It's interesting to see an anti-dogma article slating the blindness of religion on a site like 'UFO Digest'.

As far as I can tell, this is a website whose primary contributors (and some commenters) are quite willing to believe just about any conspiracy theory going. 'Digest' articles regularly seem to take it as read that, for example, UFOs are alien spacecraft and that governments - in particular the US government - are in cahoots with them.

Try asking questions that don't conform to the preferred worldview of the UFO believers. For a start, try pointing out the logical flaw in believers' constant demands for government disclosure: namely, that if the government has nothing to disclose it can't disclose it no matter how much it might like to. You'll get nowhere: a failure to disclose is *evidence of conspiracy*. To interpret it any other way is, to all intents and purposes, a heresy against the orthodoxy.

Try pointing out that the blurry photograph shows not a spaceship but a bird or an earthly aircraft and see what thanks you get. Point out the faint-but-visible string holding up the 'flying saucer', or highlight the odd perspective or the unconvincing lighting, and prepare to be vilified as a 'government shill'.

So the question is, whose dogmatic orthodoxy is best? Tony Elliott clearly believes that 'religion' (that handy catch-all term used so casually to describe a vast spectrum of widely differing beliefs) is keeping our minds bound. Yet all too many paranormal enthusiasts - especially UFO types - seem to maintain an equally religious faith in their preferred explanation for paranormal phenomena. They cling to their favoured interpretation, embracing anything they see as supporting it, and rejecting as 'disinformation' anything that does not.

If Tony cannot see the parallels between this firmly in-the-box behaviour and that of the religious people he scorns then he has no business offering comment on *anyone's* beliefs.

And, for the record, I am religious, yes. I believe in a universal divinity, yet I follow no holy scripture. My religion has no historical foundation but is mine alone, and if I share my beliefs with others it's by coincidence and nothing more. I 'believe' in science, thought I accept that our scientific methods may prove to have limits. I believe that the world is billions of years old, and that life evolved here through some mechanism similar to that described by Darwin. I believe that any of these beliefs may prove to be wrong. And I believe there's a great deal going on in this world that human science hasn't yet been - and maybe never will be - able to address. So I'm not entirely sceptical; but nor do I believe everything unquestioningly. I do believe that there is a 'paranormal' (if entirely natural) explanation for UFOs - those few that aren't deliberate or accidental misinterpretations entirely mundane things - but I don't believe that they're aliens. It's possible that aliens may have visited Earth, but I don't think it's all that likely. The fossil record doesn't seem to support notions of colonisation, as cool as that idea might be.

What I do know is that while religion (usually presented as a single, conveniently uniform set of beliefs and attitudes) is currently the favourite whipping-boy of those who fancy themselves intellectually superior, the attempts to blame religion alone for the constant strife and conflict between and within human societies is hopelessly simplistic. Nevertheless, as a wealth of UFO and paranormal articles, debates and discussions will show, dogmatism, narrow-mindedness, and a blinkered worldview are not exclusive to the conventionally religious.

One more thing, your colonization theory sounds an awful lot like the plot of Battlestar Galactica. You know who created Battlestar Galactica? A Mormon...

While I sympathize with you, and your bleak view of the LDS church, and organized religion, I cannot agree with you. There are many bad aspects to organized religion, and horrible atrocities have been committed by some organizations. I must admit, however, that I am LDS. I am not brainwashed, and I accept the teachings of my church of my own free will. I will admit however that there are many members of my church that don't really do much thinking for themselves, which is unfortunate. That really isn't the reason that i'm replying though.

I find it amusing that you talk so critically about those who accept religion as "small minded" or gullible, yet, I find that many people who believe in UFO's are guilty of the same thing. Rather than following up with research and actual study, they accept (because they want to) whatever they are told. For example, in an article written by you "Atlantis and it's repercussions for us" you say you are disturbed by both the scientific and religious community because "both sides refuse to accept the obvious facts that human kind was began on the planet Earth by colonization from another civilization."

The amusing part of this is that, there is no evidence to support your claims either. While I agree there is zero evidence of God creating the world, there is vast amounts of evidence supporting evolution. The evidence you cite to support colonization is circumstantial at best, and very biased. The "structures" on mars are merely tricks of shadows etc., much akin to religious fanatics seeing the face of Jesus on toast.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7228640.stm

So, anyway, mock and ridicule those who follow religion or science, but you appear to believe a different set of dogma, not really all that different from the "cults" you so clearly deride.

Anyway, as a member of the LDS church, I fully believe that there are other inhabited planets. Who knows if we have made contact. But, try looking at all the evidence regarding your theories to get a more complete picture of the facts, lest you be derided as a wackjob.

Good luck to you.

You put in writing views I have had for a long time. I am very much anti-religion for all of the same reasons. The works of Zecharia Sitchin give a very well researched explanation of how all of this religious stuff started and show how it has all been twisted and contorted to suit certain peoples' beliefs. I think if relion was left out of most (if not all) hotly debated issues, people would make much better decisions about everything. Like the gay marriage issue - if religion is left out it is simply an issue of equal rights for all, which I completely support. I try to teach my kids to treat others like they want to be treated and respect all life. Its as simple as that.

I have known many people of many religious persuasions who are not dogmatic and are fairly open minded and tolerant. But there certainly is an aspect of organized religion that seeks to bully people into giving up all of their natural abilities to think for themselves. To them the world is divided into the good "believers" and the evil "non-believers".

I have a brother who many years ago became a monk in an orthodox Christian denomination. I initially assumed that he had suddenly become quite spiritual and interested in learning about spirituality. When he visited my city, I took him to a bookstaore which contained a huge amount of books on spiritual and religious topics. He gravitated to the one shelf containing spiritual books from his denomination and I was quite shocked and dismayed when he pointed to the books, remarked he was surprised to see them but then told me he couldn't read them until he was allowed to do so under his mentors supervision.

One need look no further than Iran to see the dangers in allowing people of religious dogmatic persuasion too much power. To them, a fradulent election is justified by the fact that it is "Allah's will". Right now there are gangs of religious zealots attacking student dormitories every night and beating and murdering students who are calling for democracy and an end to the theocratic dictatorship. I hear the some students are being thrown out dormitory windows to their death.

Our bodies may not be enslaved anymore but our minds still are.

We may have abolished slavery but people still have enslaved minds and just aren't aware of it unlike us who have removed the chains from our minds and realized the truth, that is true Freedom.

Bravo,
You nailed it. Great points you made, about religion helping to cause the woes of mankind rather than keeping them in check. It has never worked in the past, why would it now? Getting rid of religion always brings to most minds thoughts of running into the streets naked, raping, killing, and stealing everything in site, all while doing drugs, worshiping satan and selling children into slavery, totaly anarchy. I mean, that's the only reason anyone would reject religion right?

Religious people never stop to think about the golden rule and why it works, that an exclusive religion by defualt violates the golden rule, and that leaving religion behind (for thoughtful and moral individuals anyway) is more about trying to obtain a higher standerd of adhering to the golden rule, not looking for reasons to excuse ones hurtful, imoral, or inexcusable behaviours. In fact every religion I know very much about is very guilty of, just as you said, useing religious dogmas to do the very thing they accuse religious objecters of (the inquision comes to mind).


Karma teaches us that every object and every being in exsistance has always had, and will always get exactly what they deserve. We might not understand why they deserve it but for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, that's just how it works, period. Does having your sins forgiven by the creator's son match any known law in nature, or make any logical or moral sence in any way shape or form? No. Does this ideal encourage us to think for ourselves or to take responsibility for our own actions, as would be wisest in an exsistance wich is governed by the golden rule?

I want religion to end, but not to help evil or to excuse my bad behaviours, but to allow me to get closer and love my fellow human beings in a truthfull and ritcheous way, that we may evolve spirtualy as well as physicaly and mentaly. If you are like me, it would be easy to resent or even hate religous people who resent and hate and judge you, but try to remember they are still valuble human beings with valuble lessons to teach you about life and love. Imagine how pittifuly small and dark thier exsistance must be to try and find shelter in the tyranny of religion, remember how scared they must be of death to hand over choices about thier after life to another human, and you will then find it hard to hate them or resent them. If we as a race of beings are to survive the long haul we must find a way to love each other, not find ways to divide ourselves against one another. Do you think the aliens visiting us who must be millenia ahead of us are so quick to judge and hate eachother?

All is one, one is all.

I looked for it but couldn't find it. If it is there I can assure you it is unauthorized.
Send me the link via my E-Mail. In the mean time I will continue looking for it.
This topic is for another story but in a nutshell I don't think their ideas are any more Divine than the Christian Faith.

You make valid points that I have believed in for a while. It is all a scam!
But, why do you have a link to scientology.org? I understand some of their beliefs, but all in all, aren't wasn't L. Ron the same as Joseph Smith? Or are you trying to make a point with that link.
I am all for free thought and equality amongst us, all. But, not for all the other BS scientology has to offer.

I concur with this very straight forward article regarding the religious bubble, so many variations yet the same basic idea, religion is control, though there is nothing new in pointing out the very negative aspects of religious dogma, IE, guilt, sin, hellfire, satan, judgement, fear of god, sexual repression etc.. Its good to remind ourselves every now and then the reality of organized religion. Im suprised the talking white salamander, the garment or baptism in absentia wasnt mentioned. Though the multiple wives idea sorta works in a mans favor for Mormons, the polyigamists anyway. I do enjoy the show on HBO, BIGLOVE, and respect the family's quest to worship what they want to worship and to simply find peace through living the princial...plus the guys wives are really hot...OH the drama.