Ground Crew Project
Members say the religion's aim is to prepare humanity for large-scale, first contact between Earth and the “Galactic Federation”, claimed to be an extraterrestrial organisation which will help in the supposed transformation.
[5] Claiming he was contacted by ETs from the planet Sirius,[1][11][12] Nidle stated that his experiences consisted of such events as telepathic communication, being taught aboard spacecraft, and gaining knowledge from ‘direct core implants’.
Eshed told the newspaper that aliens are already among us on Earth, and that different species have formed a "Galactic Federation," akin to those in Star Trek, according to translations from the Jerusalem Post.
[15] Beginning in November 1996,[16] Nidle ‘channeled’ a narrative that was an urgent call to humanity and involved an imminent apocalypse due to a planetary transformation of Earth.
[19] It was expected that the human body, having lost certain cosmic capabilities in the past, would regain its galactic ability to rejuvenate itself, overcome illness and aging, and become telepathic.
[5][21] The narrative stated that during Earth's entry into the photon belt and no later than December 17, 1996, a mass landing of 15 million star ships of the “Galactic Federation” would complete the raising of the consciousness of humanity using their advanced technology.
[18][22][23][24] It was claimed the landing would represent hundreds of advanced races including Pleiadians, Sirians, Cassopeans, and Arcturians, who will fan out across the globe to meet and placate human populations.
[2][17][20][26] Attractive accounts of the Earth transformation included the use of telepathy, airborne transport instead of cars and special photon energy generators for domestic appliances.
[17] This religious ufology belongs to the “cargoistic” genre, because the ascension of humans is believed to be brought about by superior alien “cargo” in this case comprising incredible new technologies and ecologically harmless energies.
By June 1997, other worldly and interstellar dark forces were said to have conspired with ‘planetary elites’ and held up the intentions of the Galactic Federation which had underestimated the situation, but could not be deterred.
[33] The second a half of 1997 heralded an important shift in focus as the messages began to require humans to assist the transformation of the planet in an interim period before any galactic intervention took place.
[9][35][19] In December 1997 Nidle split with Valerie Donnell, his secretary and the Ground Crew's chief administrator, for reasons that weren't clear as both parties posted alternative accounts of the schism.
Nidle then began to create a “Web of Light” to unite similarly minded groups concerned with the environment, government conspiracies and UFOs.
[37] According to Nidle's channelling, the Federation remained “dedicated to massive first contact as soon as possible” but the spiritual transformation of the human being into the divine form was now the main focus.
‘Star Gates’ were being placed in the upper atmosphere to aid transformation, and special ‘Galactic and Medical Teams’ were assisting people when they slept.
[38] Despite the failed prophecies, by the year 2000 the movement was continuing to develop its membership base and claiming to have hundreds of Planetary Activation Groups in over 29 countries.
[9] The Planetary Activation Organisation is classified as a progressive millennialist group because it promises that all of humanity may achieve collective salvation and the attainment of a terrestrial paradise.
[18] Helland states that the Ground Crew resorted to “many of the classic strategies to avoid prophetic disconfirmation and [consequent] cognitive dissonance.” For instance, he employs face-saving strategies such as “disclaimers”, and “exploits the full gamut of the ‘vocabulary of temporality.’”[10] In general, Nidle has managed the failed prophecy by engaging in what J Gordon Melton states is a reconceptualization through the process of spiritualisation: a UFO landing with advanced technology is changed into a need to raise humanity spiritually by humans themselves.
In the case of the Ground Crew, Nidle “refashions his following from a passive audience of ‘netheads’ waiting to be ‘zapped’ by a superior alien technology into involved participants” who form committees of activists helping Mother Earth and humanity.
[10][8] Helland states that due to the virtual nature of the group, and the lack of observable and empirical data, it is impossible to accurately account for the membership which may have declined drastically with the failed 1996-7 predictions.
