We are not alone in the Universe

Review by Andy Lloyd

Has   our   history   been   fundamentally   influenced   by   a   hidden   alien   agenda?      The author   of   this   well-written   and   thought-provoking   book   believes   so.      His   interest in   some   form   of   external   intervention   was   derived   from   his   studies   of   the   Fatima event   in   Portugal   which   took   place   in   1917.      Dr   Kulczyk   has   a   PhD   in   laser applications,   and   he   set   about   interpreting   what   may   have   happened   during   that summer on the Iberian peninsula using his specialist engineering background.   He   was   impressed   by   the   case   because   of   the   large   number   of   eye-witnesses   of   a remarkable   'display   in   the   sky'   (the   "Miracle   of   the   Sun"),   and   the   predictability of   each   visionary   appearance   of   the   figure   whom   many   interpret   as   the   Virgin Mary.      He   became   convinced   that   the   visions   were   created   by   a   visiting   culture whose     engineering     prowess     enabled     the     phenomenon     through     utilising advanced laser technology, combined with an undeniable penchant for theatrics.  This   may   sound   far-fetched   on   first   consideration,   but   once   the   author   brings   his expertise   to   bear   on   the   case   it   begins   to   not   only   become   a   plausible   possibility, but   even   seems   quite   likely.      This   becomes   Kulczyk's   spring-board   to   examine history with a fresh pair of eyes.  Having,   in   his   mind,   established   that   intervention   occurs,   he   points   out   how many   turning   points   in   history   rested   upon   quirks   of   chance,   or   a   series   of   events which   seem   implausible.      I   would   say   that   Kulczyk   has   a   strong   deterministic streak   in   his   philosophical   outlook.      He   is   certainly   no   believer   in   a   SNAFU explanation   for   human   history.      I   find   the   idea   that   even   great   thinkers,   leaders and   scientists   are   prone   to   egregious   mistakes   more   easy   to   bear.      But   who   is   to say?  Here, he argues his case: "I   believe   that,   as   in   the   case   of   Nazism   in   Germany,   the   situation   in   Russia   [the   fall   of Communism]   required   intervention   because   there   was   a   need   to   remove   the   communist regime.        In    this    case    intervention    would    be    very    difficult    because,    as    was    already mentioned,   the   intelligent   beings   can   influence   the   beliefs   of   individual   persons,   however they   cannot   interfere   in   the   activities   of   large   groups   of   people   who   strongly   believe   in certain   ideas.   Therefore   it   is   easier   for   them   to   achieve   the   necessary   results   in   states ruled   by   a   dictator   than   in   democratic   countries,   because   it   would   be   sufficient   to   change the convictions of only one person."  (p220) But   his   analysis   of   the   Fatima   visions   remains   a   strong   contender   for   intervention of   some   kind.      Kulczyk   argues   that   the   encounters   are   neither   typical   Marian visions,   nor   are   they   typical   UFO   sightings   and   related   phenomena.      Ironically, where   UFOs   are   probably   not   E.T.   related,   the   Fatima   events   might   be,   he   thinks.     But   the   organisation   of   such   encounters   would   have   to   have   been   extraordinary, even   by   today's   standards.      I'm   reminded   of   illusionist   Darren   Brown's   recent experiments    at    mind-control    by    creating    an    immersive    but    wildly    fictional environment   for   his   unsuspecting   subject.      I   can   see   how   aliens   with   technology and intelligence beyond ours would also be up to the task. Such   conjecture   is   bread   and   butter   to   researchers   like   me.      Where   I   might   have taken    the    book    further    down    that    rabbit    hole,    "We    Are    Not    Alone    in    the Universe"   takes   a   different   path.      The   bulk   of   the   book   is   an   essentially   factual description   of   some   of   the   grand   turning   points   in   history.      It   takes   in   the   sudden emergence   of   civilisation   in   Sumer   and   Egypt   (which   the   author   generously describes   as   egalitarian   societies   compared   to   their   more   barbaric   neighbours).     He   ascribes   their   appearance   to   an   import   of   peoples   and   knowledge   from   a proto-civilisation   located   somewhere   in   the   Caspian   Sea   area.      This   zone,   he thinks,   was   visited   by   the   'intelligent   beings'   who   gifted   the   peoples   of   the   area with   great   learning   in   the   art   of   civilisation-building.      The   locals   migrated,   some of   whom   became   the   Sumerians   who   then   descended   upon   the   marshlands   of Mesopotamia.   The   chapters   which   follow   describe   some   of   the   great   prophets,   and   how   the monotheistic   religions   established   themselves.      The   centre   of   the   book   becomes   a thesis    on    comparative    religions.        Whether    this    seemed    relevant    to    the    claim posed   in   the   book's   title   is   a   moot   point.      Kulczyk   provides   some   useful   insights into   how   the   competing   religions   fitted   into   history.   These   religions   were   seeded by   the   intelligent   beings,   he   proposes,   through   visionary   experiences   similar, presumably, to those experienced in Fatima.   Then   he   looks   in   some   depth   at   the   lives   of   more   modern   thinkers,   like   Nietzsche     and   Gurdjieff,   and   how   their   philosophies   might   direct   humankind   towards   a future   where   we   ourselves   become   fully   conscious   beings,   like   the   aliens   who have   intermittently   moulded   our   civilisation   and   development.      All   of   these chapters   are   well   written,   balanced,   informative   and,   above   all,   interesting   to read.      They   contrast   with   the   author's   appraisal   of   the   alleged   decline   in   our   own society's    moral    standards,    which    becomes    something    of    a    Daily    Mail    rant.      Statistics   can   be   pretty   much   used   to   deliver   whatever   point   you   want   to   make   in this area, and the author's usual careful journalistic balance becomes derailed.   The    focus    on    religion    in    the    book    (and    bear    in    mind    that    the    author    is    an established    scientist)    led    me    to    ponder    whether    he    was    advocating    an    alien dimension    to    angelic    intervention.        There    may    be    a    fine    line    between    the paranormal     and     the     supernatural,     if     any     distinction     beyond     our     biased interpretation exists at all.  In   the   true   sense   of   the   word,   the   purported   existence   of   the   intelligent   beings could   be   classified   as   'occult'.      Their   influence   is   hidden,   and   is   intermeshed   with esoteric   thought   and   philosophies.      This   interpretation   may   reflect   the   interests of   the   author   more   than   any   reality   that   we   can   hope   to   establish,   given   the known   scenarios   outlined   by   him,   but   it   would   be   nice   to   think   that   there   really are   some   guardian   angels   from   the   stars   looking   out   for   our   interests   as   we continue our inexorable progress. 

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