UFO SIGHTER

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO SIGHTER
Issue Date: November 12, 1969
Volume: 2
Publisher: Allen H. Greenfield
Country: U.S.A.
Document Type: Magazine Issue

"Stock-Taking & Remembrances" by Allen H. Greenfield

This issue of UFO SIGHTER features a personal reflection by editor Allen H. Greenfield titled "Stock-Taking & Remembrances." Greenfield begins by recounting an early UFO sighting in the summer of 1960, where he observed two white star-like objects moving to his left while in the backseat of a car in Atlanta, Georgia. He notes that this experience, possibly reported to NICAP or Major Keyhoe, may have been instrumental in channeling him into the UFOlogy field. He also mentions joining a group called the "Teen Bureau of Flying Saucers" (TBFS) and later forming his own group, ROAP.

Greenfield touches upon other personal highlights, including a skywatch during the Great Michigan Flap of 1966 and attending the 1967 Congress of Scientific UFOlogists, where he met prominent figures in the field such as Gene Duplantier, Jim Moseley, Frank Edwards, John Keel, Gray Barker, Major Donald Keyhoe, Ray Palmer, and Dr. Frank Stranges. He also recalls a sighting of a strange light in the sky near Brooksville, Florida.

He lists publications he has been connected with, including THE AMERICAN UFO. Committee Review, Inner Circle Bulletin, Saucer Album, and The UFO Sighter itself. He also mentions radio and television appearances and significant UFO historical events he has lived through, such as the Socorro case, the Michigan flap, the Condon Investigation, and the Mothman saga. Greenfield reflects on the 1960s as a decade of significant events, including man landing on the moon, and contemplates the 1970s, questioning where the UFOlogy field is heading.

He describes his current workspace in October 1969, a home office-library-den, filled with UFO-related materials, including issues of The UFO Sighter and Alternate Horizons Newsletter. He notes his ongoing project of mapping sighting reports. Greenfield offers personal observations on the state of UFOlogy, suggesting that the private UFOlogy field will likely continue without significant administrative improvement or major grants, unless an external event like a new flap occurs. He anticipates little massive governmental inquiry into UFOs following the Condon Report, but hopes for long-range progress through the development of interest within the Establishment.

A Fragmentary and Tentative Look at Possible Historical Conspiracy by Allen H. Greenfield

Greenfield then shifts to a second article, "A Fragmentary and Tentative Look at Possible Historical Conspiracy," which explores the vast subject of secret orders and their potential influence throughout history. He outlines four points for perspective: a limited view of historical orders, evidence of occult relations and connections to aliens or alternate realities, the continued existence of these orders in the modern world, and their possible effects on the modern world.

He discusses the origins of the Assassins, an offspring of the Shiah sect of Islam, founded by Hasan, son of Sabah, in the 11th century. The cult, known for its "artificial paradise" initiation, extended its influence widely. Daraul's "A History of Secret Societies" is cited as a source, noting a potential connection between the overthrow of Alamut and the founding of the Thug-cult in India. The Assassins are described as a cult within the Ismailian cult, with a possible link to the Aga Khan. The influence of Ismailis, via the Crusaders, is suggested as a source for concepts in European secret orders.

The article then moves to the Roshaniya, a cult led by Bayezid Ansaril, who established a school in Pakistan teaching a doctrine of meditation to achieve contact with a supreme being for world direction. This sect is linked to the German group known as The Illuminati, founded by Professor Adam Weishaupt of Ingolstadt University. Information regarding the Illuminati, including alleged secret documents found in a lawyer's home in 1786, suggests a dispute over the organization's nature. The Illuminati were suppressed, and Weishaupt and Zwack were banished.

Greenfield notes accounts of initiation rites within the French Illuminati, which allegedly involved a large, semi-transparent form arising from a burning pyre, and an oath referring to a "World" or "another reality." He also references Daraul's notation on page 231 regarding ideologies leading to Russian and modern communism, and a suggestion that secret orders may have influenced the rise of Nazism in Germany.

Corrections and Notes

A "PLEASE NOTE" section addresses several corrections and clarifications for the issue. It corrects the spelling of "REMEMBERANCES" to "REMEMBRANCES" on page one, "Ray Plamer" to "Ray Palmer" on the first page of the article, and several misspelled words on page 5. It also clarifies a point about Daraul's commentary on page 231 concerning the European Illuminati Order's influence on communist entities. Further notes clarify references to page numbers and specific phrases like "secret order" versus "secret orders."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are personal UFOlogy experiences, the history and influence of secret societies, and reflections on the state and future of UFOlogy. The editorial stance, as presented by Allen H. Greenfield, is one of personal engagement with the UFO phenomenon, a critical yet open-minded approach to historical research, and a pragmatic outlook on the challenges and potential developments within the UFOlogy field. There is an emphasis on the importance of rigorous research and thoughtful engagement with the subject matter, moving beyond sensationalism.