Erich von Daniken

Greeting: I am curious to see what people in this forum think of Erich von Daniken. I have discussed him in the other forum as well. For those who don't know, von Daniken is a German speaking Swiss who wrote a little book in 1968 called 'Chariots of the Gods' that became a worldwide best-seller. A hotelier by profession, his 1st of many books cast him as an amateur archaeologist challenging long-held theory about human history & pre-history. His basic theory is that Earth was visited in the remote past by alien life, who may have built, or taught us to build, many of our monuments, such as the pyramids of Egypt & Central America. They may even have meddled w/ human genetics by mating w/ proto-human females, thus producing our race of Homo sapiens. Although rejected by mainstream science, von Daniken has written 50 more books on the topic, elucidating his ideas, becoming insanely wealthy, & serving as a gadfly to more orthodox scholars. He contends that records of the alien contacts have been preserved in

religious Scriptures from the Bible to the Vedas & everything in between. Needless to say, neither the academic world of the sciences or the histories, nor the religious realm has much use for him. I have 8 of his books, & am reading them, but I'd like to get your opinions as well. Thoughts, anyone?

I haven't read his books, and probably never will tbh, but I love Ancient Aliens. I know the show is crazy, but it's fun to watch sometimes, especially the first season.  I kinda lost interest in the show when they had a Nazi episode. They just had to Godwin it 

Ah, forgive my ignorance. 'They just had to Godwin it.' I'm uncertain what that means. I'm afraid that my understanding of informal English leaves something to be desired. & thank God EJ doesn't know what Jesus Juice is. He'd really go crazy if he did. I kind of hope he gets his 3 months myself.

You are like a newborn internet baby http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law

I see! How interesting! I have often observed how people have compared things to Hitler & the Nazis, often inappropriately. I didn't know there was a recognised concept for it, though. As a Jew, I've often found such comparisons not only inappropriate but offensive. On another note, the fora will be a nicer place for 3 months now, I take it.

I've heard of him, and I may read one of his books when I get a chance.

This is a better one

#" class="bbc_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Project Camelot, hidden Alien and Human history, Klaus Dona

My signature is offensive and I should be ashamed of myself, but it skips all the sugar coating and goes right to the Godwin of the matter. 

Jroa, ah, ok. Justlurking, that sounds interesting, actually. Have you read it, then?

My signature is offensive and I should be ashamed of myself, but it skips all the sugar coating and goes right to the Godwin of the matter.

I thought Hitler believed in alternate Earth science. I thought he believed that the Earth was Hollow, but later found out it was flat by building a base over there.

Jroa, ah, ok. Justlurking, that sounds interesting, actually. Have you read it, then?

Have I read what? Erich's book. Not yet. I'd like to read Anatoly Fomenko's book first. I'm going to read it next month and then post reviews.

Who is Anatoly Fomenko? I have 8 of von Daniken's books w/ a 9th on order. I've read 2, & shall start my 3rd tonight. I also have one by Graham Hancock. I'll be reading that later.

Who is Anatoly Fomenko? I have 8 of von Daniken's books w/ a 9th on order. I've read 2, & shall start my 3rd tonight. I also have one by Graham Hancock. I'll be reading that later.

Russian mathmatician who insists that the lot of history is a farce perpetuated by jesuits, and that we're about 1000 years off our correct time line.

A thousand yrs off our correct timeline? In what sense?

A thousand yrs off our correct timeline? In what sense?

I don't know yet, because I haven't read his books.

He had an interesting take on the life of Jesus...says he was a king who lived in the thousands.

In fact, he claims most of the historical periods we deem ancient, like the Egypt, Medieval, Greek, and Roman timelines all happened in the same time in the thousands.

According to him, the year is closer to 15 to 1714. Not 2014.

That is not a thousand years off, just a few hundred years.  What a fraud. 

Fascinating. After you have read some, you must come back & tell me a bit about it! Perhaps I might read some of it myself. I've recently taken an interest in alternative theories.

That is not a thousand years off, just a few hundred years.  What a fraud.

Yeah. That was a mistake on my own part so still grab the book.

Thanks, Jroa. I had missed the math myself!

I see! How interesting! I have often observed how people have compared things to Hitler & the Nazis, often inappropriately. I didn't know there was a recognised concept for it, though. As a Jew, I've often found such comparisons not only inappropriate but offensive. On another note, the fora will be a nicer place for 3 months now, I take it.

Don't forget that Godwin's law is recursive.  Bringing up Hitler just to end a discussion doesn't count.

Sure. I understand that. I did intentionally Godwin yesterday, because a few people have it in their heads that EJ & I are the same person. I find that offensive, since he hates Jews. My statement was 'You might as well say I was Hitler in a past life.' Then I acknowledged Godwinning. My intent is NOT to end the conversation, but rather to make people realise that I'm not EJ. I'm a lot of things, not all of them nice, I admit. But EJ I am not, & I find it offensive to be compared to him.

Greeting: I am curious to see what people in this forum think of Erich von Daniken.

For a thorough debunking of Erich von Däniken, please see this site:  http://bit.ly/19YcvEK

In all seriousness, ancient aliens theory makes more sense than old man with a beard God theory. I believe there is one universal God but we were not directly created by him. We are too imperfect, too incomplete and too stupid to call ourselves the work of God the father. So basically we were created by the Annunaki, the advanced alien race. If earth is spherical than they come from a distant planet, if earth is flat and infinite than obviously they came from beyond Antarctica.

In all seriousness, ancient aliens theory makes more sense than old man with a beard God theory.

I'd have to disagree with this.  That's like saying the philosophical ideals of Homer Simpson are more important than those of Fred Flintstone.  And neither exist in the real world.

What evidence do you propose in support of your claim that visitation by aliens enabled the existence of mankind?  Are there any remaining artifacts from their visit, or did they just "create" us and then leave—never to be seen again.  And why would they do that anyway?

Quote from: New Earth on January 24, 2014, 12:09:35 PM

In all seriousness, ancient aliens theory makes more sense than old man with a beard God theory.

I'd have to disagree with this.  That's like saying the philosophical ideals of Homer Simpson are more important than those of Fred Flintstone.  And neither exist in the real world.

What evidence do you propose in support of your claim that visitation by aliens enabled the existence of mankind?  Are there any remaining artifacts from their visit, or did they just "create" us and then leave—never to be seen again.  And why would they do that anyway?

No its not like saying Simpson or Flinstone. The possibility of alien life in vast space is statisticly very high. The probability of God is a lot lower. This is basic math and statistics. Let's go with spherical earth model here. If the space is infinite or very large. Out of trillions of planets there has to be many that can support life. It can be assumed that on some of those planets civilization started millions of years before it did on earth. Thus making some of these alien races very advanced. You should really study some of the theories of Michio Kaku a world renown physicist. He theorizes that there are four types of civilizations. We are 0. So level 4 civilization can actually create life and populate planets. Creating human beings and other species. They can also move the sun, planets and establish any kind of atmosphere and climate that they choose. If such civilizations exist, than it is very likely they have created us. This will also explain why shit is so fucked up in the our world.

Many ask the question why did God create us yet he does not eliminate evil from our world? Why does he allow war, poverty, diseases, crime, exc. If he is a loving father that religions claim he is, why doesn't he interfere when evil occurs. The answer Christians give is free will. But the real answer  and more logical answer is because he never created us. You see if the group of aliens created us as scientific experiment of some sort, than it makes perfect sense why humans are allowed to misbehave and destroy their own environment and act like animals toward each other. If God made he would never be so indifferent toward our problems. 

There is also plenty of evidence for alien visitation. Problem is you are very selective in accepting information. You refuse to do your research and only rely on conventional sources of information who are directly controlled by world governments. Google UFO's, aliens, Anunaki and you will see thousands of articles, eye witness reports and massive amount of information on the subject.

If you read Genesis chapter 1 your own bible tells you who created us. "Let us make man in our image and likeness" Who are they? Notice that creator is plural here.

 The possibility of alien life in vast space is statistically very high. The probability of God is a lot lower.

Broadly speaking, I'd agree with this.

He theorizes that there are four types of civilizations.

I think you may be putting to much credence on this guy's "theories".  They're in reality only hypotheses (ideas lacking any  supporting evidence).

You see if the group of aliens created us as scientific experiment of some sort, than it makes perfect sense why humans are allowed to misbehave and destroy their own environment and act like animals toward each other.

That's a mighty big "if".  Why wouldn't an alien creator incorporate a universal compassion within each of us?

If God made he would never be so indifferent toward our problems.

"God" definitely didn't create us.  There's no empirical evidence supporting the existence of supernatural entities.

There is also plenty of evidence for alien visitation.

I'm afraid I'd have to disagree with this assertion.  There is no viable evidence in support of alien "visitation".

If you read Genesis chapter 1 your own bible tells you who created us. "Let us make man in our image and likeness" Who are they? Notice that creator is plural here.

The Christian bible is simply a collection of fanciful tales cobbled together by a disparate group of ill-educated desert nomads who had no ideas at all of science.  It has no relevance within any debate of a scientific nature,

Well, I'll avoid the designation 'Christian' since Genesis is the 1st of the 5 books of Moses, the Torah. As a Jew, I'd argue its got nothing to do w/ Christianity. I'd also agree its not a science book. Written using many different forms (historical fact, allegory, poetry, etc), the text of the earliest parts of Genesis parallels other creation stories of that time & place. In fact, that's exactly what makes it more likely to have some truth to it. But how much is history, & how much allegory, will likely never be known w/ certainty.

Well, I'll avoid the designation 'Christian' since Genesis is the 1st of the 5 books of Moses, the Torah. As a Jew, I'd argue its got nothing to do w/ Christianity. I'd also agree its not a science book. Written using many different forms (historical fact, allegory, poetry, etc), the text of the earliest parts of Genesis parallels other creation stories of that time & place. In fact, that's exactly what makes it more likely to have some truth to it. But how much is history, & how much allegory, will likely never be known w/ certainty.

The only thing I really want to ask Jews and Muslims: Who is God talking about when he say's "Let US make Man in OUR likeness and OUR image" In Genesis 1:26?

Many Jews would say He is using the Royal We. Some say that he is speaking along w/ other divine beings, ie, Angels.

Many Jews would say He is using the Royal We. Some say that he is speaking along w/ other divine beings, ie, Angels.

Thanks for your answer.