Man or Beast?

One question that continues to plague bigfoot researchers is
"What is this animal, is it a man (albeit different or primitive) or
is it just an ape?"

Man has always had to cope with uncertain feelings when it
comes to apes and monkeys. We can not gaze into the eyes
of a chimp at the zoo and not have some thoughts about our
similarities.

Two thousand years ago when Europeans were first exposed
to seeing monkeys, it was easy to say "Well we are not
closely related, they have tails, walk on all fours, are covered
with hair and have no language." When stories of chimps and
gorillas started coming out of Africa, disbelief was common.
Here was a group of animals that had no tail, walked closer
to upright and looked more human-like. The first "body"
presented to science surely was a momentous event.

So how does this all relate to bigfoot studies? We are
confronted with an animal that -

1. Is upright walking (Patterson-Gimlin, Memorial Day, and
Freeman films).

2. Has footprints that are somewhat similar to mans as shown
by many photographs and footprint casts.

3. Is very vocal, whether these sounds are related to true
language or is simply mimicry is open to debate.

4. Has a highly social family structure as reported by eye
witness accounts.

5. Facial features look more human-like than apelike. I have
interviewed over two hundred witnesses that have had a bigfoot
encounter. Of those individuals who have seen the face,
almost all of them emphasized its human-like characteristics.

So where does this leave us with the question as to
whether bigfoot is man or beast? This debate has been
going on for decades and will only intensify as new films,
audio recordings and someday a body is produced.

Perhaps the question should be "What is Man?"

Mankind cannot be defined simply by being intelligent, using
tools and language or being bi-pedal.

The final answer can only come from the Bible. We read
in Genesis 1:27

"So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them."

Only man is aware of God and only man is capable of
fellowshipping with Him through a right personal relationship
through Christ. .

Ephesians 4:24

"and to put on the new self, created to be like God
in true righteousness and holiness."

So friends, it is your decision what you will believe, for myself I
believe what separates man from all the animals, whether it be
monkey, ape or bigfoot is that only man was created in the
image of God and only man is capable of a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior.

References:

Special thank you to:
Pastor Dale B. Huelsman
Bethany Lutheran Church
Wellington, Ohio

A Short Explanation of Dr. Martin Luther's Small Catechism with
An American Translation Text - A Handbook of Christan Doctrine.
Christian News - New Haven, Missouri 63068

A Summary of Christan Doctrine by Edward W.A. Koehler
Concordia Publishing House, St.Louis

How is Man Created in God's Image?
Come Reason Ministries

BibleGateway.com
http://www.biblegateway.com/