An Entirely DIFFERENT Kind of "Thin Place?"
August 04, 2008
A two-acre spot in the Los Padres National Forest, near Ventura, California continues to baffle experts. It seems that the "spot" of earth continues to emit an eerie smoke, with surface temperatures soaring near 800 degrees (F). You can read one of the related news stories here for yourself, but it's kind of got me wondering...
Might there exist "thin places" of a kind entirely different than where heaven and earth seem to meet? Is it possible that the unseen boundaries between hell and earth might also grow strangely thin in certain places? Has anyone ever thought of this, experienced this, or written about this?
Hmm, I have been in places where there was a definite saturation of the enemy. When you are in a situation like that you can certainly feel as if you are spiritually thinned out because of the overwhelming portion of it. I am not sure that is what you are getting at though.
I am interested to see where this thread leads.
Posted by: Carl Holmes | August 05, 2008 at 07:53 PM
Interesting question. I suppose I would say that "all the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof". The earth is intrinsically a sacrament of God's provision and nurturing presence. So, of it's nature i would not think it likely that any spot of the earth could naturally be a thin place conveying a connection to demonic realms. However, mankind, through sin, can unlock demonic activity to such an extent that God's creation (called "good") is overridden with evil. A good example might be Rawanda. Perhaps the thin place is the sinful human heart.
Posted by: Fr Matt | August 06, 2008 at 06:52 AM
Fr. Matt.
Hmmm. Okay.
Why is it then, that it has often been said that demons (and/or demonic activity) seem to be more concentrated on hill tops or mountain tops, or in desert regions? If all of nature is sacred (and I believe this to be so), when then have mountains and deserts developed a reputation for the demonic that other geological places on the planet generally haven't?
Posted by: Chris | August 06, 2008 at 09:05 AM
Carl,
The news story was simply a fascinating springboard that got me thinking about mysterious places, and then "thin places", and then whether or not all such thin places were exclusively places where heaven and earth were especially close to each other, or whether there might be other kinds of thin places.
Posted by: Chris | August 06, 2008 at 09:51 AM
"Why is it then, that it has often been said that demons (and/or demonic activity) seem to be more concentrated on hill tops or mountain tops, or in desert regions?"
Gee whiz, i don't know. Historically it seems that mountains often have been places of meeting with the spiritual. Maybe because we perceive it as such. I suppose the concept of haunted houses might fit too, like Amityville, which some say is a portal. hmmm.
Posted by: Fr Matt | August 06, 2008 at 06:22 PM
Fr. Matt --
Hmmm. You've got me wondering... does humanity not have the ability to either nurture or corrupt the creation? Do we not have the ability to either consecrate it (for good) or desecrate it (for evil)?
Posted by: Chris | August 07, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Thin places, high places, holy places, and demonic places. One thing that has been striking me about Cal is the relation between the same sex marriage issue and the lightning fires so closely after that happening. I would then ask as result of this activity could the “thinning” of the fires of judgment and or fires of evil in the land of Cal be what is happening. After all the events of evil happening in the creation might have opened up the “portal” (to use sifi terms) of the demonic now being made visible. Can we count this out?
Pastor Art
Posted by: Pastor Art | August 14, 2008 at 09:12 AM
I've read your blog for some time but never posted. However, I was intrigued by this idea and had something to offer. In undergraduate/graduate work I did some reading of Charles Williams (particularly "War in Heaven" and "Many Dimensions") He was an Inkling (albeit not as well known as some of his friends) and was very interested in the "supernatural" (or "preternatural" as I believe he often termed it). I haven't read his works in a good ten years but perhaps I will pick something up again this Labor Day weekend. His works have been reprinted so they should be easy to find on Amazon if anyone is interested.
Posted by: Mindi Cromwell | August 28, 2008 at 06:03 PM
Mindi,
Wow, that's really interesting. "Preternatural" is an intriguing word. I'd enjoy hearing more about that. Let us know if you end up re-reading any of his works.
Blessings,
Chris
Posted by: Chris Monroe | August 28, 2008 at 08:54 PM