SkepticReport * The Real Dangers Of Armageddon

July, 2003
The world was supposed to end on May 15th 2003 when a brown dwarf passed through the solar system causing catastrophic upheaval and killing 90% of life on Earth. Though it did not happen, this so-called "Planet X" may still represent a danger to life and livelihood.

To some skeptics, the belief in "Planet X" has taken on the nature of a cult religion, and one of the belief's main advocates, Nancy Lieder, seems to have a Messiah Complex. An overview of the tenets of what is referred to as "Zetacult" as well as statements and actions by Ms. Lieder shows clear evidence of this occurring.

Zetatalk, a word used for Ms. Lieder's agenda, web site and her persona when she supposedly channels aliens from Zeta Reticuli started in 1995. What has developed since then is far from warmed over Velikovsky, and it is possible that a handful to thousands have embraced her apocalyptic vision. Therein lies the potential for tragedy. Some cults, like Jehovah's Witnesses survive the passing of a set date for doomsday. Some, like Heaven's Gate don't. At the very least there is the possibility of lasting psychological damage to believers realizing they've been duped.

Zetatalk as cult religion

UFO religions and cults are classified as such because they have replaced an incorporeal deity with aliens who serve the same purpose. Other UFO movements have inculcated other religious motifs such as agents of evil, a creative or apocalyptic narrative and a "heaven" or better life at some point. As seen with Heaven's Gate, these tenets can be deadly.

A god who is "up there somewhere," who cares about Earthlings, has power and knowledge far beyond ours and is looking out for us has been replaced in the Zetacult by the Zetas who are the inhabitants of Zeta Reticuli.
Agents of evil who known as demons or heretics are manifested in Zetacult by government officials and astronomers who are part of a cabal to prevent the "good news" of Planet X from getting out. To believers, NASA is the devil.
An apocalyptical "end time," such as Ragnarok or the events in Revelation occur for the Zetacult when Planet X arrives. A new world is promised to believers who follow the salvation plan offered by the Zetas.
Religious sacred texts contain tenets, methods of salvation or describe the actions (including battles with the enemy) of deities and messiahs. For Zetacult, the texts are easily accessible at www.zetatalk.com. Tenets of faith about Ms. Lieder, Planet X and the Zetas, words of wisdom on a variety of spiritual and scientific topics, methods of surviving Planet Xs arrival so that you can live in the "heaven" of the post arrival world and transcripts of Ms. Lieder's battles with the demons (transcripts of IRC chats with astronomers and skeptics) are all available there.
Prophecy or future sight is used by many religions to demonstrate the higher knowledge of god. Adherents then wait for fulfillment (sometimes with very tortured logic or thin evidence) to proclaim the "truth" of their religion because their god knew of future events. Zetatalk.com has a page dedicated to supposed fulfillments of Ms Lieder's Zeta channeled prophecies demonstrating the higher knowledge of the Zeta gods.
Similar to prophecy are signs and wonders that supposedly demonstrate the truth of a religions tenets or as a demonstration that the end times are immanent. Zetatalk.com includes photos of Planet X that are either fakes or mistakes. Ms. Lieder is also making claims about earthquakes and weather phenomena to prove the Planet X end times is upon us.
Much like Catholic and Orthodox Christianity or Sunni and Shiia Islam, Zetacult endured a schism between Ms. Lieder and a man named Mark Hazlewood. Amid accusations of money-making schemes and copyright violations the two split and are now trying position themselves as the inheritor of Planet X truth.
Cults often develop a siege mentality and seek to isolate themselves from influences that might interfere with total adherence to cult dogma. Zetacult isolationism is primarily intellectual and seen mainly in their on-line presence. Believers heavily moderate and censor chat sessions and message boards and skeptics or dissenting opinions are removed just for asking questions.
Cults and fringe sects of religion, such as Young Earth Creationists follow a simple credo - Science is bad, Revealed Knowledge is good. This credo is at the heart of the Zetacult. It doesn't matter what some PhD is telling you. It doesn't matter what some amature skywatcher with her own 8 inch telescope tells you. It doesn't matter what mathematicians, astronomers, geologists or meteorologists are telling you. All that matters is Ms. Lieder's revelations from the Zetas.
Cults have charismatic leaders who get the good news out, recruit believers, do battle with agents of evil and tell followers exactly how to live their lives. Some like Marshall Applewhite and David Koresh see themselves as messianic figures. This next section will show that Nancy Lieder sees herself to be one as well.

Nancy Lieder as Messiah

Ambitious people, out to save or change the world, have often seen themselves as historical figures. Some of them have crossed a threshold and begin to see themselves as divine agents or as deities themselves. The results have largely depended on circumstances and the levels of power attained by these individuals. In Alexander the great, the results were, unless one was Persian, generally neutral or positive. In Hitler they were devastating on a massive scale. With Messrs. Applewhite and Koresh tragedies occurred, but on a much smaller scale. Some of Ms. Lieder's claims put her in league with these last two, but luckily she doesn't have her believers ensconced in a compound. Keeping in mind the cult/religious aspects of Zetatalk, an analysis of these claims clearly shows a messianic mindset.

She claims to be a "chosen one of the Zeta gods."
She claims to have exclusive access and to speak for the Zeta gods.
She claims to be able to deliver humanity from the Planet X end times.
She claims to be fighting against agents of evil that are out to spread disinformation and prevent the populace from accepting Zetacult's truth.
Like Osiris, Bohidarma, Jesus and other message bringers, she claims to have suffered or gone through a trail to become the chosen one.
This quote is from the May 13, 2003 edition of Coast to Coast AM with George Noory:
"Because we could rely on her at this point in time. Uh, after years of, of intense pressure, um, ah, trying to gut her, ah, from every angle that affects a human being, um, to, ah, give up, walk away, um, close down her psyche, alter her message, um, make mistakes, uh, we could rely on her not to do that…"
In addition to her transformative ordeal, she sees herself as a social or intellectual martyr for her cause, and expresses a willingness to be physically martyred as well.
She sees herself as emulating historical characters and that she'll be thought of as one as well. Again, from the May 13, 2003 Coast to Coast AM:
"I am Joan of Arc and Mother Theresa in essence…"
The Joan of Arc reference is a clear attempt to reinforce her martyr image as well.
She claims to the gift of prophecy though revelations made to her when she channels the Zetas.
She has an entire web site and publishing company dedicated to telling believers how to live their lives and what they must (move to safe area, euthanize pets) in order to make it through the Planet X end times.

It matters

People who argue against nonsense have many reasons for doing so. Some altruistically try and help their fellow man avoid being scammed out of money or pride while others just want to rid the world of kooks and kooky ideas. One of the most altruistic efforts a skeptic can make is trying to stop someone from ruining their lives or worse yet committing suicide over bogus beliefs like Planet X and the Zetacult. The arrival date for Planet X has passed, but the time for confronting Zetatalk and Nancy Lieder has not.

For more Information: Phil "Bad Astronomer" Plait has an excellent page fully debunking all things Planet X. Bad Astronomy