I adored Sagan. But I also loved listening to Art Bell.

Now, I'm nowhere near the sharpest tool in the shed but I was intelligent enough to discern that while both existed in the realm of "Space" one was based on fact and theory. While the other was fantasy.

Not sure where/how/why it happened but it seems many can't delineate between them anymore.

Add to that a rise in whacked out evangelicalism and every single crazy person out their has their own bizarre theories that they could fill their very own bible with.