When it comes to the matter of informing a naive general public about the reality of the UFO Phenomenon, many more familiar with the topic will argue that the way to introduce this topic to the broader population is to begin by focusing on what are – in some ways – the most relatable, or at least the least objectionable aspects, of the entire enterprise. And for most that means focusing on the fact that we have documented evidence, going back decades, of sophisticated aerial vehicles being intelligently controlled in the skies above our heads.

While the topic clearly goes much deeper than that, it’s understandable that many would want to focus on this angle. They would argue: let’s inform a general public that’s been existing in a state of ignorance up until now that advanced craft performing death-defying – and at least based on our current understanding of physics – often physics-defying maneuvers, have been legitimately and repeatedly observed and recorded in and around the atmosphere of our planet. Once that’s been established we can move onto the more paradigm-shaking aspects of the phenomenon.

Of course, front and center when it comes to those more paradigm-shaking aspects of this phenomenon involves these apparently non-human intelligences interacting – face to face and up close and personal – with a surprisingly large segment of the human population. Here we’re speaking of so-called “abductions”, shocking events that involve these apparent “aliens” entering people’s homes and often taking people back to the sophisticated craft that have been observed in our skies.

Robert Hastings is a long-time, well-informed UFO enthusiast who long argued for just such an approach. He’s been known throughout ufology as a nose-to-the-ground, nuts and bolts, show-me-the-data, ultra-pragmatic and hyper-rational researcher, and was much respected for it. Many saw him as exactly the kind of science-based researcher this field – long seen by some as too full of “woo” to be taken seriously – needed in order to establish this topic as a credible field of inquiry amongst academia and the broader general public.

Hastings’ specific focus, spanning over decades, was on the documenting and evidence-based recording of shocking events involving UFOs making incursions into highly secure and ultra-sensitive nuclear weapons facilities across the United States and elsewhere. Hastings’ has been driven by an uncannily singular focus to bring this matter to the attention of the general public, despite what he saw as clear and long-standing efforts by the U.S. government to cover-up such events.

As I say, so-called “nuts & bolts” researchers, those who focus on the technology and presence of these apparently non-humanly engineered craft in our skies, long respected Hastings for his pragmatic, evidence-based approach. However, that perception of Hastings took a turn in a surprising direction just a few short years ago when Hastings, along with co-author Bob Jacobs, published Confession: Our Hidden Alien Encounters Revealed. This book, which sent shockwaves throughout the field of ufology, detailed lifelong personal encounters between Hastings and these apparent aliens. Yes, indeed, to many people’s shock and no doubt horror, Hastings had emerged from the shadows to publicly identify himself as a contactee/abductee.

Not only was this in itself a surprising turn of events, but it of course raised all sorts of questions regarding the steely, singular focus of Hastings’ to bring the topic of what he called “UFOs and Nukes” to the public’s attention. After realizing he’d been interacting with these beings for decades, going back indeed to childhood, Hastings couldn’t help but wonder if, underlyingly, his life-long mission was actually one encouraged and even sub-consciously implanted by these non-human “others”.

The questions and implications that arise as a result of Hastings’ revelations of contact are profound and far-reaching. And these are the very matters we’ll endeavor to unravel in this, the 30th episode of the Point of Convergence podcast.