Signs: Is it really happening?

In the movie Signs, crop circles suddenly start appearing all over India, and then all over the world... Strangely, less than three weeks after it's theatrical release, bizarre reports surface of UFOs appearing in India, attacking villagers.

For real? Or just a natural, explainable phenomenon?

I'd like to initiate a discussion here relating to both the film, as well as the topic of, Signs. What do they mean to you?

In the film, Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) explains there are two kinds of people:

1. Those who believe in coincidences.

2. Those who believe that there are no coincidences.

Furthermore, I think the film was designed to mean different things to believers and skeptics, both.

The question I'm posing on this thread is: Which type of person are you, and why? Let's start the diuscssion by using the above article as a platform for explaining your beliefs or skepticisms. I'm curious to study the variety of respones, observations and interpretations generated by the same, one incident.

Also, don't just limit your response to, for example, "Oh, I'm a Buddhist and that's why I believe this is a hoax." I'm trying to bring about a secular discussion of the more fundamental nature of what makes some people believers, and what makes others skeptics...

If the mods feel this topic is redundant, or belongs in the JCC, please let me know. Otherwise, everyone is welcome to participate here!

 

Hmmm.

I have difficulty placing myself in either category. I believe that certain things in one's life aren't coincidence, but I have trouble believing (accepting?) that everything is coincidental, because it carries the loose implication that we have no free will. I believe that there are certain situations in life that are somewhat preordained, and that what you do when it comes to it is what really matters. So I do believe in fate to some extent, which I suppose puts me in group 2 ...

That said, I don't believe that the Indian villagers in the article you provided are suffering from UFO attacks. I find no rhyme or reason in it. Why would extra-terrestrials attack people in a backwater village?

Of course if what the villagers say is all true, then the official explanation of 3-1/2 inch bugs is obviously inadequate.

 

As amazing as they are, you do not need extraterrestrial help to make a crop circle. Just before the movie opened tons of people started making crop circles. As for the UFO's I dunno. There's been too many redneck's hiding their homosexuality by saying it was "aliens" that gave them anal probes for me to take alien sightings seriously.

 

"Coincidences are God's way of remaining anonymous."

Just a cute quote I read recently.

I think it only works for most people if you're thinking about 'good' coincidences though. There are bad ones too, and most people hate to think that God would actually not stop bad things from happening.

 

First off, i saw the movie Signs and thought it was fantastic. I also agree that the movie is suposed to mean things to the skeptics and belivers in the world. That said i am definately on ewho does not believe in coincidences and i s generally pretty skeptical about things dealing with the supernatural. Personally I have always felt that people who believe in coincidences have to believe that way to calm themselves. I think it is hard for them to realize that life may just be about nothing at all and no one is looking out for them.

As far as the UFO sightings in India, I cant really say for sure being as i have not been there, but it does seem a bit like mass hysteria to me. As a skeptic, I need proof of something so fantastic.

 

I think it is hard for them to realize that life may just be about nothing at all and no one is looking out for them.

Actually it's not hard for me to realize the possibility, it's just depressing live by it.

If life is meaningless and no one cares, what's the point of getting out of bed in the morning? What is there to strive for, what possible difference can one make in a meaningless existance? Meh.

 

Didn't know about India. Though its wierd.

Some crop circles are unexplainable because of the way they were created. Compare those unexplainable crop circles with man made ones and you'll notice theres a difference.

Also there was a crop circle found outside of an observatory just a couple weeks before 9-11-01. What made this crop circle different from the others was that this crop circle resembled the binary code we sent into space for aliens to pick up.

The "We Come In Peace" message. The difference between the message and the crop circle was the number of planets highlighted, 3 planets, and the figure and some other things. This binary crop circle was discovered right next to the same observatory that sent the Human Binary message.

Now, the reason why scientists are taking this crop circle seriously is because, 1: It was on property that no civilian can have easy access too and 2: You have to have knowledge in the Human Message and the Binary Code and some other stuff to create a Response Message such as the one found in the field.

 

In light of the "Monkey Man" incident, I'd take the UFO sightings with a grain of salt...

 

If I'm not mistaken didn't the first crop circle started in Great Brittain, later in the world?

hmmm

Well crop circles can be an hoax. But I could be real aswell. I'm a bit indifferent about this one...

 

That said i am definately on ewho does not believe in coincidences and i s generally pretty skeptical about things dealing with the supernatural.

sleazo: One thing I want to clarify is that when I say coincidences I mean to say that things are happening not because of some predetermined "orchestration" of events. If there were no coincidences, by contrast, that would suggest everything is a predetermined, orchestrated, series of events... all interrelated and with predefined purpose.

A coincidence is the result of an event or events that come about or come together for no apparent reason at all.

So, let me ask you this... Do you think that there is a reason this event is occurring in India now, suspiciously near the same time as the movie Signs, in which part of the story focuses on "supernatural" occurrences first observed in India?

 

Snowdog- perhaps i wasnt clear, but that is what i was reffering to as well. I just think it is a random coincidence that these UFO sightings are going on near where they took place in the movie. UFO sightings are not uncommon and i think this story became more interesting to people because of the movie.



Oh and TeeBee, whilei do consider life meaningless, I dont find it depressing, I rather enjoy the little peasures in my life,

 

Just wanting to clarify... if you have religious reasons for believing as you do... don't be afraid to mention your religion in here as part of your response... but just be aware that the focus of this discussion isn't on religion.

 

To quote Seinfeld's Elaine,

"Fake. Fake. Fake. Fake. Fake. Fake. "

 

Come on people... I want your perspectives... what makes you skeptical, or what makes you believe? I'm not just interested in knowing whether or not you think this is real or fake, coincidence or not... I want to understand your reasoning based on the "facts" presented from all sides in the article.

Also, thanks womberty for the monkey man example... Anyone who wants to present their analysis of that situation, please do so.

Again, the whole idea here is to explain in detail, the things that lead you to your conclusion... and not just the conclusion itself.

 

I watched a team of guys do a very intricate crop circle on the discovery channel. They went around and asked a bunch of people if it could be done, and of course all the people the showed said "no" But DC set up nightvision camera's over the proposed site, and in one night, with cars driving by 100 yds away, about 10 guys produced a very intricate cirle.

The world is full of hoaxes. It isn't that I don't think ET life exists someplace, I just don't see the compelling evidence that Bubba in New Mexico insists is there. The government can't keep anything secret, let alone hiding ET life. These are same people that think the military is capable of telling troops to cover something up, and they will listen like mind-numbed robots. Some military people would sell out their own mother if the price was right.

 

People who make circles were caught.

 

It was creepy. I was watching Larry King interview Matthew Perry (us alcoholics stick together) and someone had made a crop circle........Of Larry King! It was eeriely realistic too. To quote Matthew "Wow that's really.....creepy"

 

What about the case I posted at the beginning of this topic?

Any insights?

Namely I'm curious about the weak inference doctors/government made between bugs and the injuries, and the lights seen by eyewitnesses.

Any thoughts on this in particular, arguments either way?

 

There are no coincidences, what I wrote about is happening and soon they will attack and we will be able to save ourselves with H2O.

Why else do you think I wrote this book for? It's a guide to defeating the aliens, not for money or personal gain.

 

These are same people that think the military is capable of telling troops to cover something up, and they will listen like mind-numbed robots. Some military people would sell out their own mother if the price was right.

And those people aren't selected for the job that requires secrecy and are 'warned' to remain silent or else. You'll be surprised what a threat can do and how much the military can do to destroy your life. It may sound absurd but its not. It has happened before in history, look at Russia for example. People disappeared all the time over there during the Cold War.

And if the military doesn't use the threat of force/death/ruin/etc then they will come up with a lie and make you believe what you are doing is good for the Country and Military. They will play on your patroisim and loyalty. Should you become a problem, the military can assign you to some place where you won't be a problem anymore. Antartica or Alaska anyone?

The military CAN keep secrets and sometimes they can't. Area 51 is a good example of failing to keep something a secret. But it was bound to be found out anyway because 1: Its big and 2: People do become curious when they are told to keep out of an area. 3: Area 51 is a R&D Facility that researchs in Avionics. Because of this, people saw what they thought were UFOs and began investigating.

But Area 51 has been able to keep whatever they are doing inside a secret. Are they really doing Avionic R&D? Or is it a place to study UFOs and Extra-Terrestials?

When was the first time the world ever heard of the Stealth Fighter and the Stealth Bomber? Not until the military revealed it to the public. Before that alot of people around Area 51 mistakened the delta shaped crafts as UFOs.

Did you know that Area 51 has the worlds longest run way? Over a mile long! Whats up with that?


Namely I'm curious about the weak inference doctors/government made between bugs and the injuries, and the lights seen by eyewitnesses.

I'm also curious and immediately wrote it off as absurd. If bugs were responsible for this than how come it never happened before? Especially since these bugs are supposedly from around that area. My 4 year old nephew can tell the difference between a star, a plane, and a firefly. I'm certain these people can do the same.

 

I for one, do believe that there are some higher intelligence out in the univerese. You can call them aliens if you want, but all an alien really is is something that we aren't familiar with. Think about it, thats the way it was in Signs. They weren't familiar with them, so they dismissed them as aliens. If anything, WE are the aliens, I mean, we are sooo primitave on earth, we haven't even to begun to exlpore space.


So what I am sayings, is that there could have been aliens on our planet already. If your in a way that you chose not to believe in that stuff, then more power to you. But think about it, the idea of some higher intelligence visiting our humble Earth is NOT AT ALL far-fetched. You just have to ask yourself, what do you believe in??

 

My 4 year old nephew can tell the difference between a star, a plane, and a firefly. I'm certain these people can do the same.

Did you not read the Monkey Man article? The "mass hysteria" explanation works for me.

 

The reason why they concluded the Monkey Man as mass-hysteria is because no one was reliable. Everyone had a different story.

Now, as I recall from the article about the UFO sightings everyone pretty much had the same story. Either the villiagers all got together to create the worlds biggest hoax after watching Signs or they are telling some kind of truth or they are hysterical.

 

It's not happening. Read this about hoaxes.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/020826/misc/26gotcha.htm

 

Now we're getting somewhere.

Does anyone notice how various people have witnessed the same events and interpreted them with varying accounts?

What about that? Does it say that the event itself is entirely fabricated, or that not everyone understood precisely what the cause for these phenomena were?