From "Saul" To "Paul" (My Bigfoot Journey of Conversion)

Editor’s Note: Dr. Matthew A. Johnson is one of the most credible people in the Bigfoot world. In July 1, 2000, Dr. Johnson had a "Class A" Bigfoot encounter with his family while hiking near the Oregon Caves. After his life changing sighting, he went to the public and described one of the most intense encounters ever. You can join him on Facebook at Team Squatchin USA.

What I have included below IS NOT intended to be a religious posting. Rather, it is intended to provide a dramatic example of how one’s life course can be altered by a significant event that they never anticipated experiencing. Once you read through the dramatic example, I will then share how I think my BIGFOOT JOURNEY is a parallel example in similar ways.

NOTE: I’m NOT trying to “Deify” the Bigfoot/Sasquatch/Forest People in any manner nor am I trying to proselytize anyone to my Christian faith, so don’t even go there or your posts will be deleted. I’m simply utilizing the best story available that parallels my own personal life experience so you can better understand MY BIGFOOT JOURNEY.

SAUL PERSECUTES THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH:
Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee in Jerusalem after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, swore to wipe out the new Christian church, called The Way. He got letters from the Jewish High Priests, authorizing him to arrest any followers of Jesus in the city of Damascus.

SIMILARITIES:
After my family’s encounter with Bigfoot at the Oregon Caves on July 1, 2000 ( http://www.thedailycourier.com/bigfoot/ ), I became a “Die-Hard” Researcher and proponent of the “Gigantopithicus Theory” because that what all the GIANTS in the field were promoting (i.e., Krantz, Green, Meldrum, Bindernagel, Fahrenbach, Dahinden, etc.). In online Bigfoot Forums, I would persecute, make fun of, and totally decimate any “Crazy Kook” who would even think about discussing “Cloaking”, “Mind Speak”, “Orbs”, etc. I was unmerciful and was majorly disrespectful toward Habituators such as Autumn Williams and associates. I would tell them that they were discrediting those of us in Bigfootdom who were doing serious research and that they needed to shut their mouths, go away, and don’t forget to take their medication while they’re at it. If I had the authority, I would have arrested them and thrown them in prison for all of their blasphemies. I encouraged them to leave the Bigfooting to us serious “Flesh and Blood” Researchers.

SAUL SEES THE LIGHT ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS:
On the Damascus Road, Saul and his companions were struck down by a blinding light, brighter than the noonday sun. Saul heard a voice say to him: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" (Acts 9:4, NIV) When Saul asked who was speaking to him, the voice replied, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." (Acts 9:5-6, NIV) The men with Saul heard the sound but did not see the vision of the risen Christ that Saul did. Saul was blinded. They led him by the hand into Damascus to a man named Judas, on Straight Street. For three days Saul was blind and did not eat or drink anything.

SIMILARITIES:
When I experienced my first “Mind Speak” experience in our Southern Oregon Habituation Area (SOHA) in May of 2011, with both the Adolescent Bigfoot (which I have a visual on and also have it recorded whispering in a spoken language) and the Adult Male Bigfoot (which I have recorded singing and talking), I was completely blown away. I was totally flabbergasted. I tried to tell myself that I had to have been dreaming, even though I knew I wasn’t. This couldn’t be!!! When I rolled over inside the tent to check on my youngest son, Grady, he lifted his head up off his pillow, looked at me, and said, “They spoke with me too, daddy.” Then he laid his head back down on the pillow and went to sleep. Wow!!! Wow!!! Wow!!! Grady said “They”….. as in plural…. as in more than one. He didn’t say, “He spoke with me too daddy.” It did really happen!!! Crap!!!

Then in September of 2011, while conducting a “Night Sit” in our Washington Habituation Area (WAHA) in the greenbelt behind our home, within 30 minutes of setting up our camp chairs, Howie Gordon, Cynthia Kreitzberg (my fiancé), and I were surrounded by four or five Squatches. Also, there was an impulsive young one running back and forth in the dark between two of the older Squatches. During our “Night Sit” experiences, we have a NO LIGHTS POLICY. We only use flashlights to get to and from our “Night Sit” area. Well, both Cynthia and I noticed that Howie had his cell phone light on. We reminded him of our NO LIGHTS POLICY and asked him to turn off his cell phone. Howie informed Cynthia and me that he left his cell phone in our house and he didn’t know what we were talking about. We both said, “There!!!” while pointing at his right elbow. He looked down and said, “Holy shit!!! I don’t know what that is!!!” The light moved from his right elbow up his forearm to his right hand. Then it moved back to his right elbow. Then it moved up his arm to his right shoulder. Finally, it shot up into the canopy of the tree tops about 20 feet above us, hovered for a few seconds, and then zipped away in an Easterly direction. The three of us had just witnessed our first “Orb” that all the “Crazy Kooks” had been talking about.

Within an hour of setting up our chairs, I started talking in my calm Psychologist voice. I let the Squatches know that we were there to make friends. I reminded them that we are the humans that have been leaving them food and that they left a pile of berries for us in return. I let them know that it would be really cool for us if one of them would actually come up to us and say “hello” so we can see them. Within seconds of making that request, one of the Squatches started walking right toward us. I could see the dark silhouette at a distance. It was about 8’6” tall. Suddenly, it “Cloaked” while it continued to walk right toward us. We could hear the footsteps and see the leaves, brush, and branches move as it walked closer and closer toward us. Howie Gordon was shouting, “Doc! Doc! It’s coming right at us!!!” I stood up out of my chair as it began to veer toward my left. As it passed on my left hand side, the Bigfoot’s torso area bumped my left shoulder and spun me around like I was a little kid. I’m NOT a little kid. I’m 6’9” tall and weighed over 300 lbs at the time. I watched the footsteps on the ground, the ferns moving, and the tree branches move as it walked back into the cover of the trees and brush. Wow!!! Wow!!! Wow!!! The freaking “Crazy Kooks” were right!!!

Between May and September of 2011, I saw the light……. Literally. My Bigfoot “paranormal experiences” were also shared and witnessed by three other people (i.e., Grady, Howie, and Cynthia). I was officially converted from a Researcher to a Habituator. HOWEVER, let me make this perfectly clear, I still believe that the Bigfoot are “Flesh and Blood” beings. Even when the one “Cloaked” and walked by me, I still felt it when it bumped me and spun me around. THEREFORE, it didn’t disappear into a mist or into a different dimension. It simply concealed its visual identity. Don’t ask me how. I have much more to learn. All I know is that it happened and it was witnessed by more than just myself. Show you proof? The testimony of three credible and reliable witnesses in the courtroom is more than enough proof to convict a killer. I just gave you your proof. Now, you either choose to believe or you choose not to believe. That’s your issue – NOT my issue. BUT if you call the three of us LIARS, I’ll have to boot your butt from this Facebook group because I won’t tolerate you attacking our integrity. By the way, Cynthia (my fiancé) works for a Law Enforcement Agency in the State of Washington. She passed both their Criminal and Background Checks, including their lie detector test, so don’t even go there regarding the questioning of her integrity. Like myself, she doesn’t LIE or HOAX either.

“SAUL” BECOMES “PAUL”:
Meanwhile, Jesus appeared in a vision to a disciple in Damascus named Ananias and told him to go to Saul. Ananias was afraid because he knew Saul's reputation as a merciless persecutor of the Christian church. After his conversion, Saul changed his name to Paul. In one moment of fear, enlightenment, and regret, Saul understood that Jesus was indeed the true Messiah, and that he (Saul) had helped murder and imprison innocent people. Saul realized that despite his previous beliefs as a Jewish Pharisee, he now knew the truth about God and was obligated to obey him. Paul's life-changing experience on the Damascus Road led to his baptism and instruction in the Christian faith. He became the most determined of the apostles, suffering brutal physical pain, persecution, and finally martyrdom.

SIMILARITIES:

Much like Saul’s life changing conversion experience, my life was changed too. Don’t worry, I’m not going to change my name. You can still call me Matt or “Dr J”!!! LOL!!! NEVERTHELESS, When I actually experienced “Mind Speak”, “Cloaking”, and an “Orb” along with three other people, there was no more denying what the “Crazy Kooks” were postulating. If I was truly going to be “scientific” in my approach, then I was going to have to accept the REALITY of what we all experienced, even if I wasn’t able to explain how it happened as of yet. I just knew there was no more denying it.

Much like Paul experienced in the early days of his conversion (i.e., The doubts and lack of trust from the Christian Church who clearly remembered him imprisoning, torturing, and murdering their brothers and sisters in Christ), I too experienced the doubt and lack of trust from the Habituators who I previously persecuted. It took several email exchanges and cell phone texting with Autumn Williams for her to accept my sincere and heartfelt apology for the grief I gave her years ago. By the way, I love, love, love her book, ENOCH, and think everyone should read it. She was given a lot of grief by others regarding it but she’s right on the money. Anyone with any significant time under their belt regarding the Habituation process will agree. For awhile, I was stuck between two worlds: (1) The Researchers who believed that I jumped off the deep end into insanity, and (2) the Habituators who remembered how brutal and disrespectful I was to them in the past. HOWEVER, over time, I have managed to experience some success in bridging the gap between the two worlds.

In the past two years, I have been received by Habituators who now believe that I am sincere in both heart and deeds. Also, there are Researchers who still respect me. They know that I’m a Christian Psychologist. They know that I’m a man of integrity. They know that I don’t LIE or HOAX. They know that I’m passionate about certain issues, that I’m an open book, and that I wear my heart on my sleeve. Finally, they know that I’ve always been an educator when it comes to the things that I’m passionate about ( http://www.Family-Rules.com/ ). Surprisingly, some of my Researcher friends, including BFRO members, have contacted me privately to discuss the above experiences and to learn more about the Habituation process. I tell them that although I don’t know everything there is to know about the Bigfoot/Forest People, I’ll be more than happy to share with them what I have learned so far. During our discussions, it was interesting to learn that the BFRO has a “special file” where they keep all the Bigfoot Encounter reports that include paranormal experiences. It’s called the garbage can. I’m just wondering how “scientific” and “open-minded” is that???!!!

As a result of my having seen the light on the road to SOHA and WAHA, like Paul, I have experienced persecution too. Fortunately, I haven’t experienced any brutal physical pain or martyrdom ……… yet. HOWEVER, I have sustained persistent/continuous attacks on my integrity and reputation. I’ve been accused of not being “scientific” by the very people who continue to confine Bigfoot to their small, rigid, theoretical box. If any reported Bigfoot experiences don’t fit inside their small, rigid, theoretical box, then they “deep six” those experiences into the garbage can. Once again, how “scientific” is that???!!!

Some Bigfoot Researchers claim to be “open-minded” but their words and behaviors clearly indicate that they are not “open-minded” at all. They are equivalent to the people who threatened to burn Galileo at the stake if he didn’t recant his “Heliocentric Theory” regarding our solar system (i.e., In the 1,600’s, the scientific community believed in the “Geocentric Theory” – That the sun and other planets orbited around the Earth). However, Galileo’s astronomic observations led him to believe that the Earth and other planets actually revolved around the Sun. Since Galileo understandably didn’t want to check out via a Catholic Inquisition Bar-BQ party, he recanted and spent the rest of his life under house arrest. Today, Galileo is considered to be the “Father of Modern Observational Astronomy.” Galileo was right after all!!!

Well, fortunately, I don’t think I’ll ever be placed in a situation where I’ll have to choose between standing up for the truth or being burned at the stake….. at least literally. I would literally die for my faith in Christ but never for my beliefs and experiences regarding Bigfoot. HOWEVER, I will most definitely stand up for the truth concerning my experiences with the Bigfoot/Forest People regardless of how many times the “open-minded/scientific” Bigfoot Researchers attempt to burn me at the “Cyber Space Stake.” I have always stood my ground for what is right, honest, and truthful. I will never change who I am or how I approach life. The truth of the matter is that Bigfoot is real. The Bigfoot/Forest People indeed do have “special abilities” that I have seen and experienced. How they manage to pull it off, I have absolutely no clue……… yet. There is much, much more to learn. HOWEVER, just because I can’t explain or provide pictorial/video proof of their “special abilities” doesn’t mean it’s not real. It just means it hasn’t been proven yet. For now, the testimony of several credible and reliable witnesses with unquestionable integrity will have to suffice.

Finally, like Saul who became Paul, I too wish for you to experience what I have experienced. What I’m still experiencing to this day. It’s most definitely life changing. I won’t ask you to change your name or to die a martyr’s death. I’m just asking you, in the name of true science, to actually be honestly open-minded and give the Habituation process a real try for a few years. Leave your Flash Lights, Seismic Sensors, Deer Cams, and Video Cams at home. Invasive High Tech Equipment rarely ever produces results. However, noninvasive technology such as Parabolic Microphone Dishes hooked up to Digital Recorders as well as handheld Thermo-Imagining equipment do yield results (i.e., Noninvasive technology doesn’t require “in your face” methods to capture data). Instead, I strongly encourage you to just go out into the woods with the proper attitude and try the Habituation process. Shift your mentality from wanting to “Prove they exist” to “Existing with them.” You already know that they exist so stop trying to prove it. Instead, simply interact with the Bigfoot/Forest People in the same manner you would want others to interact with you in your home (i.e., Provide food and just chillax together). Hang out with them and see what happens. Behave in such a manner that the Bigfoot/Forest People will grow to trust you over the years.

Not everyone believed Paul. Not everyone believed Galileo. Not everyone is going to believe me either. HOWEVER, some people did eventually believe in the past and some people will eventually believe today or tomorrow or next month or next year. I’m not here to cram anything down your throat. Much like “Doubting Thomas”, I had to see with my own eyes and experience it for myself before I was convinced. I get that. I understand that. Nope! As I’ve always done and always will do, I’m just here to “open-mindedly” stand up for the truth. Whether or not you accept or reject the truth is up to you.

Keep on Squatchin!!!

Dr Matthew A Johnson
(Owner of the “Team Squatchin USA” Facebook Group)