Reptilian conspiracy theory explained

Reptilians (also called reptoids,[1] archons,[2] reptiloids, saurians, draconians,[3] [4] [5] or lizard people[6]) are supposed reptilian humanoids, which play a prominent role in fantasy, science fiction, ufology, and conspiracy theories.[7] [8] The idea of reptilians was popularised by David Icke, an anti-semitic conspiracy theorist who claims shapeshifting reptilian aliens control Earth by taking on human form and gaining political power to manipulate human societies. Icke has stated on multiple occasions that many world leaders are, or are possessed by, so-called reptilians.

Some conspiracy theorists espousing the extraterrestrial hypothesis claim they either come from the Draco constellation or the Orion constellation or are allies with nefarious extraterrestrials from the Orion constellation.

Others claim they are interdimensional, coming from another universe or dimension.

Origins

Michael Barkun, professor of political science at Syracuse University, posits that the idea of a reptilian conspiracy originated in the fiction of Conan the Barbarian creator Robert E. Howard, in his story "The Shadow Kingdom", published in Weird Tales in August 1929.[9] This story drew on theosophical ideas of the "lost worlds" of Atlantis and Lemuria, particularly Helena Blavatsky's The Secret Doctrine written in 1888, with its reference to dragon-men' who once had a mighty civilization on a Lemurian continent".[10] [11]

Howard's "serpent men" were described as humanoids (with human bodies and snake heads) who were able to imitate humans at will, and who lived in underground passages and used their shapechanging and mind-control abilities to infiltrate humanity. Clark Ashton Smith used Howard's "serpent men" in his stories, as well as themes from H. P. Lovecraft, and he, Howard and Lovecraft together laid the basis for the Cthulhu Mythos.[12]

In the 1940s, American occultist Maurice Doreal (also known as Claude Doggins)[13] wrote a pamphlet entitled "Mysteries of the Gobi" that described a "serpent race" with "bodies like man but...heads...like a great snake" and an ability to take human form.[14] These creatures also appeared in Doreal's poem "The Emerald Tablets", in which he referred to Emerald Tablets written by "Thoth, an Atlantean Priest king". Barkun asserts that "in all likelihood", Doreal's ideas came from "The Shadow Kingdom", and that in turn, "The Emerald Tablets" formed the basis for David Icke's book, Children of the Matrix.[15]

Historian Edward Guimont has argued that the reptilian conspiracy theory, particularly as expounded by Icke, drew from earlier pseudohistorical legends developed during the colonisation of Africa, particularly surrounding Great Zimbabwe and the mokele-mbembe.[16]

Alien abduction

Alien abduction narratives sometimes allege contact with reptilian creatures.[17] One of the earliest reports was that of Ashland, Nebraska police officer Herbert Schirmer, who under hypnosis recalled being taken aboard a UFO in 1967 by humanoid beings with a slightly reptilian appearance, who wore a "winged serpent" emblem on the left side of their chests.[18] [19] Skeptics consider his claims to be a hoax.[20]

David Icke

According to British conspiracy theorist David Icke, who first published on this theme in his 1999 work The Biggest Secret, tall, blood-drinking, shape-shifting reptilian humanoids from the Alpha Draconis star system, now hiding in underground bases, are the force behind a worldwide conspiracy against humanity.[21] He contends that most of the world's ancient and modern leaders are related to these reptilians, including the Merovingian dynasty, the Rothschilds, the Bush family and the British Royal family.[22] Icke's conspiracy theories now have supporters in up to 47 countries and he has given lectures to crowds of up to 6,000 people.[23] [24]

American writer Vicki Santillano included Icke's conspiracy theory in her list of the 10 most popular conspiracy theories.[25] A poll of Americans in 2013 by Public Policy Polling indicated that 4% of registered voters (±2.8%) believed in David Icke's ideas.[26]

Politics

On September 12, 2003, during the provincial election campaign in Ontario, Canada, the Ernie Eves campaign issued a news release that called opponent Dalton McGuinty an "evil reptilian kitten-eater from another planet".[27] The words appeared at the end of the news release. Eves said the epithet was meant as a joke, and acknowledged the words were "over the top", but refused to apologize.[27]

In the closely fought 2008 U.S. Senate election in Minnesota between comedian and commentator Al Franken and incumbent Senator Norm Coleman, one of the ballots challenged by Coleman included a vote for Franken with "Lizard People" written in the space provided for write-in candidates.[28] Lucas Davenport, who later claimed to have written the gag ballot, said, "I don't know if you've heard the conspiracy theory about the Lizard Men; a friend of mine, we didn't like the candidates, so we were at first going to write in 'revolution', because we thought that was good and to the point. And then, we thought 'the Lizard People' would be even funnier."[29] Franken won the election after recount.

In February 2011, on the Opie and Anthony radio show, the comedian Louis C.K. jokingly asked former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld a number of times if he and Dick Cheney were lizard people who enjoyed the taste of human flesh. Amused by Rumsfeld's refusal to directly answer the question, C.K. suggested it was a possible admission of guilt. He went on to further muse that perhaps those who are lizard people cannot lie about it; when asked if they are lizards, they either have to avoid answering the question or say yes.[30]

On March 4, 2013, a video depicting a security agent with unusual features guarding a speech by U.S. President Barack Obama was spotlighted in a Wired report about shapeshifting reptilian humanoids. This led to a tongue-in-cheek response from chief National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden who said "any alleged program to guard the president with aliens or robots would likely have to be scaled back or eliminated in the sequester".[31]

In October, 2022, Dutch MP Thierry Baudet, head of the far-right Forum for Democracy, said in an interview with the "Geopolitics and Empire" podcast that he believes that the world is "being governed by evil reptiles."[32]

Some adherents of the QAnon conspiracy theory have also borrowed from the reptilian conspiracy theory,[33] including elements shared in anti-Semitism conspiracy theories.[34]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Joyce. Judith. The Weiser field guide to the paranormal abductions, apparitions, ESP, synchronicity, and more unexplained phenomena from other realms. 2011. Weiser Books. San Francisco. 978-1609252984. 80–81. 3 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20190330024326/https://books.google.com/books?id=9aYqjnjDzBQC. 30 March 2019. live.
  2. Web site: Psycho lizards from Saturn: The godlike genius of David Icke!. Dorian. Lynskey. NewStatesman. 6 November 2014. 2021-12-02.
  3. Book: Marty Crump. Danté Bruce Fenolio. Eye of Newt and Toe of Frog, Adder's Fork and Lizard's Leg: The Lore and Mythology of Amphibians and Reptiles. 2015. University of Chicago Press. 978-0-226-11600-6. 56. 13 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20190330024317/https://books.google.com/books?id=ENYpCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA56. 30 March 2019. live.
  4. Book: Alfred Lambremont Webre. The Omniverse: Transdimensional Intelligence, Time Travel, the Afterlife, and the Secret Colony on Mars. 17 November 2015. Simon and Schuster. 978-1-59143-216-6. 53. 13 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20190330024320/https://books.google.com/books?id=4FgoDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT53. 30 March 2019. live.
  5. Book: Leo Lyon Zagami. Confessions of an Illuminati, Volume II: The Time of Revelation and Tribulation Leading Up to 2020. 2016. CCC Publishing. 978-1-888729-62-7. 131. 13 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20190330024315/https://books.google.com/books?id=1SbwCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA131. 30 March 2019. live.
  6. Web site: Oct 31, 2013 . How to Spot the Reptilians Running the U.S. Government . live . https://archive.today/20160408131009/http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/10/how-spot-reptilians-runing-us-government/354496/ . April 8, 2016 . June 22, 2017 . TheAtlantic.com.
  7. Lewis. Tyson. Richard Kahn. Winter 2005. The Reptoid Hypothesis: Utopian and Dystopian Representational Motifs in David Icke's Alien Conspiracy Theory. Utopian Studies. 16. 1. 45–75 . 10.5325/utopianstudies.16.1.0045. 20718709 . 143047194. live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180723011346/https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Richard_Kahn3/publication/240595423_The_Reptoid_Hypothesis_Utopian_and_dystopian_representational_motifs_in_David_Icke's_alien_conspiracy_theory/links/00b7d51e774aa92f22000000/The-Reptoid-Hypothesis-Utopian-and-dystopian-representational-motifs-in-David-Ickes-alien-conspiracy-theory.pdf?origin=publication_detail . 2018-07-23. free.
  8. Web site: Frel, Jan. Inside the Great Reptilian Conspiracy: From Queen Elizabeth to Barack Obama – They Live!. 1 September 2010. Alternet. 2010-09-01. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612185132/https://www.alternet.org/story/147967/inside_the_great_reptilian_conspiracy:_from_queen_elizabeth_to_barack_obama_--_they_live!. 2018-06-12.
  9. Book: Barkun. Michael. Michael Barkun. A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America. 2003. University of California Press. Berkeley and Los Angeles. 0520238052. registration. 120–121.
  10. Book: Trompf. Garry W.. Bernauer. Lauren. Cusack. Carole. Norman. Alex. Handbook of New Religions and Cultural Production. 2012. Brill. Leiden. 978-9004221871. 113–114. https://books.google.com/books?id=5aRyJ-vbrJsC&pg=PA113. 3 September 2014. Producing Lost Civilisations: Theosophical Concepts in Literature, Visual Media and Popular Culture. https://web.archive.org/web/20190330024322/https://books.google.com/books?id=5aRyJ-vbrJsC&pg=PA113. 30 March 2019. live.
  11. Web site: The far right's lizard conspiracy is bonkers. But it's definitely not harmless. . NBC News . 2021-01-12 . 2021-01-12 . Lynn Stuart . Parramore.
  12. Book: Mott. William Michael. Caverns, Cauldrons, and Concealed Creatures: A Study of Subterranean Mysteries in History, Folklore, and Myth. 2011. Grave Distractions Publications. 978-0982912874. 27. 3 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20190330024316/https://books.google.com/books?id=d0l7AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA27. 30 March 2019. live.
  13. https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/doreal-maurice-d-1963 Doreal, Maurice (D. 1963)
  14. Barkun (2003), p. 119
  15. Book: Barkun. A Culture of Conspiracy. registration. 2003. 120–121. Doreal's 'translation' of the tablets was used extensively by David Icke in his book on the reptilians, Children of the Matrix...Although Doreal and the others spoke of the serpent race as a confirmable historic reality, the idea almost certainly came from pulp fiction...In all likelihood, the notion of a shape-changing serpent race first came from the imagination of an obscure pulp fiction author, Robert E. Howard..
  16. Web site: Guimont. Edward. Hunting Dinosaurs in Central Africa. Contingent Magazine. 11 September 2020 . en . 18 March 2019.
  17. Web site: The Shadowlands Mysterious Creatures page . 2009-11-18 . https://archive.today/20120715050816/http://theshadowlands.net/creature2.htm%23lizard . 2012-07-15 . live .
  18. Web site: Police Officer Herbert Schirmer Abduction. UFO Evidence . September 30, 2007 . Internet Archive . November 3, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070930221758/http://www.ufoevidence.org/cases/case659.htm . September 30, 2007 . live .
  19. News: Cory . Matteson . Comic book artist finds inspiration in Ashland alien abduction story . Lincoln Journal Star . March 5, 2012 . 2018-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181021232255/https://journalstar.com/lifestyles/misc/comic-book-artist-finds-inspiration-in-ashland-alien-abduction-story/article_27b87be2-3f05-5483-84a9-ad741241a8ba.html . October 21, 2018 . live .
  20. Newton, Michael. (2002). The Encyclopedia of Kidnappings. Facts on File, Inc. p. 6.
  21. Web site: Ronson. Jon. Beset by lizards. The Guardian UK. 4 August 2014. 16 March 2001. https://archive.today/20130830200500/http://www.theguardian.com/books/2001/mar/17/features.weekend. 30 August 2013. live.
  22. Book: Chidester. David. Authentic Fakes: Religion and American Popular Culture. 2005. University of California Press. 978-0520242807. 122. 2 March 2018. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20190330024315/https://books.google.com/books?id=QacwDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA122&lpg=PA122&dq=david+icke+british+royal+family+george+bush&source=bl&ots=xdHQelZn1L&sig=OKyCAuWk2slb2di4FzLN6H2iPuw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjP4O3Q9czZAhWqs1kKHROFDfE4ChDoAQgoMAA#v=onepage&q=david%20icke%20british%20royal%20family%20george%20bush&f=false. 30 March 2019. live.
  23. News: What's Behind Internet Conspiracy Empires?. Lauren Cox. ABC News. Dec 12, 2008. November 18, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091029062444/https://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/story?id=6443988&page=1#.T08ij3nrrQk. October 29, 2009. live.
  24. News: Mesure. Susie. David Icke is not the Messiah. Or even that naughty. But boy, can he drone on. 11 June 2013. The Independent. 28 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20131216213924/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/david-icke-is-not-the-messiah-or-even-that-naughty-but-boy-can-he-drone-on-8229433.html?origin=internalSearch. 16 December 2013. live.
  25. Web site: Santillano . Vicki . 10 Conspiracy Theories that Won't Go Away . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180920121931/https://www.more.com/entertainment/fun/10-conspiracy-theories-wont-go-away . September 20, 2018 . 2018-10-21 . Divine Caroline.
  26. Web site: Conspiracy Theory Poll Results. Public Policy Polling. 2013-04-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20170930093655/http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2013/04/conspiracy-theory-poll-results-.html. 2017-09-30. live.
  27. News: Smith. Greame. Kitten-eater controversy litters battle for Ontario. 18 January 2017. The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail Inc.. 13 September 2003. 31 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170131195103/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/kitten-eater-controversy-litters-battle-for-ontario/article18430647/. live.
  28. Web site: Minnesota Senate Recount: Challenged ballots: You be the judge . . 2008-11-19 . 2008-11-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081120230839/http://minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2008/11/19_challenged_ballots/ . 2008-11-20 . live .
  29. Web site: Why would someone vote for the Lizard People?. 2008. 2010-01-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20090628173217/http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/11/23/so_why_would_someone_for_the_lizard_people. 2009-06-28. live.
  30. Web site: Louis CK Repeatedly Asks Donald Rumsfeld If He's a Lizard Alien . John . Del Signore . Gothamist . February 25, 2011 . June 29, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111120152739/http://gothamist.com/2011/02/25/louis_ck_repeatedly_asks_donald_rum.php . November 20, 2011 .
  31. White House Can't Afford Its Shapeshifting Alien Reptile Guards . Beckhusen . Robert . March 26, 2013 . Wired . October 15, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131022101555/http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2013/03/secret-service-reptile-aliens . October 22, 2013 . live .
  32. Web site: Dutch far-right leader claims world is governed by 'evil reptiles'. Jean-Pierre Stroobants. Le Monde. October 21, 2022. 2023-09-05.
  33. News: Madani . Doha . Blankstein . Andrew . Collins . Ben . California dad killed his kids over QAnon and 'serpent DNA' conspiracy theories, feds claim . 25 December 2021 . . NBC Universal . 12 August 2021.
  34. Web site: Opinion The far right's lizard conspiracy is bonkers. But it's definitely not harmless. . 2023-02-22 . NBC News . 12 January 2021 . en.

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