A 17th Century Contactee

In the year 1714, the Swedish mystic Emanual Swedenborg, who claimed to be in contact with "beings from other planets" drew a sketch of a "Flying Machine":

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/9d51ce4967dc.jpg[/atsimg]

Historians have acknowledged this as the first sketch of aircraft-machinery. His ideas were ridiculed by Skeptics of his age. In addressing such Skeptics Swedenborg once said:

The art of flying is hardly yet born. It will be perfected and some day people will fly up to the moon. Do we pretend to have discovered everything, or to have brought our knowledge to a point where nothing can be added to it? Oh, for mercy's sake, let us agree that there is still something left for the ages to come!

Swedenborg also proposed other devices and inventions which were way ahead of his time:

In the field of biology, Swedenborg stressed on the importance of cerebral cortex. Apart from these, he drew feasible sketches of futuristic machines, including an airplane, a submarine, a steam engine, an air gun and a slow-combustion stove

Source


He was not only under attack from the scientific establishment but also the religious establishment of the times. In 1769 he was charged with heresy for his ideas.

Dean Ekebom, the ranking prelate, announced that he found Swedenborg's doctrines to be "corrupting, heretical, injurious, and in the highest degree objectionable." Although he confessed that he had not read any works other than the Apocalypse Revealed with any care, he concluded that Swedenborg's views on the nature of the Divine, the Bible, the Holy Supper, faith, and other basic teachings should be suppressed as dangerous to established religious concepts.

Swedenborg started out as a scientist but became a mystic later in his life because he began believing that scientific rationalism is limited and that higher knowledge comes from intuition, higher sources and "angelic beings"

Swedenborgs Life on other Planets provides detailed descriptions of various extraterrestrial races, including those on the Planets of our solar-system. Skeptics point out that we`ve been to Mars, Venus, etc. and found that there is no life on them. According to Swedenborg, the life on some of these planets does not exist on the same "dimensional plane" as our earths...and may therefore remain invisible to the physical eyes.

Apart from his "futuristic visions" Swedenborg also contributed several scientific inventions and literary works of spiritual nature.

From this case we can deduce:

* The "Contactee" phenomenon did not start in the 1950s

* Just like today, both exaggerated materialism and Skepticism and religious fanaticism sought to suppress visionary exploration.

* The first sketch of a flying saucer came from someone who claimed to be in contact with extraterrestrials.

[edit on 8-6-2009 by Skyfloating]

Isn't it comforting to know the "church" condemned his work! It yet amazes me that people put so much stock in the "church". great find.

The Swedenborg guy is an Enigma. Way before H.G. Wells, Jules Verne etc. he went on about world wars, flying machines, People on Mars, Venus, etc. And yet:

one of the most prominent Swedish authors of Swedenborg's day, Johan Henrik Kellgren, called Swedenborg "nothing but a fool"

Many of his works were only recognied after his death:

The first time it was examined was in 1910, by the Royal Aeronautical Society. They called it "the first reasonable suggestion to build a heavier-than-air flying machine." It was then analyzed by the Smithsonian Institution in 1962 who compared its features with that of later aircraft. A model of the ship was also created and stood for many years on display in the museum.

[edit on 8-6-2009 by Skyfloating]

Hmm never heard of this before.

It's interesting about the "dimensional Planes" ETs on Mars etc.
I've always pondered that, like if there is something on Mars, could if be in a different plane and not be visible with the physical eye?

I think someone should go for an AP on Mars and see what they find

Nice post

Love&Light

Jacob

The "ETs in different planes of perception" thing does warrant a closer look. That look wont be provided by nuts-and-bolts UFOlogists who dont factor in metaphysical implications of ET-Contact.

reply to post by Skyfloating


Yeah thats a good point.

I think it deserves a thread, I'm gonna do some research on it.
I'll see what i can find.

Jacob

I had never heard of Emanual Swedenborg till now. This is a very interesting story, and considering the technological visionary of this man and the fact that he was condemned by both the scientific and religious communities of that era - Id surmise that he was a man ahead of his time, and this should be considered a contactee case on the level of Betty and Barney Hill, if not better. I agree with the others, its fascinating how he states that the 'beings' exist in a plane beyond our sight differing than our own realm (even if on Mars, Venus, etc). Im sure mikesingh would love to hear about this, in case he hasnt before.

SnF

[edit on 8/6/09 by Majorion]

reply to post by JacobNH


An UFO-book that goes into this a little is called "Grand Illusions - The Spectral Reality behind UFO Abductions" by Gregory Little. Just FYI.

reply to post by Skyfloating



Thank's Sky!

It seems that we are living same openings and limitations.
Nothing change!
S/F for you.

Happy

Amazing, abductee accounts from the 1700's..... Practically re-writes the history of Ufology.... Thank you for the great find!

While I doubt his account is true, he does make the claim (doesn't purport the book to be fiction), so that puts him in the contactee category from a historical standpoint.

Isn't this an 18th century contactee?

He started out in 1688, but it is true that many of his more far-out stuff is from the 1700s...which is actually the 18th Century, yes.

Originally posted by Gazrok


While I doubt his account is true, he does make the claim (doesn't purport the book to be fiction), so that puts him in the contactee category from a historical standpoint.

And not only that but he also makes a sketch of a flying saucer to go along with it.

I think normally Adamski is considered the first contactee...

[edit on 8-6-2009 by Skyfloating]

There is a modern church with thousands of members whom subscribe that Swedenborg was the "Second coming" and that we are now in a period of transition of sorts.

www.swedenborg.org...

Originally posted by DJM8507
There is a modern church with thousands of members whom subscribe that Swedenborg was the "Second coming" and that we are now in a period of transition of sorts.

www.swedenborg.org...

It seems that as with other Contactees a cult was set-up around his name.

Great stuff. I hadn't heard of him before now. He's the originator of the Nebular Hypothesis we know today. I know it's got a few problems, but it's easy to understand by people like me.

I've got an impression that history creates these random freaks ( in the true sense of the word-unusual, unique, extraordinary) from time to time. They make an impression on whatever follows. Da Vinci, Galileo, Imhotep, Alhazan et al. Time out of joint? Imagine what their minds could make material if they had lived in the 20th or 21st Century?

I'm curious... If he is considered a contactee, then what about Pythagoras - who also stated there was life on other planets? Or maybe I am mistaken, and that is a myth...

He was way before the 17th century, though.

And, just for the hardcore conspiracy theorists... couldn't Jesus be considered a contactee?

Could be dead wrong - just wanted to add speculation.

Don't shoot the messenger haha.

what do you think would happen if we scanned Mars in the infra-red spectrum?

Ive read this may be a "window" of sorts into other dimensions...

Maybe someone with more knowledge can give more insight.

Cool thread.

This is a great find... Very interesting.

I have never heard of this gentalman before. The sketches look awesome, and for him to say that the beings may not be on this plane says alot. I really dont think dimensional planes were being talked about that much in the 1700's. But I mean I could be worng. Either way great post and I will be doing some further research about this

Originally posted by beebs

And, just for the hardcore conspiracy theorists... couldn't Jesus be considered a contactee?

Could be dead wrong - just wanted to add speculation.

Don't shoot the messenger haha.

Alot of people were a Contactees in the days of Jesus and backwards. Regarding Jesus Himself, he was an ET-hybrid, and "As it is, his Kingdom was not of this World"