Do You Believe in UFOs???

[Muffit]

Hi all!!!

I was just watching Sci Fi tonight, and they had a whole evening of UFOs Declassified (or is that decalcified?) -- shows about UFO sightings and beliefs. (Yes, I occasionally watch Sci Fi - when they break with tradition and actually /show/ Sci Fi ).

So I got to thinking, what do you'all think about it? Do you believe in UFOs?? Or do you think folks that believe in them are one can short of a six pack?

Cast your vote!!! And don't forget to post your comments! We all wanna know what you think and we won't think less of you!... well, maybe...

[BST]

Oh-Kay...

I'll be the first pigeon (or based on my vote, "chicken"). I DO believe that there is life on other planets and in some cases, beings capable of space travel. My primary reason for this belief is that we would have to be pretty arrogant to think that WE are the only planet in the cosmos that supports life and the only ones who would think of venturing beyond our confines.

BST

As far as myself, belief never enters the picture. It's about evidence and looking at that evidence to arrive at a conclusion. To date, I'd say that there's insufficient data to decide either way as to the reality of the existence of extraterrestrials.

But some of the common questions that are asked I'll answer here:

If they're here why don't they just land at the White House, why all the secrecy?

For the trekkies out there I'm sure you'll understand when I cite the Prime Directive. It's a proven fact in our own history that when a high tech civilization comes into contact with a low tech civilization, the low tech civilization is destroyed.

Why don't they give us a ray gun for proof?

This would be like giving a Howitzer to a group of apes at your local zoo, in light of the answer to the question above.

It's impossible to traverse such great distances in space, it's "God's Quarantine."

I find this argument to be highly invalid and incredibly silly. It suggests that we know everything there is to know about our Universe, and it's Laws of Physics. Which I suspect we don't. There was a time when Supersonic speeds were thought to be only in the realm of Buck Rogers When people thought that if you drove a car over 50 MPH it would tear the flesh off of your bones. That landing on the moon was impossible because the LEM would sink into the dust on the surface. A man once said, "Flight is reserved only for birds, and angels." That man later fathered the Wright Brothers.

On the other hand, there are believers all too willing to see a UFO in any light in the sky. Lights in the sky can be literally anything. Just last weekend I drove 4 hours north to visit a anniversary party for UFOwisconsin.com. It was being held at Dundee Mountain, near Benon's Hideaway. A small tavern in a hick podunk town. The scene reminded me of that scene in Close Encounters when Richard Dreyfus goes to the side of that hill on the road, and there are all kinds of local yokals sitting on lawn furniture waiting for the UFO's. This spot in Wisconsin is notorious for it's sightings. Anyway, a light in the sky appeared and right away everyone rushed to their camcorders and telescopes on tripods to see it. Everyone was screaming it's a UFO, it's UFO, until it came right over us and was easily identified as an airplane. And there were still people who believed it to be a UFO even though I could hear the Cessna engines.

Anyway I guess the piont is that most people are all to willing to either completely discount, or completely believe without proof of either.

Great post muffit!

[Dawg]

Yeah - what jj said.

I can't help but believe there is other life out there, somewhere. Whether or not they're actually here is the real question, at least for me.

I cannot accept the incredible arrogance that says that this particular little dust mote contains the only life in the universe. It is only logical that there are other places in the universe that are somewhere in the life-supporting cycle; either a primordial soup or a star gone nova, or someplace like here, in between those points.

And, if they are indeed observing us, if they have any wisdom at all, they know to leave this little primitive planet alone; a few of us may be able to accept the knowledge that there are starfaring races out there, but most of us can't.

I am
Dawg

[Muffit]

P.S. I'll give you 10 guesses as to who voted for #4...

[nightscape2112]

i believe that there have to be other planets that support life, if they have been here or not is a toss up. i do believe that the goverment would cover it up if they found any proof.

nightscape

[amberstar]

I agree that life exists somewhere out there. Have they ever come to Earth or tried to make contact? I don't really know what to think about that one.

[shiningstar]

You know I do. Just because I've never
seen them doesn't mean they're not out
there.