Miracles versus Science

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i’m sorry but its documented by one of little credibility.

put yourself in my shoes! would you believe miracle stories by muslims just because its ‘documented’ by their religion? of course not! you will demand for a credible NEUTRAL third party confirmation!
Yes, I would if they had eyewitnesses that knew the person in question who testified to what they knew to be true from the evidence of their own eyes. It’s no different from accepting evidence in a court of law. I would have to take such evidence into account even if I were inclined to dislike the defendent. I would have to be fair and impartial.
 
FYI, the vatican believes in evolution. so whats your problem with it?
No, the Vatican has made no pronouncements about evolution one way or the other. Various popes and bishops have made statements favoring scientific investigation of the origins of life, including man, but the Church has not said we must accept it or not. I’m sorry if this seems like nitpicking, but the Church is always precise when it makes formal pronouncements regarding faith and morals, and so far it has made no statement about it.
 
No, the Vatican has made no pronouncements about evolution one way or the other. Various popes and bishops have made statements favoring scientific investigation of the origins of life, including man, but the Church has not said we must accept it or not. I’m sorry if this seems like nitpicking, but the Church is always precise when it makes formal pronouncements regarding faith and morals, and so far it has made no statement about it.
oh yes no formal declaration. but it does say that evolution and catholicism are not in conflict.

so i wonder why some dude up there think there is! 😛
Yes, I would if they had eyewitnesses that knew the person in question who testified to what they knew to be true from the evidence of their own eyes. It’s no different from accepting evidence in a court of law. I would have to take such evidence into account even if I were inclined to dislike the defendent. I would have to be fair and impartial.
of course there are! allegedly 😃

Book 039, Number 6725:
  • This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abdullah b. Mas’ud (who said): We were along with Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) at Mina, that moon was split up into two. One of its parts was behind the mountain and the other one was on this side of the mountain. Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upbn him) said to us: Bear witness to this.*
usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/hadith/muslim/039-smt.php#039.6725

so…you believe that? :confused:
 
oh yes no formal declaration. but it does say that evolution and catholicism are not in conflict.

so i wonder why some dude up there think there is! 😛

of course there are! allegedly 😃

Book 039, Number 6725:
  • This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abdullah b. Mas’ud (who said): We were along with Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) at Mina, that moon was split up into two. One of its parts was behind the mountain and the other one was on this side of the mountain. Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upbn him) said to us: Bear witness to this.*
usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/hadith/muslim/039-smt.php#039.6725

so…you believe that? :confused:
I don’t understand the context of the quote, so I’d have to look into it before saying one way or the other, which I think would be any sensible persons reply. Besides, the difference is that the one incident is fully documented and this one is rather ambiquous. When did it happen? What was the purpose of this having happened? What does it mean for those who believe in it?

A passage from the Gospels might help you understand how we Catholics feel about miracles that others not associated with us might receive from God:

Mark 9[38] John said to him, “Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us.”
[39] But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me.
[40] For he that is not against us is for us.

And so it is with the Muslims. They acknowledge that Jesus is one of the prophets and honor Mary as his virgin mother. So, their faith allows them to do “mighty works” because God does not reject those who seek him no matter who they are or what they believe.
 
And so it is with the Muslims. They acknowledge that Jesus is one of the prophets and honor Mary as his virgin mother. So, their faith allows them to do “mighty works” because God does not reject those who seek him no matter who they are or what they believe.
thing is, if you believe that miracle happened then you must believe that mohammad was a true prophet. and if he was a true prophet then catholicism is a false religion. for he strictly opposed its core teachings. 🤷

the ‘jesus’ he preached wasnt god. for him the ‘trinity’ was a bogus doctrine.

and what about this:

According to a number of eye-witness accounts, Joseph Smith is credited with the miraculous healings of a large number of individuals.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracles_of_Joseph_Smith#Healing

witnesses- RIIIIIGHT!!! lol! sometimes its true that history is nothing but myths that have been agreed upon. 😃

the 20th century is the best time to produce miracles. it would reach headline news, tested beyond reasonable doubt, broadcasted all over the world and recorded by everyone for all time to see!
so…where are they? 😃
 
thing is, if you believe that miracle happened then you must believe that mohammad was a true prophet. and if he was a true prophet then catholicism is a false religion. for he strictly opposed its core teachings. 🤷
No, this not the case. You misunderstand why God gives us miracles. It isn’t just to declare his existence, it is to draw men to him, even when their ideas about him are flawed. You have a very narrow understanding of these things, I must say. 🙂
the ‘jesus’ he preached wasnt god. for him the ‘trinity’ was a bogus doctrine.
Yes, that right–that’s what he thought and taught. How God saw him and what God wanted by allowing him to preach heresy is not for me to say. There are many devout Muslims who no doubt will be in heaven while many a lukewarm Catholic will find himself in the other place.
and what about this:
According to a number of eye-witness accounts, Joseph Smith is credited with the miraculous healings of a large number of individuals.

witnesses- RIIIIIGHT!!! lol! sometimes its true that history is nothing but myths that have been agreed upon. 😃
The same principle applies. If I, as a Catholic have no problem with it, why should you? 😉
the 20th century is the best time to produce miracles. it would reach headline news, tested beyond reasonable doubt, broadcasted all over the world and recorded by everyone for all time to see!
so…where are they? 😃
So you really think the secular press cares about a “ghetto” issue like miracles? Miracles are reported in the religious press but get little or no attention from the secular press unless it’s spectacular or an oddity. There have been many documented miracles in the 20th and 21st century but they are ignored because people simply don’t want to hear about them for the very reasons you reject them–because they won’t believe they’re real no matter how much they are reported. Jesus said that people would not believe even if one rose from the dead and stood before them. You are a perfect example of this. You don’t want to believe so you can’t believe. 🤷
 
No, this not the case. You misunderstand why God gives us miracles. It isn’t just to declare his existence, it is to draw men to him, even when their ideas about him are flawed. You have a very narrow understanding of these things, I must say. 🙂
are you sure? then whats with the miracle battle between moses and the gods of egypt? the miracle battle elijah and the prophets of bhaal?
Yes, that right–that’s what he thought and taught. How God saw him and what God wanted by allowing him to preach heresy is not for me to say. There are many devout Muslims who no doubt will be in heaven while many a lukewarm Catholic will find himself in the other place.
so it doesnt really matter what religion you have as long as you believe in a god eh.
So you really think the secular press cares about a “ghetto” issue like miracles? Miracles are reported in the religious press but get little or no attention from the secular press unless it’s spectacular or an oddity. There have been many documented miracles in the 20th and 21st century but they are ignored because people simply don’t want to hear about them for the very reasons you reject them–because they won’t believe they’re real no matter how much they are reported.
miracles were meant to be spectacular.

cnn reports stuff that arent spectacular at all.
Jesus said that people would not believe even if one rose from the dead and stood before them. You are a perfect example of this. You don’t want to believe so you can’t believe. 🤷
how can you judge me like that? just because you cant produce a miracle except from hear-say. 🤷

you dont know me.
 
so it doesnt really matter what religion you have as long as you believe in a god eh.
We see your “religion” tag. :rolleyes: Start another thread about this.
how can you judge me like that?
just because you cant produce a miracle except from hear-say. 🤷
No. For this reason:
“what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
You can’t even accept the basic tenet that God is real, has eternal power and divine nature, even though he made it evident. So now you sit here and argue the existence of miracles created by a God you don’t believe in. We can certainly take into account your snide comments, sarcasm and misdirection to indicate you have no intention of accepting anything we put forth on the subject.
 
its from a biased source. a 400 year old story. how would i know it really happened?

how come the best of miracle stories can only come from legends. there are now 5 billion people. and not one miracle.
Like most atheists you don’t do a good, impartial job of investigating. Here again are the links I quoted about miracles at Lourdes. And you might, if you’re really interested in finding truth, read C.S. Lewis’s book “Miracles” and Fr. Jaki’s collection of essays, “The Limits of a Limitless Science”.
catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=2866&CFID=17256187&CFTOKEN=29645352pamphlets.org.au/australia/acts1518.html
And of course there is the rigorous process used by the Vatican to certify the authenticity of those who are to be canonized as saints (which is a process that has and is going on):
slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2003/10/is_mother_teresas_miracle_for_real.html
and there are many more.
Now if your mind were open (notice the careful use of the subjunctive), you would look into these. But from what you’ve written I am forced to conclude that your motive, since you don’t believe, is to cast doubt into the minds of believers and thereby reinforce the validity of your skepticism… Prove me wrong!
(PS–As a physicist, and born a secular Jew, I too was a skeptic until I read “Who Moved the Stone” and in the recovery from illness of one of my family witnessed a true miracle.)
 
… you cant produce a miracle except from hear-say. 🤷
“The … solar phenomena were not observed in any observatory. Impossible that they should escape notice of so many astronomers and indeed the other inhabitants of the hemisphere… there is no question of an astronomical or meteorological event phenomenon… Either all the observers in Fátima were collectively deceived and erred in their testimony, or we must suppose an extra-natural intervention.” -
  • Pio Scatizzi, Society of Jesus, described the events of that day on Fátima
 
Theres a sayin in stone at Lourdes; “For those who believe, no explaination is needed, for those who do not, none can be provided.”

A Scientist had become famous for the special health drink he brewed, and another Scientist, having heard about this wonderful brew, sauntered into his room one day carrying a cup of his own mix. “I’ve heard people rave about how delicious your tea is,” he announced. “I’d like to try it for myself.”

“Very well,” said the first Scientist, “You are welcome to it. But first you must empty your cup of tea before I can fill it with mine.”

I only have one question which is two fold, However many souls showed up at Fatima be it 100, 70 or 30 thousand, they came for “one” reason, a Miracle was “predicted” on that day in October. The rain fell with puddles of water and ankle deep mud. The Sun at the time of the event completely dried the ground and clothing of all those who stood for hours with umbrellas in the pouring rain.

Place a 1/2 inch of water in a small pot on your stove and tell me the amount of heat needed to have it evaporate?

Many things we believe can be explained. Others not so.

The Bible has sold 6-billion copies you know another book which sold more? I would image those 6-billion as today are attracted to something, because they keep buying that book. Perhaps unlike you, they are just fools hanging on to hope. Perhaps they hear God.

You are here for no other purpose than to realize your inner divinity and then to outward manifest this. All methods, in the search for truth, should be looked on only as a means, rather than as ends in themselves or as absolute truth. Knowing in not thinking, to know means the thinking, thus the work is complete and would cease. Every new knowing is a new experience. Perhaps one which if you took the time to chase as you do science, you would begin to see. But alas you would first have to… empty yourself.

You’ve reached your conclusion long before you approached the forum. Science is facinating but then so to is contemplative meditation, fascination leads into concentration which leads into transcendent meditation, and this state leads directly to your self when the passing thoughts, visions occur and one understands they are not subjected to them.

Science looks to solve the mystery of creation, the Universe, the purpose of man in the universe, but you see those who read that book which sold 6-billion copies? They already believe the Bible has done that to their satisfaction.

To futher suggest that religion is ever the enemy of man and that science is always man’s friend is just plain dumb. You demonstrate your inability to comprehend even the most basics of spiritual life. You are unable to distinguish between the mystical experience, which by definition is limited to an individual’s private, interior existence, and the social-political aspects of religion’s public, communal activities.

I know higher-dimensional space is the last refuge for mystics, cranks, and charlatans. How we doing with “Universal” Gravity? I have visions of scientists creating another Soviet Union, what are gulags for, science experiements? Perhaps should one help design the next nuclear weapon of mass destruction, you might even receive a Nobel Peace Prize.

While priests may chant incantations in Latin that all don’t understand, physicists chant arcane superstring equations that even fewer understand. The ‘faith’ in an all-powerful God is now replaced by ‘faith’ in quantum theory and general relativity.

“God’s ego is the smallest of all.”
Rev. S. J. Crump
 
Science could have very well discovered God, but because God is a mystery those who subscribe to scientism can never accept God as the most likely explanation. Any normal person who has no stupid sense of epistemology could accept these sort of things without 100% rational proof.

Do many scientists rush to confirm what this scientist is saying? youtube.com/watch?v=cvMD901sty4

Do they have enough love of truth to accept that in Hiroshima 8 Jesuit priests survived a nuke?

What about the miracles in places like Lourdes?

It seems most skeptical people call others liars unless they prove it, and when there is evidence they will not follow the trail where it leads, but rather say “There is a natural explanation that science will discover in the future”: They have already decided in their hearts that there is no God and nothing will budge them.
 
And what of the Apostle Paul and his converstion, Saul was intent on killing Christians, I’d imagine whatever happened on the road that day was immediately life changing. I wasn’t there, all that remains are the letters, if Paul doesn’t go preach that Gospel would the facts be different?. You can rest assure he spread the Word. What is so life altering that motivates one from killing Christs followers to becoming a slave for Christ? To immediately change their entire life and walk in a completely opposite direction in bliss?

Its a meaningless question to ask how factual and accurate these events are, for we were not a witness, but those who heard the message, for what matters is the truth that continues to manifest from the message, which then becomes a testiment to Truth.
 
are you sure? then whats with the miracle battle between moses and the gods of egypt? the miracle battle elijah and the prophets of bhaal?

so it doesnt really matter what religion you have as long as you believe in a god eh.

miracles were meant to be spectacular.

cnn reports stuff that arent spectacular at all.

how can you judge me like that? just because you cant produce a miracle except from hear-say. 🤷

you dont know me.
I am writing within the context of the New Covenant in Christ, in which he has redeemed all mankind and the understanding that God knows the hearts of each of us–what we know, what we desire, what we are able to believe. For someone who knows nothing about the Bible you like to pick and choose things that seem to be to your advantage as a nonbeliever–found on many atheist websites. That’s called “cherry picking”, which is very poor exegesis of any piece of writing, much less Scripture.

I did not “judge” you–I described your mind-set, which is obvious by the things you write. You are stuck in the “miracles don’t happen so they can’t happen, therefore nothing will convince me” philosophy that is not based in science or logic or even common sense. I write with nothing but a desire to help you see the way you do–as demonstrated by what you have written in this thread. You will not accept any evidence therefore it is pointless to try to give you any. All the best to you.
 
No. For this reason:

You can’t even accept the basic tenet that God is real, has eternal power and divine nature, even though he made it evident. So now you sit here and argue the existence of miracles created by a God you don’t believe in. We can certainly take into account your snide comments, sarcasm and misdirection to indicate you have no intention of accepting anything we put forth on the subject.
hello! look at my tag. i believe in god because of that very reason you posted!
i just dont think he went so far as work miracles in order to promote any specific religion.
 
hello! look at my tag. i believe in god because of that very reason you posted!
i just dont think he went so far as work miracles in order to promote any specific religion.
He didn’t promote any particular religion, He started the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church for the very purpose of salvation.

Look at other religions. All were founded by men.
 
“The … solar phenomena were not observed in any observatory. Impossible that they should escape notice of so many astronomers and indeed the other inhabitants of the hemisphere… there is no question of an astronomical or meteorological event phenomenon… Either all the observers in Fátima were collectively deceived and erred in their testimony, or we must suppose an extra-natural intervention.” -
Would be nice if such a miracle occurred today; we now have two satellites (SOHO-A and SOHO-B) in their own orbits around the sun that keep a watch on it and several ground stations that all look at the sun, recording solar events across visible, ultraviolet, and x-ray frequencies around the clock along with other satellites that are watching earth. While there are plenty of descriptions of what the people at this event perceived (interpretation), it’s not clear what they were observing.

Not that it would end disagreements on whether or not this was a miracle. Unfortunately a suspension of the known “laws” of physics isn’t distinguishable from an application of unknown “laws” of physics (after all, these laws are descriptive, not prescriptive).
 
Would be nice if such a miracle occurred today; we now have two satellites (SOHO-A and SOHO-B) in their own orbits around the sun that keep a watch on it and several ground stations that all look at the sun, recording solar events across visible, ultraviolet, and x-ray frequencies around the clock along with other satellites that are watching earth. While there are plenty of descriptions of what the people at this event perceived (interpretation), it’s not clear what they were observing.

Not that it would end disagreements on whether or not this was a miracle. Unfortunately a suspension of the known “laws” of physics isn’t distinguishable from an application of unknown “laws” of physics (after all, these laws are descriptive, not prescriptive).
This is not like other miracles recounted from, lets say the middle ages, this occurred during the high point of the “scientific age”. While we have satellites orbiting all sorts of things now, in 1917 it was not exactly the dark ages nor the long distant past.

With the threat of global war science was working hard all sorts of things, including constant observations in meteorological science and it would also only be a few decades afterwards that america could successfully land men on the moon.
If no observatory at the time reported any unusual phenomenon for that particular day then we would be forced to call upwards of 70,000 individuals delusional or worse, including the anti-religious press who also turned up to report on the predicted miracle.

Text of Second Part of Secret
Code:
    To save them [poor sinners who are on the road to hell], God wishes to establish in the world devotion to My Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end; but if people do not cease offending God, **a worse war will break out during the reign of Pius XI.** When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions against the Church and against the Holy Father.

    To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays. If My requests are heeded, Russia will be converted and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions against the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Fath
Pope Pius XI (Latin: Pius PP. XI; Italian: Pio XI; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939)

**World War II, or the Second World War (often abbreviated as WWII or WW2), was a global war that was underway by 1939 and ended in 1945. **
 
if they really happened there would ba a dramatic reduction in the number of atheists and agnostics. there would also be a huge migration of converts from other religions into the one that was able to produce the miracle.

the important question is: why arent there any real miracles around?
If miracles really happened is totally irrelevant, the truth is that some will reject God no matter how many philosophical or scientific “proofs” are given to them.
It is written that some will reject Him and there is nothing we can do about it except pray for them.
May God have mercy on their souls, even if they don’t believe they have one.
 
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