What is it like to believe you were kidnapped by an alien?
Alien visitations, odd as they are, have something in common with religion: people believe in them. Why do people have the belief they were abducted by aliens? How do those beliefs relate to beliefs they or other people have about anything, including God? If we understood the neurological mechanisms underlying why people believe they were abducted by aliens could we understand why they believe in other things, including God?
Today the New York Times published an article entitled Explaining Those Vivid Memories of Martian Kidnappers, talking about the forthcoming book Abducted: How People Come to Believe They Were Kidnapped by Aliens by Susan A. Clancy. According to the cover blurb, “Clancy argues that abductees are sane and intelligent people who have unwittingly created vivid false memories from a mélange of nightmares, culturally available texts, and a powerful drive for meaning that science is unable to satisfy. This book is not only a subtle exploration of the workings of memory, but a sensitive inquiry into the nature of belief.”
The Times comments: “Although it focuses on abduction memories, the book hints at a larger ambition, to explain the psychology of transformative experiences, whether supposed abductions, conversions or divine visitations.”
Unfortunately, Clancy failed to gather information about the “abductees” religious lives, but now realizes this was a mistake. As the Times notes: “The warmth, awe and emotion of abduction stories and of those who tell them betray strong spiritual currents that will be familiar to millions of people whose internal lives are animated by religious imagery.”
January 10th, 2006 at 1:34 pm
I was kidnapped by aliens, they poked me lots good time. I like to be poked. Can I poke you.
January 10th, 2006 at 1:38 pm
The aliens poked me for ten years!!! Thats lots good pokes. Gomfernidle rules!!!! Thanks for believing me man. . . .. I’m Not insain.!@#@%%TQCFGW F
August 31st, 2006 at 6:19 am
In a way you’re right that some people believe in them and some don’t. But then you can’t expect that all people have been abducted or as you say believe they have been abducted. More than often those who have been abducted, whether or not they believed before, believe greatly in them after their ordeal. It is not a religion, a cult, or club. It is a belief for those who haven’t experienced it, a reality for those who have, and a theory for those who don’t want to believe. I believe in them and I have had my more than fair share of real and steady sightings, along with a few witnesses. But I always question it because of conspiracies that the government is behind it all and their record to hide things from us.
February 12th, 2007 at 2:08 am
You lot are insane. How you get poked by an alien?! Firstly, if the alien has it’s own air to breath would it survive in Earth’s atmosphere? And would you survive in space without a suit? I think not!
Suzii X
February 12th, 2007 at 2:23 am
Suzii made a great point. She is really smart also, a bit flirty. -.-’ Suzii How old are you? The truth please. Also Rey made a good point too! But truthly, I ain’t that smart…. But I’m training to be an astronaught. So i’ll tell you if I see an “Alien” Cos alot of this is interesting. Aliens, super novas and when the Sun dies. But that’ll be some time away…. O_O
Bye, Also Suzii I LOVE habbohotel. Whats your thingy. Mines .Zoe,x yours ??????
February 12th, 2007 at 2:25 am
Well well well…..
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