DVD Review - Nick Pope: The Man Who Left the MOD

Reblogged from Earthpages.org:

Title: Nick Pope: The Man Who Left the MOD
Interviewer: Michael Bourne
Director: Philip Gardiner
Media: DVD
Producer: Reality Films

Nick Pope isn't exactly a household name. But among UFO investigators and devotees he's become a controversial figure.

In The Man Who Left the MOD we learn that Pope joined the UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD) in 1985. By 1991 the MOD wanted to assess any potential threats that UFOs might pose to national security.

Read more… 529 more words

...a review I did at Earthpages.org back in 2009. Recently I gave it some stylistic touch ups and added current links at the bottom.

Paranormal Phenomena/Graveyards…

The Spirit of the Dead Keeps Watch via Wikipedia

The topic of Ghosts and the paranormal seems to be hot right now. Maybe it’s a way to keep the winter blues away. Or maybe….

In any case, here’s another Q&A at AllExperts.com, where I really enjoy doing volunteer work:

• Paranormal Phenomena/Graveyards…

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Paranormal Phenomena/My child says our house is “dark”

Example of a subject in a Ganzfeld experiment via Wikipedia

One of the more interesting things about volunteering at AllExperts.com is that I’ve come to realize that quite a few everyday people experience paranormal phenomena.

Perhaps because these folks can be anonymous, a virtual outpouring of the unusual comes in on a fairly regular basis.

Here’s a Q&A that involves several possible paranormal phenomena and my comments about individual difference.

• Paranormal Phenomena/My child says our house is “dark”

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Why do millions claim that they “keep seeing the same number”

Carl Jung integrated psychology with spirituality via Wikipedia

Not too long ago someone asked me at AllExperts.com about all those people who claim to see recurring numbers in their lives. Clearly some think the whole idea is pure hogwash while others take it quite seriously. Some of the theoretical problems with the idea are discussed here:

• Why do millions claim that they “keep seeing the same number” (allexperts.com)

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Carl Jung integrated psychology with spirituality.

Paranormal Phenomena: Spirit Communication

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Here’s another question at AllExperts.com. I’m not a blind debunker of all things paranormal. But with these types of issues I always stress the importance of looking for natural answers to supposedly paranormal phenomena.

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Review – Walking Between Worlds Belonging to None (DVD)

Reality Films

This review also appears at Earthpages.org

Written and produced by Steve Mitchell, this film tells the story of Jason, a British man who claims to have been repeatedly taken by extraterrestrials (ETs) during childhood.

Jason says he doesn’t use the term “abducted” to describe his unusual experiences because once he got past the fear factor he simply wanted to learn from his encounters.

This attitudinal shift, he says, opened a door that enhanced his appreciation of not only ETs but of life itself.

In fact, what makes Jason’s account fascinating is his complete willingness to discuss the entire ET phenomenon in an open-minded but balanced way.

Jason offers insights and alternative opinions not found in the vast majority of ET literature, TV documentaries and DVDs.

Topics range from psi and healing abilities, the meaning of life, the variety of alleged ET species, and the possibility of top secret government UFO projects within the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (MOD).

To add to the overall credibility of his account, Jason’s mother is interviewed. Here we find an intelligent woman who has explored all possibilities as to her son’s remarkable experiences and abilities, coming to the conclusion that “he’s telling the truth.”

This video is a must see for anyone wishing to enrich their understanding of the mysterious yet increasingly sought after notion that we are not alone.

–MC

Review – Hamish Miller on The Parallel Community (DVD)

Reality Films

This review also appears at Earthpages.org

Shot mostly outdoors in the United Kingdom’s beautiful West Cornwall, Hamish Miller on The Parallel Community looks at Earth energy, dowsing, near-death experiences, ancient ancestors, spiritual cleansing, alternate realities and a new global movement called the Parallel Community.

Miller, himself, appears to be a happy, likable fellow very much in tune with nature.

He tells of his former life as a successful entrepreneur where conforming to the work ethic (where work is commonly understood as getting some kind of paycheck) gave him everything… but happiness.

One day while driving along in his car he came across a stunning sunset. Miller wished he had time to enjoy it and suddenly realized that he did. So he stopped his car and got out to watch the natural beauty unfold.

This and other pivotal experiences have contributed to this intriguing man’s metamorphosis from international businessman to mellow blacksmith and unofficial leader of the Parallel Community, a group of kindred spirits interested in living in harmony with the Earth.

Among his many recollections in this film, Miller’s personal account of a near-death experience is extremely convincing. Likewise, his story about a serious illness during which time he envisioned sacred beings helping to make him well again comes off utterly natural and believable.

The only reservation I have with this DVD has to do with its claims about dowsing. I’m no expert in this field but, from what I’ve seen so far, remain unconvinced.

Although the dowsing material seems a bit too easy, this shouldn’t deter one from exploring Miller’s unconventional and far-reaching ideas. Rarely if ever do I completely agree with another person’s perspective–unless perhaps he’s Jesus Christ.

This much said, Miller is an engaging, innovative figure who just might be a herald for a better future. And The Parallel Community explores ideas that definitely need exploring in a world becoming increasingly hypnotized by the dimly lit menus of iPods, BlackBerrys and other techno-gadgets.

–MC

The belief in spiritual warfare: some complexities for 2010

Stomp: follow777 / Milan Klusacek

This article also appears at Earthpages.org

When one hears the term ‘spiritual warfare’ images of uncompromising religious fundamentalists and TV preachers may come to mind.

The idea of battling demons is nothing new. Hindus have been familiar with it for centuries. As have Buddhists, Jains, Christians, Jews, Moslems, Shamans and Amerindians, among others.

However, not all persons see spiritual warfare in the same way. One historical example is found with the prominent Hindu philosopher, Sankara (c. 700 – 750 CE).

Put simply, Sankara characterizes the Buddha as an evil avatar–that is, a demon in the flesh. For Sankara all Buddhist distinctions between good and evil deities are misguided.

A similar problem arises when we compare Christian and Hindu spiritualities. For some Christians the entire pantheon of Hindu gods and goddesses are demonic; meanwhile Hinduism itself distinguishes among helpful, harmful and sort of trickster-like deities that may seem ethically ambiguous to some.

Confusing? Yeah, a little. At least, it can be if all we have to rely on is a pile of books or Wikipedia.

This kind of riddle is probably insolvable through reading alone. Arguably we have to experience how different spiritual pathways make us feel–and not just think or, even worse, uncritically adopt a politically correct position.

I’ve developed my own criteria to discern what’s right and not so right for me. It’s not a rigid checklist but an ongoing investigation, subject to change according to my experience and reflection. And perhaps everyone who cares about spirituality should develop their own criteria.

Another interesting wrinkle within the idea of spiritual warfare is found in the psychiatric perspective.

Psychiatry is a more or less unified worldview as to what’s right and wrong with people’s heads and their related behavior. The science of psychiatry has developed dramatically over the past few decades and enjoys a high degree of ideological influence, legitimacy and power, these powers differing somewhat according to local policies and laws.

Anti-psychiatry figures usually point out that homosexuality was a disorder in the 1960s and early 70s before the American Psychiatric Association (APA) declassified it as a mental disorder in 1973.

One can view this fact negatively or positively. Anti-psychiatry figures tend to uphold it as alleged evidence that psychiatry is a sham. Meanwhile, supporters of psychiatry argue that science is always changing and evolving. And the fact that the APA made this positive change is evidence of its scientific credibility.

I tend to embrace the latter view, hoping that psychiatry will continue to grow and recognize not only spiritualities linked to major, established religions but also to those prayerful wildflowers, if you will, who are healthy, beautiful and doing good works but not adhering to any major religious group.

We need pioneers of the spirit who can see through all the varnish, hoopla and hypocrisy of organized religion. Otherwise there might not be any significant spiritual evolution for mankind.

With this in mind, the other day I saw a PBS article about an alleged psychiatric emergency in India. Something about the article struck me as incomplete but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

• Psychiatric Demands Jump as India Battles Mental Illness | PBS NewsHour | Dec. 29, 2009 | PBS: http://bit.ly/8wBbKb

Read and decide for yourself if perhaps the article is a bit hegemonic about the (implied) wonders of 21st century medical science and its associated worldview.

I just wanted to spell out some of the complexities around the oft misunderstood notion of spiritual warfare. There’s no unanimous agreement. For some, gods are demons while others say those very demons are gods.

And atheists might write off the whole gamut of religious deities as some kind of man-made security blanket or possibly hallucinations to be fixed with psychotropic medication, no matter how harmful the short or long term side effects of those medications may be.

This much said, I’d like to direct the reader to the article, Spiritual Warfare Study: Truth Cries Out. Please recall that Earthapages is about dialogue. This piece represents just one perspective among many in this largely unsolved yet important area of debate.

–MC

Jeffrey Mishlove

Jeffrey Mishlove Pt.1

Jeffrey Mishlove has done a series of stimulating interviews on VHS and DVD and teaches a course about intuition and parapsychology. Although he was the first North American to receive a doctorate in parapsychology (in the 70′s), he’s right that others do similar kinds of research in the field. My doctorate on Jung’s notion of synchronicity, for instance, was also pegged as “parapsychology” by the University of Ottawa librarian (in the 90′s), even though I was formally enrolled in the department of “Religious Studies” with a specialization in Psychology and Religion.