- Does
Mike review other UFO books?
- So
what does Mike really think about alien abductions? How does he approach
the issue as an academic?
- Why
is Mike involved in the UFO issue? Why bother speaking at conferences and
doing radio shows that cover such subjects?
- How
does Mike refute what ancient astronaut theorists say about the line in Genesis
1:26, "let US create humankind in OUR image"--that the verse proves
aliens made humans?
- If
the word "elohim" is plural how can it refer to the one God of Israel?
- Is
it true that Art Bell asked Mike to debate Zecharia Sitchin on his
show? If so, why hasn't Sitchin responded?
- How
can I reach Mike for an interview? Does he do much traveling and speaking?
- What I read in The Facade about Genesis 3 and the
serpent was amazing. Can Mike lay out his view for me?
- What
is Mike's view of Genesis 6:1-4 and the Nephilim? Does he take the
"Sethite" view?
- Where
can I learn more about the divine council?
- Has
Mike ever had any sort of paranormal experience? What sparked his interest
in ufology?
- Has
Mike received any recognition for his work in ufology?
- I think I've had an abduction
experience--what should I do? Does Mike know anyone he can recommend that
I can talk to?
- What are the most credible academic
resources for studying the UFO issue?
- What are the most credible academic
resources for studying the alien abduction issue?
- What
are the best online resources for learning about UFOs?
- What
does Mike think about the views of Zecharia Sitchin?
- I
like the way Mike put the biblical theology of the divine council into his
novel, The Facade -- what
are some good resources for studying the divine council?
Does
Mike review other UFO books?
Yes - rarely, and only non-fiction. Mike has
several reviews posted on this site: Alien
Intrusion: UFOs and the Evolution
Connection, by Gary Bates (Master
Books, 2005);
Lights
in the Sky & Little Green Men: A
Rational Christian Look at UFOs and Extraterrestrials,
by Hugh Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark (NavPress); Body
Snatchers in the Desert: The
Horrible Truth at the Heart of the Roswell Story,
by Nick Redfern (Paraview-Pocket
Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, 2005)
So
what does Mike really think about alien abductions? How does he approach
the issue as an academic?
The short answer is that I think they're evil and I only really care to read
credentialed academics who have worked in the field. And yes, there are
scholars and health professionals who focus on such things. Now for the longer
answer. Whoever is perpetrating such abductions--human or non-human--they
are violent violations of human rights. This answer of course tells you
that I don't think all the people who have claimed to be the victim of alien
abduction are lying. Actually, I think many, perhaps even a majority, are
telling the truth. That doesn't mean, though, that I think the
perpetrators are really aliens like we have come to think of that term (as in, a
physical being from a different planet who has a determinate lifespan, must eat
and drink, must reproduce to further its species, etc.). I think
"real" abductions (whatever isn't a hoax) are actually several things,
but I can't put percentages on the options: (1) abductions by military personnel
who implant an alien screen memory into the victim's mind, using technology that
has been known (and further developed) since the 70s; (2) abductions where
the victim's mind replaces their actual traumatizer with the alien -
traumatization where the victim responds by what is known in psychology as
dissociation -
what used to be called multiple personality disorder); (3) ritual
traumatization by cults or other groups for the purpose of deliberately
producing "alters" (deliberately inducing psychological dissociation); (4) harassment and physical abuse
on the part of a demonic entity; (5) harassment of physical abuse by some entity
manufactured by a demonic entity. I haven't seen any evidence that
undeniably points to a truly alien perpetrator (as in the above definition) or
some sort of breeding program. I am well aware of the work of Professor
David Jacobs (Temple University) on the subject, but what I'd need to believe we
were really dealing with aliens would be some sort of hybrid offspring --tested
and verified by a credible laboratory. All we really have are memories
(mostly derived via hypnosis but not always) of sincere, mentally healthy people
(the major studies on abductions have found no mental deficiencies in most
abductees - see Mack and Jacobs in the bibliography at Question 15). I
need more than memories. Yes, I believe these people are being truthful -
something DID happen to them, and something physical in many cases. I
don't believe it's aliens.
Frankly, the best research on this issue in my mind still comes from the 1992
MIT conference on alien abductions and the work of Jacques Vallee and John Keel
(see bibliography in Question 15). I think the best explanation for the
alien abduction issue is that we're dealing with an inter-dimensional (i.e., spiritual) reality
here - one that can manifest in truly physical form - and not beings from
another planet. Several scholars and
scientists at the alien abduction conference at MIT in 1992 presented research
that provides literally dozens of parallels between the abduction experience and
ritual abuse and satanic ritual abuse. If it walks like a duck, quacks
like a duck, and looks like a duck, chances are it's a duck (or in this case,
some sort of demonic manifestation). Please note I don't base this
conclusion on any self-styled Christian perspective. The UFO community's own
(non-Christian) researchers have convinced me that it's evil and satanic (and
people like John Keel use those terms; I'm not supplying them). Yes, I know
many abductees later feel "good" about their experience, but many
don't (ask people like Joe Jordan - see Question 13). In my mind, this
psychological coping is actually an argument for the spiritual nature of the
whole event (see the Partridge book in the bibliography for Question 15).
For the sake of argument, if genuine aliens are the culprits, then (at best) they are guilty of human rights abuses and violent criminal
acts. This is hardly enlightened behavior. I have had abduction
researchers use the "polar bear" argument to defend the aliens
here. The argument seeks to strike an analogy between what aliens are
doing to people and what we do to animals, say polar bears, when we drug them,
tag them, and study them. When we research animals, they are traumatized, we act against their will (it isn't voluntary), but
we mean well. I understand people wanting to defend the alien like this,
because if it's just about evil then that's hard to cope with--the experience is
then stripped of its "meaning" to the experiencer and they are nothing
but victims, pure and simple. Without getting into how that response is not
theologically warranted (any victimization can have ultimate, positive meaning),
let me respectfully say I'm not buying the analogy. The analogy breaks
down because the polar bear can't let the scientist know that they consider
what's done to them immoral and a violation of their rights. We can--and
if abduction literature has told us anything, it's that the aliens are
supposedly enlightened spiritual beings who can read our thoughts and DO know
how we feel. We as humans develop an intuitive sense that just
traumatizing a "lesser" creature is morally wrong, and we have used
our technology and inner moral compass to help other species by other
means. Why can't these unimaginably superior beings do the same?
What Jacques Vallee said years ago still rings true:
"The
'medical
examination'
to which abductees are said to be subjected, often accompanied by sadistic
sexual manipulation,
is reminiscent
of the medieval
tales
of encounters with demons. It
makes no sense in a sophisticated or technical framework:
any intelligent being equipped with the scientific marvels that UFOs possess
would be in a position to achieve any of these alleged scientific objectives in
a shorter time and with fewer risks" (Dr. Jacques Vallee, Confrontations,
p. 13).
Why
is Mike involved in the UFO issue? Why bother speaking at conferences and
doing radio shows that cover such subjects?
I do it for a couple of reasons. One, I'm a believer that scholars should
serve the public interest. Too many scholars ignore this subject and the
people whose worldview revolves around it. They claim they're too busy or
it's not important. I can't think of anything much more potentially
paradigm-shifting than the question of whether there is extraterrestrial life.
The question takes you into religion, politics, physics, metaphysics, etc.
Two, I want to minister to those whose experience has caused them to feel
abandoned by their church or synagogue because their spiritual leadership isn't
intellectually equipped to help them, or fears real interaction with the
supernatural. Three, I want to correct error-riddled teachings on the part
of researchers whose attitude isn't antagonistic, but whose work is seriously
flawed. I don't think it's right, given my training, to just let people be
deceived. Four, I think I need to stand up and call the bluff of people
who rape the biblical text (and other texts) in an effort to prop up an
anti-God, anti-theistic worldview. Five, if there is an ET reality that can be
divorced from demonic entities and that reality has intersected with our own,
the public has a right to know about it (at least at the "yes" or
"no" level) and the Church needs to understand how its theology can
accommodate it (since it's spent so much time laughing at it or ignoring it).
Six, it's just plain fascinating in many cases.
I've found there are basically five kinds of people involved in UFO research
and the UFO community at large: (1) the nuts and bolts scientists - they
are dealing with questions of interstellar travel, the possibility of ET life,
and propulsion issues. The religious dimensions of the issue are barely on
their radar. They typically have already dismissed God because of their
faith in evolution (and their failure to discern the philosophical incoherence
of an uncreated or self-created universe). A good number in this category
are also politically active for the cause, but should not be confused with # 5
below. (2) The UFO or abduction experiencer who wants to keep their
Judeo-Christian faith but is struggling with that. These are the people
who have some experience and have tried in vain to get help from their pastor or
other Christian friends to process the experience, to fit it into their faith
worldview. They may or may not leave the organized church, but they surely
are left on their own to deal with the experience. They rely on
alternative sources of information and fellow experiencers to make spiritual
sense out of it. They are vulnerable to nonsense like that of Zecharia
Sitchin since some see it as the only way to make sense of things from their
Bible. They are also vulnerable to redefining their faith in Gnostic
terms. (3) The UFO or abduction experiencer who rejects the faith
afterward, and who becomes antagonistic toward the faith. These people
often operate out of anger toward the Church and may become openly hostile
toward it. (4) The people who see the UFO / ET issue as the platform they've
wanted for years to vent their hatred toward Christianity and make money while
doing it. These are the self-styled pseudo-scholars in the movement
(usually with respect to ancient texts that they can't actually
translate). This crowd treats those of the Judeo-Christian faith with
contempt and ridicule. These are the people whose bluff needs to be
publicly called. (NOTE: I don't put Sitchin in this category since he
doesn't seem overtly hostile to Christianity or traditional Judaism). (5)
The "New Agers" who want to use the UFO issue for a religion, for
left-wing political purposes, or to become avatars in their own time and
mind. They see ET as their saviors in just about every way.
I'm guessing most of you in the Christian realm (academic or not) will
probably understand
why I do this. If not, please feel free to email
me and tell me why I should refuse to render spiritual help to people who
claim to have experienced this sort of trauma.
How
does Mike refute what ancient astronaut theorists say about the line in Genesis
1:26, "let US create humankind in OUR image"--that the verse proves
aliens made humans?
Click here for a brief discussion on this, and see the question below on
elohim for more. You can also visit my Sitchin
site.
If
the word "elohim" is plural how can it refer to the one God of Israel?
The Hebrew word elohim is morphologically plural (that is, it's
"shaped" as a plural, or "spelled" as a plural).
However, in roughly 2,200 cases (by far over 90% of the biblical occurrences),
the word elohim is used as a proper name for the ONE God of Israel.
We know this because it's a cold, hard fact from the text. In those 2,200
or so cases, elohim is the subject of a SINGULAR verb (all languages have
subject-verb agreement) or is referred to by a SINGULAR pronoun (him,
his). What this means is that, most of the time in the Hebrew Bible,
although elohim has plural FORM, it's MEANING is singular. It all
depends on the sentence in which it's found and the surrounding grammar and
context. We have words like this in English. If I say
"sheep", by itself you can't tell if I am referring to one sheep or
more than one sheep. I need to put it in a sentence where the grammar
tells you what is meant. "The sheep is lost" refers to ONE sheep
since "is" = a singular verb form. "The sheep are
lost" refers to more than one sheep because the verb form is plural.
Click here for more. You
can also visit my Sitchin
site.
Is
it true that Art Bell asked Mike to debate Zecharia Sitchin on his
show? If so, why hasn't Sitchin responded?
Yes, this is true. The request was made in 2002 as I recall. I of
course agreed immediately. As far as why Sitchin never agreed, I think the
answer would be that he isn't stupid. He has nothing to gain and a lot to
lose. But it was nice of Art to ask.
How
can I reach Mike for an interview? Does he do much traveling and speaking?
I don't do much traveling to conferences to speak because I'd rather use my
time off for family vacations. I like to restrict speaking events to 3-4 a
year. I can do radio much more frequently. I can be reached here..
What
is Mike's view of Genesis 6:1-4 and the Nephilim? Does he take the
"Sethite" view?
No, I don't accept the Sethite interpretation. It simply has no
merit. It cannot account for the morphology of the Hebrew term
"nephilim"; it is contradicted by the New Testament; it was not held
by anyone, Jew or Christian, prior to the 3rd century A.D.; and it's internally
contradictory. There are a number of decent critiques of this view on the
Internet (e.g., here
and here;
note that inclusion here does not necessarily mean endorsement of the entire
articulation). Nephilim are clearly giants according to the morphology of
the word and the internal biblical witness. Click here
for a discussion of the word itself. I do not, however, think "giants'
refers to individuals that were 10-15 feet tall. I think unusual height was
anything over six feet on upwards through seven feet. My reasons are based on
the best Hebrew textual readings and archaeology. See my comments under this
post on my PaleoBabble blog for more explanation.
Where
can I learn more about the divine council?
Go to my site
devoted to that subject.
Has
Mike ever had any sort of paranormal experience? What sparked his interest
in ufology?
Nope. I've just always been interested in anything that was old and
strange. Just curious since a lot of very credible people are
involved in ufological research.
Has
Mike received any recognition for his work in ufology?
Yes. In 2005 FATE
Magazine named Mike to its list of The
100 Most Influential People in UFOlogy.
I think I've had an abduction
experience--what should I do? Does Mike know anyone he can recommend that
I can talk to?
Yes. If you are specifically concerned about what you think was an
abduction experience, I recommend you contact either Derrel
Sims, Guy
Malone and Free and Amy at the ARHQ in Roswell, Chris
Ward, Joe
Jordan, or Jim
Wilhelmsen.
What are the most credible academic
books for studying the UFO issue?
For my own research in ufology, I only read material that is either (a)
academically peer-reviewed; or (b) written by sober, serious researchers who
have credible academic credentials. I don't waste my time on things
produced by untrained researchers whose sole purposes are either therapy or to
put forth some idea they think only they have thought of. I also don't
waste my time on channeled B.S. or people who write to pass themselves off as
the next Zecharia Sitchin (and who are equally unqualified to write about
ancient texts). If you want tripe, look for someone else's
recommendations. If it's on this list, it's worth reading. However,
do not assume I endorse all or even most of the content. It's on the list
because it's serious and content-rich, not necessarily because it's right in
my mind. Here's my "must read" list for the subject of
UFOs:
General Ufology
UFOs
and the National Security State: Chronoogy of a Coverup (1941-1973),
by
Richard Dolan
UFOs
and the National Security State, vol. 2: The Coverup Exposed, by Richard
Dolan
These
books are unquestionably the best volumes for documenting the U.S.
government’s burning interest in UFOs and its deliberate duplicity in
informing the public about that interest. If I had to pick 1-2 books to
recommend to someone who said "convince me UFOs are worth looking
into," Rich's books would be the ones. .
Unconventional
Flying Objects, Paul
Hill (Chief Scientist-Manager at NASA Langley Research Center)
For
the techie. Dr. Hill used to work for NASA.
The UFO Enigma: A New Review of the Physical Evidence, ed.
Peter Sturrock, PhD.
Also
quite good. If you think there is no physical evidence for UFOs, you are
uninformed. This book isn't about fuzzy photographs.
Passport to Magonia : On UFOs, Folklore, and Parallel Worlds,
by Jacques Vallee, PhD
The
above title by Vallee is one of his early efforts at dealing with his view
that "aliens" may not be truly extraterrestrial - but entities of a
spiritual or inter-dimensional nature. The following three titles by Vallee
are a trilogy and, as you can tell by the titles, reveal his
less-than-optimistic verdict about the "goodness" of the visitors.
Vallee's works are especially significant since he has no religious axe to
grind.
Dimensions
: A Casebook of Alien Contact,
by Jacques Vallee, PhD
Confrontations
: A Scientist's Search for Alien Contact,
by Jacques Vallee, PhD
Revelations:
Alien Contact and Human Deception,
by Jacques Vallee, PhD
UFOs: Operation Trojan Horse, by John Keel (Putnam,
1970)
A classic by the author of The
Mothman Prophecies. Like Vallee, Keel argues strongly that UFOs are
a demonic presence--and he is not a Christian.
Project Beta : The Story of Paul
Bennewitz, National Security, and the Creation of a Modern UFO Myth,
by Greg Bishop
A fascinating look at how the
government systematically used now-deceased electrical physicist Paul
Bennewitz to perpetuate disinformation about UFOs. Various government agencies fed
Bennewitz him lies to keep him believing in an imminent alien invasion until he was completely discredited and utterly insane. Eventually, author and UFO researcher Bill Moore was recruited
to help in the disinformation campaign. Provides insights into the
military's use of UFO mythology.
UFO Religions, ed. Christopher Partridge (Routledge)
A very good scholarly work about the
religious nature of belief in UFOs. I can still remember hearing Msgr.
Corrado Balducci telling the X-Conference (2005) audience that UFOs had no
relationship to the occult or the demonic. He needs to do some homework.
Aliens Adored: Rael’s UFO Religion, by Susan Palmer
(Rutgers University Press, 2004)
The Gods Have Landed: New Religions from Other Worlds, ed.
James R. Lewis (SUNY, 1995)
Another excellent collection of essays
on UFO cults and ufology's religious implications.
The
Lure of the Edge: Scientific Passions, Religious Beliefs, and the Pursuit of
UFOs by
Brenda Denzler (Univ. California Press, 2003)
Based on the
author's PhD dissertation.
Roswell and Majestic 12
Body Snatchers in the
Desert: The Horrible Truth at the
Heart of the Roswell Story, Nick Redfern
An expose on the view taken in this book,
that the alien bodies reported by witnesses at Roswell were human unfortunates
(the view I articulated in 2001 in my novel, The Facade).
A very coherent defense of this view, focusing on Japan’s Unit 731 and
our nation’s nuclear propulsion program.
See Mike's review.
Crash at Corona : The
U.S. Military Retrieval and Cover-Up of a UFO, by Don Berliner and
Stanton T. Friedman
Stanton
Friedman is probably the world's expert on the Roswell incident (he believes
it was alien). Stanton tends to dismiss anything that would interfere
with his paradigm, at times blithely by making mountains out of molehill gaps
in evidence. Still, for the alien view, he's the best there is.
TOP
SECRET/MAJIC:
Operation Majestic 12 and the United States Government's UFO Cover-Up
by Stanton T. Friedman and Whitley Strieber
The
Roswell UFO Crash : What They Don't Want You to Know,
by Kal K Korff
Korff is a skeptic. A coherent refutation of the alien explanation of the
Roswell event. Narrows the issues well, and shows how the truth of the story
depends on several crucial items.
Operation
PAPERCLIP and Nazi UFOs
The Paperclip Conspiracy:
The Battle for the Spoils and Secrets of Nazi Germany,
by Tom Bower
Project Paperclip; German
Scientists and the Cold War, by Clarence G., Lasby
Secret Agenda : The
United States Government, Nazi Scientists, and Project Paperclip, 1945 to 1990,
by Linda Hunt
Secret German Aircraft
Projects of 1945 (Based on British Air Intelligence Reports),
Toros Publications
The Hunt for Zero Point: Inside the Classified World of
Antigravity Technology, by Nick Cook
Reich
of the Black Sun: Nazi Secret Weapons and the Cold War Allied Legend, by
Joseph Farrell
Roswell
and the Reich: The Nazi Connection, by Joseph Farrell
These two titles, along with Redfern's book above, are the best works
dealing with UFOs and the Roswell event as outgrowths of captured exotic Nazi
technology. Farrell's books are especially detailed, though badly in need of
an editor. The content is quite good, though.
Cattle Mutilations and BSE/CJD
Alien Harvest : Further
Evidence Linking Animal Mutilations and Human Abductions to Alien Life Forms,
by Linda Moulton Howe, Jacques Vallee, PhD
In
my view, the next book renders this one incorrect. Still, Howe's work is
thorough, even if her interpretation is skewed.
Brain Trust: The Hidden Connection Between Mad Cow and
Misdiagnosed Alzheimer’s Disease, Colm Kelleher, PhD
The
author is a bona fide biochemist who led the now-defunct National Institute of
Discovery Science, a think tank dedicated to investigating anomalous
phenomena. The NIDS website is still accessible and recommended. They
did very careful work. Dr. Kelleher concludes that the cattle mutilation
phenomenon is anything but alien. Rather, the alien angle was used as
disinformation to cover up a U.S. program to study the effects of BSE prions
and Mad Cow spread in the United States - decades before the disease became
publicly known.
What are the most credible academic
resources for studying the alien abduction issue?
As I noted above, if it's on this list, it's worth reading. However,
do not assume I endorse all or even most of the content. It's on the list
because it's serious and content-rich, not necessarily because it's right in
my mind.
Alien
Abduction Phenomenon
Alien Discussions :
Proceedings of the Abduction Study Conference Held at M.I.T., Cambridge,
Ma.(1995)
Close Encounters of the
Fourth Kind : A
Reporter's Notebook on Alien Abduction, UFOs, and the Conference at
M.I.T. ,
by C. D. B. Bryan.
Abduction : Human
Encounters With Aliens, by John E. Mack, PhD
This title and the one following thrust the abduction phenomenon into
public view due to the late Mack’s stature as a professor of psychiatry at
Harvard Medical School.
He was also a Pulitzer prize winner.
Passport to the Cosmos :
Human Transformation and Alien Encounters, by John E. Mack, PhD
The Threat: The Secret
Alien Agenda, by David M. Jacobs, PhD
Jacobs is a tenured
history professor at Temple University in Philadelphia. He's convinced (and
scared) that an alien
cross-breeding program is in full swing.
Secret
Life: Firsthand Documented Accounts of UFO Abductions, by David Jacobs
PhD
UFOs and Abductions,
ed. David Jacobs, PhD
The
first book on this subject matter published by a university press.
What
are the best online resources for learning about UFOs?
As with the books above, if a site is on this list,
do not assume I endorse all or even most of the content. It's on the list
because it's serious and content-rich, not necessarily because I agree with
everything (or even most of it).
The CUFOS homepage (www.cufos.org).
CUFOS stands for "The Center for UFO Studies.”
According to its own website, "The Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS) is
an international group of scientists, academics, investigators, and volunteers
dedicated to the continuing examination and analysis of the UFO phenomenon. Our
purpose is to promote serious scientific interest in UFOs and to serve as an
archive for reports, documents, and publications about the UFO phenomenon."
The MUFON homepage (http://hotx.com/ansen/mufon/core.nclk).
MUFON stands for the Mutual UFO Network. It is a grassroots organization of
volunteers and scientific organization "composed of people seriously
interested in studying and researching the phenomenon known as Unidentified
Flying Objects (UFOs) by combining their mutual talents, areas of expertise and
investigative efforts."
The National UFO
Reporting Center (www.ufocenter.com).
This site is dedicated to data gathering and archiving UFO sightings from around
the US.
The Black Vault (www.blackvault.com).
This is the motherlode for genuine government documents relating to the UFO
phenomenon. The site consists of its owner's scanned Freedom of Information Act
requests, the scanned responses, and text-conversions of those scans. Literally
tens of thousands of pages (most of which are unspectacular) demonstrate both
the military's disingenuous attitude toward the UFO phenomenon and its own
documented experiences.
Majestic 12 Documents (www.majesticdocuments.com).
Second in scope and size to the Black Vault, but this could still be considered
the best site on the Web for MJ-12 and the MJ-12 documents.
Derrel Sims' homepage (www.alienhunter.com).
Derrel is former CIA, and has decades of experience in UFO / alien phenomena. An
expert in all things ufological, his specialties are implant and mind control
technologies and healing for abductees. If there's a Mulder, it's
Derrel.
The National Institute
for Discovery Science (http://www.nidsci.org/).
Though now defunct, NIDS represents the best in professional, scientific inquiry into UFOs and other
paranormal topics. The organization was staffed by experts with PhDs, MDs, or
DVMs in their respective fields, and also employed former FBI and other law
enforcement officials in its investigative arm. Some of the best, most
up-to-date information you'll find anywhere – without the quackery. Excellent
resource for propulsion system analysis and government or privately-funded
reports (see below) on the psycho-social impact that intelligent
extraterrestrial life would have on humanity.
Alien Resistance Headquarters
(http://www.alienresistance.org)
If
you are a Christian and want to get up to speed on the various views of UFOs
within Christianity, this is the best site. ARHQ is also the place to
access help if you believe you are an abductee.
Budd Hopkins' homepage /
the Intruders Foundation (www.intrudersfoundation.org).
Budd Hopkins is the pioneer of abduction research. As John Mack (see below)
notes: "For twenty years, New
York artist Budd Hopkins has carefully investigated reports of abduction by
aliens.” In 1989 Hopkins founded
the Intruders Foundation (IF), devoted to research and public education
concerning the UFO abduction phenomenon. He is known for his investigation of
many aspects of the abduction experience, including episodes of missing memory
(dubbed "missing time," in his pioneering book of the same
name)."
Dr. John Mack's homepage
/ the PEER homepage (www.peer-mack.org).
Dr. Mack is a psychiatry professor at Harvard University and author of several
works relating to his study of the alien abduction experience. As part of his
research efforts, he founded PEER (the Program for Extraordinary Experience
Research). As the above homepage notes:
"PEER's work is motivated by the understanding that expansions of
human knowledge come with the
exploration of unexplained phenomena. Recognizing the social barriers to the
study of anomalies, the program seeks to foster conditions for candid inquiry
through careful observation, open dialogue, and development of a network of
compassionate support for experiencers."
Dr. David Jacobs'
Homepage / International Center for Abduction Research (www.ufoabduction.com).
Dr. Jacobs is a tenured professor of history at Temple University in
Philadelphia. Dr. Jacobs did his Ph.D. dissertation on the UFO phenomenon in
America at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the sixties. He is author of
several books on UFOs and abductions, several of which are the only UFO-related
books published by university presses. As stated by his website:
“The International Center for Abduction Research (ICAR) is an
organization devoted to the dissemination of trustworthy information about UFO
abductions. The ICAR will provide accurate information to therapists and lay
individuals who are interested in abductions, and help cope with the myriad of
problems that arise from the use of hypnosis and other memory collection
procedures.”
What
does Mike think about the views of Zecharia Sitchin?
Not much. I actually don't think Sitchin knows any ancient languages in
terms of their grammar (he may know modern Hebrew). His books suggests that much. He even makes mistakes in
Hebrew, and he's Jewish. That's understandable, though. Just because
Hebrew is one's native tongue doesn't mean that the person could do grammatical
analysis in the Hebrew Bible (or even know much Hebrew grammar). Ask
yourself as an English speaker - could you diagram the sentences in this
paragraph? Could you tell me about the parts of speech? Could you
explain the grammatical and syntactical functions? I think you get the
idea. Sitchin just doesn't know his biblical Hebrew grammar, which is very
important for this kind of work (and to back up his claims). For an overview of what I
think about specific claims he has made, click here.
I've
read The Facade and enjoyed how Mike wove the biblical theology about the
divine council into the novel. What
are some good resources for studying the divine council?
Unfortunately,
much of the good stuff is either out of print or requires a good knowledge of
Hebrew and Semitic languages to digest. One could always go to my
website devoted to the divine council. In fact, that's really the best
place to start. The site has my BibSac article listed below and other
reading material. I am currently working on a non-fiction introduction to
the divine council and the Old Testament biblical theology that springs from
it. Aside from that, here are
some digestible sources. I have included the two major scholarly works on
the council (other than my
own dissertation) just so you know about them.
Michael S.
Heiser, "Deuteronomy 32:8 and the Sons of God," Bibliotheca
Sacra 157 (January-March 2001)
Michael S. Heiser, “Divine
Council,” Dictionary of the Old Testament: Psalms and Wisdom Literature (forthcoming,
Intervarsity Press, 2007)
Dr. E. Theodore Mullen, “Assembly,
Divine,” Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 1
(Doubleday, 1992)
The
Divine Council in Canaanite and Early Hebrew Literature,
E. Theodore Mullen, PhD; Harvard Semitic Monographs, no. 24 (Missoula, Montana:
Scholars Press, 1980)
Among
the Host of Heaven: The Syro–Palestinian
Pantheon as Bureaucracy, Lowell K. Handy, PhD (Winona Lake:
Eisenbrauns, 1994)
Michael S. Heiser, PhD, Hebrew and Semitic Studies, UW-Madison
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Revised: October 02, 2010.