SAGA

Magazine Overview

SAGA, April 1971 issue, priced at 60 cents, features a striking cover image of a rattlesnake and a bold headline about the Marine Corps being accused of boot camp brutality. The issue delves into a variety of sensational topics, including a "guerrilla race war," a guide to battling "Big Biz Computers," jumbo jet disasters, the Custer Massacre, and a "UFO Prophet of Doom."

UFO Prophet of Doom: Ted Owens's UFO Mission (Part II)

This extensive article, written by Otto O. Binder with illustrations by Gil Gohen, continues the story of Ted Owens, a man who claims to be chosen by "Space Intelligences" (SIs) from flying saucers to be their "envoy" on Earth. Part I, published in the March issue, described the fulfillment of his predictions. Part II explains how Owens acquired his extraordinary "PK powers" and why the SIs selected him for their vital mission.

The narrative begins by describing "Dimension Intelligences" (DIs) who, observing Earth's strife, pollution, and moral degeneration, are commanded to help humanity. These DIs use craft shaped like flying saucers, becoming the "Saucer Intelligences" (SIs) for Earth. They scan for a human mind capable of receiving their communications, a difficult task due to the vast difference between dimensions.

Ted Owens, born Harry T. Owens in Bedford, Indiana, in 1920, is presented as this chosen individual. The article details several incidents from his life that seemingly prepared him for this role. As a child, he was involved in a car accident where he was knocked 15 feet and rendered unconscious. Later, as a teenager, he suffered a severe head injury when a log rolled onto his scalp, and another when a car he was in went off the road at 90 mph, nearly splitting his head open. These injuries, Ted believes, were orchestrated by the SIs to allow an invisible SI entity to enter his brain and perform a strange healing that altered it for future SI communications.

The article draws parallels between Owens's experiences and those of other noted psychics like Peter Hurkos and Dr. Franz Polgar, suggesting that head injuries might be a common factor in developing psychic abilities. The SIs, according to Owens, have performed "psychic surgery" to enhance the right lobe of his brain, enabling him to perform PK feats and receive high-voltage ESP messages.

Further evidence of SI intervention includes physical changes to Owens's body, such as deep scars and a new ridge of bone behind his ear, and even a bizarre incident where he woke up with two sets of eyebrows. These are interpreted as signs of brain "tampering" by the SIs.

Ted Owens's communication with the SIs evolved from vague "voices" to "mental TV" where he saw creatures named Twitter and Tweeter. Eventually, he communicated directly with "Control," the commander of the SIs' main spaceship, using mental images and receiving "yes" or "no" responses. Control provides him with detailed instructions for performing PK feats.

The article lists a variety of "PK-ODE powers" (Other Dimensional Effects) that Owens can wield, including an Electromagnetic Field Box, Laser PK-Light Projector, Sound Force PK, and many others. These powers are described as extending beyond earthly "psychokinesis."

Ted Owens's personal life is also marked by unusual events, including several near-death experiences where cars or trucks seemed to pass through his body. He believes the SIs provided him with protective "bubbles" around himself and his family, explaining his "charmed life." He also reports being monitored by the SIs using a peculiar ray that penetrates solid matter.

His acceptance into Mensa in 1968, with an IQ of 148-152, is presented as evidence of his sound mental state, refuting claims of him being a "madman." Dr. Ansel Kowzak, an astrophysicist, is quoted as supporting Ted's claims, calling him "one of the world's greatest psychics" and validating the existence of the SIs.

However, Dr. Kowzak differed with Ted on the nature of the SIs' actions, suggesting that their methods, which include causing hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes, were "destructive" and negative. Ted himself initially protested these actions, particularly when the SIs planned to cause the deaths of Apollo 12 and 13 astronauts, but eventually relented. He also refused to PK planes out of the skies, but the SIs proceeded with such actions independently, listing many plane crashes as SI-caused.

The core of the SIs' mission, as explained through Ted Owens, is to avert a global crisis. They require a "base of operations" in the U.S. to do so. The article draws an analogy between Ted Owens and biblical figures like Moses and Ezekiel. Moses warned Egyptians of plagues, and Ezekiel prophesied catastrophes for a decadent society. The SIs' message to Earth is stark: "YOU ARE UTTERLY DOOMED AS OF NOW. Many civilizations before you (on earth) have so doomed themselves."

The SIs' plans include disarming the world, ending poverty and injustice, curing disease, prolonging life, and bringing joy and understanding. Ted Owens envisions founding the "Church of Sota," which would include healing secrets and programs to uplift humanity.

The article addresses the question of why the SIs don't simply land on the White House lawn. Ted recounts an experience where he felt an overwhelming, terrifying force from a shadowy figure, suggesting that direct exposure to the SIs' pure-energy forms would be too much for humans to withstand. The SIs, being from another dimension, are invisible and exude powerful, deadly forces.

Ted Owens is not a typical "contactee" as he has never met the SIs face-to-face or ridden in their spaceships. He is chosen as their "spokesman" via ESP. The government's lack of acceptance of his "credentials" and messages has led the SIs to use "destructive" PK feats to draw attention.

A letter from a government official in August 1970 offered a "fair hearing" if Ted could provide documentation and perform a striking PK feat, but this led to nothing. Ted has been persistently trying to get the attention of government agencies like the CIA and FBI for years.

Nature's War on Man

The article posits that the "great crisis" facing the world is not necessarily an alien-induced catastrophe, but "Nature's War on Man," where humanity brings about its own end through pollution, materialism, and moral decay. Examples cited include corn blight, oil pollution, starfish destruction, and the proliferation of "smogs" causing deaths. The SIs' actions, like causing earthquakes and storms, are presented as attempts to impress upon the U.S. government the severity of the situation and the need for cooperation.

The World Can Be Saved

Despite the dire warnings, the article concludes with a hopeful note: the world can be saved if the U.S. government "unhardened its heart" and backed Ted Owens. The SIs' plans, if implemented, would lead to total disarmament, an end to poverty and injustice, prolonged life, and increased human joy and understanding. Ted Owens's personal vision includes the "Church of Sota," dedicated to healing and spiritual upliftment.

The article acknowledges that Ted Owens's claims might sound like "poppycock" or the ravings of a "demented man," but quotes Dr. Morris K. Jessup, who researched UFOs and the Bible, suggesting that prophets in the past were also considered "crackpots." The piece ends with a provocative question: "But suppose... just suppose... that Ted Owens is RIGHT?"

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of SAGA revolve around extraterrestrial contact, psychic phenomena, government secrecy, and impending global crises. The magazine appears to adopt a stance of sensationalism and intrigue, presenting extraordinary claims about Ted Owens and the Space Intelligences as potentially factual, while also acknowledging skepticism and the potential for government cover-ups. The editorial tone leans towards presenting these narratives as serious possibilities, urging readers to consider the implications of these alleged events and messages.