Here’s a link to where you can download my recent appearance on the Paracast with Gene Steinberg and Chris O’Brien, where we spent time talking about Mothman, UFOs, and many of the greater mysteries of conscious.
Speaking with Gene and Chris about subjects of great wonder was so much more enjoyable than getting my taxes done. Even though an income tax calculator and online tax preparation make them easier taxes are one mystery that is never interesting to explore. This was such a fun exploration of the mysterious:
A recent article appearing in the Salt Lake City area Desert Times that those who identify with religious beliefs are less likely to have interest or belief in the paranormal. Referencing a book by author Rodney Stark called What Americans Really Believe, data from a 2005 Baylor Survey on Religion was used to determine degrees of gullibility among various Christian groups. “Credulity: Who Believes in Bigfoot” was one chapter featured, which dealt with groups ranging from more liberal Episcopalians to Mormons and conservative evangelicals and their potential views toward haunted houses, UFOs, and mysterious creatures.
The results found that a minority of 13 percent of “theologically conservative people” were apt to believe in paranormal claims while, while “41 percent of Episcopalians, 14 percent of members of the Assemblies of God, 32 percent of Catholics and 15 percent of Mormons scored high.” In his conclusion, Stark summarizes, “It seems that the choice is either to believe in the Bible or in Bigfoot.”
In truth, both areas present extraordinary claims, and perhaps whether or not one chooses to “believe” is really missing the bigger picture. I have found, in my experience, that the greatest merit is to have an open mind, in the absence of complying unconditionally to any faith or doctrine. Hence, my views toward religion (namely Christianity) are very similar to my views toward the unexplained: I have a strong interest in each, and have discovered merit to many claims associated with both, as well as many fallacies.
Have you ever undergone a frightening or traumatic experience, during which you felt the presence of another nearby who provided comfort and support, even if no such person had actually been there? In his 2008 book The Third Man Factor: Surviving the Impossible, author John Geiger deals with peculiar instances of survival against the extreme, where individuals felt they were accompanied by a ghostly presence. Reports of this phenomenon range from prisoners of war, aviators and astronauts, to even survivors of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. “All have escaped traumatic events only to tell strikingly similar stories of having experienced the close presence of a companion and helper,” Geiger writes.
One fascinating instance of Geiger’s “Third Man Factor” recounts an unusual Himalayan encounter that took place in 1953, during which the famous and rugged Austrian mountaineer Herman Buhl was first to scale the Nanga Parbat, a 26,660 foot peak located in the Himalayas, making it the world’s ninth tallest. Writing for the Wall Street Journal, Michael J. Ybarra noted at the time of publication how Buhl “climbed by himself and not far from the summit was forced to spend the night out in the open without a sleeping bag or tent… Buhl survived—in part, he later wrote, because he sensed that he shared the ordeal with a companion.” Indeed, Buhl had described having “an extraordinary feeling,” and the sense “that I was not alone.”
This report is interesting, not only because of the unusual paranormal aspect of sensing a “presence” nearby when there was, in fact, no one at all, but also due to its similarity to an earlier encounter where the survivor claimed he had been rescued by none other than the legendary Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas. Could Buhl’s experience shed some light on the true nature of one of the oddest reports of a Yeti ever told?
Recently, my brother Caleb shared a link with me to the music video above, featuring the group Old Man Markley and their song “For Better, For Worse.” Although I perform several times a week with a variety of Bluegrass and acoustic ensembles myself (which, curiously, end up falling somewhere between Bill Munroe and Bad Religion in terms of sound), it was not immediately clear to me why I had been made privy to this clip… and then the Sasquatch appeared.
Watching the video, which humorously pokes fun at gory horror films of the past where Bigfoot wreaks havoc on unsuspecting campers and the like, I was reminded of a few favorites worthy of mention here. After all, most people who follow cryptozoology know of flicks along the lines of The Legend of Boggy Creek; still, there are a number of others which, though lacking in authentic documentary-style presentation like Boggy Creek showcased, still earn a B+ for over the top hilarious Sasquatchery.
Here’s a link to where you can download my recent appearance on the Paracast with Gene Steinberg and Chris O’Brien, where we spent time talking about Mothman, UFOs, and many of the greater mysteries of conscious. 
