Chariots of the Gods - influential

When I first read "Chariots of the Gods," I probably re-read it 4 or 5 times in the first month. I was really hooked by the information presented.

I was just wondering, how many of you would say that this book had an impact on your perceptions of what was going on in history?

Together with 1984, Brave New World and The midwich cuckoos it made a nice basis for my current views.

like I said in another thread;

I don't know how much credibility Erich Von Daniken has here, but I can say that he probably got quite a lot of us into the topic of Ancient Astronauts.

I don't know if he writes the truth or not, but he does make us look beyond "the official story" and makes people think "outside the box" and that's a plus for me.

From personal experience I can say that sometimes it is more important to know "where" the truth is than "what" the truth is.

I believe it had a very positive effect on me.

Questions I had . . . were now turning up publicly . . . asked by an author

who believes that past mysterys . . . have answers.

reply to post by Truth1000
Is it that time already?! Not had a Daniken thread for a while.

Although the book is a misleading collection of misidentified artifacts and cultures (and lies), it's worth a read if people harbour an interest in history and mystery. As a young teenager, books like these intrigued the hell out of me. I couldn't get enough. Older, I've read more about the claims and origins of the artifacts and learned a lot about history on the way.

A typical example of the influence of these wild ideas is Dr Mark Lehner. He started off believing the Edgar Cayce shiznet and has since become influential in Egyptology. He laughs at all that now, but still concedes it was formative in his career.

Imao, Daniken is a weasel...rich weasel...but has maybe set a few people on the right track in spite of it all.

My point is that the mere stimulation of interest caused many people to seek more information related to these subjects.

I have similarly heard that many acrcheologists got into archeology because of the influence of Indiana Jones.

Originally posted by Truth1000
My point is that the mere stimulation of interest caused many people to seek more information related to these subjects.

I have similarly heard that many acrcheologists got into archeology because of the influence of Indiana Jones.

True, and true. But as Kandinsky here says about Lehner, once you get into the formal studies you leave most of the 'speculative' stuff (read 'poo') behind...pretty much in the first lecture.

I grew up in a very devote catholic upbringing lead mostly by my father, but one day when I was about 15 I asked him what kind of books he had read when he was my age. He told me Chariot's of the Gods was really good. He didn't tell me anything about it, so when I read it. I was blown away and had my mind blown. The last guy in the world I would expect to read a book like take, considering his point of view on religion. It really made me realize a lot about my father and opened my mind up to a whole world of possibilities.

Originally posted by MKultraVideos
I grew up in a very devote catholic upbringing lead mostly by my father, but one day when I was about 15 I asked him what kind of books he had read when he was my age. He told me Chariot's of the Gods was really good...The last guy in the world I would expect to read a book like take, considering his point of view on religion. It really made me realize a lot about my father and opened my mind up to a whole world of possibilities.

Ironic, eh? I had debates with my father as a kid about the whole UFO thing, which he completely dismissed as nonsense.

But before he passed, he had come to read Timothy Good and figured that there was likely something to it after all. Mind you, I now think we are looking at Black projects...nothing alien about it.

Just goes to show that it's healthy to keep an open mind and require evidence enough to form your own opinions.

[edit on 5-5-2010 by JohnnyCanuck]

My aunt was a devout catholic, and when she died I "inherited" many of her books. I remember that CotG was the only one of them I really read, and I've read it dozens of times. Not only was it influential in my current thinking, but all of the outlandish claims really led to the first time I had read a book and felt the need to fact check it... which led to reading more books on a variety of subjects that really started forming a base for me to draw my own educated conclusions.

That's the same way I felt. I'm glad I'm not alone on this.

reply to post by MKultraVideos

One of the main themes in the Chariots books is the attempted explanation of Old Testament miracles such as the pillars of smoke and fire in Exodus, the miracle of manna from heaven, the Sun and Moon appearing to stand still during the Battle of Jericho, and so on.

As a result, the books are popular with Christians of a certain outlook. It is not at all unusual to find them among the effects of deceased Roman Catholics.

I have still to read this book. I have heard many opinions on it and they have all been positive. I may pick this book up to read on the airplane when I travel to Europe this summer. It looks to be like quite an interesting read.

I haven't read it personally, but I plan too. I read mostly sitchin's books.

A few years ago I read Chariots of the Gods and I thought it was decent, sparked a bit of interest. Later that year I read Hancock's Fingerprints of the Gods. Now that, was influential, for me at least. I think its because Hancock is a better writer than von Danicken, but even so, the overall scope of the book was much greater.

Even though I've learned a lot since then, Fingerprints of the Gods is still one of my favorite books and it really does have the power to grip your imagination.

Originally posted by Kandinsky
reply to post by Truth1000

 

Is it that time already?! Not had a Daniken thread for a while.

Although the book is a misleading collection of misidentified artifacts and cultures (and lies), it's worth a read if people harbour an interest in history and mystery. As a young teenager, books like these intrigued the hell out of me. I couldn't get enough. Older, I've read more about the claims and origins of the artifacts and learned a lot about history on the way.

A typical example of the influence of these wild ideas is Dr Mark Lehner. He started off believing the Edgar Cayce shiznet and has since become influential in Egyptology. He laughs at all that now, but still concedes it was formative in his career.

Imao, Daniken is a weasel...rich weasel...but has maybe set a few people on the right track in spite of it all.

Hhmm, not to cast aspersions on your judgement but I think you could find a better example than the good Dr Lehner, I remember his vain attempt at building a scaled version of the great pyramid using the Egyptologists accepted techniques, epic fail or minor fail depending on your perspective. Not to mention his close ties to a certain Zahi Hawass. He gets a good bashing in Gods of the New Millennium by Alan Alford, which is quite interesting if you like Chariots of the Gods. My favourite is Mysteries from Forgotten Worlds by Charles Berlitz. As with anything you must apply critical thinking to what someone else is telling you whether it is an academic expert or a keen amateur. I always get wary when people scream money grubber at someones attempts to give their opinions in a book. They are often very selective of who they sling the mud at.
I can't say I agree with everything Von Daniken claims but he certainly opened my eyes to alternative ideas of our history. I say read it and make your own mind up!

While we are on the topic I wonder if anyone can help me out, I remember watching a documentary many moons ago about the idea of ancient astronauts narrated by William Shatner, I thought it was Van Daniken's documentary Chariots of the Gods but after getting a copy on DVD I was disappointed to find out it wasn't the one I remember watching. Anyone have a clue what it was I watched?

[edit on 8-5-2010 by SOXMIS]

Originally posted by Kandinsky
reply to post by Truth1000

 

Is it that time already?! Not had a Daniken thread for a while.

Although the book is a misleading collection of misidentified artifacts and cultures (and lies), it's worth a read if people harbour an interest in history and mystery. As a young teenager, books like these intrigued the hell out of me. I couldn't get enough. Older, I've read more about the claims and origins of the artifacts and learned a lot about history on the way.

A typical example of the influence of these wild ideas is Dr Mark Lehner. He started off believing the Edgar Cayce shiznet and has since become influential in Egyptology. He laughs at all that now, but still concedes it was formative in his career.

Imao, Daniken is a weasel...rich weasel...but has maybe set a few people on the right track in spite of it all.

I totally agree ... the guy could see an alien connection in pretty much anything ... but that said it was him that encouraged me to think/look outside the box ... and in doing so it opened up a whole new perspective on ancient history potential (for me at least) ... a subject that I have always been passionate about.

Whilst some of his stuff is beyond ridiculous ... there are some interesting and thought provoking gems in there too ... definately worth a read, as long as you don't get sucked into believing everything is 'fact'.

Woody

Laugh it up fuzzballs.

But there was a time before (the wit and wisdom) of the internet, DVDs, video tape players...well, you get the picture.

I remember walking around with a paperback copy of Erich Von Daniken's Chariots Of The Gods in the back pocket of my blue jeans...

I remember defending his views in a highschool science class debate forum. Everyone thought I had lost it...

Yea, now you young hipsters laugh at the Von D. But, trust me, back in the 70's Mr. Von Daniken was the cat that started an entire generation of young men and women down the road to a lifetime of 'searching'. I know, I was one of them.

Hey, SOXMIS. I don't think it's the movie you are looking for - but I remember slapping down my $1.25 (or whatever amount is was) and buying a movie ticket for The Outer Space Connection (1974).

That stuff was gold, Jerry, Gold!

Edit: Back in the 70's "they" also did not teach us to spell.



[edit on 8-5-2010 by univac500]

Originally posted by univac500
Laugh it up fuzzballs.

But there was a time before (the wit and wisdom) of the internet, DVDs, video tape players...well, you get the picture.

I remember walking around with a paperback copy of Erich Von Daniken's Chariots Of The Gods in the back pocket of my blue jeans...

I remember defending his views in a highschool science class debate forum. Everyone thought I had lost it...

Yea, now you young hipsters laugh at the Von D. But, trust me, back in the 70's Mr. Von Daniken was the cat that started an entire generation of young men and women down the road to a lifetime of 'searching'. I know, I was one of them.

Hey, SOXMIS. I don't think it's the movie you are looking for - but I remember slapping down my $1.25 (or whatever amount is was) and buying a movie ticket for The Outer Space Connection (1974).

That stuff was gold, Jerry, Gold!

Edit: Back in the 70's "they" also did not teach us to spell.



[edit on 8-5-2010 by univac500]

Cheers univac, I'll try and hunt down a copy, I remember doing the exact same thing with my high school (or senior school in the UK) chums, they thought I was off the peg too, mind everyone still does so I never managed to grow out of it!

[edit on 8-5-2010 by SOXMIS]

I've been meaning to read this or watch the movie for AGES!

Here's a link to the Google video: Chariots of the Gods

I'll get back to you! Thanks for reminding me about this!

peace

reply to post by SOXMIS

My favourite is Mysteries from Forgotten Worlds by Charles Berlitz.

I used to love Berlitz' Bermuda Triangle book...read it several times and planned to visit the Bermuda Triangle when I grew up.

He was actually the tipping point for me...the reason I lost faith in the 'lost races' and 'ancient astronauts' writers. At the end of one chapter (I think it was about the Aussie pilot who vanished), Berlitz describes the guy's feelings and final words or thoughts. At that point, it became clear how much 'artistic license' he was using. When you see through one, you see through them all.

Regarding Mark Lehner. His attempt to move blocks failed, but it was attempted. The 'ancient astronaut' fans just scratch their asses and guess that aliens flew down in their limestone spaceships to teach us about building stone monuments.

reply to post by woodwytch

Whilst some of his stuff is beyond ridiculous ... there are some interesting and thought provoking gems in there too ... definately worth a read, as long as you don't get sucked into believing everything is 'fact'.

I agree I used to get a bit 'bratty' about Daniken and especially the ATSers who think he's a man of virtue. I've mellowed since and see the benefits of younger teenagers reading his books. Not many will get a thrill from academic texts! The Daniken books could be described as 'intellectual potty training.'