An old story that I vaguely recall (I think it may once have been a TV episode)
relates how the aliens landed.
The leaders of earth were iformed that this planet was "kinda in the way,"
They were about to destroy it; but they had seen some signs of progress, and potential value in our earth population.

We weren't really doing too well, but they were willing to give us another chance.

They said they would go away for a couple of years.

When they came back, they would decide whether we had "done better."
If we had done better, they would let us continue to exist. If not, they would destroy this planet that was "kinda in the way."

This naturally scared the p... out of everybody.

World leaders met.
Treaties were signed.
Everybody tried really hard to do better.

World Peace Came!

And then the aliens came back.

They said - "You were doing so well at developing the weapons that we need
FOR OUR INTERGALACTIC WAR.
You've done NOTHING useful in the time while we were gone."

"BYE"


One of the things that seriously detracts from most arguments presenting "unshakable opionions" that we hear from "true believers," in almost any situation, is the very consistent existence of a disguised "message." The "If I really believe THIS, then it will prove that THAT is true" seems almost always to be present.
Hidden, even to the believer, agendas

John