Below is a (roughly) ten minute interview of Rich Dolan from the 2008 Laughlin, NV UFO conference. It’s very good. Rich is always a good listen (and a good read). I also personally like him, so I may be a bit biased. I agree entirely with his assessment that UFOs are indeed a worthwhile and important historical subject. The data for that conclusion is easily demonstrable. Just read Rich’s two lengthy volumes on the subject. To say they are data-driven is quite an understatement; he knows what he’s doing as a historian and researcher).
In this interview, Rich refers to “non-human intelligences” being behind UFOs. I think that’s a good working term, since it’s broad. He also acknowledges at least some of these intelligences are quite evil. I’d encourage you to watch it as well because of the very obvious “big picture” issues that invariably overlap with religion.
As readers know, I pretty much parse the UFO issue into “advanced and largely unknown–even in military circles–human technology” and (using Rich’s term) “non-human intelligence.” I see no reason why a demon or angel would need technology of this sort (vehicles). I am open to such beings, since they are created and must be made of something, needing other sorts of technology to traverse dimensions, that sort of thing. They cannot act as though they are independent of the physical world since they are part of it. Hence the (perhaps awkward) use of the word “technology”. Only God is truly apart from creation (at least in a biblical theology). What this means for me are thoughts as follows:
1. UFOs and non-human intelligences may or may not even be related issues. Here are the sub-categorizations:
(A) All real UFOs (i.e., those that are clearly not astronomical or meteorological phenomena) are above top-secret human craft, using exotic technologies not even widely used within the military.
(B) All UFOs are produced by non-human intelligences. That may mean they are physical (material), or that they are not physical (material). The latter includes both an inter-dimensional sense and a “projected” sense (see D below).
(C) Some UFOs are man-made, some are made by non-human intelligences.
(D) Some UFOs are man-made, some are manufactured (visually) by human or non-human intelligences (for this one, see this link).
2. Non-human intelligences may or may not be related to what the Bible would call demons or aliens. Here are the sub-categorizations:
(A) There may be a complete overlap (aliens = demons, or aliens = angels, some of whom are fallen/evil);
(B) There may be partial overlap (some aliens = demons, or some aliens = angels, some of whom are fallen/evil, but some aliens may be either extraterrestrial beings [occupants of a physical planet somewhere] or some aliens may be extra-dimensional beings [having nothing to do with a planetary existence as we know it]).
(C) There may be no overlap at all (there are demons [or fallen angels] or demons or aliens or extra-dimensional beings, each in its own category or box).
And readers know that none of the above gives me the slightest bit of theological trepidation. All options are on the table.
Yes, all options are indeed on the table. I would say that demons and angels are in for sure as well researched by Joe Jordan and others like him. It’s the physical extraterrestrial from other planets that I find lacking, but still an option and may be an overlap with the others.
I recently watched something online titled “The Camelot Awake and Aware Conference.” I’m not kidding when I say it was the most asinine thing I’ve ever witnessed. And yet Dolan, who is obviously a level-headed man, was one of the many presenters. Speakers included Jordan Maxwell, David Wilcock, Bob Dean, Alex Collier, and many other cult leader wannabes espousing their own slightly modified versions of Raelism. What on earth was Dolan doing there? Dr. Heiser, is this just an unfortunate consequence of public speaking? Does being “on the circuit” mean you unfortunately have to associate with characters like these? My goodness, if it is something a respectable researcher must put up with to get their message out there, it has to be frustrating beyond belief. Some of these men and women were actually passing along incredibly dangerous and manipulative “information” to their audience. I hope Mr. Dolan is able to find better venues in the future.
Well, there’s an element of truth to your rhetorical question (and supplied possible answer). Bigger than a grain of salt, too. But the fact is that Rich could say no. UFO stuff is not his complete livelihood, but it’s no doubt an important part of it. The whole “discipline” makes for strange bedfellows. (I loved the “cult leader wannabes” line, too).
Greetings, everyone. I thought I would directly answer the question regarding my participation in the Camelot conference.
I did indeed have problems with many of the presenters, something I told Bill Ryan and Kerry Cassidy about in advance. God knows this is not the first time I have done a conference along with other people whom (I feel) are an impediment to our field of research. If a researcher were to pick only those venues where he or she feels there is a full agreement on approaches to the issue, that person might be waiting a very long time, indeed, before accepting a request to speak.
Looking back, I don’t think there has been a single conference I’ve ever spoken at in which I felt that ALL the speakers were “perfect.” A few were close.
That said, I agreed to do Camelot for two reasons. First, Bill and Kerry asked me — and although I do not agree with everything they have promoted over the years, I know them, like them, and respect them personally.
Secondly, I knew for sure that Camelot would enable my lecture to receive Youtube hits that I could not get anywhere else. Like it or not, that is the fact. I have reached more people on Youtube via my Camelot lecture than possibly all my other Youtube clips combined. What I had to say at that conference was no different in tone than what I have said anywhere else. But I was able to get my message out to many more people. Moreover, many of those people might previously have been exposed only to some of the less reputable material out there. So perhaps I reached a few of them, too.
Just my thoughts. Best regards to all at this group, and a personal “hey” to Mike H.
Richard Dolan
Quite understandable, Rich. That is the reality, no matter where you go. If you and Karyn are planning on Roswell this year, to my knowledge I won’t be there. I’ll be doing something truly disturbing and much less fun — painting my house.