Dr. Matthew Johnson's Encounter

[GuyInIndiana]

I've always been curious why people seem to put more stock in this sighting than in others. What makes his testimony more compelling? Is it just because the guy has a doctorate? Does that mean he would never lie or exaggerate?

In a nutshell, yes, that's exactly it. Who you are in western culture sets higher and lower values depending on stereo-typical perceptions and biases.

[Guest]

Nay nay. He was already in fully stressed 'fight or flight' mode BEFORE his sighting.

I've been in fight or flight mode a couple of times in my life. I never stopped to pee.

Dr. Johnson's account reads to me like that of someone suffering from a stress disorder prior to his alleged encounter.

Hmmm, I wonder if anyone has ever interviewed him and asked whether he had such a disorder before the encounter?

[bipedalist]

He prob. did since his resume reads he was the Dept. Head of Charter North (Outpatient Counseling) in Fairbanks, Alaska before moving to Oregon.....that's enough to wear on anybody, j/k (and he had kids too boot..... )

[JDL]

For those who think that a psychologist cannot be just as susceptible to an emotional stress disorder as anyone else, you do realize that oncologists occasionally die from cancer and that cardiologists have heart attacks?

Actually, I believe that a significant number of people are drawn to psychology as a profession specifically because they have disorders of their own.

He seems labile.

I think it is important to make a distinction between the encounter and the sighting. The encounter began when he became aware of something paralleling his family along the trail. The sighting was a subcomponent of the encounter. Keep in mind that his behavior upon sighting the bigfoot came after his "implied" perception that something might be stalking his family. The feeling of being stalked could have contributed to his subsequent panic. And all of this may have been piled upon some form of pre-existing instability.

Edited November 5, 2011 by JDL

[Guest RayG]

The encounter began when he became aware of something paralleling his family along the trail.

When did that supposedly happen? He makes no mention of it in his writeup at the BFRO (Report #678) in July 2000.

RayG

[JDL]

In the link provided by the OP there is a video interview in which he relates this portion of the encounter.

[Guest Kerchak]

Britain is very different to the USA and the sceptical, rational, evolutionary approach as demonstrated by thinkers like Richard Dawkins, Philip Pullman and Fry is very much the dominant ideology. So much so that one of the Pope's advisers allegedly let slip that the Pontiff was was nervous about his trip to Britain last year because it is the home of the: "New militant Atheism".

Nevertheless, most British docus that mention bigfoot don't seem to be ridiculing it. Bill Oddie did a BBC series about the wildlife of North America a few years back and in one episode he touched on bigfoot. He even talked to John Bindernagel. There was no mocking or ridiculing but rather a sense of "hmmmm maybe".

I've seen more positive British bigfoot docus than negative over the years.

Edit. With regards to the Stephen Fry and Johnson thing well even I found myself smirking and found myself thinking it wasn't a good 'advert' for an alleged bigfoot witness, with the high emotion in evidence.

Edited November 5, 2011 by Kerchak

[Guest RayG]

In the link provided by the OP there is a video interview in which he relates this portion of the encounter.

His encounter happened on July 1st, 2000, and he gave his report to the BFRO the very next day. The video in the link of the OP took place eight years after his encounter, and, judging by his video comments, his memories of the event are not quite what they were originally.

I think it would be interesting to hear what his ex-wife Rochelle remembers from that day.

RayG

[JDL]

I saw, but chose not to watch, a clip of her being interviewed on an "In Search Of" episode. Also in the OP link.

Can't discount the influence of media attention on their behavior.

[BobbyO]

That said, I am also not impressed by Johnson's account of his sighting. For a grown man he seems to be able to switch on the waterworks right on cue every time he recounts his sighting. For me this is more testament to his acting abilities that the authenticity of his encounter.

I agree 100%, that's where my doubts come in too..

Grown Men crying don't impress me but in certain circumstances it is of course understandable, but not when viewing Wildlife & not for Years after that viewing took place either, on multiple occasions.

[JDL]

I agree 100%, that's where my doubts come in too..

Grown Men crying don't impress me but in certain circumstances it is of course understandable, but not when viewing Wildlife & not for Years after that viewing took place either, on multiple occasions.

Good for the camera. Makes an impression the first time someone sees it. After seeing it repeatedly..... different impression.

Maybe the next Johnson will claim to have been abducted by a female bigfoot and get wistful every time he recounts the tale.

I do believe Johnson had an encounter, I just think that he has magnified it to the point that the telling is more of an event than the encounter itself was.

This could lead to the interpretation of finger-pulling as a near-spiritual event.

Edited November 5, 2011 by JDL

[Guest Strick]

Grown Men crying don't impress me but in certain circumstances it is of course understandable, but not when viewing Wildlife & not for Years after that viewing took place either, on multiple occasions.

"And the lifetime achievement award for Drama Queen of the Decade goes to, wait for it......"

Dr Matthew Johnson of Oregon..

[Scarecrow]

I agree with the sentiment of others here. The main thing that initially made me question his story is that in the middle of an alleged scary scene where they were being shadowed by something in the bushes, Dr. Johnson leaves his family to take a dump in the wild. I've heard of people being so scared that they wet themselves, but this one always felt odd to me. Now the fact that he turns on the water works every time he retells the story, using almost identical language each time -"everything I thought I knew about the wilderness came crashing down" - coupled by the fact that his personal life appears to be in shambles and he plays pull the finger with a Sasquatch certainly makes me question the entire story.

[Guest Thepattywagon]

So didn't he take up BF researching after this encounter? If so, he couldn't have been TOO shaken up by the event, if he was ready to go back out there for another one. Many reports by those negatively affected by a sighting or encounter state that they won't go back into the woods anymore, or at least not without a gun. The most common thing I can recall is that they won't return to the specific area of the encounter, and certainly not alone.

[Guest]

I've also seen that searching for Sasquatch has become a family activity for him, and he is finding evidence everywhere. The cast he has of a mom print, with a child print inside it is a bit much. I wish him well.