experiences. 

References:

Ross, H., Samples, K., and Clark, M. (2002). Lights in the sky and little green men: a rational christian look at UFOs and extraterrestrials. Navpress. Colorado.