Close Encounter of the Fourth Kind
Close encounters of the fourth kind and the different types of this strange phenomenon.
Everyone is aware of the now classic 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind, written and directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is about one man’s (Richard Dreyfuss) obsession after seeing a UFO (Unidentified Flying Object) and determination to meet the extraterrestrials despite the government’s efforts to hide the fact that a landing is going to take place, making this the first contact encounter with peaceful beings.
But the public views on aliens have shifted over the years due to the recent reports coming in since 1980. UFO sightings are frequently reported worldwide. But reported encounters with aliens have taken on a darker and more sinister tone. Either abduction cases have increased over the years or more people are reporting them, simply less fearful of ridicule than they were before. The newest film to address the issue is The Fourth Kind. Starring Milla Jovovich, it is a fact-based thriller about a psychologist investigating why an entire Alaskan town is besieged by strange alien-like visitors and unexplained disappearances. The real psychologist, Dr. Abigail Tyler, when dealing with traumatized patients would videotape the sessions, and the disturbing footage is integrated into the film revealing good evidence that something supernatural is happening here.
Whether one wants to believe in alien abduction as a real phenomenon or simply people having mass hysterics, the fact still remains that people are missing and survivors report the same terrifying M.O. ( modus operandi or method of operating) when encountering these aliens including breaking into their own homes and walking through walls. These types of creatures seem to be a common theme dating back thousands of years among similarly reported cases.
Another compelling fact is that the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) has recently reported that over the years more than 800,000 cases of missing people exist and that the number is steadily increasing each year. The FBI claims that up to 60% can be explained away by criminal activity, but that the remainder are totally unsolved. The FBI has been at least partially involved in UFO investigations since the 1940s. Animal mutilations, which are often associated with UFOs were first reported during the late 1970s and are still happening today. However, the FBI’s early inquiries into the subject of UFOs were stalled by the CIA and U. S. military. To this day the FBI will not openly admit that the alien abduction phenomenon is real.
The United States government was very interested in UFOs, especially the military and intelligence gathering agencies. Dr. J. Allen Hynek was an American astronomer and UFO researcher. He was working with the US Air Force involving UFO investigation starting back in 1948 on Project Sign. Other study groups like Project Grudge and Project Blue Book, all had Hynek as a leading investigator. Dr. Hynek is credited for developing in 1972 the classification term we use today for encountering UFOs.
1. Close Encounter of the First Kind, a ground or aerial sighting, seeing objects in the sky, either odd lights or metallic objects flying beyond human technology.
2. Close Encounter of the Second Kind, physical evidence, deep impression in ground or soil, crop circles, radio signals blocked, and anything resembling physical damage to people or land due to exposure to high doses of radiation.
3. Close Encounter of the Third Kind, actually observing alien entities within or outside their craft and meeting them. The Steven Spielberg film is an entertaining and admirable attempt to show what happens when the government and local citizens encounter UFO occupants up close, making first contact in a friendly way.
4. Close Encounter of the Fourth Kind, this was added in later by other Ufologist who soon realized the growing rate of this type of encounter. Numerous case studies involving alien abduction where people encountered UFO’s and their occupants would be taken aboard the alien craft and forced medical examinations.
Ever since the Betty and Barney Hill abduction case psychologists have tried to understand this disturbing experience when encountering UFOs. Ufologists like Budd Hopkins (who wrote Intruders in 1987) and Dr. Leo Sprinkle have done extensive research in UFO contactee and abductee cases. The difference is that a contactee is meeting benign aliens who seem to have a spiritual message to give and an abductee is more a victim, taken against his will, and deeply traumatized. Well known author, Whitney Schreiber, wrote about his personal experiences involving alien abduction in his book Communion which was made into a film starring Christopher Walken.
Many abduction cases also involve the victims suffering from mysterious bruises, needle marks, scars, nightmares, frequent nose bleeds, missing time, a memory of looking at something that is really a different object, and deterioration of health. This is very real and fully documented. Who believes in this type of phenomenon? Psychotherapist, Ufologist, hypnotherapist, medical doctors, scientist, and of course the victims do. But the simple question is why? What purpose does it serve? Why is it happening? Who benefits? The Alaskan case which The Fourth Kind film is based on has since the 1960’s unexplained disappearances of people in that area. One should be open-minded to unheard of possibilities and ask the question: has this been going on throughout human history?
