My Personal UFO Encounter v. I saw a flying saucer, aliens optional!

[Ultimetalhead]

By such logic, I could see, say, a glow in the dark frisbee, proclaim that it was indeed a flying saucer (though, in this case, that is absolutely true, but let's ignore that for a moment). Anyone who tried to justify it by telling me it was merely a frisbee could be immediately debunked by saying "I saw what I saw." However, at the end of the day, I am still deluded into thinking I saw a flying saucer, because I had refused to listen to reason or the logical thoughts of my peers.

Note that the idea of "delusion" is that the deluded has no awareness of being delusional.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Note that the idea of calling someone deluded insinuates that you think you know better, when you have no evidence to the contrary.  All you have is your personal belief that the thing in question doesn't exist.  So by this logic, I can argue all day long that it isn't a tree you're sitting under, because I don't believe trees actually exist.  You simply made yourself think it was a tree.

[Tick]

Tick, I don't know how to tell you this, but you claim to have seen something that I personally don't believe in, so I don't give two shits in a mop bucket what you actually saw with your own two eyes long before I was a random thought in my parents' brains, you're absolutely wrong and did not see what you think you saw.

and I don't know how to tell you this but...I don't give 4 shits in a bucket if you believe it or not. I know what I saw, and people who don't believe I saw it really changes nothing about the reality that it is.

[Ultimetalhead]

Note that the idea of calling someone deluded insinuates that you think you know better, when you have no evidence to the contrary.  All you have is your personal belief that the thing in question doesn't exist.  So by this logic, I can argue all day long that it isn't a tree you're sitting under, because I don't believe trees actually exist.  You simply made yourself think it was a tree.

Indeed. Everything in life is how we perceive it. However, upon further investigation, I could quite easily prove to you that what I am sitting under is, in fact, a tree. However, if I were to say "I know this is a tree because what I sit under is what I sit under", you would be perfectly within your rights as a logical thinker to doubt that the object is a tree because I have failed to provide you with significant evidence that it is a tree. Of course, an argument like that would never happen because, well, it's a tree.

Trust me, I wouldn't believe in trees either if there were enough logical explanations around that proved that trees were manifestations of imagination caused by other objects that merely LOOK like trees.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

And without my having any evidence to prove that trees 100% absolutely do not exist, you probably wouldn't give my belief too much weight.

That's all I'm getting at.  Yes, you can say that a lot of the time there's a reasonable explanation for what people think they see, but not always.  Until someone can offer proof that there IS NO SUCH THING as a UFO, I cannot see why anyone would feel the insatiable need to come in and tell tick that he probably really didn't see what he thought he saw.  None of us have proof to the contrary and none of us were there.

[Tick]

And without my having any evidence to prove that trees 100% absolutely do not exist, you probably wouldn't give my belief too much weight.

That's all I'm getting at.  Yes, you can say that a lot of the time there's a reasonable explanation for what people think they see, but not always.  Until someone can offer proof that there IS NO SUCH THING as a UFO, I cannot see why anyone would feel the insatiable need to come in and tell tick that he probably really didn't see what he thought he saw.  None of us have proof to the contrary and none of us were there.

Thank you!
It amazes me that people will tell me I didn't see something because they don't believe it exists.
Well guess what, I didn't believe they existed either. Would people me happier if I said yes your all right, it was a delusion? Don't answer that.
Let me also be clear, this was not some blurry blip in the sky off in the distance I decided looked like a flying saucer. It was up close, in my face, and plain as day. It was what it was.
Numbers starts asking me if I also believe in Bigfoot and the Loc Ness Monster. Really? Why are you going there? If you take the time to read my OP, you understand fully why I believe as I do.
Nothing in the world anyone can say to a skeptic who firmly doesn't believe something will ever change there mind. Only if that skeptic see for himself, and only then will he ever believe.
I'm sure some here believe I saw what I saw. I'm not crazy, and I'm not a liar.

[Ultimetalhead]

Nobody's calling you a liar. You saw what you saw, and that's pretty much that. I think the problem is that since the ghost/lens flare incident had a perfectly logical explanation, many are quick to dismiss this story as another example of a natural occurrence drawing suspicions of alien/paranormal activity.

Seeing something that we are so often told doesn't exist will often trigger a "no way, that shit was totally for real" reaction in our heads, because we secretly want these things to exist. Everyone knows that the flying spaghetti monster doesn't exist, but if you saw it, you'd shit your pants in awe. You wouldn't think "Gee, I might be hallucinating right about now." You'd be thinking "OH FUCK ME WAIT TIL MY FRIENDS HEAR ABOUT THIS."

I was doing some research about alien abductions, and how a lot of them seem to follow a very similar storyline or may even contain the same alien race/species. Right away, such continuity would likely lead many people to believe that alien abductions are pretty legit, because presumably, none of the victims would have talked to each other prior to the event. However, a similar phenomenon exists in sleep paralysis. Victims often experience a vivid hallucination of a demon or perhaps the devil himself pressing down upon his or her chest, rendering the victim unable to move. Such hallucinations can occur without any prior knowledge of the phenomenon.

People hallucinate every day of their lives, be it through dreaming or something else. Traumatic or high-stress events can be powerful catalysts to hallucination. Seeing something that looks a lot like a flying saucer could very easily trigger the fear reaction that movies like War of the Worlds and Invaders From Mars have taught us to obey. When the fear kicks in, you are quite unlikely to consider the logical causes of the flying saucer.

Hell, I've seen a UFO before. There were three blue lights in the sky, just sort of hovering there. They quite resembled what I assume the underside of a flying saucer would be like. As I drove home, I noticed the lights were emanating from the university football stadium. Lo and behold, they were testing a new lighting system. No flying saucers here.

Whether witnesses of UFOs look for it or not, there is likely an explanation.

[Tick]

For the record. I can totally buy the lense flair thing. Makes sence.

[MetalJunkie]

Tick, can I ask where the sighting was?

[Tick]

Tick, can I ask where the sighting was?

Sure you can. Milford Connecticut. 1978

[Tick]

Alternate story. For those who prefer

It was a cold dank night in 1978. I was 13 years old and experimenting with various substances.
A friend asked me to try this pill called purple microdot. I was reluctant at first, but after some coaxing, I agreed to partake.
Well about an hour later we saw some crazy ass lights circulating on the lawn. At first we thought, must be vigilates with flashlights looking for some mythical monster. Then we realized that was not the case when we saw a space ship over head. It just sat there for a bit seemingly just watching us, when finally we saw a window roll down and the little green man asked, "hey buddy, you know which way New Mexico is?" I said, sure just go straight for about 2000 miles and vear left. You can't miss it.
He gave me a thumbs up and said a few bleeps and stuff and he was gone.
Yup, it was him all right. I'm not even sure the drugs had kicked in yet.

[TheVoxyn]

Don't worry, the whole UFO thing was fiction enough.

[Ultimetalhead]

Courtesy of Alex in the last thread. It's worth posting again.

[Tick]

Don't worry, the whole UFO thing was fiction enough.

You think I made the story up?

[TheVoxyn]

Don't worry, the whole UFO thing was fiction enough.

You think I made the story up?

No. But it involves UFO's.

[tofee35]

Tick,

That's a really cool story. I can't believe all of the backlash. You have nothing to prove and thanks for the story. I have some questions (if you can remember from that long ago):

Did it make any noise at all? How did it fly? Was it spinning? What did the lights look like? What does your buddy say about it now? After it was hovering, I'm curious how it took off etc. Details, man!

-Tof

[Tick]

Tick,

That's a really cool story. I can't believe all of the backlash. You have nothing to prove and thanks for the story. I have some questions (if you can remember from that long ago):

Did it make any noise at all? How did it fly? Was it spinning? What did the lights look like? What does your buddy say about it now? After it was hovering, I'm curious how it took off etc. Details, man!

-Tof

I am the fool for resonding to the non believers. I should just let it go. Its just hard because I know the truth.
Anyhow, their was a low level noise that I can't really describe. It was spinning. I have not seen the kid I saw it with since the 90's. and as for how it left. I missed that part cause I ran my ass off towards the house. When I finally turned to look back again, it was nowhere to be found.

[73109]

No, you are the fool for posting a story involving UFOs and not expecting backlash from intelligent, rational people.

[Ħ]

No, you are the fool for posting a story involving UFOs and not expecting backlash from intelligent, rational people.

Being intelligent and rational has nothing to do with believing in UFOs. I would say that Tick is probably wrong, but I wouldn't say he's wrong because he's unintelligent or irrational.

[bosk1]

No, you are the fool for posting a story involving UFOs and not expecting backlash from intelligent, rational people.

Correction.  You are the fool who is being banned for one more in a long history of personal attacks and general forum rudeness.

[Nick]

Tick, I think I may have a general theory on what caused a disconnect between what you are trying to convey and what myself and several others are trying to point out. You've said repeatedly that you are not saying what was in the UFO, only that you saw one. And I for one completely believe that you saw a flying saucer that you couldn't personally explain, and I don't doubt you in the least bit. However the term UFO is a loaded one at best, and when coupled with a thread title of "My Personal UFO Encounter v. The truth is out there. Can you handle it?" it immediately sounds like it's directly tied to aliens, and also makes it sound as if you're forcing a choice between believing in aliens or disproving you. I know that's not what you've said, but at least the thread title is a little misleading.

[TheVoxyn]

 

[Tick]

Tick, I think I may have a general theory on what caused a disconnect between what you are trying to convey and what myself and several others are trying to point out. You've said repeatedly that you are not saying what was in the UFO, only that you saw one. And I for one completely believe that you saw a flying saucer that you couldn't personally explain, and I don't doubt you in the least bit. However the term UFO is a loaded one at best, and when coupled with a thread title of "My Personal UFO Encounter v. The truth is out there. Can you handle it?" it immediately sounds like it's directly tied to aliens, and also makes it sound as if you're forcing a choice between believing in aliens or disproving you. I know that's not what you've said, but at least the thread title is a little misleading.

That's cool, Nick. I think of UFO as, unidentified flying object. So in that context I believe in them. The title was not meant to imply anything other than the story I wrote. It was just for cause and effect.
At least I now get your perspective and understand your view.

[ariich]

What Nick said. "The truth is out there" is a reference to aliens and the X-Files in particular, and "can you handle it" implies that it is unfallible truth and people have to either agree with you or try to disprove you.

That may not have been your intention, but given the thread title and some of your confrontational behaviour in this thread, it's certainly how it came across.

[Tick]

What Nick said. "The truth is out there" is a reference to aliens and the X-Files in particular, and "can you handle it" implies that it is unfallible truth and people have to either agree with you or try to disprove you.

That may not have been your intention, but given the thread title and some of your confrontational behaviour in this thread, it's certainly how it came across.

I agree. I can accept that.

[Zook]

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Looks like you and tick and I are the only ones. 

[ariich]

For my own input, I don't believe aliens have come to earth at all.

I also don't believe the sighting from multiple people in a locality was a "mass delusion", because I can't see why a load of unrelated people would have had the same delusion. I basically believe Tick when he says he saw an unidentified object of some kind, if a considerable number of other people also saw the same thing. I don't believe for one second that it was in any way alien, but then he never actually claimed it was (despite the thread title, as I said), and I also think there was probably a reasonable explanation beyond "you just imagined it you crazy fool", but if lots of people saw something strange and unusual then it's a good bet there was something strange and unusual there.

[rumborak]

What Nick said. "The truth is out there" is a reference to aliens and the X-Files in particular, and "can you handle it" implies that it is unfallible truth and people have to either agree with you or try to disprove you.

That may not have been your intention, but given the thread title and some of your confrontational behaviour in this thread, it's certainly how it came across.

Not only that, but it also a common tactic for UFO supporters to "put things out there" and then implicitly steer the discussion towards a certain interpretation of the facts without directly saying it. The "Well, UFO stands for unidentified flying object, which is exactly what it was" is an example of that tactic. The word has a very distinct connotation in contemporary culture (aliens), using it means implying the alien interpretation of events.

rumborak

[Tick]

What Nick said. "The truth is out there" is a reference to aliens and the X-Files in particular, and "can you handle it" implies that it is unfallible truth and people have to either agree with you or try to disprove you.

That may not have been your intention, but given the thread title and some of your confrontational behaviour in this thread, it's certainly how it came across.

Not only that, but it also a common tactic for UFO supporters to "put things out there" and then implicitly steer the discussion towards a certain interpretation of the facts without directly saying it. The "Well, UFO stands for unidentified flying object, which is exactly what it was" is an example of that tactic. The word has a very distinct connotation in contemporary culture (aliens), using it means implying the alien interpretation of events.

rumborak

rumbo, did you actually read the story? Don't draw any other conclusion other than what I wrote. I did not imply anything. My thread title was for dramatic flair. The story was not.
I am certainly not obsessed with UFO's nor did my experience make me a  extra terrestrial zelot by any means. I wanted to share an experience I had as a kid. I did that.

[Zook]

Didn't you learn anything from the ghost thread?


Just admit it, you were smokin' a fatty at the time weren't ya?

I see right through you.

[AngelBack]

I'm sure that what Tick saw was way beyond the expectations of normal objects he would see hovering in mid air on any given day.  It could have been a number of known phenomena or it could have been alien craft.

The thing that bothers me is why most people who see UFOs report flashing lights on the craft.  These beings would obviously have had to master hyper warp speed travel and have other highly advanced technologies to reach us.  Why the lights ?  Are they for aesthetics ?  Are they there so they can see each other's space ships at the intergalactic space port and not hit each other? 

Also why are the craft and beings almost always relatively close to our size?  Is there some cosmological constant that dictates intelligent life forms must be between 4 and 8 feet tall??  Hmmm...

[ariich]

Tick, I approve of the title change.

[AcidLameLTE]

Now my first post in this thread makes no sense

fml

[ariich]

I CAN'T