Sun God Polito Killed By Lightning

A Ukrainian politician who had tried to revive an ancient pagan cult was killed by lightning on Saturday, July 4, 2009, while on a fishing trip. Did this occur about the same time John A. Keel passed away in the USA?



Vasily Chervoni (above) was on a fishing trip near the village of Derazhnoye and suffered a direct lightning hit during a thunderstorm. He was taken to a hospital where he died shortly afterwards, the Russian daily Komsomolskaya Pravda reported on Monday, July 6, 2009.

The newspaper noted that the late politician was a close friend of Ukrainian President Yushchenko and had at one time occupied the governor’s post in Rovno Region. A former activist in the Soviet youth movement Comsomol, Chervoni started an independent political career in the early 1990s with radical Ukrainian nationalists. At some point, Chervoni joined the religious movement Runvera – a Ukrainian sect that seeks revival of obscure ancient cults, in particular, the worship of the sun god Dažbog.

In 1992, Chervoni was excommunicated from the Russian Orthodox Church. When he was retired from the governor’s post in 2006, all Orthodox churches in Rovno Region had a special prayer thanking the Lord for deliverance.

The Sun God: Dažbog



Dažbog (above) was one of the major gods of Slavic mythology, most likely a solar deity and possibly a cultural hero. He is one of several authentic Slavic gods, mentioned by a number of medieval manuscripts, and one of the few Slavic gods for which evidence of worship can be found in all Slavic nations.

While the meaning of Dažbog’s name is not completely clear (as is the case with most other Slavic gods), taking into account several different versions of the name, most scholars agree the root dažd- or daj- is derived from root of the verb dati "to give."

Thus, according to most scholars, Dažbog would be "giving god," "god-giver," "god-donor," deus dator. This is particularly interesting since the Proto-Slavic word for god, *bagu (> Common Slavic *bogъ), the suffix of Dažbog's name, is argued either to be of Iranian origin (being related to Indo-Iranian etymons such as Old Persian baga, Sanskrit bhaga), or being semantically influenced by Iranian source, both being ultimately derived from PIE root *bʰag-, whose reflexes in both Slavic and Indo-Iranian came to mean both "deity" and "wealth, share."

Translated literally, Dažbog would be "giver of fortune." This echoes the ancient Indo-European concept that the deity is, in essence, an entity which gives wealth and abundance, an indication, perhaps, that Dažbog is a relic from common Proto-Indo-European religion, or even that this was not a name for any particular Slavic god, but a general epithet of a deity.



The Slavic god Svarog had two sons: Svarožič, who represented fire on earth, and Dažbog, who represented fire in the sky and was associated with Sun. Svarog was believed to have forged the Sun and have given it to his son Dažbog to carry it across the sky.

Pagan Slavs left their footprints across the region in a significant number of toponyms whose names can be associated with them and by discoveries of multi-headed statues in various Slavic lands. For example, the four-headed god Svantevit had a white horse and is represented by obelisks such as these.



Keelian Connection

I'm reminded that during the mid-1960s, John A. Keel became literally obsessed with collecting Fortean news clippings of bizarre deaths of people, livestock, and other animals killed by lightning. He would send copies of such newspaper articles to me and others, and requested that his correspondents forward any such events mentioned in local papers. For a time, Keel privately published a newsletter, Anomaly News, in which he would fill the pages with little offset copied news items of all such lightning deaths he could discover.

It is intriguing that Keel would die in New York City on July 3rd and Chervoni's lightning event is listed as July 4th. Of course, with the different time zones, maybe, in some strange Fortean twist of fate, the lightning strike and Keel's death occurred more closely in time that we realize. John would have been happy with this bit of synchronicity.

Death of Disco

My birthday this year, July 12th, is the 30th anniversary of the White Sox Comiskey Park's "Disco Demolition Night." It turned into one of baseball's all-time worst promotions. But, indeed, the event marked the unofficial "death of disco."

Join Loren In Santa Monica

For fans and friends of cryptozoology, the unexplained, the paranormal, and John A. Keel, organizer Javier Ortega, the brains behind the website Ghost Theory, will host in a few weeks, in the Los Angeles area, a conference called Paranormal LA.

The event has a unique three-day model in which each speaker will be available all three days, and give two separate presentations during two of the three days.

Who will be speaking?

Here's the lineup and the topics the speakers will be covering.

Linda Godfrey, on "The Beast of Bray Road" and "American Werewolves"

Barry Conrad, "World of the Unknown"

Loren Coleman, "Mothman and John Keel" and "Bigfoot, Yeti, and Tom Slick"



To learn more about the event, visit the website, or you can rush to buy tickets (which Javier warns are selling quickly!) by clicking here. It is being held at the Magicopolis in Santa Monica. The itinerary is at the bottom, and you can see, for those who want to avoid traffic, the times are just right.

Paranormal L.A. 2009 Single day passes are available for pre-purchase for the following dates (but no tickets will be sold at the door):

Friday August 21, 2009 - $50.00 (Available Jun 30 - Aug 21)

Saturday August 22, 2009 - $50.00 (Available Jun 30 - Aug 22)

Sunday August 23, 2009 - $50.00 (Available Jun 30 - Aug 23)



Weekend Passes are $125.00, and are available Jun 30 - Aug 23. Of course, by purchasing a Paranormal L.A. 2009 3-day-access pass, you benefit by saving $25 on overall costs. Again, Javier strongly recommends signing up early. This is shaping up to be the “go-to” event of the summer for folks out West and people looking to be in the LA area around this time. For tickets, visit the link below:

Paranormal LA: Buy Now!

If you wish to contact Javier directly with questions, please use this contact form at his website.



Itinerary

Friday August 21, 2009: 10pm to 1am
* 10pm – 10:45: Linda G. (The Beast of Bray Road)
* 10:45 – 11:00: Q&A
* 11:00 – 11:20: Break
* 11:20 – 12:10: Loren C. (Mothman and John Keel, with a hint of the Dover Demon)
* 12:10 – 12:25: Q&A
* 12:25 – 1:00: Book signing



Saturday August 22, 2009: 10pm to 1am
* 10pm – 10:45: Barry C. (World of the Unknown)
* 10:45 – 11:00: Q&A
* 11:00 – 11:20: Break
* 11:20 – 12:10: Linda G. (American Werewolves)
* 12:10 – 12:25: Q&A
* 12:25 – 1:00: Book signing w/ all 3 speakers

Sunday August 23, 2009: 4pm to 7pm
* 4pm – 4:45: Barry C. (World of the Unknown)
* 4:45 – 5:00: Q&A
* 5:00 – 5:20: Break
* 5:20 – 6:10: Loren C. (Bigfoot, Yeti, and Tom Slick)
* 6:10 – 6:25: Q&A
* 6:25 – 7:00: Book signing



This Flatwoods Monster sketch (above) is well known. Barry Conrad, filmmaker, was able to link this one directly to its first televised appearance on the "We The People" program of September 19th 1952. During that broadcast, Kathleen May and A. Lee Stewart (then the editor of the Braxton County Democrat) talked about the encounter incident that made headlines around the world.



Conrad said he was very happy to have found a good cast to match the original witnesses. Here are four of the original boys who saw the monster (Tommy Hyer, Freddie May, Edison May and Neil Nunley).



Above are Conrad's Flatwoods Monster re-creation actors: Houston McCrillis, Drew Osborne, Stephen Loner, Andrew Michaelson, Lisa McIntosh, Buster the dog & Brandon Osborne.



Shown are actors Chad Nadolski, Jay Richardson and Stephen Loner who reenact an examination of the ground near where the Flatwoods monster was sighted.



See you in California.

Miracle Baby Grave Robbery

News on the body found by two men fishing in the Passaic River on Sunday, July 5, 2009, in Clifton, N.J., has been published by the Associated Press, dateline Stamford, Connecticut.

Authorities investigating the theft of a 2-year-old girl's body from a Connecticut cemetery said Wednesday that evidence at the crime scene points to a possible ritual.
...
Donna Loglisci, Stamford's town clerk who signed disinterment papers permitting authorities to exhume the coffin, identified the girl as Imani Joyner. The girl was called a miracle baby by doctors in a 2006 article in The Advocate of Stamford because she survived more than two years even though she was born with semi-lobar holoprosencephaly, a condition that kept her brain from developing fully.

"We thought the interest in this particular baby might be the background, since it was labeled a miracle baby," Conklin said. "So that's why we believe this baby in particular might have been targeted and it might not be a random act. They would seek that mystic power, perceived power of it being a miracle baby."

For the rest of article by John Christofferson, see here.

For more information on the grave theft, see ABC News.

"Imani" means "faith."

Keel Knew

At Fortfest 1992, John A. Keel discusses his research findings (mostly ufological & hints of the cryptozoological) keyed to "pivotal years," e.g. 1848, 1968, 1973, and 1975. In the last 30 seconds of this video, Keel talks about the interrelationship of Forteana and economic collapses.



Anomalist Books Editor-in-Chief Patrick Huyghe remarked after hearing of the death, "John Keel was our Michael Jackson."

After Keel's 1975 book was adapted into the 2002 film, The Mothman Prophecies, "Mothman" became a household name. However, among a select few, it was John Keel that was the star, not the monster. One of our own had crossed over and had a big tent Hollywood movie made from one of his books.

In January 2002, when the film was first released, Fortean historian and author Jerome Clark said that he felt a sense of sincere pride for John Keel when he saw Keel's name flash on the movie theater screen. It was a good moment.

Among the press, the Point Pleasant Daily Register shared this: "As several celebrity deaths have swept the nation in recent weeks, perhaps the closest to the area is the death of John Keel."


John Keel, The Mothman Prophecies author, stood with Point Pleasant, West Virginia's Main Street Director Charles Humphreys prior to the official unveiling of the Mothman Statue at Gunn Park in 2002. Keel died on Friday, July 3, 2009.



Certainly a focus among the Fortean, cryptozoological, and ufological communities for three days now, Keel's passing is beginning to be acknowledged in the mainstream media:

"Keel, writer of 'Mothman Prophecies,' dies at 79."
Newsday, New York.

"'Mothman Prophecies' Writer, Keel, Dies At 79."
WCBS-TV New York

"John Keel."
Associated Press.

"Keel, writer of 'Mothman Prophecies,' dies at 79."
WTEN - Albany, New York


+++
Cryptomundo links have included:

John A. Keel Has Died, July 6, 2009.

Keel Ends Life Rather Alone, July 7, 2009.

C2C: Keel Tribute, July 7, 2007.

Vallée & Keel, July 7, 2009.





Garuda: Harbinger of Doom, from an Indian postcard, being sold by a New York City vendor on a walk home from Keel's apartment. Credit: Doug Skinner.


In 1994, John A. Keel is the demonologist, the man in black in the middle, in between ufologist J. Antonio Huneeus and cryptozoologist Loren Coleman. Photo by anomalist Patrick Huyghe.

On July 3rd, in 1969, Brian Jones, English musician and member of The Rolling Stones died. On July 3rd, in 1971, Jim Morrison, the Lizard King and American leader of The Doors died. On July 3rd, in 2009, another kind of rock star, the Mothman king, John A. Keel died.

Vallee On Keel

Jacque Vallée (right) and J. Allen Hynek.

Along with his colleague, astronomer J. Allen Hynek, Vallée carefully studied the phenomenon of unusual aerial sightings and close encounters with humanoids on the ground for many years.



Vallée served as the real-life model for the character Lacombe, portrayed by François Truffaut (shown above, middle) in Steven Spielberg’s film Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

His first three highly thoughtful books, Anatomy of a Phenomenon (1965), Challenge to Science: The UFO Enigma (1966), and Passport to Magonia: From Folklore to Flying Saucers (1969) are classics in the field. A correspondent of mine for decades, I was able to spend some time with Vallée and his wife for the first time only a few years ago when we both spoke at a Virginia Beach, Virginia conference on unexplained phenomena.


Therefore, it was good to hear from my associate, the French-born and now California-based intellectual, ufologist, venture capitalist, computer scientist, and former astronomer, who sent along his thoughts, regarding John A. Keel passing away:

Dear Loren,

I did hear about John's death. Although this was expected, given his long fight with illness the past few years, it is very sad to realize that his voice is now silent in the debate about the nature of the phenomena that continue to fascinate us.

As you know, his writing and mine have followed a parallel course (I wish I had written JADOO, a delightful book!) as we were among a small number of "heretics" who have consistently questioned the "first-order" extraterrestrial theory. He realized very early that UFOs could not be understood apart from other, terrestrial paranormal phenomena, which put him decades ahead of most researchers. He deserves to be recognized as one of the most creative, independent thinkers in the field.

I know you had a close friendship with John, and send you all my sympathy.

Jacques Vallee
Mon Jul 6, 2009 7:08 pm PDT

Keel Is Dead

John Alva Keel, 79, a friend, Fortean, fierce fighter for his theories, professionally a writer and journalist, has died. A fellow admirer of Mothman and the anomalies all around us, such as the “name game,” is gone.


John A. Keel's non-fiction look at the very real unplanned twists in life were recorded in his 1966 novel, The Fickle Finger of Fate.

"Ufology is just another name for demonology," John Keel told me, a week before the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center, which occurred just a couple of miles from where he lives.

...as noted in Mothman and Other Curious Encounters, page 114, (NY: Paraview, 2002).



For more images and my complete, detailed obituary, please see "John A. Keel Is Dead."


John A. Keel, in 2002.

Mason Gamble, Mothman, and Golf

Mark Pellington, The Mothman Prophecies, Arlington Road, Mason Gamble, Esalen, and Golf in the Kingdom. It's just another day in synchromysticism.


Mark Pellington directed Arlington Road (1999) and The Mothman Prophecies (2002).

Christopher Knowles, over at The Secret Sun, today is discussing "astrognostics," and then he starts to make some connections to names personally familiar to me.

After pondering some popular cultural astrogeneaology emails, family mythology, and some films it brought to mind for him personally, Knowles writes that he has "friends in common" with Mark Pellington, director of The Mothman Prophecies. He notes that Pellington's first feature film was Arlington Road.


Mason Gamble in Arlington Road.

Knowles writes:

And weirdest of all, Arlington Road opens with a harrowing scene of a boy who's been maimed by a bomb. The boy is played by Mason Gamble.....who I was just hanging around with at Esalen. The gyre is constantly widening, isn't it, Bob?.

Christopher Knowles and Mason Gamble at Esalen.

...Like the Mothmen, the syncs notice you noticing them and tend to follow you around.

But for some reason, the syncs we see inside films like The Nines or The Number 23 never seem to be as arresting as the syncs we see in the Synchrosphere, or in our own lives. Movies are great at generating Synchronicity, but not usually as good at portraying it. ~ Chris Knowles

As some may or may not know, I worked with Sony/Screen Gems' publicity division in late 2001 and early in 2002, doing media interviews on behalf of Pellington's film. John Keel was regularly ill, so I appeared on nearly 400 radio shows and in a few television documentaries (including on the special deluxe DVD) talking about the Mothman movie. My Mothman book also came out in January 2002, complete with what's called a tie-in "sunburst" promoting the movie on its backcover.


Loren Coleman being interviewed about Mothman on "Animal X."

The links mentioned by Knowles are intriguing, to say the least.

It is a small world, indeed.

Pellington, I found, is a master of understanding the "name game." Arlington Road was a deep look at the conspiracy thought process. The Mothman Prophecies film and events surrounding it are a synchromystic gold mine or minefield (depending upon how you are impacted). Some of Pellington's "name games" are seemingly well-planned and others simply align with supposedly "random events," which I can hardly insult anyone anymore by calling them "coincidences."

In February 2002, I wrote of some of these elements I discovered in a SciFi Dimension piece, entitled "The Mothman Prophecies: 'Gordon Smallwood' and Some Strange Happenings."

I've discussed often the little "name games" played in this movie, such as John Keel showing up in the "Leek" (as in "Keel" backwards) character, played by Alan Bates (who died December 27, 2003) and the "John Klein" (John Keel) role of Richard Gere. But sometimes the "games" seem to turn sinister.


Linda Scarberry, famed first Mothman eyewitness, is interviewed on "Animal X." Her boyfriend and fellow witness was Roger Mallette.

As I was writing that SciFi piece, deaths related to the original Mothman eyewitnesses were occurring too frequently, including Agatha Bennett (January 12, 2002), Charles Mallette (January 22, 2002), and Gary Ury (February 15, 2002). When the deaths started touching closer to the film and my book, the darkness seemed nearer. Some of those deaths included Ted Demme (Pellington's friend, January 13, 2002), Ted Tannebaum (the film's executive producer, March 7, 2002), and Aaron Rebsamen (son of the illustrator who did the art for my book's cover, by suicide, May 23, 2002).

Then, with much shock and sadness, I was so sorry to hear that Pellington's young 42-year-old wife died unexpectedly two years after the success of his film, on July 30, 2004.

That movie took many of us on several wild rides, emotionally.

That Knowles would highlight Mason Gamble, when so much of The Mothman Prophecies centers on the happening in Mason County, West Virginia, seems only right. To learn that Gamble's next project is as Michael Murphy in the movie adaption of Golf in the Kingdom (1972), an Esalen book by Michael Murphy, well, just seems so very Secret Sun. :-)

For those unaware of the links here (pun intended), here is the overview of Golf in the Kingdom:

Esalen Institute founder Michael Murphy's divine meditation on the royal and ancient game defied categorization when it was first published in 1972, and it still does. Instantly hailed as a classic, Golf in the Kingdom is an altogether unique confluence of fiction, philosophy, myth, mysticism, enchantment, and golf instruction. The central character is a wily Scotsman named Shivas Irons, a golf professional by vocation and a shaman by design, whom Murphy, as participant in his own novel, meets in 1956 on the links of Burningbush, in Fife. The story of their round of golf together culminates in a wild night of whiskey and wisdom where, as Shivas demonstrates how the swing reflects the soul, their golf quite literally takes on a metaphysical glow. The events alter not only Murphy's game, but they also radically alter his mind and inner vision; it's truly unforgettable. For a golfer, Murphy's masterpiece is as essential as a set of clubs.

Even as a non-golfer, I appreciate the deep mystical significance of golf's connection to much of what we all are attempting to fathom. One can measure a circle, beginning anywhere.

Mothman and Other Curious Encounters, 2002.