How do atheists explain Eucharistic Miracles

[Billy76]

I see. So if there is a Eucharistic miracle the priest was just a fraud. So instead of actually disproving the miracle you are attacking the characters of men who devote their lives to leading their flock towards Christ. It is quite a sad way to look at these selfless men, especially since they receive no financial gain from the miracle.

 

[Pattylt]

For heaven sakes, I’m not accusing all miracle claims are priest fraud! Sorry if you got that impression! It just does need to be ruled out in ever case, just as contamination or switching hosts or any other possibility.

Do you want every miracle claim to be accepted at face value? No suspicion at all, ever? I’d think not?

 

[Billy76]

So we must assume every priest is a fraud before believing them. Yeah, I’m sure that is great for the faithful to automatically distrust their priest in such a way.

 

[Pattylt]

especially since they receive no financial gain from the miracle.

Can you back that up? I believe some do get either financial gain or fame from having a miracle occur at their parish. Again, I’m not saying all do…but some have definitely benefited in some way, even if it’s just getting a whole lot of press. Why do you think so many Medieval churches wanted relics? You do know that a few of those are fake…why would they want a fake relic? Think about pilgrimages!

 

[Freddy]

So we must assume every priest is a fraud before believing them. Yeah, I’m sure that is great for the faithful to automatically distrust their priest in such a way.

Do you watch cop shows on TV, Billy? You must have seen the scene where the murdered husband’s wife is being questioned about her whereabouts. And she gets all righteously indignated. ‘Are you suggesting that I killed him!?’

‘No, maam. We just need to exclude your from our investigations…’

 

[Freddy]

Billy76:

especially since they receive no financial gain from the miracle.

Can you back that up? I believe some do get either financial gain or fame from having a miracle occur at their parish. Again, I’m not saying all do…but some have definitely benefited in some way, even if it’s just getting a whole lot of press. Why do you think so many Medieval churches wanted relics? You do know that a few of those are fake…why would they want a fake relic? Think about pilgrimages!

From wiki:

According to Patrick Geary, “[t]o the communities fortunate enough to have a saint’s remains in its church, the benefits in terms of revenue and status were enormous, and competition to acquire relics and to promote the local saint’s virtues over those of neighboring communities was keen”.[27] Local clergy promoted their own patron saints in an effort to secure their own market share. On occasion guards had to watch over mortally ill holy men and women to prevent the unauthorized dismemberment of their corpses as soon as they died.[18] Geary also suggests that the danger of someone murdering an aging holy man in order to acquire his relics was a legitimate concern.[27]

 

[Billy76]

Wikipedia is not a valid source. Stop spreading lies.

 

[Freddy]

Wikipedia is not a valid source. Stop spreading lies.

The source is Patrick J. Geary, a medieval historian. He is Professor Emeritus of Western Medieval History at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton NJ and also holds the title of Distinguished Professor of Medieval History Emeritus at the University of California, Los Angeles.

I’m pretty impressed myself, but apparently you are not. I’ll let him know that you think he’s not a valid source.

 

[Raxus]

Do I really need to go on? There are plenty more!
Please understand, these are exceptions…most priests are not out to enrich their pockets but you questioning this is as silly as questioning priests being in sex scandals. Some people are just scum, priests included and some like to pull off fraud…for the money, for the fame or for the thrills of just doing it.

If miracle claims are investigated for the priest faking it, they rarely say or even explain how they ruled it out. They always seem much more interested in the miracle itself, not who would benefit.

These are all stories of priests stealing from their churches. They don’t need large congregations to do that. Just saying.