What are best ways to educate a skeptic?

Usually when discussing the topic of UFOs and aliens, most people are open to the idea of life outside of our planet earth and the possibility of us being visited by beings from other places, whether extraterrestrial or inter/extra dimensional. In other cases, some people find it hard to believe any of these things.

This has probably been discussed here before but I would like to know the best way to deal with a person who is a skeptic but appears to have some level of interest in knowing what's out there. What some or evidence or articles are available for the hard core skeptic to help sway their thinking? There are many points of reference out there but unfortunately many are not credible enough or are tainted.

Thoughts please?

Originally posted by Jaellma
There are many points of reference out there but unfortunately many are not credible enough or are tainted.

Thoughts please?

I think that such a realization is the first step towards the education of a "hard core" believer.

You can't sway anyone's thinking though.

As a believer myself, I know there is zero evidence and proof to say we're being visited and like the top scientists and great minds of the world, my belief that there are intelligent species out there is based purely on the acknowledgement that the Universe is too big to house just one tiny rock full of life.

Originally posted by Jaellma
What some or evidence or articles are available for the hard core skeptic to help sway their thinking?

Sway or educate???? There's a BIG difference.

second

We can't do anything about it. The only one who can change skeptic mind is himself. We can show them a dozens of proofs, but it still wouldn't matter because once you've decide not to believe in something, there is nothing that can change your mind. Skeptic will always be skeptic till he/she sees a UFO or alien...

reply to post by Jaellma


Probably by keeping them away from YouTube. I'm a believer. But most "sightings" are either fake, staged or misidentifications. People who post on YouTube..and unfortunately here too all too often would have you believe everything in the sky is a UFO. Keep researching.

Look for the more credible stories. Stories and images from before the days of video editing software. Stories where there were multiple credible witnesses to the sightings. Like the Rendlesham Forest incident. Even Roswell. The US Government admitted it had a UFO then retracted it the next day. Really?

Common sense is your best tool.

Then again....we already knew just our galaxy alone has what? 100 billion stars in it? And now scientists have just come out and said that probably every single star has it's own solar system. Or at least one planet associated with in. Just OUR galaxy.

Maybe nothing any Earthling has ever seen was extraterrestrial. But just the math alone from the sheer numbers of planets out there means there has to be life outside of earth. Being skeptical is good though. Keep being skeptical. But just think about the numbers. And research a few well documented cases.

Some...like the Gulf Breezes Fl. cases I bet we're top secret military projects. Others...like Rendlesham...are just too credible.

Don't confuse credible with too good to be true. If it's too good to be true as far as a pic or video...it probably is. But some incidents are also just to reliable. I don't want to change your skepticism. I'm still the biggest skeptic on ATS, but also one of the biggest believers. Keep looking. Your answers are out there. But don't believe most of what you see or hear.

I do believe one thing that Project Blue Book said. Of a total of 12,618 sightings reported to Project Blue Book, 701 remained "unidentified." It didn't mean they were extraterrestrial, but even the Air Force admitted it couldn't explain everything it investigated. Even is the odds of the totality of the circumstances of their investigations being 1 billion to 1 of an actual extraterrestrial craft, the math I already stated above means there are at least several hundred potential ships from planets just in the Milky Way alone.
Blue Book Wiki
FOIA Blue Book reports


You can do the rest of the math and then think on that a while....

Some skeptics are already educated since they were once believers
I am a believer in the ET hypothesis but not in youtube videos of balloons , lanterns , planes or night vision of satellites ,birds and bugs and no amount of education will make me

You can't educate someone to except your view on ET if you have no solid evidence to show them , and solid evidence we don't got

I guess, for me, the question is, why do you feel the need to "educate" them? Why is it so important that they believe as you do?

Educate a sceptic? How about educate yourself to be more sceptical?

You beat it into them!
LOL

Scepticism is healthy It does not mean another disagrees with you - It means they are not convinced
I have seen UFOs with my own eyes but yet I am not convinced they were Alien.

You cannot pour water into a cup that is already full.

Originally posted by Chewingonmushrooms
You cannot pour water into a cup that is already full.

Yes you can but it makes a mess
No ones cup is full really or what is left to learn

reply to post by artistpoet


Yes there are some that have their cups full, we all do in fact to a certain extent. You cannot teach/inform/enlighten someone that is already convinced they have all the answers. That applies to believers and non believers alike in any subject.

People call it closemindedness as opposed to openmindedness. Like the difference between stern and flexible, both have pros and cons.

reply to post by Jaellma


OK, I wouldn't try to sway there opignion. I'd try to educate them instead. And let them make up their own minds. I'd start by showing them these in that order.

Our Planet
Our Solar System
The Milkyway and our position within
Field of Galaxies

Then go on to explain that Earth is relitively young. Our civilization, according to the books, is approximately 10000 years old. A blink of an eye if compared to the age of Earth which is approx. 4.5 billion years old. That's 450000 human civilizations. Now, all through the cosmos, what if their was a planet 500000 years older then ours. And never had any major natural desasters or deseases, for arguments sake. Can you imagine how advanced that civilization would be?

There is no way to educate ignorants. It's one thing to doubt the majority of crap on the internet, I myself do, especially when it comes to YouTube because youtubers are dumbest people on the planet.. but you cannot say with certaintly on what many occassions has shown.

Ufology is not science but it starts like every undiscovered thing - just a claim that later turns into a fact. Researchers have the right to investigate it since there is too much data about it to say, 'Oh everything is a lie'. We have flaws in evolution theory, we have tons of books and writings about gods, what for? Ancient Hoaxers? : ))))) No, there is some of it, pictures and so many things talking about them. That's why the Ancient Astro Theory exists and it is also a way to go, looking for the truth

And add today's sightings frm military to unknown, real evidence of technology coverup. I've said it - neither believe eveyrthing you read on the internet, dont believe most, nor deny things you don't know, like claiming what a DUMB has or not or calling people liars - whose history has clues to say they worked there - certain or not you can't be sure all they say is lie, lots of the info is truth mixed with lies so no one believes even the little.

reply to post by Chewingonmushrooms


My opening line was just a bit of fun.
I agree with your response to my post

reply to post by Gridrebel

Well, I think with propereducation one may be able to sway a skeptic.

I am a skeptic. I dont need to be educated. If there is some evidence (not the crap found on YT or the CGI and photoshoped stuff that continually gets posted) that is brought forth that shows me something is of extraterrestrial origin, I shall believe it. But so far, all I have is hearsay and stories from anonymous people.....nothing to seek my teeth into.

So yup, im a skeptic. But I also believe there is some form of life whether it be supernatural/paranormal or something else outside of the world as we know it or as we live in.

EVERYONE should be skeptical of all the stuff that gets posted and not blindly believe every darn thing that is posted on YT or on websites. EVERYONE should question everything! EVERYONE should go thru a process of elimination before just blindly believing.

Skeptic is not bad. Being blind to one side is though and believing anything and everything is.

So again, skeptics do not need to be educated. But blind believers most certainly do. They need to learn the signs of hoaxes, planets, stars, satellites and earthly things flying around in the skies....

reply to post by artistpoet


I know brother, just wanted to add some input as my first post was left open to more interpretation that I intended it to.