Catholic Left Attacks Cryptozoology
Posted by: Loren Coleman on November 13th, 2006
Misunderstandings come on the Right from the creationists, and now comes the subtle assaults from Roman Catholics on the Left.
A blog which calls itself a “progressive Catholic site,” Catholic Sensibility attacks the new Cryptozoology exhibition in Missouri by noting that “Sunday’s Kansas City Star reports on an art exhibit that will raise eyebrows.”
So much for any open-mindedness among the Catholic progressives.
First it was the creationists and now it is the Catholic progressives that seem ready to assault cryptozoology. Is this evidence that cryptozoology really occupies the excluded middle and is surely damned, as per the Fortean “damned,” at least?
“Catholic Sensibility,” which in this case may be an oxymoron, also shares only some of the most outrageous overviews of the exhibition and this definition (unfortunately, I must hasten to add, from the exhibition): “Cryptozoology describes the scientific or pseudo-scientific fascination with extinct or imaginary animals.”
I must respond with an editorial Ugh!
Who cares what the right or left religious writers say about cryptozoology and art? After all, the exhibition is artistic and scientific, not religious, in nature.
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
I’ll second that “Ugh!”
Don’t they have something better to do? Yarri
As a Nondenominational(Born Again)Christian, I love Cryptozoology!
Researching Bigfoot is quite a passion with me and I don’t feel any threat to my Faith over it.
Could the article actually reflect an internal quarrel within the Catholic Church between Catholic modernists and fundamentalists? The suspicion of cryptozoology might be part of a broader Catholic liberal and progressive suspicion of what one Catholic liberal journalist some years ago called the “marvelism” of conservative and fundamentalist Catholics who dote on miracles, apparitions, and private revelations in defense of a conservative or right-wing political and “culture wars” agenda. By and large, I have noticed for many years that Catholics who “go in for” weeping and bleeding picture and statue stories, Virgin Mary apparitions, and Lourdes, Fatima, or Medjugorje pilgrimages tend to be politically, culturally, morally, and sexologically right-of-center, while politically & socially progressive Catholics tend to be skeptical or openly scornful of “all that miracle stuff.” Thus, Catholic “progressives” would be suspicious of cryptozoology as giving aid and comfort to what they would consider a “mediaeval,” “credulous,” “superstitious,” and “magical” world-view and sensibility.
Peace,
T. Peter
I myself am a Christian and a libertarian. I find the people who snipe at cryptozoology seem to worship a deity who is as limited as their minds. God is far greater than we can comprehend, and the diversity of creation will surely reflect this. Just my thoughts on the matter.
I just feel compelled to ask for the evidence for God.
If the Bible suffices, then so does the Patterson film. In fact, the latter’s better; the former’s just a buncha words.
Sas lives. Glad we cleared that up.
Just trying to make trouble. But no, really. I’m sure raisinsofwrath would agree with me that if it’s OK to believe in God, it’s OK to pursue evidence to a conclusion.
Right?
How the heck does a Catholic get on the left?
I adore those Sasquatch statues! Oh, and yes, I completely disagree with the statements about the Bible being a key reference for life’s genesis.
I guess I’m having a little trouble seeing an “attack” or “assault” here… what I do see is the eye-rolling, oh-come-now treatment cryptozoology (or UFOlogy) typically gets in the mainstream media. Honestly, some of the artistic treatment may not be the best introduction to CZ for those not familiar with the subject.
Wow. I’m a practissing catholic myself, and never would I agree with such nonsense… Radicalists give anyone a bad name.
-Jos, sure fan of cz.
Gotta agree with you, Jayman.
For all the let’s-have-fun speculation that may exist in crypto exhibits, if I were a skeptic, one of those exhibits would be, if not enough to close my mind, more than enough to roll my eyes.
The stuff to focus on (track/film analysis; sighting volume and distribution; bio/behavioral profiles and their similarity to those of other great apes; profiles of witnesses; etc.) may be boring, artistically. But if you want scientists to get interested, it’s essential.
There are, alas, a number of sas sites that seem more to cater to the paranormal fan/monster-truck enthusiast/soldier of fortune than to the true cryptozoologist. This ain’t helping science (although as I’ve said elsewhere, it might be helping the sas).
Good point, tpeter.
And yet further emphasis of my point: crypto needs to be emphatically set apart from the fringe stuff with which it is too intertangled at the moment. Sas research sure doesn’t seem to me to be at all justifiably linked to “weeping and bleeding picture and statue stories, Virgin Mary apparitions, and Lourdes, Fatima, or Medjugorje pilgrimages” or “a “mediaeval,” “credulous,” “superstitious,” and “magical” world-view and sensibility.”
But by too many — including unfortunately the vast majority of scientists — it is.
It’s ZOOLOGY. It needs to be conducted as such.
I’m Catholic. May I quote the Nicene Creed?
“We believe in God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and all that is seen and unseen.”
That pretty much supports Cryptozoology & Bigfoot for me!
Boy. I think organized religion could use a few of you folks to better organize it! 🙂
As a Christian myself, I am in full agreement with posts 3 & 12.
I don’t pretend to understand the whole idea of what tpeter is saying, but I generally do, and I generally agree with it. It’s been mentioned many times that sea serpent stories, especially those Scandinavian ones (by religious figures like Pontoppidan), were considered actual omens (good and bad), so in a way, cryptozoology has a long history of having that connection in peoples’ minds. But I also generally agree with jayman, that this isn’t as much an all-out “attack” as it is just one more “sweeping” negative attitude toward the subject.
I am Christian and see no conflict in my faith and the existence of cryptid creatures.
I see similarities for Christians and cryptids. The two groups are often derided for what they believe and challenged to prove the reality of their claims.
I believe in God because of precisely answered prayers and the fact that I am still alive after several situations even though I shouldn’t be.
Bigfoot is very real to me because of what little I have seen and heard first hand.
I am a Christian and after all of the above has been said and done I think that before the catholic right or left criticizes any one they should clean up their own mess first. Sorry, but that is the way I see it.
Religion is something you do
Faith is something you feel
Believing in God without Faith is a common practice and practicing organized religion is a common activity of that belief.
There are many of what would be considered cryptids in the Bible. However, Catholics don’t study the Bible on a regular basis. I think this may be why more Christians find cryptids acceptable and believable.
My last observation above is not meant to disparage Catholics in any way; especially the cool ones here on this board.
JMO my friends….
This looks alot more like the typical write up we see in the mainstream media about crypto happenings and a lot less like the described attack from the Catholic Left.
As a Christian, I have no problem whatsoever with Cryptozoology, especially my favorite cryptid, Sasquatch. One of the more prominent Sasquatch researchers, Dr. John Bindernagel is a Christian and has no problem reconciling the two, so why should other Christians? I think the Catholics are making much ado about nothing.
I think I’ve got it! The [Catholics] are fearful that Cryptozoology is taking over as the next flavor-of-the-month urban religion, soon to be unleashed upon an unsuspecting world.
Not more global competition, they complain! Zounds, not the Gospel according to plesiosaur, they beseech! Quick, grab the poor box and those musty old Gigantopithicus teeth from the reliquary, I’ll meet you around back in ten minutes…
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to all of them (now would be a good time to play the theme from ‘Jaws’ – dunh, duhn… duhn, duhn…), an evil lurking presence insidiously infiltrates Hollywood. Soon it will be too late for all of us. I can see it now – Brides of Cryptozoology, I was a Teenage Cryptozoology, Abbot and Costell meet Cryptozoology, Cryptozoology Goes To Rome… ah, where will it all end… where will it… end… (gnashing of teeth)…
I’m a Christian, and I find the claim that the orthodox (aka ‘fundamentalists’, ‘creationists’, etc.) would be opposed to the search for uncatalogued animals pretty bizarre.
sschaper writes: “I find the claim that the orthodox (aka ‘fundamentalists’, ‘creationists’, etc.) would be opposed to the search for uncatalogued animals pretty bizarre. ”
It was not my intent to convey that meaning. Misunderstandings, assaults, and insults come from the religious right and the religious left, in terms of how they wish to “use” cryptozoology, in my view. But certainly, extremist creationists have not blocked, but, instead, they (but not all creationists) have aggressively looked for specific cryptids that they seem to feel will support their POVs or non-evolutionary objectives.
Sorry for not making that difference more clear above.
Loren, I happen to agree. Your last bit of comment reminded me of something. A friend of mine loaned me a novel about Sasquatch that was written by a man who wrote it with a subtext/subplot of advancing anti-evolution thought. It seems to be an idea in the heads of some that if bigfoot can be proven then it will be a blow to ‘evolutionists’, and therefore a coup for ‘creationists’.
I see your “ugh” and raise you one “AARRRGHHHH!!!” 😀
Brought to you by the same people who censured Galileo!
I am a Christian and a Creationist-believing one at that. But I fully support Cryptozoology. No I don’t believe in evolution nor do I care to use cryptids to support that end. Nor do I wish to use them to support creationism. I would say to the religious right, left or the evolutionists: let’s get on with the hunt and argue chicken or egg after we find something to argue about!
There’s a guy who wrote a book called “Everything You Know Is Wrong” or something like that, anyway, he thinks that Sasquatch is an original Earth creature, just like Gorillas and other apes. His reasoning proceeds that Man is NOT! Apes (and their ilk-like Sasquatch, Yeti’s etc.)have prominent brow ridges that shade the eyes from the sun, but man doesn’t so obviously we’re from another planet! Well, I don’t agree. As a Christian myself I believe God has created an incredible array of life that has not all been cataloged yet. Just think about it; what if no-one had ever seen a giant squid before and it washed up on a crowded beach for the first time in 2006? People would be so astonished that anything like it could possibly exist. Or think of the first time a European saw a Giraffe! They were probably in a state of shock! All Bigfoot is,- is another one of these unusual creatures. I am always amazed by and try to give the Creator the glory. How neat it is that when I was a little kid growing up and being fascinated with dinosaurs that the God who invented not only the dinosaurs themselves but the sense of wonder and my mind to ponder their majesty. Of course I feel that it is put into us to want to understand these things better, so I’m convinced cryptozoology is a great extension and outlet for this God given curiosity. After all; God told Adam to name the animals.
By the way having gone back and re-read the posts here, I find it really interesting that we have fundamentalist Christians and fervent evolutionists all in agreement on one thing: something is out there. Not too many websites afford that kind of unity!
I also think DWA makes some very good points and agree that it important to find conclusions.
As an Orthodox Roman Catholic I never found Cryptozoology threatening to my personal beliefs or the church. While I have huge doubts about aliens visiting our planet and ghosts, there is undeniable proof that cryptids exist, such as the gorilla when it was first confirmed to exist in the 1800’s. While it may take 500 years to capture a Bigfoot (our poster child), I have no doubt that something maybe a little less marvelous will be discovered that will cause a stir and put these doubting Thomases back in the shadows.
I’d say that these people need to keep their noses out of the business of those who are not involved with them at all. This attack was unprovoked and unnecessary. Also, Loren I’m with you on the Ugh!
The site “Catholic Sensibility” isn’t a church-sanctioned site. It’s just some guy making comments. There no links other than to other posts made on the site. He or she also make a comment on the new storm on Jupiter. I was raised Catholic but no longer regularly attend Mass. My mother told me a joke that cropped again after 911: What’s the difference between a liturgist and a terrorist?, You can negotiate with a terrorist. After reading the other blogs on the site, I think this joke accurately describes the blogger.
Boy. This is something. But maybe we should expect it, and do something with it, eh?
If we could send this thread to people who wonder how folks with such different beliefs (me: evolutionist left of center Nixon Democrat atheist who thinks there is probably a God, and no I’m not kidding) could be on the same page on anything, I think we’d get everybody on the sas bandwagon. He’s a uniter, not a divider!
The search for sas has to be all about science. And all about faith and hope. Sometimes they converge. You know?
This doesn’t apply to all religions, or religious belief systems, by any means, and I don’t mean to disrespect any of them, however…
There are interesting parallels between the exclusivity of our modern ‘institution of science’ and the various controlling and demanding religions – there are certain ideas or lines of thought that must remain taboo, for whatever reason. Often, for reasons no one can remember anymore, but more often, because of a very simple premise: A student cannot know more than his instructor. For this reason, both religious leaders and science professors will continue to lead people away from the beautiful mysteries of the unknown
Sasquatch, the guy you are referring to is Lloyd Pye. He is a proponent of what he calls Intervention Theory, which has it that humans were created or at least modified by aliens.
That said, most of his arguments that humans did not evolve on earth are just warmed-over creationist arguments. I exchanged emails with him a while back, answering his arguments one by one. For one example, it is simply not true that humans do not have brow ridges – they are usually reduced or vestigial, but can be well developed in some individuals. Even if it were true, it would mean nothing.
I agree with said Ughs and Arghs, and I add to these an Oy!
If I was still doing radio, as I did back in Ufology’s Golden Age, I would ask the question now that I asked then when a noisy scoffer called in: Why are you afraid of this topic? The reply was generally incoherent babblings.
“I myself am a Christian and a libertarian. I find the people who snipe at cryptozoology seem to worship a deity who is as limited as their minds. God is far greater than we can comprehend, and the diversity of creation will surely reflect this. Just my thoughts on the matter.”
Well said and I agree wholeheartedly
As a devout atheist (If such words can be combined), one reason why I reject a theistic world view is because it seems so dull and simple by comparison to the wondrous, awe-inspiring universe that I perceive around me. To observe all these vast, interconnected systems, working seamlessly and almost imperceptibly over truly immense stretches of time and space is truly humbling. To consider that they all appear to function perfectly well without any form of outside intervention I find even more remarkable and worthy of reverence.
If God does exist as many religions describe it (No need to get sectarian here, most will suffice), then the appearance that the system works fine on its own is only an illusion. True, I may not believe in a supreme being, but I must believe that if one does exist, it is not a deceiver. If it is, if (for example) it put fossils in the Earth simply to deceive, to tempt those with the ability to reason away from the truth, then it is certainly no God I would wish to follow.
The more science discovers about the universe and how it functions, the more I find it to be far more miraculous, far more divine, far more worthy of awestruck reverence, than anything any religion has ever conceived.
Mnynames: I think you’re right.
And I think God could have done all of it.
My problem with religion is that it pigeonholes God, makes Him (other than a Him) some kind of neurotic martinet who doesn’t have bigger fish to fry than demanding we don’t eat those on Fridays.
In a recent debate in Time Magazine (Nov. 13 issue), the guy who comes off as the all-science atheist says, in closing, “if there is a God, it’s going to be a whole lot bigger and a whole lot more incomprehensible than anything that any theologian of any religion has ever proposed.”
Exactly. A god who made evolution, and saw that it was good. And who made everything — EVERYTHING —
in “His” image.
Amen, says the atheist. I’ve always found it interesting that those who go on about God so much seem to act as if the big guy couldn’t possibly get anything done without THEM. They talk a lot about Faith, but seem to have little of it themselves.
Well, right.
We say that God created us in his image and likeness. Nothing else; just US. To me this implies that the opposite is really what’s going on: We’ve created a God that is in our own image and likeness, with all our faults. He judges, punishes, condemns — things we consider reprehensible in humans. Why are they OK with God?
Why are we so uncomfortable with a God who only creates, then leaves the creation to be? Isn’t it enough that God made it? Why does “He” (we even give him a gender!) have to RUN it, too?
My next essay: God, the Ultimate Cryptid…! 😀
Where I said RUN above: maybe “micro-manage” would give a better feel for what I meant.
God as micro-manager? A little too much in our image and likeness, methinks.
I’d say, personally, that testing you, by handing you temptations you’ve been programmed by Him to fall for, then punishing you when you make the “wrong” choice, the one He programmed you to make, couldn’t be more micro. Doncha think? When the way God made us, most of us couldn’t even get 1400 on the SAT…?
OK, I’ll stop now. But I actually am starting to think of God as a cryptid! I’ll try to stay on topic; I think he’s outside of earthly verification.
I wonder if anybody thought to make plaster casts of those “footprints in the sand” you hear mentioned on “inspirational” posters…