Magonia Supplement - No 10 - 1998 12

Magazine Overview

MAGONIA ETH Bulletin, Issue No. 10, published in December 1998, is the final issue under this title before its renaming to Magonia Monthly Supplement. Edited by John Harney, this issue focuses on a critical examination of the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis (ETH) as an explanation for UFO phenomena.

Editorial

The editorial states that the publication's initial aim was to examine the evidence that ETH supporters found compelling. However, it notes a significant reluctance among ETH proponents to have their evidence subjected to critical examination, citing Jacques Vallée's observation that questions should be directed at higher topics rather than practical details. This avoidance has made it difficult to find interesting and relevant information for the newsletter. Consequently, future issues will cover topics normally dealt with in Magonia, and the editor welcomes letters and short articles. Readers interested in the ETH are assured that the publication will continue to monitor and report on relevant developments.

Allagash, Azande, Abductions and All: Thoughts on the ETH as blanket explanation

This article by Hilary Evans critically assesses the ETH as a comprehensive explanation for a wide range of phenomena. Evans argues that humans naturally seek explanations, preferring those that explain the most with the least. He draws a parallel between the modern tendency to attribute unexplained events to 'them' (government, aliens, etc.) and the Azande people's reliance on magic as explained by Evans-Pritchard. The article posits that the ETH, like the concept of gods or magic, serves as a convenient 'hold-all' hypothesis that can encompass diverse and enigmatic phenomena, from flying saucers and mother-ships to cattle mutilation and abductions.

Evans highlights how the ETH has been used to explain a vast array of alleged events, including those involving George Adamski, Elizabeth Klarer, Whitley Strieber, Betty Andreasson, and others, often by trimming and tailoring the details to fit the hypothesis. The core paradox, according to the author, is that the ETH remains an idea, an artifact constructed for convenience, with no tangible evidence supporting its substance outside the minds of its proponents.

The article then delves into specific cases, starting with the 1976 Allagash abductions, investigated by Raymond Fowler. This case involved four primary witnesses and numerous secondary ones, testifying to an event that, if true, would provide strong evidence for alien abductions. Evans notes the similarity to the Walton case, where the narrative of sincere witnesses, in an isolated setting, ultimately relies on their testimony alone. He questions whether the Allagash witnesses could be mistaken, hallucinating, or experiencing folie à quatre, but ultimately suggests that if their story is rejected, they must either know it's fabricated or be labeled as liars. An alternative, though far-fetched, explanation is that something happened which they didn't understand, leading them to formulate an imaginary scenario that subsequent events reinforced.

The concept of 'virtual reality' or 'imaginal reality' is discussed as a way for some to reconcile inexplicable experiences without labeling witnesses as liars or accepting the ETH. However, Evans dismisses these as mere ideas without substance, offering no more support than the ETH itself. He insists that if something happened on a physical level, it must be understood within the framework of natural laws, not magic or miracles.

Evans questions the varied manifestations of alleged aliens (e.g., 'white-glowing, robed, bearded figure' versus 'horrible looking monster') and the range of anomalous experiences reported, such as balls-of-light and out-of-body experiences. He criticizes the tendency to attribute every inexplicable event, from misplaced shoes to strange smells, to alien intervention, likening it to the Azande attributing everything to magic. He suggests that classifying such incidents as side-effects of abduction indicates a state of mind where reality-testing has been set aside, potentially leading to a persecution complex or paranoia that could influence the core experience itself.

The article introduces the term 'boggle threshold,' coined by Renée Haynes, to describe the point where willingness to believe is exhausted. Examples like Larry Warren's claims of nightly nonhuman visitations and Linda Napolitano's alleged levitation are used to illustrate how certain accounts raise this threshold so high that only the most dedicated believers can accept them.

Evans concludes that if one rejects the accounts of witnesses like Warren or Napolitano, it implies that whatever happened to them was not what they thought. By extension, this applies equally to cases like Walton and Allagash. He uses the example of St. Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney being plagued by demons to show how even religious accounts can be met with skepticism when they defy natural explanation, suggesting that the ETH, when presented with implausible evidence, faces a similar boggling reaction.

Letter

Christopher Allan from Stoke-on-Trent writes in response to a previous remark about the 'secret saucers' concept. He criticizes Stanton Friedman for promoting the Roswell myth, attributing its origin to his encounter with Jesse Marcel. Allan expresses amazement that many qualified US researchers, particularly within CUFOS and MUFON, continue to defend Roswell, even though it implies a 50-year government cover-up of wreckage and bodies. He argues that there is no halfway stage and that proponents cannot separate the crash from the cover-up. Allan notes that Roswell proponents are disappointed by the lack of congressional hearings and official pronouncements, and that the touted secret documents likely never existed. He agrees with the assertion that other alleged crashes, especially outside the US, must be dismissed as hoaxes to maintain credibility, while Roswell is treated as an exception due to the large number of alleged witnesses.

The Walton Case - Yet Again

This section reiterates the ongoing interest in the Walton case. It acknowledges that while believers have no problem with the account, skeptics often focus on motives, polygraph tests, and family reactions. The author expresses a desire to focus on what actually happened in the forest on November 5, 1975, and whether the men involved were part of a hoax or deceived. A reader is reportedly pursuing this challenge confidentially and is seeking information, ideas, and suggestions to be passed on.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this issue is the critical examination of the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis (ETH) as a comprehensive explanation for UFO phenomena. The editorial stance is one of skepticism towards the uncritical acceptance of ETH claims, emphasizing the need for evidence-based analysis and a willingness to question narratives. The publication advocates for a more grounded approach to understanding anomalous events, suggesting that many phenomena attributed to aliens might be better explained by psychological factors, misperceptions, or older belief systems. The issue challenges ufologists to provide verifiable evidence rather than relying on broad, convenient hypotheses. The shift in title signifies a broader scope for future publications, moving away from a sole focus on the ETH to a more general exploration of related topics.