Fading the Darkness is a Blog that tackles the subject of the paranormal from a Christian Worldview. It is part of the ministry of Doug West, a pastor of 30 years, artist, author, drummer. The ministry website is slj1010.com (Street Level Jesus 1010), showcasing writings and other media ministry available.
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If you are interested in the supernatural it is very possible you have heard of or come across the topic of Skinwalker Ranch. It is all over YouTube. The History Channel has a series on it, The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch1. Maybe you have not. In this premiere Blog of Fading the Darkness, we are going to begin to look at it. Not to glorify it or sensationalize it, but look at the situation from a Biblical perspective and prepare you if someone asks you about Skinwalker Ranch. So what is it all about? Let’s look into it.
Skinwalker Ranch, also known as Sherman Ranch, is a property of approximately 512 acres (207 ha),[a] located southeast of Ballard, Utah, that is reputed to be the site of paranormal and UFO -related activities. [1] Its name is taken from the skin-walker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin-walker) of Navajo legend concerning vengeful shamans.
Owners have been:
◦ 1934–1994 – Kenneth and Edith Myers
◦ 1994–1996 – Terry and Gwen Sherman
◦ 1996–2016 – Robert Bigelow
◦ 2016–present – Brandon Fugal, via Adamantium Real Estate LL [2]
Off and on over the period of the above landowners residing at this locality, strange things have occurred: cattle mutilation with surgical precision, a large six-ft. wolf (Sherman era), poltergeist type scratching and knocking, UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, the new name for a UFO) type lights in the sky, high-levels of magnetism and radiation on the land (especially upon excavation). This is just a brief summation, to get the full picture you need to watch the History Channel series mentioned above, as well as the unbiased expose by the New York Post.3 The current scientific investigation of the Ranch by Brandon Fugal’s team of experts is being chronicled by the History Channel, as opposed to the secrecy of the Bigelow era.
Animism being the belief that nature as well as people are animated with a spiritual life force.
To get to the bottom line regarding Skinwalker Ranch, we have to look to the Native American History of this area. Native tribes operate within an animistic belief system. Animism being the belief that nature as well as people are animated with spiritual life force. This is the opposite of the Biblical view of humans created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), thus having a spiritual nature, but creation as non-spiritual work of the Creator. The Bible also revealing that humans were planned to be in charge of nature (Genesis 1:28), not an evolving from it or connection to it.
The Native American history that is pertinent to our study is as follows. “Indeed, according to Hunt for the Skinwalker, odd objects have been spotted overhead since the first European explorers arrived: In 1776, Franciscan missionary Silvestre Vélez de Escalante wrote about strange fireballs appearing over his campfire in El Rey. And before the Europeans, of course, indigenous peoples occupied the Uinta Basin. Today, “Skinwalker Ranch” abuts the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation of the Ute Tribe.”
“The shadow of the ‘skinwalker’ has loomed over the property dating back to a curse apparently placed on the lands long ago by a Native American tribe.
“The shaman cursed this ground with this demonic being that can take the form of, people say, a wolf, a coyote or crow or human,” Thomas Winterton {Skinwalker Ranch Superintendent) said. 4
Stories range from either the Utes or Navajo tribes placing the curse on the area.
“The earliest known inhabitants of this land played a big part in its ominous name. The property lies on land traditionally inhabited by the Ute Tribe, but the term “skin-walker” comes from Navajo legend, and translates to “by means of it, it goes on all fours.”
In Navajo culture, skin-walkers are evil witches with the ability to shapeshift into any animal or human. The skin-walker legend is not well understood outside of Navajo culture, but what little is known about it by outsiders is enough to inspire scary stories of all varieties. One such story involves the Ute tribe. The legend goes that during a time of hostility between the Utes and Navajo, members of the Navajo decided to unleash skin-walkers upon their enemies, and those skin-walkers still stalk the land today.”5
Whatever the case, something appears to have happened to affect the area. The area has had strange phenomena occur for hundreds of years. Biblically speaking there are blessings and curses.
Proverbs 3:33 NKJV
The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just.
Evil is a radioactive type curse in of itself, but doers of evil also gets a curse from the Lord.
To the Believer in Christ evil curses set in motion, can effect the believer, but can also be rendered powerless through the authority of Christ given to believers.
Skinwalker Ranch appears to be an area cursed by evil, having corresponding phenomena. The researchers appear to be able to show how scientific anomalies can accompany spiritual phenomena. I have often wondered about this. Like how would the brain scan of a demonized person differ from a non-demonized. We will look deeper into Skinwalker Ranch in future posts before moving elsewhere.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?