The Mormon Conspiracy
Posted by: Loren Coleman on February 5th, 2008
Look, no one wants to talk about it straightforwardedly, so let me bring this to the fore.
In the journal published as a book, Intermediate States: The Anomalist 13, I deal with a touchy subject in my article “Between Worlds: The Three Nephites.”
I began the essay this way:
During the 2008 presidential campaign season there was much talk of Mormonism and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints because of the candidacy of Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts. But few of those interested in his candidacy realized that one tenet of the Mormon faith includes the belief in a race of beings who live in a world between the known and unknown.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints accept as true that the Nephites – initially righteous people, who eventually fell into wickedness – once existed and may still walk among us, saving lives and doing good deeds, and looking for redemption. ~ for more, see Intermediate States
In terms of cryptozoology, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) have figured into some of the backstories and rumors linked to Bigfoot for a long time. Let’s sort through some of these links.
A few would have you believe there is a Bigfoot Mormon Mafia. What dots are being connected?
The late Grover Krantz grew up in a devout Mormon family, and his parents were actually living in a heavily Mormon location (Rockford, Illinois) when he was born. Krantz later rejected his Mormon roots, to further his scientific thinking.
Jeff Meldrum is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and reportedly writes books, according to his critics, “defending the historical veracity of the Book of Mormon, in essence saying he thinks American Indians are decendents of Jews who emigrated here thousands of years ago.”
Grants Pass psychologist and famed July 4th, 2000, Bigfoot eyewitness Matthew Johnson is deeply involved in LDS family and community matters. His interviews on reality television, describing his Bigfoot sightings in tearful retellings, are legendary.
Are Mormons behind all cryptofilm productions? What details are being connected here?
Doug Hajicek, the executive producer of “Monster Quest” was raised a Mormon, although his current status as a LDS member is unclear. He is not, however, a member of the subgroup headed by an estranged relative. Perhaps someone has their Hajiceks confused?
Haijeck’s half-brother is Elder John J. Hajicek, one of the leaders, along with James Strang, of the Sabbath-keeping Mormons. This branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has accepted the reality, apparently, which says Cain and Bigfoot are one in the same. A cryptofiction version of these thoughts can be found in Clan of Cain: The Genesis of Bigfoot by Shane Lester. But John Hajicek has nothing to do with “Monster Quest.”
Sunn Classics Pictures, a Mormon-owned documentary production company, did produce films in the 1970s, on Bigfoot, Noah’s Ark, and other mysteries outside the mainstream. Of course, they made one on Lincoln’s assassination too, and the company happened to be located in Utah, where Mormon ownership might be expected.
John Green, writing on July 25, 2004, to the editor of The Skeptical Inquirer, addressed some of the rumors floating among skeptics that the Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot footage was created by the film company American National Enterprises of Salt Lake City, and they produced a hoax. It is intriguing that it has come to a point that Green would even have to say this. He wrote that it has been…:
…claimed at times that the making of the [Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot] movie was somehow a Mormon conspiracy. Ron Olson, son of one of the three owners of American National, says that none of them were Mormons, and that their only association with Patterson was that they paid him for using his footage in their movie.
I suppose if people look hard enough they can find conspiracies whereever they want to find them.
But perhaps the truth here is a little more innocent and subtle. It has often been acknowledged that to be a Mormon one must allow for a more open-minded approach to life, which happens to include cryptozoology and other anomalist topics. Maybe it is nothing more than that at work, at least in a few cases. Or maybe it is nothing at all.
In terms of full disclosure, it must be stated that some of us who aren’t LDS are open-minded too. After all, I grew up with more than a dash of Aimee Semple McPherson in me, at least until zoology, anthropology and cryptozoology took over my life when I was about 12.
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February 6, 2008:
Perhaps it is merely a coincidence, but I noted this morning that over at 10 Zen Monkeys, a new blog appeared late yesterday about “The Morman Bigfoot Genesis Theory.”
- Similar Phenomena:
Excellent article, Loren.
Very interesting, indeed. Thanks Loren, for the rational perspective. It does underscore the difficulty in trying to correlate spiritual beliefs and science in that when one is invoked to inform the other, it does a dis-sevice to both and of course generates a touch of heart-burn. But eventually it brings out the truth just a astrology presaged astronomy. I’d love to see cryptozoology advance without the scriptural input but such is the way of intellectual evolution.
Morman conspiracy on Big Foot. I think not, as a Catholic, I support Mitt as well as the Greats in Bigfoot research no matter what their beliefs are.
So Bigfoot roams the north american forests carrying a deadly ass jaw, huh? Hunters should take note
ill skip around the religeous issues as i do with creationists, everyone got a right to beleive what they want as long as it doesnt hurt or interfere with anyone else in my opinion
a small scale conspiracy maybe, like the pterosaur/ropen footage supposedly from 1924 (?)that was faked by a (or small group of) creationists
but large scale?
are they working with or against the U.S goverment who are also covering up the big fella allegedly along with ufo’s aliens and propably why its impossible to get a tasty tv dinner
i look forward to hearing the jewish and muslim conspiracies too
ill say the same as i do to creationsim, if you help prove 100% the existence of the big fella thank you and well done, but im still not gonna agree with the religeous aspect of who he is
Great article, Mister Coleman. This is something I didn’t know about Mormons or their beliefs.
Well, people do have a right to believe in whatever they want…this country was founded, in part, on that great principle. And most organized religions are riddled with inaccuracies, historical, scientific, or otherwise, and I’m a proud and devout member of one of those organzied religions.
I’ll admit that Bigfoot could be any number of things, but let’s hope that it’s just something as mundane as a relict hominid or unknown primate!
I would be surprised if there were a LDS conspiracy concerning Bigfoot.
While I am not religious and actually abhor most religous ideas and theories,I do think that relgious freedom should be allowed,however,I think that a certain group of politicians have used religion and fear to garner political power. As for the bigfoot and Mormon issue,I try to always keep an open mind and at least give every idea or opinion the respect of doing my own research and making up my own mind. I think the idea is very,very far-fetched but until I can look into it further and see the evidence I will refrain from giving an opinion. It seems to me,with all the new excitement around the sasquatch question(the most mainstream media and documentary films being made since the mid 70’s)that it has given birth to some new thinking and theories about how to prove,disprove or catch one of these elusive creatures. That is a good thing,however,some of the outlandish and ridiculous ideas and all of the numerous “sighting” videos and jokes are doing more harm than a million skeptics and debunkers could ever do to our cause. I think in the end it will boil down to what most of us have known all along,the creature exists and is a unclassified North American Primate that crossed the bering land bridge centuries ago. Will the “proof” that science needs ever be found? I doubt it. I have a feeling that these creatures,like most animals pushed by man,are on the verge of extinction. I think that if one isnt found soon..it may never be. I think that for all of the wild and crazy theories(aliens,Mormons etc.)if anyone is to ever have success..it will come from doing what was done many times in the 70’s..constant expeditions from qualified and experienced people.
The big clue was the title of Shane Lester’s book “Clan of Cain.”
Bigfoot’s tie in with Mormonism or at least Mormon folklore seems to have been based on an encounter with a Bigfoot-like being by one of the early church leaders David Pattern:
“He walked along beside me for about two miles. His head was about even with my shoulders as I sat in my saddle. He wore no clothing, but was covered with hair. His skin was very dark.”
Pattern thought this entity was Cain from the Book of Genesis who, according to the story, was condemned by God for killing his brother Abel and therefore transformed and cursed to walk the Earth.
Another encounter with a hairy “Cain” is mentioned in the Church’s Archives where one of the Church’s “presidents” during the 1800s allegedly drives off an attack from a huge, hairy creature by invoking the name of Christ.
Thus, if there was any official interest in the Mormon Church for looking for Bigfoot it may be on account of these experiences from the Church’s early history and perhaps this belief that Bigfoot is actually Cain from the Bible.
Sources:
http://www.mormonmentality.org/2008/01/15/a-mormon-bigfoot.htm
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/weblog/comments/is_bigfoot_really_cain/
(For the record I’m not Mormon but once heard the Cain sighting story from a Mormon co-worker years ago and it always stuck out in my mind that it could have just as easily been taken as a Bigfoot sighting.)
-Nikolai
Some of my family are Mormons and I’ve always wondered what was the significance with all the geneology and what made them come to the conclusion that Native Americans are part of the lost tribes of Israel.Considering how important Native Americans are in Mormon belief should there really be any surprise that they would also acknowledge some of the beliefs of the Native Americans if for nothing other than to show a genuine admiration for the people,as well as their culture and folklore?
Religious beliefs and other fairy tales usually have at least a grain of fact somewhere in their history.
I can recall from my childhood (1964) where the Christian minister mentioned in church of the existence of Bigfoot as being of a spiritual nature, in order to help provide an example on which the membership could justify their belief in a God, that they could not see. So Mormons are not unique in attempting to utilize the Bigfoot as a religious learning tool. We can blame the church for blowing the lid off of the Bigfoot secret. Which is why pretty much everybody in my home town knew then, what is forbidden to be spoken, today.
I suppose that research could be done to see if even the native stories were collected by LDS members.
There is a substantial amount of hearsay in the article. Has Meldrum published anything claiming that the sibero-americans are actually Hebrew? Or is he just being accused because of his affiliation? (I know Loren, that you are just reporting, not supporting)
Being one of those horrible Trinitarian, monotheistic Christians (along with the Pope, the Patriarchs and the Protestants), I am trying to tread carefully regarding the LDS religion. Hoaxing is far from unknown in it, having been founded as a hoax. But this article is broad enough to make me skeptical of it.
For example, Monster Quest. They don’t only look for Napes. And they did provide very significant (and a first) footage of a giant squid (whether architeuthis or a Humboldt). So far as I know, squids and orang pendek, etc., have nothing to do with the LDS religion. Though I could be wrong.
If the LDS does have an investment in Napes being proof of their extra books, then I suppose it makes sense to be aware of that when evaluating reports. But even an agenda doesn’t disprove the results, necessarily.
Having NOT read the Book of Mormon, I find it curious that the Nephites bare a strong resemblance to the Nephilim in the Old Testament.
Great article as always, Loren.
I did not know about the LDS-BIGFOOT connection so I was glad to be informed about it.
LEXRST—I agree with you. I was thinking the same thing.
Who knows, IF Romney were to have become president maybe he could have surreptitiously encouraged research into Sasquatch?
We’ll never know, since it seems highly unlikely he has a chance now after Super-Tuesday.
I didn’t personally like him anyway.
Mentioned him because it was relevant to the discussion.
So here is the thing, as in any organized group or religion there are urban legends. You know, those stories that everyone swears is true but no one has any firsthand evidence. This is one of them. I am a Mormon, have been for 22 years. I also believe in bigfoot, I have since I was a small child and I saw The Legend Of Boggy Creek. I also was an anthropology major in college, where my professor adamantly believed in the existence of unknown hominids. I do not believe nor have I ever believed that Cain still walks this earth. There is no church doctrine to support that theory. Again urban legend. What I do have a problem with is the widespread prejudice and the ridicule I face as a mormon. I am very disappointed to see it crop up here where I have been a reader for many years. Sschaper is a good example he says ‘on the one hand I will tread carefully’, but in the same paragraph that’ Mormonism is founded on a hoax’. I respect that opinion don’t happen to share it. I think most of this that are frequenters of this site are a bit more open minded and I like to think less likely to believe every written word. As a mormon we do not believe everything that comes tripping out of someone’s mouth just because he is a member of the church. Anymore then I believe every cryptid account.
hey loren & researchers wow this is a very inpressive article about the morman conspiracy & the sasquatch pheanomena. good evening bill green
Very interesting Loren. So, do you know any Mormons who do not believe in Bigfoot?
I too am a Mormon and will concede that there may be such creatures as Bigfoot in existence. OFFICIAL CHURCH doctrine from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says nothing about a Cain to Bigfoot connection. There have been members of the Church that have made such claims, but this is not taught in Church. This is pure speculation by some members. God does not command in all things and there are some mysteries that God has not revealed to man. But religion aside, I am abhorred that the author of this article is making such claims that this is accepted in mainstream Mormonism. This is just like the claim that practicing Mormons still practice polygamy (only offshoot radical groups that only CLAIM to be Mormons still practice this. The practice ended over 100 years ago. Any member found to practice polygamy is excommunicated from the Church. This fact does not keep people from still claiming that Mormons are still like this. Most Mormons DO NOT believe the claim that Cain is Bigfoot. Just because some people associate themselves with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and also claim this does not mean ALL MORMONS believe this. This is just pure speculation with no official statement from The Church.
Interesting read. Such a different, kind of odd perspective to look at the Sasquatch phenomena. Thanks for the information.
I’ll refrain from posting my religious beliefs here. God is love.
Commenter tdmcg82 writes: “the author of this article is making…claims that this is accepted in mainstream Mormonism.”
Please re-read this blog and do not kill the messenger. I am not making any such claim. I am challenging such an overall claim, and stating a subgroup allegedly holds such beliefs.
Thank your for reporting the article. As for the conspiracy, some people just have way to much time on there hands.
Noobfun referred to, “a small scale conspiracy maybe, like the pterosaur/ropen footage supposedly from 1924 (?)that was faked by a (or small group of) creationists”
I keep seeing this come up, so since I’m investigating reports of ropen (claimed living pterosaurs in Papua New Guinea), I wanted to correct the statement. First, the footage was a clearly fake, amateur video posted on YouTube under the name “David Woetzel,” apparently in an attempt to discredit the David Woetzel who has been on cryptid-hunting expeditions to Africa and New Guinea. I know the real David Woetzel personally, and he was pretty mad that someone would post the video under his name. He said he had nothing to do with the video. Besides, if Dave wanted to produce a hoax video, he probably would have put it on his webpage, genesispark.org, not on YouTube. Anyway, not that religious people can’t lie or that there aren’t hypocrites, but Dave takes his religious principles seriously, and I know him well enough that I can’t imagine he would pull a stunt like this. If he wanted to fake something, he could have just claimed he saw a dinosaur in New Guinea or Cameroon.
So, the video was not produced by creationists. It was evidently produced by someone wanting to discredit or mock creationists. And if you think I’m being paranoid, look up the webpage http://objectiveministries.org/creation/pterosaurs.html The entire site is a satire/imitation of creationists who believe in living pterosaurs or dinosaurs. It’s designed to turn people off from any real evidence that they are still alive. If I was totally unacquainted with the site, I’d think it was serious, and that’s the goal (Objective Ministries is evidently alligned with the “Landover Baptist Church” satire website). People are free to disagree with creationists, but it does bug me when someone resorts to lies to oppose theories they evidently don’t have the capability to argue with (not saying noobfun is lying, just whoever did this video).
I think there is pretty compelling evidence that pterosaurs are still alive, and know several other cryptozoologists who think the same. We’d love to find conclusive evidence, but I think we all take our work seriously enough that we’d rather never find anything than invent some hoax. And I’d think if any of my friends had such rotten character as to invent a hoax, I think they’d do a better job than this imposter did.
For the record, I’m a catholic.
“But few of those interested in his candidacy realized that one tenet of the Mormon faith includes the belief in a race of beings who live in a world between the known and unknown.”
This is no different than the belief by some catholics of the “purgatory”.
According to this belief (which I don’t share), if you die and aren’t really a bad person but didn’t quite “make it” into heaven, you are given a second chance of sorts. You live as a ghost for a while with the opportunity to redeem yourself through good deeds and exist in the spirit world, able to interact with the real world in a limited way so that you may help others.
I have to say that I am disappointed with Coleman’s post here, he shows prejudice against mormons while ignoring similar beliefs of other religions. We could easily go down the list of similar beliefs held by other religions. Then, considering that 94% of the population belongs to one of those religions, it shows the fallacy of Coleman’s argument.
Anyway, it is his blog to opine as he wills.
When “skeptic” writes, apparently in all seriousness, that he/she is “disappointed with Coleman’s post here, he shows prejudice against mormons while ignoring similar beliefs of other religions,” I say, “calm down.”
For those who are emotionally reading and reacting to this entry, I ask you please to re-read the entire essay and get to the underlying theme: “I suppose if people look hard enough they can find conspiracies whereever they want to find them.”
Thanks, Loren. Absolutely fascinating, and little-discussed.
Ok, I’ve calmed down and you’re right, this isn’t discussed at all and maybe we should.
If we are to dismiss anyone who believes in “beings who live in a world between the known and unknown”, then only atheists would be credible BF researchers.
I’m sure Mr Radford would agree with that.
I’m also LDS (Mormon). I found Loren’s article interesting but on a far-out subject. Yes, it seems a conspiracy can be imagined for almost anything.
I’ve been active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1971, attending hundreds of church meetings of many kinds. The Big Foot subject has never come up as part of any meeting-discussion or discourse, as far as I recall (in casual conversations, maybe once every ten years).
Part of why the Big Foot is not an issue with our doctrine is that the Nephites were an advanced civilization: Surviving Nephites would not look anything like giant apes. The Book of Mormon mentions how a few Nephites were granted an extension of life, to continue preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but it was the Lamanites (enemies of the Nephites) who sometimes wore little clothing and were portrayed as looking or acting more like animals.
The Cain interpretation of a hairy thing walking on two legs–that I have heard about twice in thirty-seven years: it is speculation by a very few individuals; it is not taught in church nor published in any church literature.