A Genealogy of the Extraterrestrial in American Culture
A Genealogy of the Extraterrestrial in American Culture
A Genealogy of the Extraterrestrial in American Culture
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k<strong>in</strong>d <strong>of</strong> susta<strong>in</strong>ed rapture, was especially <strong>of</strong> note when compared to <strong>the</strong> dis-ease and<br />
displacement that would attend later alien abductions.<br />
The messages given to Adamski were fairly predictable, closely follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> l<strong>in</strong>es <strong>of</strong><br />
messages <strong>of</strong>fered by earlier space bro<strong>the</strong>rs, ascended masters and <strong>the</strong> spirits <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dead. In his<br />
first encounter, Orthon warned Adamski <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> loom<strong>in</strong>g threat <strong>of</strong> nuclear war and <strong>of</strong> his fellow<br />
extraterrestrials’ concerns about Earth humans’ warlike ways. In this first encounter, Orthon and<br />
Adamski communicated via a comb<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> gesture and telepathy (<strong>the</strong> latter reflect<strong>in</strong>g earlier<br />
occult traditions).<br />
He made me to understand that <strong>the</strong>ir com<strong>in</strong>g was friendly. Also, as he gestured, that <strong>the</strong>y<br />
were concerned with radiations go<strong>in</strong>g out from earth…<br />
I persisted and wanted to know if it was dangerous to us on Earth as well as<br />
effect<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> space.<br />
He made me understand—by gestur<strong>in</strong>g with his hands to <strong>in</strong>dicate cloud<br />
formations from explosions—that after too many such explosions. Yes! His affirmative<br />
nod <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> head was very positive and he even spoke <strong>the</strong> word ‘Yes’ <strong>in</strong> this <strong>in</strong>stance. The<br />
cloud formations were easy to imply with <strong>the</strong> movement <strong>of</strong> his hands and arms, but to<br />
express <strong>the</strong> explosions he said, ‘Boom! Boom!’ Then, fur<strong>the</strong>r to expla<strong>in</strong> himself, he<br />
touched me, <strong>the</strong>n a little weed grow<strong>in</strong>g close by, and next po<strong>in</strong>ted to <strong>the</strong> Earth itself, and<br />
with a wide sweep <strong>of</strong> his hands and o<strong>the</strong>r gestures that too many ‘Booms!’ would destroy<br />
all <strong>of</strong> this. 238<br />
Thus Orthon noted <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r side <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> human potential for perfection—<strong>the</strong> potential for<br />
annihilation. In tales <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> trials that ostensibly precede ascension, <strong>the</strong> space bro<strong>the</strong>r myth<br />
sometimes tended to collapse this opposition—l<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g annihilation and perfection, fur<strong>the</strong>r<br />
underl<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g its status as a k<strong>in</strong>d <strong>of</strong> secular millennialism.<br />
In a later journey, recounted <strong>in</strong> Inside <strong>the</strong> Spaceships Adamski ostensibly reencountered<br />
Orthon and made <strong>the</strong> acqua<strong>in</strong>tance <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r beautiful aliens, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g a Martian called “Firkon”<br />
238 Leslie and Adamski, 1953, 199.<br />
155