UFOs: Fact or Fiction
With a quick glance at the posts on MUFON.com’s website, it is clear that the site is primarily meant for people that wholeheartedly believe in UFOs. However, it is possible for people that are skeptical to post information. These skeptics don’t bash the MUFON community but they publish posts that discredit acts that are believed to be extraterrestrial.
Science Is The Answer
On the website, it seems that there isn’t much room for people to debate topics. People have to become members, which comes with different levels and costs, to publish any posts or take part in activities. This leaves little room for nonbelievers to state their opinions because they are less likely to spend money on a membership for an account about something they are not dedicated to. Although this does deter most, it seems there are still some skeptics on this site.
Without becoming a member, the posts that can be seen are very limited. The posts that can be seen change so it only took a few days to find a post that was against their views. These posts usually state that there are scientific reasons behind the strange activities that the community believes are UFO-related. This is a very formal page so the posts aren’t very confrontational. They state the scientific reason that some believe caused the event and they usually have sources to back up their information.
There aren’t many posts that have different opinions than what MUFON believes on this website. In this post, Mark says “A NOAA satellite passing thousands of miles over Michigan recorded an alien-looking weather phenomenon that is often mistaken for UFOs and their portals.” The posts don’t allow people to comment on them but you can assume that this post angered more than a few. Although the group doesn’t discriminate, the post goes directly against their beliefs.
MUFON Engagement
Despite the few disagreements that happen on the website, MUFON has one major thing they use to engage everyone in the community. They invite everyone to become a part of their research and participate by sharing their experiences. On the website, the creator says “At the core of our mission is investigation and research of the UFO phenomenon. Help solve the UFO mystery by officially filing a report of your UFO observation with us. You can also report Abductions and Entity sightings here as well.” This allows members of the community to have a more personal involvement and feel like they are contributing to the cause of UFO research.
Overall, the MUFON community is all about making people feel like they have a purpose there. They give people opportunities to share their stories and receive explanations about things that they experienced. They let people become a part of their research teams and contribute to new findings and information about UFOS. The format of the MUFON website helps them accomplish this efficiently by leaving very little leeway for people with different intentions to deter them from becoming involved.
