NZ Skeptics Articles

Aliens Special

6th January 2025

Happy New Year! We had so many articles come in for our Alien special that I had to split them up into two separate newsletter issues, and even then this issue is probably our longest newsletter yet. We’ll be back to our normal programming in a couple of weeks, hopefully looking at the Honey browser extension scam, the phenomena of vocal fry and indie voice/cursive singing in modern music, the potential resurgence of an unusual group I covered last year, a review of the recent movie Heretic, and more.

However, for now, Katrina looks into a recent update to the Drake Equation, adding two new variables to the list. Bronwyn and I have visited Share International, and describe both our visits and the history of the group. Al Blenney has been reading a recent UFO book, Imminent, and remains unconvinced by the author’s story. And finally I finish off the harrowing (but not really alien-related) tale of my colonic irrigation, from just before Christmas.

Mark Honeychurch

Visiting Share International

Mark Honeychurch - 6 January 2025

Visiting Share International

Share International is an organisation that I've been interested in for quite a few years now. Whenever I see their stands at wellness events and local fairs, I make a beeline for them and have a chat about aliens, UFOs, crop circles and more. It's always seemed a little weird that their membership is predominantly retirees - I tend to associate UFO belief with younger people who have a passion for science and technology, but without the critical mindset or understanding of the complexities involved with interstellar travel to understand that their beliefs are implausible.

The History of Share International

Bronwyn Rideout - 6 January 2025

The History of Share International

Share International is an interesting offshoot of Theosophy, putting a space-age twist on the works of Alice Bailey and Helena Roerich. Established by Scottish painter Benjamin Creme in 1974, Share has many of the same goals as Bailey's Lucis Trust and associated organisations: pooling spiritual energy to help humanity, and receiving guidance from the Ascended Masters. What makes Share International unique amongst its neo-theosophical kin is its heavy focus on the emergence of a specific Ascended Master called Maitreya, who will supposedly resolve the world's various ills. The Ascended Masters are not alone in their work, as UFOs and crop circles are signs that various space brothers are assisting them in their rescue of Earth. Creme has made numerous statements and predictions on Maitreya's behalf, many about his full public emergence, and almost none of which came true. However, that has not stopped Share International from claiming that all and sundry weather phenomena and tricks of the light are evidence of his continued presence. I'll try to give a brief profile and history of Share International, one of the more spiritual UFO groups that exist today.

Ring around Uranus: My Colonic, part 2

Mark Honeychurch - 6 January 2025

Ring around Uranus: My Colonic, part 2

In part 1 of this article, I explained how I ended up being compelled to book myself a totally unnecessary colonic irrigation a few weeks ago, just before Christmas. After years of procrastinating, I finally managed to book an appointment after a new clinic opened up in central Wellington in October. In the lead-up to my appointment, the day before I had swallowed a teaspoon of green food-dye in the morning, and a teaspoon of yellow food dye in the evening.