Debunkers, Skeptics and Believers

Guest

There have been many debates as to what the meaning of these three terms are. I have been called all three on various sites. I also have noticed that skeptics and debunkers have been thrown together as of late. I am a skeptic when it comes to many of the claims out there. I need evidence and stable eyewitness accounts for me to make any judgments as to whether I give something merit. I also do not dismiss any claims at hand, but that does not mean I immediately believe them.

I do not like the term believer as it is used to describe people of faith. Ufology and paranormal subjects are not based on faith, but on science (or they should be). I do not believe Nibiru is coming to Earth around 2012 as there is no evidence to support it. Could there by a large outer planet circling our Sun? Absolutely! That means I do not totally dismiss the idea of a planet that could be named Nibiru. Whether or not it supports life is another question.

Many people claim to be abducted, and I do not dismiss their claims. Do I believe them? I cannot say yes, and will not say no as more information is needed on each case. The Betty and Barney Hill case has much physical and other evidence to support the claim they were actually abducted by extraterrestrials.

Contactees are another story as they claim an extraterrestrial, supernatural or extradimensional entity is contacting them. There is never proof of this other than the voices they use when communicating what is being said. That could be the work of a good actor, so I do not take it as proof. Do I dismiss the claim they are contacting otherworldly beings? No, I do not dismiss it, but I take it with a grain of salt.

I can also go on about the great cases out there that leave very little doubt in my mind that we have had extraterrestrial visitation. There are also many great cases about the existence of poltergeists and other paranormal entities out there.

What am I getting at with my little ramblings? I am not a debunker, nor am I a believer. I am a skeptic. I have an open mind, but will question everything be it from the government or from someone making a claim.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof - Dr Carl Sagan

Subject: Re: Debunkers, Skeptics and Believers Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:48 pm

I also hate the word believer. I am not sure why believe, belief, believer has taken on a religious meaning in UFOlogy, but for some reason it has. You can use the word believe all the time and nobody takes it to mean religious faith. For example, I might say - I believe I will have another drink and nobody finds anything religious about that. :-)

That said, there are many things that I have no real proof of and yet I think they are true anyhow. Still, I would be unlikely to argue the point with someone that didn't feel the same way and would be able to see the obvious point that there is no real evidence for whatever it may be.

Subject: Re: Debunkers, Skeptics and Believers Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:57 pm

I've never run into a problem with the term believer. If asked I say yes, and then am asked why. I have one experience in my life that had 3 parts that I think I posted in here.

1) Saw a light in the day sky headed my way as I sat on the front steps of my home in the mid-60s. It stopped. After that it made left and took off at an incredible speed.

2) Right after it left, I got suddenly sick and crashed on the side patio lounge for about 2 hours.

3) My neighbor was talking to my father at the end of the driveway when i woke up. They called me over and my neighbor, who saw me sitting on the front steps said he turned his head for a second, looked back and I was gone.

It would be 20-odd years before I put 2 and 2 together regarding that picture. Do I believe? Oh yeah. Do I care what people have to say? Nope. I know they are here ... I have spent the last 36 years figuring out WHY they are here.

Guest

I wrote this thread here as I am always being called all three in one thread or another. I do not really like any label, and always question why we need to be labeled something or another. I am not a debunker, but do not like the term believer. I do not like skeptic either as it has unfortunately become synonymous with debunker in the UFO arena.

I am open minded and want the truth, should we start using the term Truther? Oh, wait. That is a derogatory term for those who doubt the official story on 9/11.

I think we should just call ourselves open minded. It is not a label, and cannot be attacked.

Thank you both for your responses.

Subject: Re: Debunkers, Skeptics and Believers Sat Apr 10, 2010 1:19 pm

I have a better term: people.

Guest

Thank you and well said, onlychild! That is the best term that fits us all.

Subject: Re: Debunkers, Skeptics and Believers Sun Apr 11, 2010 10:13 am

It's normal. If you notice, when we meet someone the default approach is finding out what a person is into. We are just looking for people who are like / think like us ... a friend. We have come to conclusions based on study (left brain) or observation (right brain) or both (both hemispheres) and categorize everyone according to our particular findings (verified or not). Again, the world just "is" - and it is the brain that creates the problem. "Ego" enters the mix because there is an inner fear of "having to start all over again if my approach is wrong."

We are literally the result of "eating" from the "tree of the knowledge" of a thing called "choice" (which is what good and bad represents). It's "good" to think this way, and "bad" to think that way: that's choice. We have divided ourselves to the extent that races of people have divisions. Again, the brain does this. I think it's a logical picture that shows "thinking" is the problem. I believe we need to stand back and remove ourselves from the picture, and adopt the scientific method of data verification. We can't fix the world until WE fix our own thinking problems, which if you have noticed, permeate the UFO community. We need to "eliminate ego," and realize that if we are wrong, we are wrong. It's like rebuilding a house - sometimes you have to completely gut an entire section of rooms, but the end result will be a beautiful home in which to live. I say we stop baloney-ing around, join forces and try to fix our problem. Once upon a time, there was ONE answer; and then the One became Two, Three, Four - ad infinitum. No one else in the UFO field is trying for standardization - I say we fix that problem.

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