Antonio Ribera’s Ten Commandments on UFOs

Antonio Ribera’s Ten Commandments on UFOs

(From the book *Encuentros con Humanoides*, Editorial Planeta)

First conclusion: what—for the sake of clarity—we call a UFO is, in all likelihood, a super-machine created by a superior technology. In a forthcoming book, I intend to examine everything we currently know about these machines of the Cosmos.

Second: these super-machines have not only conquered space, but have likely also conquered time and what we refer to as interdimensional barriers. Thus, it is not only possible that they originate from outside the Earth, but also that they arrive via another dimension. The two main theories—the extraterrestrial and the pluridimensional—would thus harmonize with one another.

Third: I do not believe these are mere creations of the mind. Mental constructs do not register on radar, nor do they leave behind ground impressions weighing up to thirty tons. Fourth: these super-machines are crewed by living beings of humanoid appearance.

Fifth: the morphological diversity observed among the crew members (also referred to as "occupants") seems to suggest a diversity of origins—although on our own planet—and this must not be forgotten—white, blond Scandinavians standing 2 meters tall coexist with black-skinned Pygmies measuring 1.20 meters, and both are *Homo sapiens*.

Sixth: the possibility cannot be ruled out that some of the occupants observed are robots—whether "electronic" robots or "biological" robots, the product of highly advanced genetic engineering.

Seventh: regarding their "intentions," we know practically nothing. We can only speculate, in accordance with our own preferences. (As I stated before the House of Lords, the UFO is a mirror that reflects the face of the beholder.)

Eighth: the labels of "good" and "evil," when applied to the crews of UFOs, constitute a clear instance of moral anthropomorphization.

Ninth: there exists a remote possibility that some of these super-machines originate... from the future. In that case, they would be the "time machine" envisioned by H.G. Wells, brought into reality by our distant descendants. Were this the case, the journeys they would undertake in them back to their past (which would be our present) might conceivably be... tourist excursions. (I shall return to this "tourism" hypothesis later on.)

And tenth: until we know more, we must adhere to that quintessentially British and pragmatic policy of "Wait and See." Yet, I believe that the enigma will eventually be unveiled.

[For readers who may be unfamiliar with the name, Antonio Ribera was one of the most important UFO writers of the 1960s and 1970s, writing extensively about UFO incidents in his native Spain as well as Latin America. He was also a translator, responsible for bringing works such as Arthur C. Clarke's "2001: A Space Odyssey" to Spanish readers. He worked closely with Flying Saucer Review and other publications of that time.]