Swamp Gas Journal - 1997 Special Issue 5

Magazine Overview

Title: The Swamp Gas Journal
Issue: Special Issue #5
Date: Summer 1997
ISSN: 0707-7106

This special issue of The Swamp Gas Journal presents a collection of articles and correspondence, focusing on a local lake monster investigation and broader themes of UFO cults and government secrecy.

A Whale of Tale: July 11, 1997

The main article details an investigation into a reported incident near Lake Manitoba on July 11, 1997. The author, Chris Rutkowski, receives a tip from a friend, S_, about a 'giant snake' or Manipogo creature reportedly shot and killed by an individual named R_ on the Sandy Bay Reserve. The creature's body was allegedly preserved for examination. Rutkowski contacts the Sandy Bay RCMP, who are aware of rumors but lack details. He also speaks with local radio stations and Fortean investigators Brian and Dave, who agree to investigate.

Further investigation reveals that R_ was swathing hay when he saw a large, snake-like creature near the shore and shot it. The creature was reportedly dragged out of the water and transported on a flatbed truck. Descriptions of the creature vary, with one account stating it was 50 feet long with a barrel-like diameter and a 'head like a horse.' The RCMP were called, examined the carcass, and arranged for transport.

Rutkowski's attempts to verify the story encounter difficulties, including a thunderstorm disrupting phone lines and the Sandy Bay Band Office not recognizing the name Randy Roulette. A key witness, K_, confirms seeing a long, black body loaded onto a truck, with police present and photographs being taken. However, subsequent police investigations, including by Sergeant W_ of the Sandy Bay detachment, find no evidence of a carcass on the lakeshore. Sergeant W_ suggests that residents in the area 'like to tell stories.'

Brian and Dave, the Fortean investigators, eventually conclude that there was no monster, attributing the story to a drinking party where jokes about the creature were exaggerated. They believe the truck transport was a fabricated detail. The case is ultimately dismissed as a hoax, though Rutkowski notes lingering questions about the RCMP's initial involvement and the possibility of other lake monster sightings.

Correspondence and Personal Accounts

Dealing with American Cold-War Paranoia and UFOs

This section includes correspondence from an anonymous researcher, referred to as I.M. Anon, detailing personal experiences related to UFOs and government secrecy during the Cold War. The author recounts an early 'sighting' in 1957 of a flashing electric-blue light. In 1965, a friend predicted an alien plan to turn off US power, a prediction that seemed to gain credence with the Northeast power blackout.

As a professional librarian at a NASA 'think-tank' in the 1960s, the author handled classified information. They discovered a classified USAF document advising pilots on how to react to UFO encounters, contradicting the government's public stance of disinterest. This led the author to believe in a government cover-up regarding UFOs. The author also reflects on the emergence of Roswell stories and the difficulty of keeping such information secret.

The TOP SECRET Librarian: American security in the stacks

This part of I.M. Anon's account continues the narrative of working with classified information. The author describes the security clearance process, including background checks and interviews. They recount experiences with an FBI agent who repeatedly interviewed them about potential contacts from their ancestral country. The author also details the process of handling classified documents, which were often stored in a vault and then burned, with ashes stirred to prevent reconstruction. Declassified documents were also typically burned after their markings were crossed out.

From Heaven Above: Saved by the Aliens

This article, written by Chris Rutkowski and updated in 1997 after the Heaven's Gate incident, examines UFO cults. Rutkowski defines fanatical UFO belief as an anti-science movement that rejects conventional explanations. He distinguishes between spiritual/religious UFO cults and obsessive UFO belief cults.

Spiritual UFO Cults

These cults often embrace omnipotent beings known as 'Space Brothers,' who are depicted as advanced extraterrestrials with magical powers. Examples include:

• The Aetherius Society: Founded in Britain by George King in 1954, who claimed to be the terrestrial representative of an Interplanetary Parliament. King channeled messages from Master Aetherius of Venus and even entities like Jesus Christ, who was said to have been born on Venus.
• George Adamski: A prominent cult leader who claimed encounters with Venusians. He published books and held meetings, though his claims and photographs were often met with skepticism.
• George Van Tassel: Founder of the 'College of Universal Wisdom,' known for organizing the Giant Rock Flying Saucer Convention. He claimed contact with an entity named Sol-ganda and described a 'true history' of humanity shown by aliens.

Belief-Based Cults

These cults generally lack a spiritual connection with the 'Space Brothers' but believe extraterrestrials are visiting Earth and that there is a grand cover-up of this knowledge.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently explores the intersection of unexplained phenomena, personal testimony, and official investigations. The editorial stance appears to favor critical examination, as seen in the debunking of the Manipogo story and the analytical approach to UFO cults. There is a recurring theme of government secrecy and the potential for cover-ups related to UFOs, as detailed in the anonymous librarian's account. The magazine aims to present diverse perspectives, from local mysteries to broader interpretations of extraterrestrial contact and belief systems.

Title: The Swamp Gas Journal
Issue: 5
Volume: 1
Date: 1997
Publisher: Chris A. Rutkowski
Country: Canada
Language: English

This issue of The Swamp Gas Journal, published in 1997, delves into various UFO-based religious cults and groups, exploring their origins, beliefs, and the individuals associated with them. It examines how these groups often blend spiritualism with extraterrestrial beliefs, creating unique belief systems that sometimes mirror or reinterpret traditional religious concepts.

The Shaver Mystery and Early Pulp Fiction

The issue begins by recounting the story of Richard Shaver and his controversial writings published in Amazing Stories by Ray Palmer. Shaver's story, "A Warning to Future Man," later rewritten as "I Remember Lemuria," described a race of subterranean creatures called 'deros' who used advanced technology, including mind-rays, to torment humanity. This piece generated an immense response, with over 50,000 letters from readers sharing their own experiences. Palmer's continued publication of these stories as fact eventually led to his dismissal from Amazing Stories, after which he launched his own pulp magazines dedicated to similar themes.

MARK-AGE and Universal Link: Spiritual Awakening and Alien Intervention

The journal then introduces MARK-AGE, a contemporary quasi-religious group focused on the idea that humanity has lost its connection to an interplanetary spiritual communications system. They believe benevolent aliens, referred to as 'Space Brothers,' are attempting to reawaken spiritual consciousness through mental communication and visible manifestations in flying saucers. Mark is identified as the chief contact for Earth, tasked with making humanity 'space-conscious.' The group also views the U.S. space program as divinely aided, unlike the Soviet Union, which they consider atheistic.

A related group, the Universal Link, shares concerns about humanity's spiritual understanding lagging behind its technological advancement and views societal strife as a major issue. They believe flying saucers are instruments for a paradigm shift towards spirituality and interpret Jesus's Second Coming as an alien named Orthon arriving on Earth.

The Raelians: Aliens as Divine Beings

The Raelians are presented as a group that believes aliens, specifically the 'Elohim' mentioned in biblical texts, are literally 'those from the sky.' They posit that these aliens created humans in a laboratory and that figures like Jesus, Mohammed, and Buddha were alien messengers sent to Earth. The latest messenger is identified as Rael, born Claude Vorhilon. The Raelians have gained recent attention for developing a theme park featuring alien spacecraft replicas and for sponsoring a race car to promote their cause. They claim about 10,000 members worldwide.

Robert Barry and the 20th Century UFO Bureau

Robert Barry, founder of the 20th Century UFO Bureau in the late 1960s, is discussed as an anti-coverup advocate who believed the government was hiding the truth about UFOs and aliens. Barry's teachings suggested that UFOs were piloted by angels, though some were attributed to Satan. He held public meetings in the 1970s to promote his views.

Vonnetta Chouinard: A Contactee's Story

The journal details the experiences of Vonnetta Chouinard, born in 1935. She claims to have had near-death experiences, walked into another dimension at age 10, and was taken aboard alien craft in 1968. During these journeys, she underwent advanced medical procedures by beings from the fourth dimension, leaving no scars. Chouinard believes she was chosen to deliver a message of peace and sanity, urging humanity to stop pollution and repent. She also became involved in a site in Nova Scotia where a 'scout craft' had burned a cross into a field, leading to religious ceremonies and claims of healing.

Society of Unarius and the Kosmon Church

The Society of Unarius, directed by Ruth Norman (Archangel Uriel) until her death in the 1990s, is described as a group awaiting mass landings of spaceships to save spiritually attuned individuals and make Earth the 33rd member of the Interplanetary Confederation. They channelled figures like Jesus, Mohammed, and Einstein.

The Kosmon Church believes Zoroaster was the first Great Teacher, an emissary of a spiritual entity named KOSMON. They warn of dangers from lower, evil planes and the impending arrival of 'Ethereans.'

Discussion: Recurring Themes in UFO Cults

A discussion section synthesizes recurring themes across these groups: a perceived lack of spiritual awareness in mankind, the efforts of 'Space Brothers' to guide humanity back to spiritual understanding, the concept of a Second Coming, and the possibility of salvation. The article notes that these groups are essentially religious in nature, replacing traditional deities with alien beings and often adopting an anti-science stance. It also highlights the Heaven's Gate cult's use of technology and the tendency for groups to receive instructions from 'masters' via channelled messages, which can sometimes lead to distorted teachings due to individual members' interpretations.

Dangers and Similarities

The journal touches upon the personal dangers associated with deep involvement in faith, referencing the Heavens Gate incident where two individuals died waiting for a spaceship in North Dakota. It suggests that UFO-based religious concepts may reflect anxieties about societal issues, nuclear war, and the feelings of the oppressed. Common themes include the idea of 'Space Brothers' coming from utopian planets to promote peace and end arms proliferation. Many early cults were anticommunist yet socialist in structure, paradoxically monitored by the FBI and CIA.

The Christian Arts Centre Cult

The article concludes by detailing the tragic story of the Christian Arts Centre cult, founded by 'Bo and Peep' (or 'Te and Do') in Houston in 1972. In 1975, families were alarmed when children left to join the cult, and police investigations uncovered a commune in Oregon. The cult was still operating in 1997, with reports of 39 deaths that year and dozens having joined in 1975, many of whom were never heard from again.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes throughout this issue revolve around the intersection of UFO phenomena with religious beliefs, the concept of alien intervention in human spiritual development, and the formation of cult-like groups. The editorial stance appears to be one of objective reporting and analysis of these phenomena, presenting the beliefs and histories of various groups without overt endorsement or condemnation, while also acknowledging potential dangers and societal anxieties that may fuel such movements. The journal highlights the common thread of seeking spiritual enlightenment or salvation through extraterrestrial contact, often reinterpreting or replacing traditional religious frameworks with alien narratives.