| As a discipline, archaeology examines the artistic | | | | nearly the dawn of time. The thing is that there |
| and technological remains of various cultures in the | | | | are those among the influential who would imbue |
| attempt to learn more about them. Often from | | | | intelligences from beyond this earth with a |
| these objects, students learn about more than | | | | metaphysical prominence above that which you |
| the subject's material nature but also insight into | | | | would bestow upon someone from another |
| the beliefs and paradigms important to the human | | | | country as being different from but frankly no |
| species at a particular time. | | | | better ontologically than you ultimately. |
| Probably the most prominent representative of | | | | While a highly creative individual, to Steven |
| the discipline in public culture is none other than | | | | Spielberg, these creatures are much more than |
| Indiana Jones, with Stargate's Dr. Daniel Jackson | | | | imaginative characters or plot elements. Rather, |
| coming in at second. As a narrative itself created | | | | the acclaimed director has had an interest and |
| at a particular point in time, the Indiana Jones | | | | belief in the paranormal throughout much of his |
| movies themselves can be placed under | | | | life beyond that of a mere narrative device and |
| investigation to unearth what our own culture has | | | | he has been reported to have had a number of |
| believed at various points in recent history as well | | | | encounters with the unexplained. |
| as the ideas shaping those having such influence | | | | In the movie, the quest was not so much to |
| over our own society. | | | | verify whether or not transterrestrial life simply |
| Through comparing "The Kingdom of the Crystal | | | | existed as a biological fact of life but rather that |
| Skull" and the other films of the Indiana Jones | | | | enlightenment was somehow obtained from these |
| saga, especially with "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and | | | | beings and as such they were worthy of the |
| "Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade", one can | | | | adoration and devotion once reserved for God |
| detect the shifts taking place all around us as to | | | | Himself. As the public comes to embrace this |
| what the broader and popular culture perceives as | | | | worldview more and more, we are beginning to |
| foundational truth. For example, though the films | | | | see a shift from viewing beings like this in a solely |
| should not be seen as a systematic theology upon | | | | naturalistic context of beings from another planet |
| which to base one's faith, "Raiders of the Lost | | | | not all that unlike our own to, as in the case of |
| Ark" and "Last Crusade" had at their base | | | | "The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull" as coming |
| Judeo-Christian assumption in that artifacts | | | | from a realm transcendent to our own from |
| connected with this tradition, namely the Ark of | | | | what could be referred to as another dimension. |
| the Covenant and the Holy Grail (the cup used by | | | | Thus, in essence, in terms of our paradigms, the |
| Jesus Christ at the Last Supper) were actual | | | | Western mind has come full circle to an extent |
| historic objects and, since these objects in legend | | | | but on a less sure footing than when it set out on |
| exude a power that cannot be explained by | | | | the quest to comprehend the cosmos in which |
| conventional science, one assumes they are | | | | we find ourselves. It use to be believed that |
| connected to the divine. | | | | nonhuman intelligences originatinated from another |
| In the latest film of the series, "Indiana Jones | | | | realm (initially Heaven but tossed out when they |
| & The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull", | | | | followed Lucifer/Satan into rebellion). Then as the |
| ultimate wisdom and power is not seen as | | | | West increasingly fell under the spell of what |
| originating in a traditional conception of God as in | | | | Francis Schaeffer termed "modern modern |
| "Raiders Of The Lost Ark" or "Last Crusade" or | | | | science" (meaning science opposed to the |
| even in spirits as in "Indiana Jones & The | | | | existence of the spiritual realm) such entities were |
| Temple Of Doom". Rather in the latest installment, | | | | believed to come from other planets. |
| the source of enlightenment happens to be those | | | | However, as the New Age movement has |
| entities with the bulbous heads and lanky limbs we | | | | become so entrenched that it is no longer new |
| have come to know as extraterrestrials whose | | | | anymore and prefers even fancier titles such as |
| crystalline skulls in this story can serve as | | | | "cosmic spirituality", now it seems our alleged |
| powerful tools through which to augur the future, | | | | betters along the path of evolutionary |
| communicate with these beings, and to gain | | | | consciousness take on the best and worse of |
| control of the world. Though an entertaining story, | | | | each depending upon one's perspective. For |
| it may have considerable basis in reality --- or at | | | | example, in the latest Indiana Jones adventure, no |
| least in the worldviews of its high level producers. | | | | longer are the gods of the dawning order |
| For example, the opening scene with Indy | | | | disembodied spirits we cannot see but rather |
| trouncing through the military hanger is set in | | | | posses physical form we can relate to even if it |
| none other than Area 51 and the top secret | | | | differs vastly from our own. And yet even |
| project he alludes to working on 10 years prior to | | | | though they are like us, the also come from a |
| the events of the story is none other than the | | | | place apart from and above our own so avoid |
| Roswell crash. Some might flippantly dismiss these | | | | banality by providing us with the hope of |
| as urban legends that have taken on lives of their | | | | somewhere possessing a transcendence we can |
| own beyond the significance of any incidents that | | | | still aspire to. |
| may have occurred in these locations that now | | | | Those watching "Indiana Jones & The |
| fire the imagination. However, it is pretty hard to | | | | Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull" can feel free to do |
| ignore the Nazca lines which were not discovered | | | | so with a clear conscience as it is primarily an |
| by modern man until the discovery of flight and | | | | entertaining adventure story. However, as with |
| the existence of a tribe of Indians that mutilated | | | | the protagonist of this series, viewers should take |
| the shape of their skulls to make themselves | | | | with them the assorted equipment necessary to |
| appear as if they were from beyond this earth. | | | | avoid the pitfalls and traps they are likely to |
| Even these can be dismissed as historical or | | | | encounter as they undertake an expedition into |
| anthropological curiosities as human beings have | | | | this realm where imagination intersects belief. |
| believed or done some rather bizarre things since | | | | |