Ufo's, Thor's hammer & me.

 I love the off beat. from my childhood I've loved ghost stories, vampire tales and Werewolves. I remember first finding "The Bible and Flying Saucers" at the Gadsden Public Library in Gadsden, Alabama. When I wasn't searching the stacks for horror novels. I was looking for paranormal and UFO related books. 

I found UFO Twitter (Now X) and thought "wow. Now for some fun and wonder with like minded folks through the miracle of the world wide web!"  But alas. Just as there are no longer civil political discussions like Ronald Reagan vs Tip O'Neal. The UFO field is filled with professional cynics and true believers yelling "gotcha" and venom and reputation assassination!  There was a UFO book club but it didn't last long. Still YouTube is my friend. I still enjoy the wonder of a night sky and think "what if?"  So here's my blog for UFO Sunday Afternoon!

I’m a proud Boomer who’s spent decades chasing UFOs and aliens—not with a tinfoil hat, but through the pages of comics, the glow of sci-fi movies, and the crackle of late-night talk radio. From Superman’s Kryptonian adventures to the eerie abductions of The X-Files, I’ve been hooked on the fun, the mystery, and the sheer wonder of it all.

 Growing up with DC’s offbeat comics. Superman from the planet Krypton to Marvels The Mighty Thor! Those colorful pages were my first taste of the extraterrestrial, making aliens feel as epic as my favorite superheroes. Watching old reruns of black&white movies like Earth vs The Flying Saucers. As a teenager & young adult in the 70's UFOs were getting serious. Close Encounters of the Third Kind hit theaters in 1977, and I was floored. Those glowing ships and that five-note melody felt like Superman landing on Earth, full of awe and possibility. 

 It wasn’t just a movie—it was a comic book epic, minus the capes.Around then, I discovered Whitley Strieber’s Communion and Jacques Vallée’s Passport to Magonia. Strieber’s tale of gray aliens visiting his bedroom was spooky, half-expecting a tap at my window. Vallée’s idea that aliens might be mythic tricksters, like Loki in Thor’s tales, blew my mind. It's still the best treatment I've heard.  These books added depth to my ufo love, blending the wonder of Close Encounters with the mystery of my old comics.

 Mulder and Scully chasing abductions and conspiracies ‘Jose Chung’s From Outer Space’ with it's quirky humor is classic. It was the perfect mix of comics, sci-fi, and mystery.Then there was Art Bell’s Coast to Coast AM. I’d listen in my car or bedroom  radio crackling under a starry sky. Art’s voice, weaving tales of Area 51 and abductees, was like a sci-fi radio play. I remember hearing Strieber talk about Communion or the 1997 Area 51 caller hoax. Fun stuff. Those nights felt like The X-Files meets Thor’s cosmic quests, keeping me up wondering if a saucer was overhead.

 I’m still a UFO fanboy. Modern shows like Ancient Aliens are fun, but nothing beats my classics. I’ll re-watch Close Encounters on Prime Video marveling at its comic-book wonder, or scroll through an e book version of Strieber and Vallée on my Fire Tablet.  their ideas as wild as ever. The Pentagon’s UFO videos and TikTok alien memes keep the buzz alive, but for me, it’s about nostalgia—the same rush I got from comics, Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, or Art Bell’s voice. I’m not waiting for disclosure; I’m just enjoying the ride, grinning like a kid who thinks Superman might spot a saucer.

Losing my religion and finding Easter!

I've been thinking a lot about death and hope lately.

Resurrection. How does someone who Was born and raised In the church. In the bible belt in Alabama. Become a liberal Jesus follower Instead of a conservative Christian.

And I'm not gonna argue about 
The MAGA movement Trump nonsense. Or the identity politics of the far left.  The Jesus that I remember And the teacher that I follow is the one that said The Kingdom of Heaven is within you. And I've Seriously come to take That means every creature on Earth. Every star in heaven.

Is a reflection of the Divine.

I personally. Feel like that. Loving your neighbor as yourself means. That you accept the right Of the existence Of people that you don't have to agree with.

But that you can understand that they're on their own Journey. When President Trump  got elected this second time.

I saw a Bishop. Stand up in a church. Maybe it's because she was lesbian. Maybe it's because she's a liberal. I don't know, but. I heard her speak. In a loving voice to power. And I was impressed. And she looked at our newly elected King at least he seems to be in some people's eyes. Sorry for the sarcasm.

And she said Mr President people are afraid. Have mercy! Have mercy! And I thought that's what Jesus would say regardless. That's what John the Baptist would say. And had his head cut off for saying it. Speaking to power the way power didn't want to hear it, have mercy. How is that
blasphemous or disrespectful? That was Christ speaking to the Pharisees. That was John speaking to Herod

and yet the pompous powers that be And the supporters of power started yelling. Heretic. She should be ashamed. Left-Wing Looney. 

 Have mercy On those. You have power over, they're afraid. Have mercy on them. Show them love. That that offended? People that I had. Been raised to look up to. The same church that had spoken of the worth of the poor and downtrodden were now offended. Have Mercy!

Born Again, Christians. It offended people because she didn't support Trump. And because those people she was talking about were gay or illegals? Different. I remember an old episode of All in the Family. Archie was on one of his rants. And at the end of his rant.

He said. Something, and it's not an exact quote, but something like. It offends God. And Edith looked at him and said very softly, then let God handle it.

I was taught to love not To rail and scream and judge. 

Resurrection, my resurrection. My faith and my beliefs have been battered. And thrown aside and trampled. My dogma got ran over a long time ago. I don't do Creeds, and I don't do Thou shalts and shalt nots. 

In my heart of hearts. I still Acknowledge the divinity and the wisdom of the one who said Love your neighbors yourself! And love the Lord, thy God, above all things. 

and in my experience all things are in the Lord, thy God. I know that. So I don't. I don't do fire and brimstone. I don't do physical bodies coming up out of Tombs.

I don't do literal interpretation of ancient parables and language I have no ability to parse every word of. There's a lot of stuff I don't do anymore. It's funny but my grasp of resurrection is similar to Paul's. What's sewn is physical. What's raised is spiritual. 

I still follow him. I still look to him. And I still see. The wisdom. And the love of God. And love for the poor and The Afflicted as he did and for the down cast.

When I first started to work
in the 80s for Etowah County. Late 80s. I got a job With the county as a tax appraiser. And I was scared every day because. I have messed up so much in my youth and I wanted to finally Get it right. Not quit a job because I was angry or lazy or scared.

Just get it right this time. And I did. But there was a man who was. Because I was listening to Christian radio. Who was always yelling the skies falling. The sky is falling buy gold buy gold. The sky is falling. Jesus is coming God's angry and buy gold your stuff and hunker down.

That man probably meant well. He passed away some years later. As we all do. But he probably meant well. But what a fear-mongering Unnecessary Dogma. And This young man. Wasted nights and days of unrest that weren't necessary so you can have your fear if you want it. You can keep it.

 I was thinking the other day. I think it's because Now that I'm in my 60s? In my late 60s.I've had heart surgery. I don't hear as well as I used to. I don't move as fast as I used to. And I don't take the little things. As seriously as I used to.

I don't care. Whether somebody thinks I look presentable or not. The way I used to
and I feel the fragility Of this body.I use a CPAP machine to breathe at night.

Not too long ago. It wasn't a near-death experience, because as far as I know. I wasn't dying. But found myself in a place of Pure white light. It was brighter than the Sun. It was so peaceful. And didn't hurt my eyes at all
And I knew in that light. Was everything and everyone that ever was, is and will be. The light is the light of God's presence. And the reality Of everything and everybody, and every creature. I knew was in that light

And it helps me sometime now. As I walk through this world. Because I mess up a lot. I screw-up relationships. I can think of a couple I've screwed up in my life that I wish I could go back and redo, but I know. They're in that light. Nothing's dead.

So, that's. My story for Resurrection Sunday. When it comes I won't be in church. I won't be wearing Easter frocks and I won't be reciting any creeds. But if you're there. And the Leader Says he is risen, and you answer. He has risen indeed. I agree.

Peace!

Happy Easter!