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Jennifer managed a few bites of her meal and a few sips of her fruit drink. Before proceeding with her attempt to answer my question, she took her napkin to track down and erase an errant morsel of food from the corner of her mouth.

Starting in again on the explanation, Jennifer said: "There seem to be a number of themes that emerge among 'abductees' concerning the meaning and significance of their experiences. One recurrent theme is the already-mentioned alien/human hybrid genetic experiments which have been described by many, if not most, of the 'abductees'.

"Quite a few 'abductees' talk about the genetic experiments in the context of a possible, forthcoming series of ecological and cataclysmic natural disasters on Earth. Apparently, the hybrid off-spring are intended to provide a new species of beings who will populate, if not serve as guardians of, the post-apocalyptic world.

"Why there should be a need for such hybrids is not known, at least not in any fashion that is capable of being articulated, at the present time, by any of the 'abductees'. The 'abductees' say they have been told by the aliens that not all human beings will perish in the apocalypse which is supposedly forthcoming.

"However, according to the accounts of many of the abductees, the aliens allude to the hybrids in ways that suggest that the hybrids will be better adapted than human beings to the post-disaster conditions which it is said will prevail in the world. Yet, there seem to be precious few details on just how, or why, the hybrids will be more adaptable than human beings.

"The alien/human hybrids are described by the aliens as representing a chance to provide humanity with a new start. Whether the post-apocalyptic remnants of humanity will enjoy this new chance as a result of the guidance or assistance provided by the hybrids, or whether the hybrids themselves are considered to be the new face, and, therefore, new start, of humanity is not clear.

"In conjunction with this idea of a new chance for humanity, however one may conceive it, is a rather disturbing report of some of the 'abductees'. They claim the aliens have communicated to them that the Earth is now, and has been for some time, at the center of a cosmic debate concerning what the fate of the Earth, and, therefore, humanity should be.

"Apparently, not everyone in the cosmos is in favor of letting humanity continue its existence on Earth. Yet, as far as I know, none of the 'abductees' seem to know who has the deciding vote in these matters.

"Such concerns notwithstanding, many of the 'abductees' indicate they have been informed that the aliens wish to help human beings avoid the scientific and ecological mistakes that led to the destruction of the home world of the aliens. Be this as it may, nobody seems to have asked the aliens whether or not they actually have correctly figured out what went wrong on their home world.

"If the aliens really know what they are doing, they may have something to offer to humanity. If they are still tinkering about with, and stumbling around in, the unknown, then maybe they should do their galactic or dimensional kibitzing elsewhere.

"The fact the aliens seem to be far more technologically and scientifically advanced than human beings, does not necessarily mean the aliens have the solution to human problems. Their technical superiority may only mean they have the ability to make advanced and sophisticated mistakes far more quickly than we are capable of. Their own, self-acknowledged, questionable track record in this regard does not exactly induce one to have a whole lot of confidence in what they are attempting to accomplish.

"As human beings have found out, only too painfully, during the last, several hundred years, technical and scientific proficiency cannot protect us from our own moral corruption and spiritual diseases. Human beings have a history of undermining their technical cleverness with emotional stupidity. Maybe the aliens are the same.

"Another little detail which sort of has been left dangling in all of this involves the alien projections or prophecies concerning the character of the disasters that are to come. A lot of attention has been paid to the ecological message of the aliens and the manner in which the 'abductees' are helping to spread this message among humankind. Considerably less attention has been directed to the reports about the incredible natural disasters that are said to be coming.

"Without wishing to diminish the importance of raising our sense of ecological consciousness and responsibility, environmental awareness is not going to do any of us a whole lot of good in relationship to preventing, or dealing with, cataclysmic natural events. On the other hand, there is some indication from the 'abductees'- and I've also heard similar reports from Native peoples, that the natural disasters actually will be expressions of the Earth's cleansing response to the ignorance and heedlessness of human beings concerning their responsibilities to the Earth and its non-human inhabitants.

"In any case, things are not very clear with respect to whether or not the natural disaster side of the alien forecasts is something which is inextricably linked with the ecological issue or is independent of such problems. Furthermore, although there are indications that the predicted ecological disasters might be avoidable, if we act now, there are not comparable indications about our prospects for being able to avoid the natural disasters that are said to be forthcoming.

"Interestingly enough, these alien forecasts or predictions or prophecies are really nothing new. Native peoples, from very different spiritual traditions and from widely separated geographical regions, have been speaking of such a future disaster scenario for quite some time. In addition, of course, there are the prophecies concerning these kinds of events in both the Old Testament and New Testament of the Bible, as well as in the Islamic religious tradition."

Having finished the main part of the meal, Jennifer began to turn her attention to a few of the contents of the bread basket. While adding some butter and jam to one of the selected slices of bread, she elaborated further on the abduction issue.

"Entertaining reservations concerning the purpose or significance of the abduction phenomenon, need not be restricted to raising questions about the quality of alien insights into the reasons and causes underlying the demise of their home world. There are a number of moral questions, as well, which emerge in connection with alien activity."

Jennifer began munching on the appropriately prepared slices of bread. After swallowing, she washed the bread down further with some of her fruit juice.

"The aliens are using force on the 'abductees'. To the best of my knowledge, no human being has ever been asked whether or not he or she wants to go on to the alien ship.

"The aliens merely take whom they want, when they want, for whatever reason they want. Apparently, human wishes or human rights do not enter into the issue of abduction.

"What is the moral or spiritual authority for conducting such abductions? What, if anything, could legitimize such activity?

"The vast majority of the 'abductees' are terrorized by their experiences. Many, if not most, of the different kinds of experience associated with abduction tend to be humiliating, painful and traumatic.

"There are a long list of adverse emotional, psychological and social consequences that ensue from abduction experiences. For instance, as a result of their experiences,'abductees' tend to develop a deep sense of being alienated from, and/or rejected by, their immediate families and communities. Furthermore, due to the sexual, physical and psychological violations of their beings during abduction experiences, 'abductees' have considerable problems with issues of trust, as well as with persistent feelings of extreme vulnerability.

"On the other hand, there have been a number of 'abductees' who reported that various serious illnesses have disappeared in conjunction with their abduction experiences. In addition, some 'abductees' claim to have acquired certain kinds of healing capability as a result of their association with the aliens.

"Still other 'abductees' report of tremendous joy surrounding what may be intense spiritual experiences during certain phases of the abduction process. These people talk in terms of cosmic consciousness and feelings of becoming one with everything.

"They describe being bathed in an incredibly powerful light of unity, bliss and knowledge from which they do not wish to be removed. Indeed, there seems to be tremendous sadness and a sense of grief or loss associated with departure from the condition that many of the 'abductees' refer to as their 'real' Home- a home that is said to be beyond time and space and which allows one access to infinite realms and dimensions of being."

Consuming the last of her bread, she looked around for our waiter, caught his eye and mouthed the word: "coffee". Then, she held up her hand in a way that signaled for the waiter to hold on for a few seconds.

She looked over at me, I nodded, and she showed two fingers to the waiter. The waiter acknowledged receipt of the message.

She was quiet for a few seconds, apparently trying to recall where she had left off in the discussion. Presumably, she found the proper place, for she mumbled, more to her herself than to me: "Right", and was, once more, off to the races.

"A number of 'abductees' speak about a process of transition which takes place across a series of abduction experiences. They start out being terrified about what is going on, but, gradually, over a period of months or years, they begin to view the abduction experiences as playing a central role in both their personal growth and spiritual transformation.

"Quite a few of the 'abductees', at least those able to negotiate the rough currents and eddies of the transitional process, indicate there is a deep bond of love that develops between themselves and whichever alien becomes something of a guardian or guide for a given 'abductee'. The 'abductees' claim they feel or sense this deep love is reciprocated by their mentors.

"These 'abductees', many of whom experienced their first abduction as children, describe how their early interaction with their 'mentor' tends to be gentle and playful. When the 'abductees' become older, however, the nature of the teacher/student relationship becomes more rigorous and demanding, although the dimension of deep, reciprocal love is said to be still present and crucial.

"As a result of the dynamics of the teacher/student relationship, many 'abductees' feel that, over time, they become more committed to showing compassion toward, and feeling responsible for, all of creation. They also indicate that their attitudes toward the, if you will, sacredness of the Earth, along with their relationships with other people, undergo radically positive and constructive changes as a result of the experiences of the abduction mentor ship or apprenticeship program.

"Similarly, many 'abductees' describe themselves as becoming gentler, less aggressive, and more tolerant of others through the influence of their abduction experiences. They feel they are much more willing to openly express their love for others than was true prior to such experiences.

"Although the 'abductees' may use different language to describe the transitional process of personal growth and spiritual transformation, they seem to agree that the key to the transitional process is the need to lose one's sense of ego as an entity that is separate, and apart from, the rest of the universe. These people, also on the basis of their experiences during the abduction process, contend consciousness and/or soul cannot be reduced to the confines of the physical body.

"In short, these people believe they are being taught a new way of life through means of their contact with the aliens. They also feel the aliens are calling on them to teach this new way of life to others.

"Apparently, this call to teaching is part of a general strategy of the aliens for seeding the Earth with individuals who are either in the process of becoming transformed, or who have, perhaps, already completed such a process. Conceivably, the alien/human hybrid experiments may fit into this aspect of seeding, or vice versa.

"In any event, this seeding project is taking place in something of an ambiguous context. More specifically, some of the 'abductees' say that images of forthcoming ecological and natural disasters have been projected into their consciousness by the aliens. Other 'abductees' say they have been shown such 'events' on computer-like monitors. Yet, there is considerable uncertainty about whether these images of disaster, irrespective of how they are encountered, represent the actual, fixed future or a projected future, based on data extrapolation or a possible or conditional future which is destined to occur if human beings don't start making proper ecological, political and social choices.

"The 'abductees' describe the seeding project as a method employed by the aliens in order to try to help human beings avoid the sort of choices that will lead to disastrous consequences in the future. This tends to suggest the images being shown to the 'abductees' are of a possible, or extrapolated future, rather than a fixed future.

"This assumes, of course, the aliens know what they are talking about. The sense of impending ecological disaster has been with us at least since Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring. Native peoples have been warning us about such possibilities for a much longer period of time.

"Are the alien predictions about ecological disaster just part of the Zeitgeist of the modern era? Did they come across Rachel Carson's book and decided to exploit it for their own purposes?

"Was Rachel Carson, unbeknown to both her and us, an abductee even before Barney and Betty Hill's experiences in September 1961? Were the aliens, or their predecessors, the ones who taught Native peoples about ecology as some Hopi legends might suggest?

"What is the basis of the claims of the alleged aliens concerning the future? Do they have spiritual insight into these matters? Are they merely concerned scientists who can see the trends which are being generated by their data collection techniques? Do they have their own version of our psychic hot-lines and, as a result, have they received a personal consultation with a gifted and certified psychic?"

From the time Jennifer had mentioned the possibility that Rachel Carson might have been an early 'abductee', I had been increasingly entertained by her various stream-of-consciousness-like ruminations. When she began talking about aliens and psychic hot-lines, I couldn't help myself, I began chuckling.

"Sorry," I offered. "The psychic angle kind of got me going."

Jennifer smiled. "I suppose I was going over the top on the matter," she acknowledged.

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