UFO PHENOMENON
By Penny Warren, B.A., M.A., D.D.
1998 PLIM, Inc. Retreat
Theme: Inner Journey, Part 4
(C) 1998 PLIM REPORT Vol. 7 No. 5
Feel free to copy and circulate this article for non-commercial purposes provided the Web site and author are mentioned.
See Related Articles: UFOs
(A few excerpts from the full article are included. The entire text is published on the subscriber's side.)
The purpose of this study is to understand that UFO reports are the result of humans perceiving an inexplicable event within their fixed concept of reality. This article also attempts to organize the profusion of current literature on contact with alien intelligence, reported by human subjects and advocated by UFO enthusiasts, into a comprehensive framework. Finally, this report reveals that the UFO phenomena and the Spirit world are connected and can be explained by a three-fold pattern.
Introduction
In our western, scientific, materialistic society that does not nurture paranormal phenomenon, most people who have encountered or read about UFOs believe that they are extraterrestrial beings from another planet. The public perceives them to be physical, material creatures visiting earth in spaceships from Pleiadian or UMMO.
Without a proper model that categorizes the UFO phenomenon into three possibilities (see illustration below): physical creatures, incorporeal creatures, and imaginations of the human mind that we will discuss later in this article, people tend to lump all their experiences and sightings into the physical realm.
Because most of the scientific community refuse to recognize, explain, or study the evidence, they have left an opening for a flood of UFO enthusiasts who claim to know the origin and nature of UFOs and who are postulating theories to justify what people have seen and experienced.
Their explanations span the spectrum from the absurd to the magnificent. Some say that ancient astronauts who built great, stupendous, out-of-place (OOP) monuments, such as the Great Pyramid, the Sphinx, the face of Mars, etc., are coming back to check on our race. Others believe outer-space aliens (i.e. greys from Zeta-Reticula and reptoids from Draco) have come to earth to steal our genetic materials and create a hybrid race that will strengthen their stock. Some claim that UFOs are test flights of the latest human/alien collaborated technology accidentally seen by an unsuspecting public. Some think UFOs are a huge government cover-up, a form of psychological warfare, to fuel a peacetime economy. Others think the human mind creates UFO abductions or mass delusions in times of inner conflict. Only a few researchers think UFOs may be inter/multidimensional beings who have historically visited man. We will discover that all the theories omit Spirit intervention without which these phenomena will never be understood.
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How are UFOs defined?
The lecture began by providing some definitions of the UFO Phenomena. J. Allen Hynek describes it as: "The reported perception of an object or light seen in the sky or upon the land, the appearance, trajectory or general dynamics and luminescent behavior of which do not suggest a logical, conventional explanation and which is not only mystifying to the original percipients but remains unidentified after close scrutiny of all available evidence by persons who are technically capable of making a common sense identification, if one is possible." (The UFO Experience, Chicago: Henry Regnery, 1972, p. 10). Jacques Vallee refined Hyneks definition. "UFO phenomena are found among reports of objects, lights, beings, or physical effects that are regarded by the witnesses as anomalies because of their appearance or behavior." (Confrontations: A Scientists Search for Alien Contact, by, Appendix, Bringing Order Out of Chaos, Definitions and Classifications, p. 211)
Because of the abundance of reports from witnesses all over the world, researchers decided to develop a method to categorize all unidentified sightings into ones that are very sure to ones with very dubious ratings. Over the years a three-fold method of classifications have developed.
Classification System One
The first classification system developed by Jacques Vallee (see p. 28, Appendix I, Whos Who In the UFO Community), Aime Michel, and Dr. Pierre Guerin in 1961/1962, divided UFOs into four categories (Confrontations: A Scientists Search for Alien Contact, by Jacques Vallee, Appendix, Bringing Order Out of Chaos, Definitions and Classifications, p. 213). Type I gathered all the landing reports later called close encounters. Type II were observations of cloud cigars prevalent in France in 1954. Type III were sightings of objects that had a discontinuity in their trajectory (either they stopped and hovered, or they came toward the earth with a falling leaf motion before resuming their flight, or they performed some maneuver that identified a specific point in space and time.) Type IV gathered all cases of objects in uninterrupted flight.
Classification System Two
Allen Hynek (see p. 34, Appendix I, Whos Who In the UFO Community) refined the model above in 1972, and classified UFOs into two groups: short range and long range (Confrontations: A Scientists Search for Alien Contact, by Jacques Vallee, Appendix, Bringing Order Out of Chaos, Definitions and Classifications, p. 214-215)
UFOs sighted at Long Range included nocturnal lights for objects seen at night (NL), daylight disks for those seen in daytime (DD), and radar-visual for those detected on radar (RV). Short Range sightings covered objects seen on the ground or at short distances to the observer (CE1), the class of close encounters in which physical effects or traces were present (CE2), and close encounters that had visible occupants (CE3).
Classification System Three
In 1990 Vallee improved once more on Hyneks model and developed a Classification grid of UFOs divided by Close Encounters, Maneuvers, Flybys, and Anomalies (see illustration on p. 7, Confrontations: A Scientists Search for Alien Contact, by Jacques Vallee, Appendix, Bringing Order Out of Chaos, Definitions and Classifications, p. 216-218).
IIn each of these categories UFOs simply can be sighted by a witness, cause physical effects to occur while they are being sighted, have living entities nearby, cause the witness to transform into another reality, or experience a lasting injury or healing.
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Do men forget the possibility of Spirit intervention?
The one possibility that is never discussed in UFO forums is Spirit interaction or angelic beings communicating with men. All cultures have legends or current beliefs that link angels and men. When they become visible or materialize in the physical creation, witnesses are often dumbfounded and scared to death. Often these angelic creatures have been thought of as Gods, as Paul and Barnabus were (Acts. 13:14). Because scientists do not possess a spiritual framework to understand paranormal occurrences, UFO phenomenon appears fantastic and frightening.
In order to understand spiritual creatures, we must comprehend the attributes of Spirit. Knowing the structure of Spirit and how it operates can explain many paranormal phenomenon that otherwise would remain a mystery.
First, one most understand that Spirit exists in three states. (See past PLIM articles for more details on these three states by the tabernacle pattern.) Spirit exists in the Abstract, infinite, omniscient, inscrutable, incomprehensible State, as nine divine attributes without shape or form. Spirit then exists in the Intermediate State where it takes on shape and form. In the Intermediate States Spirit move from invisibility to visibility in visions, revelations, and dreams. Spirit also can materialize in the Concrete State and appear in human form. When Spirit materializes, it is only recognizable if it suddenly disappears before ones eyes.
Do natural things explain spiritual principles?
The best analogy in the physical realm of the three states of spirit would be H2O that exists in the gaseous, liquid, and solid states. The same substance changes states as the temperature drops. Another example of the three states of Spirit can be seen in the conception, formation, and birth of a baby. The fertilized ovum changes states as time passes. It begins without shape and form as grey and white (cloud-like) sexual secretions from the mother and father. The fetus takes on form developing for nine months in the womb. Finally, the infant manifests through the birth canal as a baby boy or girl.
Can the operation of Spirit explain some UFO sightings?
Reviewing the accounts of people who have encountered UFOs, many of their descriptions appear to match the attributes of Spirit materializing or becoming visible from an invisible state. Witnesses report seeing disks or lights that suddenly appear and disappear as the television set blinks off and the picture is reduced to a white dot that fades into infinity. This description sounds a lot like Spirit materializing which we shall discuss later in this article.
Let us proceed in using this same three-fold pattern to understand the structure of spirits.
How are incorporeal creatures structured?
The structure of incorporeal creatures has been explained in past articles of the "PLIM REPORT "(see p. 22 "Possession, P. 1," May/June 1997 PLIM REPORT; p. 24, "Angels, Part One," May/June 1996, "What is the structure of the Spirit world?" "How do angels appears?"Can angels appear in human form?", p. 28, "What properties and powers do angels possess?). I will not repeat these explanations, but will only highlight the most important points in these articles.
The incorporeal realm is threefold by the pattern (see illustration above). Elohim exists in the Most Holy Place, angels and demons in the Holy Place, and ghosts in the Court Round About. Elohim is the Word or Son manifesting in visions and revelations in shape and form. He has all the attributes of the Father in the Abstract State, but has taken on form so His creatures can know him. He is the highest incorporeal form in the angelic creation and can also manifest in the flesh (John 1:1-2, 14).
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Can spirit manifest in the flesh?
The resurrected Messiah appeared to His disciples after His resurrection as a man that they could touch and see. "Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Yahshua (Jesus) and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Savior (Lord, John 20:19-20, 24-29)."
At his third appearance, the resurrected Messiah ate with them. "Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead (John 21:12-14)." No one can say how an incorporeal creature ate physical food. Did the food dematerialize once it entered the Messiahs mouth? Did his digestive system materialize too and transform the food that He ate into energy? Did he project a vision into the disciples minds that never actually took place in the natural realm? We will never know.
Using Elohim as the archetype pattern, we will begin to see how his characteristics are reflected in other spirits.
Angels and demons
Elohims incorporeal creatures, angels and demons, were created before the physical creation. They too are beings of light and can appear as flesh. Incorporeal spirits may also be described symbolically and stand for symbols of something else.
Angels visited Abraham, ate with him, and brought him messages of renewal and destruction (Gen. 18:3, 20-23). He did not know they were angels until they disappeared (Gen. 18:1-2, 8). Angels also visited Samsons parents who thought they were men until they disappeared from sight (Judges 13:3, 6-7, 8, 15-16, 19-21). Paul said that we should always be kind to strangers because we might be entertaining angels unknowingly (Heb. 13:1).
What attributes do demons possess?
All incorporeal creatures, both resurrected and fallen, possess powers higher than man (Psa. 1:4-6). Gerald Brittle wrote that demonic creatures retain all the power of resurrected angels. "Thou fallen from grace, these angels were not depotentiated, but retained all the preternaturalbeyond earthpowers given them at creation (The Demonologist, p. 92)." Fallen angels are like doctors that have lost their license in the U.S. due to malpractice, yet still retain the medical knowledge to diagnose and treat people in third world nations. These spirits keep their original powers although in a carnal, limited state. Remember, Pharaohs magicians were able to reproduce the first three plagues, but not the last seven (Exo. 8:18). (See "Do these fallen angels have power?" p. 34, in the "Can Fallen Angels Create Life?" article of the 1998 Vol. 7, No. 3 issue of the "PLIM REPORT".
A husband and wife exorcism team has documented evidence of the power of fallen angels during their visits to haunted houses. The Warrens have seen spirits "disregard the physical environment (The Demonologist, p. 81)." In one haunted house where a television cameraman was taping, marbles that materialized through the wall hit him.
At another house "rocks descended right out of the blue sky, pelted the Donovans roof, and rolled off onto the lawn (The Demonologist, p. 141-142)." A terrified Ms. Donavan called her husband at work when one of the rocks crashed through the back window. As Mr. Donovan arrived at home, "the police were on the scene, also watching the incredible spectacle of stones falling out of the sky onto the trim ranch house (The Demonologist, p. 141-142)." The stones fell for about an hour then stopped. When Mr. Donovan asked the policemen what he should do, they suggested he call a priest.
At another time stones fell on the Donovan house for a week from dawn to dusk. "Some fell slowly, as though sinking through water. Others came down in erratic zig-zags.... When they hit the ground, about half the stones would vanish, the others remained for the family to clean up later (The Demonologist, p. 148)."
Are apports Spirit materialized?
Researchers call substances that materialize out of thin air apports (See Harpers Encyclopedia of Mystical and Paranormal Experience, by Guiley, Rosemary Ellen, p. 30). During the many visits to haunted houses Ed Warren concluded that: "the apports most frequently produced are urine, bile, vomit, blood, or excrement .... There is nothing especially new or mysterious about them usually, other than how they got there. Demonic spirits may be able to do strange things, but they are limited to manipulating the physical environment. ... It has no true powers of creation: it can only rearrange whats already here (The Demonologist, p. 81-82)."
Remember, that materializing from invisible to visible form is an attribute of Spirit. These apports are simply Spirit materialized, like H20 freezing to ice.
Spirits are not the only creatures that can create apports. Humans can too. During the height of the Spiritualism movement certain mediums and adepts (excluding frauds) produced apports at almost every seance. The live dove was a favorite (Harpers Encyclopedia of Mystical and Paranormal Experience, by Guiley, Rosemary Ellen, p. 30). "The Sufis, the mystical adepts of Islam, and Hindu swamis and holy men are renowned for the apports they produce (Harpers, p. 30)." Even an unlikely Hindu, a low-caste Raja, son of a farmer, named Sai Baba, is renowned "for materializations of an incredible array of apports that include hot food, and liquids," ... precious jewels, sticky candy, etc., from thin air. (See Harpers, p. 525-527)
What are ghosts?
The lowest creatures in the incorporeal realm are ghosts or souls of man that have once inhabited physical bodies, but have become detached from their earthly bodies by death. Ghosts were born, lived, and died on earth. Sometimes their spirits linger on earth after death when unresolved issues keep them focused on this world or tragic scenes of death, guilt, anger, sorrow, etc., replay in their minds even without physical bodies. Under certain conditions, ghost can appear and materialize in the flesh.
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What is the structure of UFOs?
The structure of UFOs is also three-fold (see illustration below). The most foreign or abstract image we could have of a UFO would be if they were physical alien creatures from another planet. Although aliens from outer space are the most commonly held belief of UFO, this concept is the most foreign to our current scientific and religious models that places humans at the apex of creation as was mentioned earlier. Alien extra-terrestial life would correlate to the Most Holy Place.
The next image we could have of UFOs would be if they are incorporeal creatures. Since incorporeal creatures can appear and disappear in any form they choose and place believable images in a mans mind, defining UFOs as spiritual beings that live in a parallel world would explain many of the sightings and abduction scenarios that people report. Incorporeal or multi-dimensional creatures would be in the Holy Place by the pattern.
Finally, the most easily understood concept of UFOs by scientists and psychologists would be if UFOs were imaginations of the human mind. Since the mind can create dream sequences, hallucinations, and mirages when needed, the space abduction scenario may be another drama created by people with inner conflicts.
Conclusion
To only accept a limited range of physical possibilities as explanations for UFOs, excludes more subtle, elusive, and non-material alternatives that could explain their source, origin, and purpose. The most inclusive alternative explanation of an alien intelligence is Spirit that the Bible shows has intervened with man since his creation. In giving humans the creativity to build the Ark of the Covenant, providing Samson with great strength to defeat wild animals and the Philistine nation, and appearing to Ezekiel as inhuman creatures that took him into heaven, Spirit has historically intercoursed with men according to Yahwehs purpose.
Researchers need a new model by which to study UFOs that includes the attributes of Spirit. Without considering Spirit intervention, that has the power to manifest in our physical realm, convenient explanations of extraterrestrials from distant planets are easy to promote.
Although there may be entities from outer space that have visited men, such a discovery, in my opinion, would be anti-climatic. After all, no matter how technologically advanced these beings from another planet may be, they are still creatures created by a creator as we are, and should have a theology and way of worship as we do on earth. Reviewing our own history of first contact between advanced and primitive cultures should make us heedful about their desire to discuss ontology with us when they could just as easily conquer us. If they are anything like the Europeans who came to America, killed the Indians, and took their land, they will probably shoot first and answer questions later.
I feel we would be closer to the answer of the UFO question if we consider why Spirit would appear to humans who perceive their encounters as alien and think about what such an encounter would do to the rational mind of men.
Spirit appears to be getting mens attention for him to begin an inner journeya search for something beyond the physical. As a koan, a paradox, is used in Zen Buddhism to train monks "to abandon ultimate dependence on reason and to force them into gaining sudden intuitive enlightenment (Websters),"
UFO encounters appear to be a way for man to perceive reality in a new and different way. An apparent UFO abduction or encounter with an alien craft would tend to stop mans preoccupation with this material existence and provide him the opportunity to consider options beyond his physical existence. Maybe such pause is just the situation Spirit wants to create to introduce these witnesses to another realityto make them more open to other possibilities (Mark 9:23).
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Area 51-FAQ, http://www.vegasindex.com/area51/ref/faq.shtml
Art Bell UFO Photos, http://www.artbell.com/ufos.html
Billy Meier Homepage, http://www.billymeier.com/
Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence, http://www.cseti.org/overview/over.htm
Citizens Against UFO Secrecy, http://www.caus.org/
In Search Of... http://www.in-search-of.com/index.shtml
Jacques Vallee issues warning to UFO researchers, http://www.debshome.com/Vallee_Warnings.html
Koan, http://www.wwwebcraft.com/beanies-koan.html
Koans: A collection, http://sunsite.unc.edu/zen/index.html
Koan, http://www.eosc.osshe.edu/~mshadle/131/koan2.html
Koans: Four short ones, http://id.mind.net/~judd/eris.htm
News about the UMMO affair http://www.mygale.org/07/ummo/introen.htm
Paranormal Research Primer http://www.tje.net/para/organizations/index.html
Paranormal Research Primer http://www.tje.net/para/ce/crashes.htm
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Paranormal Research Primer http://www.tje.net/para/projects/index.html
SPIRITWEB ORG."Chicagos UFO Public Awareness Program"
http://www.spiritweb.org/Spirit/chicago-ufo-conf-1994.html
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Videos
"Alien Autopsy," Believe It Or Not?, (Fox 32)
"Area 51," UFO Diaries, (ã 1995, Republic Entertainment, Inc.)*
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Steven Spielberg
"Communion"
"Excerpts from the Government Bible," Bob Lazar, UFO Central Video,
"Intruders"
"Interrupted Journey"
"Project Blue Book," UFO Diaries, (ã 1995, Republic Entertainment, Inc.)
"The Greatest Story Never Told," Robert O. Dean, (ã 1997, Margana Anagram Sights and Sounds)*
"The Secret of Roswell," UFO Diaries, (ã 1995, Republic Entertainment, Inc.)*
(* Shown during the Retreat)