Magonia - No 11 - 1982

Magazine Overview

MAGONIA issue 11, published in 1982, is an independently published magazine devoted to a broad examination of the UFO phenomenon and its interaction with society and the individual. The cover features a striking illustration related to ghosts and the headline "THE DECLINING SOCIAL STATUS OF GHOSTS." The price is 45p.

Editorial: The Malaise in Ufology

The editorial expresses reluctance to dismiss British ufology but acknowledges a "very real malaise" affecting the field. It notes a decline in competent investigators, with many prominent figures from the seventies having dropped out or reduced their active involvement. The editorial links this to economic decline, which impacts the production of journals and personal expenditure on investigations. MAGONIA itself narrowly avoided closure due to rising printing costs. Beyond economic factors, there's a perceived recession in ufology itself, marked by a "spectacular" decline in new UFO reports over the past year, a trend noted to have begun after the '73 wave. The editorial questions whether ufology, like other paranormal subjects, is a remnant of the "starry-eyed enthusiasm" of the sixties, ill-suited to the "harsh world of post-industrial dole queues."

Review: The Declining Social Status of Ghosts

This section reviews recent literature on ghosts, including volumes from the Folklore Society and the Society for Psychical Research. It traces the evolution of the ghost concept from ancient times through Christian theology and the Reformation. In medieval times, ghosts were integral to society, enforcing moral codes and theological doctrines. The Reformation abolished purgatory, leading to spectres being reclassified as demons. The religious persecutions of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries generated numerous ghost stories, reflecting societal trauma and unresolved historical grievances. The review notes that while the Victorian era saw ghosts as reminders of survival and the breakup of traditional homes, the modern ghost is often less terrifying, reduced to mere tourist attractions. The poltergeist is presented as the "truly contemporary ghost," symbolizing societal breakdown and the "voice of the voiceless." The emotion evoked by poltergeist activity is compared to that of burglars or vandals, representing a sense of violation. The review concludes by suggesting that if the disappearance of ghosts signifies an end to our capacity for outrage, it's a worrying sign, invoking the need to remember historical atrocities.

Book Reviews

Several books are reviewed:

• The Elusive Science: Origins of Experimental Psychical Research by Seymour H. Mauskopf and Michael R. McVauch: This book examines the transition from 'psychical research' to 'parapsychology' from 1915-40, drawing on extensive archives. It highlights the critical stance of British researchers towards J.B. Rhine's experiments compared to American psychologists. The review praises the book's scholarly tone, contrasting it with more polemical works.
• Explaining the Unexplained: Mysteries of the Paranormal by Hans J. Eysenck and Carl Sargent: The reviewer finds this book better than average but notes it suffers from an unclear target audience, being too simplistic for scientists and too technical for the general reader. While cautious in its treatment of experimental research, it is criticized for readily accepting claims of reincarnation and 'drop-in communicators'.
• Intrusions: Society and the Paranormal by Hilary Evans: This book is described as a sociological examination of alleged paranormal phenomena and society's reaction. However, the reviewer finds it to be another "history of psychical phenomena" that is superficial due to its brevity and lack of references. It criticizes the author's broad generalizations about society and the impact of ideas, particularly regarding the "Age of Infidelity" and the growth of rationalism. The review suggests that the book's value lies in provoking questions rather than providing definitive answers.
• The Metal Benders by John Hasted: This book is compared to the era of William Crookes and Oliver Lodge, reporting "astounding marvels." The reviewer finds Hasted's claims about child metal-benders undermine the subject, noting a lack of detailed experimental accounts and the retelling of debunked claims like Philippine healers without critical comment. The technical nature of the book is also noted as a barrier for non-technical readers.
• Earth Rites by Janet and Colin Bord: This book examines European folk customs, arguing they derive from fertility rituals. The reviewer notes problems with this thesis, particularly the assumption of unbroken continuity from the Stone Age and the reliance on misquotation and misrepresentation, citing critiques by Norman Cohn and Elliot Rose. Despite these issues, the book is praised for its interesting content, photos, and documentation, offering a welcome change from rehashed fringe science material.
• Rites and Riots by Bob Pegg: This book analyzes the social function of annual European customs, offering a different approach than the Bords' fertility ritual focus. The reviewer finds its analysis applicable to the current popularity of 'fertility cult' explanations and notes its relevance to contemporary consciousness about earth's resources and women's experiences.
• The Catalog of UFO Periodicals compiled by Tom Lind: This is described as a monumental piece of research listing over 1000 UFO periodical titles. Despite being incomplete, it reflects the complex and often confusing world of UFO publications, with numerous title changes and unclear editorial histories.
• Earth Lights: Towards an Explanation of the UFO Enigma by Paul Devereux: Devereux proposes that UFOs are natural phenomena produced by geological fault stresses, with ancient structures designed to tap this energy. The reviewer finds the theory speculative, with obvious gaps plugged by dubious hypotheses. While acknowledging the "Dragon Project's" work on anomalous readings near stone circles, the reviewer criticizes Devereux for going beyond science into speculation about the mind's influence on phenomena and for his subjective selection of UFO reports.
• Psychokinesis: A Study of Paranormal Forces through the Ages by John L. Randall: This book is mentioned briefly at the end of the reviews.

Letters to the Editor

• Kevin McClure (Leicester): Responds to the 'birth trauma' material, finding it more convincing in general terms. He questions why BT images are always self-images and why characters appear foetal. He suggests that the theory, while important for some cases, might be too simplistic and that new explanations will be needed as old ones are debunked.
• Christopher Allan (Alsager, Cheshire): Defends the sincerity of UFO authors like Ray Palmer, Robert Sheaffer, Samuel Shenton, Velikovsky, and Arthur Shuttlewood, arguing against the reviewer's suggestion that some writers entertain rather than inform. He expresses skepticism towards many well-known UFO cases, believing they are explainable and that "true unknowns" are rare. He views UFO investigation as a thankless task with little return.
• Christopher Allan (Alsager, Cheshire): (Second letter) Discusses the media's role in UFO reporting, noting a shift from credulity to suspicion and a decrease in reported UFOs despite more media outlets. He suggests that the media's increased knowledge and the public's greater awareness of UFOs have led to a censoring effect.
• Alan Gardiner (Lewes, Sussex): Questions the 'birth trauma' theory's ability to explain why people saw airships, mystery aircraft, and ghost rockets instead of just UFOs and occupants. He also questions how an unborn child could know its own appearance to later superimpose it on abduction experiences.
• Donald A. Johnson (Kirkland, WA, USA): Critiques Peter Rogerson's article on UFO waves, finding the arguments for a causal connection between political events and UFO waves unconvincing. He questions the mechanism by which obscure journal writings could impact society and suggests that UFO waves might not be linked to social phenomena, citing David Saunders' view. He also notes that the response to the film 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' showed that most sighting reports predated the film, suggesting a connection to earlier UFO waves.

The Abduction Experience

This article by Alvin H. Lawson presents sketches illustrating parallels between UFO abductions and Near-Death Experiences (NDEs). The author suggests that elements common to both include a sense of dying, an out-of-body experience, floating, an "examination" or resuscitation table, a "tunnel" or "tube" leading to a border, a brightly lit area, encountering a "being of light," a review of one's past life, and a subsequent psychological effect that permanently alters the witness's personality and life. The author implies that these experiences, whether NDEs or abductions, share a common underlying structure, possibly related to psychological processes or electromagnetic fields.

Other Content

The issue also includes illustration credits and a "MAGONIA CHRISTMAS QUIZ" with questions about UFO authors, ufologists, and contactees. A notice encourages readers to recommend MAGONIA to their friends. Back issues of MUFOB and MAGONIA are available for purchase.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the critical examination of paranormal phenomena, particularly ghosts and UFOs. There is a strong emphasis on questioning established theories, such as the 'birth trauma' hypothesis, and exploring the social and psychological contexts of these phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, acknowledging the complexities and uncertainties within ufology and paranormal research, while also expressing concern over the perceived decline in serious investigation. The magazine seems to favor a rational, evidence-based approach, even while discussing subjects that are inherently speculative. The inclusion of book reviews and letters to the editor further reinforces this critical and analytical perspective.

This document is page 20 of "MAGONIA" MAGAZINE, issue number 20, dated January 20, 1983. The content is an English-language review of a book that discusses paranormal phenomena. The review is signed 'JH'.

Book Review: A Critical Examination of Paranormal Research

The review begins by noting the author's attempt to place reports of psychic phenomena within historical, religious, and social contexts, referencing the influence of ancient Jewish, Greek, and Roman cultures on Western civilization. However, the reviewer quickly states that this promising start is not followed up, and the book is characterized by 'credulity, credulity and yet more credulity'.

The author of the book reviewed historical reports of paranormal events, particularly those attributed to saints like Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Avila, and Joseph of Copertino. While acknowledging that many such reports might be pious myths, not written down until long after the alleged occurrences, the book insists that a few accounts cannot be easily dismissed.

The reviewer points out that the book focuses heavily on the period since serious attempts to investigate paranormal phenomena scientifically began. However, the reviewer finds the book's account of recent research to be 'hardly unbiased'. Investigators who report negative findings on alleged paranormal feats are accused of unfairness or 'dirty tricks'. The reviewer notes that some sceptics are not mentioned at all in the book.

Specifically, the review highlights the mention of John Taylor endorsing Uri Geller's paranormal metal-bending as genuine. The reviewer questions whether the book addresses Taylor's later change of mind on the subject and notes that Taylor's subsequent book, "Science and the Supernatural" (1980), which discusses how 'error and deceit became more and more relevant' in his understanding of the supernatural, is not mentioned.

The reviewer identifies several 'curious omissions' that detract from the book's usefulness as a serious review of paranormal phenomena and their investigation. The final chapters of the book are described as discussing non-Euclidean geometries (the fourth dimension) and quantum theory. While these points are of interest to philosophers, the reviewer concludes that they do not appear to offer any new practical methods for investigating the 'paranormal'.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary theme of this page is the critical review of a book on paranormal phenomena. The editorial stance, as expressed by the reviewer 'JH', is one of skepticism towards the book's biased approach and selective presentation of evidence. The review emphasizes the importance of unbiased scientific investigation and criticizes the book for its credulity and omissions, particularly concerning the work of figures like John Taylor and the evolution of his views on the supernatural.