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Some skeptics of Jesus’ resurrection compare the disciples’ claim to have seen the risen Jesus to the claim that one has seen “Bigfoot.” In an interviewwith Christian author Stephen Meyer, Joe Rogan dismissed ancient reports of Jesus’ resurrection by saying there are also “reports” of Bigfoot sightings. The late New Testament scholar Michael Goulder wrote an article for the book Jesus’ Resurrection: Fact or Figment? where he references dozens of Bigfoot sightings reported in South Dakota in late August 1977.
He claims these are cases of “collective delusion” and this may be a natural explanation for the disciples claiming to have seen the risen Jesus.
One could say that it’s reasonable to believe in both Bigfoot and Jesus, so there’s no problem here. But regardless of how you feel about Bigfoot, Christians should point out that the presumption against Bigfoot sightings does not apply to claims about Jesus.
If Bigfoot really existed as part of the natural ecosystem, we’d expect to find more evidence like Bigfoot corpses or droppings.
Since we don’t find those things, we have good reason to doubt alleged Bigfoot sightings. Doubt about Bigfoot sightings comes from a lack of evidence in the ecosystem that should exist if Bigfoot existed, but since Jesus isn’t an unknown natural creature that lives in the woods, we can’t just make a one-to-one comparison between alleged Bigfoot sightings and alleged sightings of the risen Jesus.
Also, differences in the witnesses show why sightings of Jesus after his crucifixion are not like sightings of Bigfoot.
People are more likely to say they saw Bigfoot, because they are psychologically primed to see him. Bigfoot was a big deal ever since the release of the 1967 Patterson-Gimli film that claimed to be a recording of him. This made seeing Bigfoot a cultural expectation and there were positive incentives for claiming to have seen Bigfoot. In the 1970’s several B-movies about Bigfoot were released including one which aired in South Dakota the summer before the outbreak of sightings. In addition, people who claimed to see Bigfoot were given positive attention. James Stewart’s academic study of the outbreak (“Sasquatch Sightings in South Dakota: An Analysis of an Episode of Collective Delusion,”), which Goulder bases his argument against Jesus on, says “Seeing Bigfoot became a way of gaining prestige and living in the limelight, at least temporarily.”
Continued below.
He claims these are cases of “collective delusion” and this may be a natural explanation for the disciples claiming to have seen the risen Jesus.
One could say that it’s reasonable to believe in both Bigfoot and Jesus, so there’s no problem here. But regardless of how you feel about Bigfoot, Christians should point out that the presumption against Bigfoot sightings does not apply to claims about Jesus.
If Bigfoot really existed as part of the natural ecosystem, we’d expect to find more evidence like Bigfoot corpses or droppings.
Since we don’t find those things, we have good reason to doubt alleged Bigfoot sightings. Doubt about Bigfoot sightings comes from a lack of evidence in the ecosystem that should exist if Bigfoot existed, but since Jesus isn’t an unknown natural creature that lives in the woods, we can’t just make a one-to-one comparison between alleged Bigfoot sightings and alleged sightings of the risen Jesus.
Also, differences in the witnesses show why sightings of Jesus after his crucifixion are not like sightings of Bigfoot.
People are more likely to say they saw Bigfoot, because they are psychologically primed to see him. Bigfoot was a big deal ever since the release of the 1967 Patterson-Gimli film that claimed to be a recording of him. This made seeing Bigfoot a cultural expectation and there were positive incentives for claiming to have seen Bigfoot. In the 1970’s several B-movies about Bigfoot were released including one which aired in South Dakota the summer before the outbreak of sightings. In addition, people who claimed to see Bigfoot were given positive attention. James Stewart’s academic study of the outbreak (“Sasquatch Sightings in South Dakota: An Analysis of an Episode of Collective Delusion,”), which Goulder bases his argument against Jesus on, says “Seeing Bigfoot became a way of gaining prestige and living in the limelight, at least temporarily.”
Continued below.
Jesus Is Not Like Bigfoot
The twelve disciples claimed they saw the risen Jesus. But people also claim to see Bigfoot and most don't take them seriously. Is this a fair comparison?