Ancient Aliens on the History Channel - WOW

I posted this on my blog but realized I should have made it a discussion topic...sorry if this annoying, I'm new to the site!

I hope some of you have watched this series 'Ancient Aliens'. I bring it up here, because the 'experts' that are interviewed remind me of supposed experts in the fields of creationism and relgion.

Have any of you watched it? Like a fking train wreck, I try but I can't look away! For those who haven't seen it, 'experts' on possible ancient extra-terrestrial visitors discuss how certain hard-to-explain structures or works of art may have come to be.

Take the Egyptian pyramids for example. An expert will claim something such as "there is simply no way that people 5,000 years ago could have built these pyramids", without any real explanation as to WHY they could not have done it, and immediately jump to the conclusion that they must have been visited by super intelligent aliens who gave them the technology and engineering expertise needed to build such a thing. They go further and surmise that the reason for the mysterious air shafts running through the Great Pyramid were possibly hydrogen refueling stations for alien spacecraft. They then provide absurd drawings and examples of how such a thing would work. They never seem to ask the logical question: why did the aliens stop helping us? why/how did we lose these technologies? why is it that the aliens would teach ancient egyptians how to build a hydrogen storage and refueling station, but none of the technology of how to build a hydrogen fueled craft of their own was ever passed on?

It reminds me very much of a believer blindly following what they read in (or are told is in) the bible. Not thinking for themselves. Not using REASON.

I really don't know where I am going with this post, just curious what, if anything, others here might think about this show and creationists/believers/blind faith in general?

1 member likes this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Cathy Cooper on February 4, 2011 at 4:43pm

Lol, I watched it. It was pretty funny. With all those aliens out there, shouldn't we be taken over by now??--where's Mulder when you need him.....

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jon Heim on February 4, 2011 at 9:14pm

yeah...I've seen this. It's ridiculous but not very surprising.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tex in the City on February 4, 2011 at 10:09pm

No kidding! If you are anywhere within spitting distance of a christian holiday you get a 3 day marathon of shows about the life of Jesus. Maybe they need a sub-network called "The Imaginary History Channel"!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Heather Spoonheim on February 4, 2011 at 10:04pm

I love these kinds of shows and find them very compelling - at least as thought experiments. There are HUGE holes in our scientific knowledge and it's wonderful to ponder the sorts of things that could fill the gaps. I really wish that more of these shows would delve more into interesting scientific enigmas rather than just throwing together scientific straw men, though.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tex in the City on February 4, 2011 at 10:07pm

You're right, nothing but straw men. If they could first explain their premise that egyptians could NOT POSSIBLY have built the pyramids, or the Incans the Nazca lines, etc...that would be a start. And then fill in the blanks from "i don't get it" to "it must be aliens".

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Becca on February 4, 2011 at 10:17pm

These "experts" probably don't realize that as cool as Stargate is it's not real. :)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chadia on February 5, 2011 at 6:31am

hilarious

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jānis Ķimsis on February 5, 2011 at 7:31am

Whenever I hear someone claim that the Egyptians couldn't have built the pyramids, I can't help but feel that the person has never done any hard physical labor.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chadia on February 6, 2011 at 7:08am

yep, that's why it's hilarious lol

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Richard Raymond on February 6, 2011 at 12:37am

Right, and how come the aliens, like god, only show themselves in the past when we didn't have cameras to take pictures. I'm sure god could make a lot of money with his alien friends if he distributed his picture and theirs. Now, that would be proof! I'd join a religion right away! Just show me a few miracles and magic tricks and I'll follow you anywhere.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Willson Stoner on January 9, 2012 at 9:33pm

The whole idea of ancient aliens building the pyramids is an insult to humanity! The Egyptians had the same ability to think and reason that we do today. Their brains were no different. It's sad to see the History Channel airing this sort-of-history pseudo-scientific crap!