Thoughts on Ancient Astronaut Theory

The Cauldron's server is expensive and requires monthly payments. Please become a Bronze, Silver or Gold Donor if you can. Donations are needed every month. Without member support, we can't afford the server.

Or donate directly via Paypal

This message board is The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum's SMF Archive Board. It is closed to new memberships and to posting, but there are over 250,000 messages here that you can still search and read -- many full of interesting and useful information. (This board was open from February 2007 through June 2011).

Our new vBulletin discussion board is located at http://www.ecauldron.com/forum/ -- if you would like to participate in discussions like those you see here, please visit our new vBulletin message board, register an account and join in our discussions. We hope you will find the information in this message archive useful and will consider joining us on our new board.

[Geroth]

I was watching the show, Ancient Aliens on the History Channel about the ancient astronaut theory, the idea that aliens/extra terrestrials came to earth thousands of years ago and our ancestors deified them as gods and goddesses. Although, initially skeptical it got me thinking a bit about the gods of different cultures. What do you think of all this theory?

[Ellen M.]

I was watching the show, Ancient Aliens on the History Channel about the ancient astronaut theory, the idea that aliens/extra terrestrials came to earth thousands of years ago and our ancestors deified them as gods and goddesses. Although, initially skeptical it got me thinking a bit about the gods of different cultures. What do you think of all this theory?

It seems pretty disrespectful if you ask me. I'm really not a fan of "what you believe is REALLY something else, you're just too stupid/primitive/unenlightened to know it yet." I also don't know why we're calling it a "theory." Don't theories require some sort of proof?

[Melamphoros]

It seems pretty disrespectful if you ask me. I'm really not a fan of "what you believe is REALLY something else, you're just too stupid/primitive/unenlightened to know it yet." I also don't know why we're calling it a "theory." Don't theories require some sort of proof?

At best it could be called a hypothesis.

[Nitz]

I was watching the show, Ancient Aliens on the History Channel about the ancient astronaut theory, the idea that aliens/extra terrestrials came to earth thousands of years ago and our ancestors deified them as gods and goddesses. Although, initially skeptical it got me thinking a bit about the gods of different cultures. What do you think of all this theory?

I know some myths and legends seem like they could be related to aliens in some way. Especially the ones from cultures that built things that could only be seen from space. Even though I do believe in aliens I don't think that they were here making ancient people think they were gods and goddesses. An alien species coming along and having primitive humans build pyramids and pictures of monkeys that can be seen from space doesn't really make a lot of sense to me.

[RandallS]

I was watching the show, Ancient Aliens on the History Channel about the ancient astronaut theory, the idea that aliens/extra terrestrials came to earth thousands of years ago and our ancestors deified them as gods and goddesses. Although, initially skeptical it got me thinking a bit about the gods of different cultures. What do you think of all this theory?

When push comes to shove, the whole hypothesis seems to be based on the idea than ancient humans were incapable of building things like the pyramids so that had to have help -- from aliens. It also assumes that ancient humans could easily be fooled into thinking these aliens were gods. There's a whole lot of "ifs" and not much solid evidence for any of it.

[Asch]

When push comes to shove, the whole hypothesis seems to be based on the idea than ancient humans were incapable of building things like the pyramids so that had to have help -- from aliens. It also assumes that ancient humans could easily be fooled into thinking these aliens were gods. There's a whole lot of "ifs" and not much solid evidence for any of it.

^ Exactly. There's a common unspoken assumption regarding our ancestors, namely 'our ancestors the cavemen' were idiots. They weren't, they didn't have the same technology or body of knowledge as we do but they were every bit as intelligent as we are. Not to mention most of these theories seem to trace back to Van Daaniken (SP?) who has been thoroughly discredited and is barely educated.

It is *possible* that intelligent alien life has visited Earth in the past/present/future but refusing to acknowledge that our ancestors were intelligent and capable is insulting to them and ourselves, especially in the lack of any real verifiable evidence.

/rant

[Ellen M.]

Thank you! The Ancient Egyptians and such were badass enough on their own without ET having to come down and muck around.

[harzgeist]

Not to mention most of these theories seem to trace back to Van Daaniken (SP?) who has been thoroughly discredited and is barely educated.

If you take his books with a grain of salt (though in that case a crate of salt might be better^^) they make for quite an amusing read  I believe you spell the man von Däniken; I think he's either German or Swiss.

[Celtag]

If you take his books with a grain of salt (though in that case a crate of salt might be better^^) they make for quite an amusing read  I believe you spell the man von Däniken; I think he's either German or Swiss.

He's Swiss , I've read three of his books, they are very entertaining, but of course leave a lot to speculation and opinions.

[RandallS]

If you take his books with a grain of salt (though in that case a crate of salt might be better^^) they make for quite an amusing read  I believe you spell the man von Däniken; I think he's either German or Swiss.

I thought they were a great read back in the 1970s. I found them unbelievable, but fun to read.

[Lunamoth42]

I'm not willing to dismiss the theories out of hand, any more than I'm willing to dismiss the idea that there are gods whom we cannot see with our eyes.

You'll notice, as you go through the episodes, that they'll focus on numerous theories within one 2-hour show, and some of the ideas actually conflict with each other.  I don't think the idea is to convince you of any one theory being the right one (it's not a church sermon, after all, but a TV show), but rather to present ideas about how it came to be that so many religions and cultures reference similar ideas while being geographically remote from one another.

[Adder]

I was watching the show, Ancient Aliens on the History Channel about the ancient astronaut theory, the idea that aliens/extra terrestrials came to earth thousands of years ago and our ancestors deified them as gods and goddesses. Although, initially skeptical it got me thinking a bit about the gods of different cultures. What do you think of all this theory?

I'm open to it and do not find it disrespectful. I find it plausible that any lifeform able to travel interstellar distances would be not only capable of other advanced technologies which would appear magickal but also probably able to directly interface with human thought, ie mind control. I'm not sold on it though because depictions of aircraft, spaceships, aliens and astronauts in ancient artwork could be imaginative or long range precognition. I am puzzled by the Nasca type terrain art that can be seen from the air/space though.

[Marilyn (ABSENTMINDED)]

I am puzzled by the Nasca type terrain art that can be seen from the air/space though.

Many people's gods live in the sky.  Combining art and math (or engineering?) to make a work of art that can only be seen by the gods seems like a wonderful way to honour them.  The fact that we developed ways to see them ourselves, and found that they were accurate just speaks to the talents and intelligence of their creators.

Absent

[Tags:]

Jump to: Please select a destination: ----------------------------- About The Cauldron ----------------------------- => Rules and Regulations => Cauldron Announcements ===> Volunteers Needed: Site Assistants and Projects => Introductions => Board Questions, Suggestions, and Feedback => Chat and CauldronMUX Support => Test Board ----------------------------- Religion and Philosophy ----------------------------- => Paganism For Beginners => Books and Other Resources => Pagan Religions => Pagan Spirituality => Gods, Goddesses, and Mythology => Worship and Ritual => Holidays and Festivals => History and Religion => Faith in Everyday Life => Philosophy and Metaphysics => Non-Pagan Religions and Interfaith Discussions => Miscellaneous Religious Discussions ----------------------------- Magic and the Occult ----------------------------- => Magic and the Occult for Beginners => Witchcraft, Hoodoo, and Folk Magic => The Western Magical Tradition => Chaos Magic => Lodges and Other Magic Organizations => Miscellaneous Magical Discussions ----------------------------- Special Interest Groups & Special Discussions ----------------------------- => Special Topic Discussions => Chavi Memorial Chronic Illness SIG => General SIGS ===> College Pagans SIG ===> Cooking SIG ===> Divination SIG ===> Home and Garden SIG ===> Pagan Parents SIG ===> Teen Pagans SIG => Religious SIGS ===> Asatru and Heathenry SIG ===> Cauldron Cill ===> FlameKeeping SIG ===> Hazel and Oak: A Celtic Polytheism SIG ===> Neo-Druidry SIG ===> Reformed Kemeticism SIG ===> Ta Hiera Hellenic Polytheism SIG => Book/Media Discussion Boards ===> Academic Book Discussions ===> Pagan Religion Book Discussions ===> Magick Book Discussions ===> Fiction Book Discussions ===> DVD/Video Discussions ----------------------------- Life, the Universe, and Everything Else ----------------------------- => Pagan Announcements => Prayer and Energy Requests => News and Politics ===> Religious News ===> Non-Religious News ===> Political Discussions => Social Discussion Boards ===> Art, Poetry and Writing ===> Books ===> Computers and the Internet ===> Crafts and Hobbies ===> Family Life ===> Gaming ===> Health and Medicine ===> Humor and Quizzes ===> Music, Television, and Film ===> Pets ===> Science and Technology ===> Sports and Recreation