Our whole lives are built upon belief systems that provide the framework for hopes and dreams. Even here in America, where religious traditions are progressively moving to the wayside, children hold onto the promise that comes with tooth fairies, Easter bunnies, and Santa Claus. And this is a good thing. Without something to look forward to, and allow our young minds to venture to those places that promote believing and chasing dreams, the linearities of commercialized and commoditized adulthood would even cripple our youth.
As we get older, chasing hopes and dreams gets more and more difficult. Quite simply put, life gets in the way (at least we allow it to). But, as we embark down paths of self-study, the promise of exploring, discovering, and learning sometimes sparks that youthful curiousity again, and just plain keeps us ticking. We need it as individuals, and we need it if we are to progress as a species.
This morning, I caught an episode of the History Channels’s ‘Chasing Mummies’, which follows the work of Dr. Zahi Hawass, perhaps the world’s premiere Egyptologist. The show is fascinating, bringing a modern day attractiveness and public appeal to this field of study and shedding some much needed light on this important piece of human history. What caught me off guard was Dr. Hawass’ constant claiming that his passion for archaeology is what is needed for discovery, while just a moment later he went to great lengths to debunk theories of whom he referred to as ‘Pyramidiots’. Cool term, yes, and this is clearly a subject that causes him some pain.
Hawass referred to ‘Pyramidiots’ as those believing a number of theories including that aliens built or at least influenced building the pyramids, and/or that there is a lost Hall of Records somewhere below the Sphinx that details how global civilizations evolved from one single origin – Atlantis. In this particular episode, Hawass set out to specifically debunk the Hall of Records theory by haphazardly showing crude evidence that there is absolutely nothing beneath the Sphinx – and yet the power of the Sphinx is indeed the fact that its mysteries will go unsolved for eternity. Hawass went as far as criticizing the work of Edgar Cayce and the Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.), suggesting that these theories have no sound science behind them. This may be true, however any scientist worth the shirt on his back wouldn’t outwardly debunk a theory without of course a thorough analysis of the null hypothesis…let’s see the proof that there IS NOT, NOR HAS EVER BEEN, a Hall of Records or extra terrestrial influence on the Giza Plateau.
Perhaps with Hawass being so quick to debunk these theories publicly – and it is with great respect for his work that I suggest this – even he holds on to that little bit of hope that answers the questions that are larger than life itself rest right in his backyard. But, as a scientist, of course he has many layers to explore before delving into personal beliefs and allowing them to influence his science.
Now, was Cayce a ‘Pyramidiot’? Of course not. This was someone who took exploration to levels many of us can only dream of…to other psychological dimensions, possibly even other dimensions of time and space. Are there truths to his theories, and his work? Absolutely. Are there still areas in need of great examination? Without a doubt. Is it worth ‘believing’?
That is what keeps us ticking.Share
