From Scott S. Smith Book - God Reconsidered
Chapter Two
Have Extra-Terrestrials Visited the Earth?
Most people take a moderate position on whether any of the often-reported sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) are evidence that extraterrestrials (ETs) have visited the earth. The concept is not so far-fetched to be dismissed out of hand, even if some of the particular accounts strain credibility.
But with its usual sweeping and authoritative arrogance, the Jan.-Feb. 2009 issue of Skeptical Inquirer was devoted to asserting that the phenomenon was entirely based on human gullibility, misperception, and mental illness. The leading expert on UFOs for the past three decades for the publisher, the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, Robert Scheaffer, wrote the main article, which attempted to dismiss tens of thousands of sightings from around the world.
According to his view, the first wave of these delusions in 1947 to 1973 was due to a combination of natural phenomena or normal aircraft. The expectation that there would be something unusual in the sky was contagious, he wrote, so there were many claims, but no convincing evidence ever emerged that any of these were alien craft.
With regard to that early era, I do not have room here to go into the debate about the famous, alleged 1947 saucer crash at Roswell, N.M. Those who are interested in how skeptics misrepresent what happened should read UFO Crash at Roswell by Kevin Randle, a former Air Force intelligence officer, and Don Schmitt, a respected field investigator for the scientifically-oriented Center for UFO Studies.
There was also another type of wave 1966-1995, wrote Scheaffer, when believers focused on alleged abductions of humans by aliens. He argued that this was similar to the allegations of “recovered memories” in the same period that supposedly revealed widespread molestation of young people by satanic cults or daycare workers.
The subject of alien abductions would require another lengthy discussion of complicated evidence, but it is worth noting that some eminent scientists and psychiatrists do agree that whatever the phenomenon is, it is worth serious study. If you want a disturbing analysis written for skeptics, try Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind by investigative journalist C.D.B. Bryan.
Schaeffer asserted that there are simple explanations for mass sightings, such as those of the many huge craft that supposedly hovered over Phoenix, Ariz., in 1997 (he claims these were just flares dropped by a National Guard unit).
Scheaffer made two arguments that underlie his need to distort the facts to fit his theories. One is that the U.S. and other governments would have to be involved in a conspiracy to cover up these phenomena, but since governments are unable to keep secrets, this is just paranoia.
Rest of story at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/...57a03d?ref=yfp