Coined by John E Wall of Manitoba in 1983, the word “cryptid” refers to an animal of interest to cryptozoology. Cryptozoology, according to Bernard Heuvelmann [the “Father of Cryptozoology”] is “The scientific study of hidden animals, i.e., of still unknown animal forms about which only testimonial and circumstanstial evidence is availbable, or material evidence considered insufficient by some!” While Heuvelmann would have us exclude out-of-place animals and paranormal apparitions, cryptozoologists and cryptozoology fans have not exactly respected his wishes.
The more famous cryptids are Bigfoot, the Yeti [or Abominable Snowman], Nessie [and other lake monsters], the Krakken, the Chupacabra, relict dinosaurs, Thunderbirds and fellow native West Virginian, the Mothman of Point Pleasant. Aliens are often mentioned by cryptid hunters, but UFOlogy isn’t technically within the realm of cryptozoology. Neither are ghosts, angels or demons.
I bring this up because I believe a Creationist ought to be able to offer a reasonable, Biblically consistent explanation for these strange creatures and phenonomena. The Bible mentions giants, angels, devils, a dinosaurid called behemoth, a dragonish creature named Leviathan and dragons themselves. Of course, it says nothing of bird men, hairy hominids [other than Esau!], aliens or dinosaurs. Yet a Biblical worldview ought to be able to account for these oddities.
I believe it can. In fact, I believe it can explain things outside the realm of pure cryptozoology like aliens and ghosts. I believe that we can at least come up with answers that are consistent with both the facts and a Biblical worldview. The beauty of cryptids is that once they are proven or disproven [the usual way a cryptid theory is disproven is the case of mistaken identity; for example, I believe the Mothman was nothing more than a great horned owl] is that they’re no longer cryptids, though they once were. Cryptozoology is a discipline with an eye for a solution.
It is interesting that in all the works I’ve seen on Cryptozoology, I can find none that view this field of scientific inquiry from a Creationist standpoint. Christians tend to avoid these matters. Aliens, spooks, Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monsters and dragons are subject discussed by nutjobs on the fringe. Religion, they feel, should be concerned with more serious theological and social matters, not with chasing after fairy tales and urban legends. But if the church is the pillar and ground of truth, shouldn’t we have something to say about this. Our shoulder shrugging silence nearly suggests that we have no interest because we have to answers, that we’re avoiding the conversation because it might make us look silly or might associate us with the real wackos and yahoos.
But I cannot abide such cowardice! God has made foolishness of the wisdom of this age! If I but trust in Him, the answers will come to me.
— Sirius Knott
Defending Genesis 
I remember one of the best analogies I once saw in a very crappy movie:
Look at a T-Rex Femur (or any other part of it’s fossilized remains), to you and I today we know it’s a dinosaur bone. To villagers hundreds of years ago it was the Dragon that Arthur (or any other knight) slew.
I recently wrote about a pseudo-cryptid that’s facing extinction due to over-fishing, please check it out and comment on anything you find interesting. Thanks.
http://drcorner.wordpress.com/2008/08/23/giant-sized-fish-declared-a-new-species/
Two comments on your linked article.
1. I noticed that your blog presumes macroevolution. The divergence of the Pacific and Atlantic varieties of Goliath grouper can be explained, without infering millions of years, simply by observable microevolutionary processes. Adaptation and variation within kinds of animals is how we creationists usually term it.
2. This species in endangered, but what exactly classifies it as a pseudo-cryptid [other than monstrous size]? Is it that Goliath groupers were previously thought only to exist in the Atlantic [with the Pacific variant presumed transient Atlantics]?
As for your other comment, concerning dragons and dinosaurs, you couldn’t be more correct.
–Sirius Knott
Thanks for the reply…
1. While true, it’s simpler IMO for the masses to understand things on the grander-scale sometimes. People understand Dinosaurs, or Humans easier when discussing evolutionary ideas because they can formulate the imagery of millions of years of changes than if they were presented with (for example), a tad-pole that had a mutation from it’s parents based their pond now separated by a fallen tree. The latter example plays better (and is more common) in biologists world because it happens everyday (another example would the microcosm of the bacterial world).
2. More-or-less, yes…
1. I’m more interested in what’s correct than in what might be easier to comprehend, though I admit some doubts about whether folks can comprehend better on grand scales than they can with smaller, observable scales. ;]
2. That’s not that uncommon. Several confirmed cryptid species began as cases of mistaken identity. Typically, the sightings are presumed to be an established species that is out of its normative geographical area. Only after careful study and confirmation [and usually decades] is the true identity of the cryptid established. In the meantime, the creature is classified as a cryptid, until it is either proven to be the same animal [albeit transient] or an entirely new but similar creature.
–Sirius Knott
*Note* I don’t use my myspace much. Look up Fluffy Ehiask on Facebook to find me.
Anywho, I’m what I’d like to call an up and coming creation scientist. I do a lot of research on biblical science-the science of God-and I am writing a paper currently, about Christianity and Cryptids. I hope that you will read it when it is finished-please e-mail me and tell me that you’re from this site and I will e-mail you the copy of the paper when it is done.
In the paper, I discuss Leviathan, Nessie, the Coelacanth, and even some lesser known cryptids like the Gar, which is considered a living fossil, too. Many creatures are still living today-and I intend to prove it.
God bless!
Fluffy
1 “Can you pull in the leviathan with a fishhook
or tie down his tongue with a rope?
I’m a Christian and my thoughts on cryptids are this: They are either real creatures that God created, some may be hoaxes or mistaken identity, some dinosaur types still exist, and I believe much of it is demonic. Yes, demons impersonating or pretending to be things for the purpose of deception. The Bible reveals that the devil and the other fallen angels can appear to be what they aren’t, angels of light so why not other things? They have this ability and their goal is to deceive people. I read a Bigfoot story that said they heard a Bigfoot vocalization that turned into an evil laugh at the end. The’ve been seen to disappear right in front of people. Which means they cannot be purely physical creatures. And I definitely believe UFOs and so called aliens are demonic. Bigfoot have been seen around and coming out of UFOs. Glowing red eyes, sulfur-like smell, etc. All this stuff keeps people’s interest in the strange and away from God, His word, and the gospel of Christ.
p.s. I’m finding myself fascinated by these things which is disturbing to me. I’m reading Bigfoot stores, monster stories, etc. I’ve always liked weird stuff and as a Christian I still am interested in this stuff and I don’t know whether I should be or not.