What do Evangelicals say about Fatima?

[Rawb]

According to many witness statements, after a downfall of rain, the clouds broke and the sun appeared as an opaque, spinning disk in the sky. It was said to be significantly less bright than normal, and cast multicolored lights across the landscape, the shadows on the landscape, the people, and the surrounding clouds. The sun was reported to have careened towards the earth in a zigzag pattern, frightening some of those present who thought it meant the end of the world. Witnesses reported that the ground and their previously wet clothes became completely dry.

According to witness reports, the alleged miracle of the sun lasted approximately ten minutes. The three shepherd children, in addition to reporting seeing the actions of the sun that day, also reported seeing a panorama of visions, including those of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of Saint Joseph blessing the people.

From: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Miracle_of_the_Sun

There’re quotes from eyewitnesses and some remarks from critics as well.

 

[jmcrae]

Hi,
Thank you for the story It sounds plausible to me. I suppose if God wanted to he could have sent Mary. I guess I would be a little wary because Satan does try to deceive people. IMHO Satan could have very well done this to throw off many believers into thinking Mary is more than she is. Of course I have no idea. I do tend to believe in that stuff I just dont know if it truly comes from God or Satan.

Yes, but why would Satan want the people of a country that is already atheist/communist to convert to the Catholic faith and start worshipping Jesus? Even if Catholicism is “wrong” (taking the Protestant point of view that it’s wrong) - Wouldn’t Satan want to wrap that country in a deep dark silence, with no ideas about religion of any kind getting in?

And why would Satan want anyone to start speculating about Mary? Since they would eventually find out that we believe that she was without sin, which would introduce the idea that, hey, maybe when I’m tempted, I don’t actually have to succumb to temptation; I could say “No” to Satan, and there I was thinking that I am doomed to commit sin as long as I am in my flesh - hmmmm.

No - I really can’t see anything that Satan would actually like, coming out of this event.

What did the sun do?

I’m not very clear on that part. According to the news reports of that event, they saw the disk of the sun come to earth, spin around, and dance. Hundreds of thousands of people, mostly atheists at the time (most of them converted directly, as you can well imagine) saw this happen.

 

[McKevin]

3 years ago, as an evangelical protestant, I would have looked at you with a BLANK STARE if you asked my opinion on Fatima… I would have said something to the effect of “Fat-ih-whah?”…

Marian apparitions are completely inconsequential to the evangelical-type of protestants. It’s just not discussed in any form.

-Michael

This is right, just like the Eucharist, Evangelical protestants have no idea about Fatima, Mary, the Saints, the Pope, praying for the dead, or holy orders…it is a sad thing that I grew up in a very strong Catholic community and was absolutely floored when I learned these things in RCIA…Catholics everywhere have to do a better job at sharing these truths with their neighbors

 

[Big_Dave]

, floored when I learned these things in RCIA…Catholics everywhere have to do a better job at sharing these truths with their neighbors

As a converting evangelical I say ]AMEN !!!

 

[ALLFORHIM]

Yes, but why would Satan want the people of a country that is already atheist/communist to convert to the Catholic faith and start worshipping Jesus? Even if Catholicism is “wrong” (taking the Protestant point of view that it’s wrong) - Wouldn’t Satan want to wrap that country in a deep dark silence, with no ideas about religion of any kind getting in?

And why would Satan want anyone to start speculating about Mary? Since they would eventually find out that we believe that she was without sin, which would introduce the idea that, hey, maybe when I’m tempted, I don’t actually have to succumb to temptation; I could say “No” to Satan, and there I was thinking that I am doomed to commit sin as long as I am in my flesh - hmmmm.

No - I really can’t see anything that Satan would actually like, coming out of this event.

I’m not very clear on that part. According to the news reports of that event, they saw the disk of the sun come to earth, spin around, and dance. Hundreds of thousands of people, mostly atheists at the time (most of them converted directly, as you can well imagine) saw this happen.

Hi,
I get your point. As someone pointed out about Satan in another thread, he is cunning and sneaky. He could easily put a lie mixed in with the truth to break down people from within the church. I am not saying this is true, just speculating. I really have no idea. Like I said I would tend to believe this really happened(Fatima). The timing of when it happened(fairly recently)makes me think it may have not been from God because I didnt think that stuff happened anymore(visions)after apostolic age(at least from God anyway).

Again, Im no scholar just an observation. To be honest, it doesnt matter too much to me one way or the other.

Peace

 

[StMarkEofE]

Hi,
I get your point. As someone pointed out about Satan in another thread, he is cunning and sneaky. He could easily put a lie mixed in with the truth to break down people from within the church. I am not saying this is true, just speculating. I really have no idea. Like I said I would tend to believe this really happened(Fatima). The timing of when it happened(fairly recently)makes me think it may have not been from God because I didnt think that stuff happened anymore(visions)after apostolic age(at least from God anyway).

Again, Im no scholar just an observation. To be honest, it doesnt matter too much to me one way or the other.

Peace

I would not say it is satanic but it could be halousinagenic because of the children’s intense religious up bringing. But this is only my take on this. Mass illusion is not unusual or out of the ordinary.

 

[tundramom]

You mean you don’t believe that anymore? Good!

Incidentally, I think that line comes straight out of Jack Chick.

Hi Victorious.
No, I don’t believe that anymore. I still have a great deal of difficulty resolving all my prior thoughts on Mary, but it’s not like it was. I am growing to love her and see her as my own Mother. Something I have been lacking since my own Mother chooses to have nothing to do with me since I left Mormonism.

in Christ
Steph

 

[rr1213]

I have never asked non-Catholics but what do Evangelicals and Protestants say about this miracle?

What would we say? That, with all due respect, this is a bit weird.

 

[oat_soda]

Mass illusion is not unusual or out of the ordinary.

this doesn’t seem plausible in light of all of the evidence:
the “miracle” had been predicted in advance.

1. 
   *]the abrupt beginning and end of the alleged miracle of the sun.
   
   the varied nature of the observers as including both skeptics and believers alike.
   
   the sheer numbers of people present, and the lack of any causative factor.
   
   the activity of the sun was reported as visible by those up to 18 kilometers away.

 

[oat_soda]

Mass illusion is not unusual or out of the ordinary.

this doesn’t seem plausible in light of all of the evidence:

1. 
   *]the “miracle” had been predicted in advance.
   *]the abrupt beginning and end of the alleged miracle of the sun.
   *]the varied nature of the observers as including both skeptics and believers alike.
   *]the sheer numbers of people present, and the lack of any causative factor.
   *]the activity of the sun was reported as visible by those up to 18 kilometers away.
   
   there are therefore two posibilities: authentic or demonic, either way it is supernatural. you may rule out demonic because the message of fatima wasn’t contrary to the gospels and all of the secrets came true.

 

[Valke2]

Fortunately, faith does not require miracles. So whether you believe the incident in 1917 was a miracle or not, it should not affect your religious beliefs.

I don’t think big production numbers like the splitting of the seas, events at Sinai, or a dancing sun don’t do the job, unless one hears the still, small voice.

 

[jmcrae]

The timing of when it happened(fairly recently)makes me think it may have not been from God because I didnt think that stuff happened anymore(visions)after apostolic age(at least from God anyway).

I used to think like that when I was Protestant.

Later, I found out that miracles have been happening in the Catholic Church at the same rate as they happened when Jesus was walking among us physically. It really is true - He has not left us, nor forsaken us, and He really is with us, “until the end of the age.”

 

[water]

Thanks to the Virgin Mary for the Rosary. Through the Rosary’s mysteries, I feel so much closer to God and willing to change my life for good.

 

[February]

Hi,
I get your point. As someone pointed out about Satan in another thread, he is cunning and sneaky. He could easily put a lie mixed in with the truth to break down people from within the church. I am not saying this is true, just speculating. I really have no idea. Like I said I would tend to believe this really happened(Fatima). The timing of when it happened(fairly recently)makes me think it may have not been from God because I didnt think that stuff happened anymore(visions)after apostolic age(at least from God anyway).

Again, Im no scholar just an observation. To be honest, it doesnt matter too much to me one way or the other.

Peace

that is why apparitions are not considered “approved” until they have been thoroughly reviewed. Catholics are very aware of the devil trying to deceive; if you do a web search on apparitions, you can find many that have not been approved because messages within these apparitions have contradicted the Bible, Catholic teaching, etc.

 

[runandsew]

I remember listening to Hank Hanegraaff on the Bible Answer Man show several years ago.
He went with a team to check out Fatima or Lourdes, I can’t remember which one, but he determined after a “thorough study” that it was a mass hallucination. He determined that the miracles were not real, because if they were real miracles then they would require something like a person not having a leg having the leg suddenly appear. If that is His criteria, then do any of Jesus’ miracles count?
As for the miracles and people seeing it I have heard two stories recently:
I have heard about one WW2 veteran who had part of his skull blown away, and had a metal plate, after a miracle at Lourdes, he no longer had the medal plate, and his skull had grown back, The British government kept sending him his disability checks because they didn’t want to acknowledge the miracle. And that a priest, as a small boy witnessed the Sun dancing event of Fatima, (He lived in a different town), he told his family about it but they thought he was making up a story, it wasn’t for a couple of weeks that news of what had happened started to filter out to the country side, and then the parents realized that he had been given a gift to be able to witness the sun dance. If it were a mass hallucination, it sure was powerful to affect a young boy many miles away from the situation.

 

[Chris_LaRock]

However, they would accept Jesus’ apparitions more easily. In dreams or visions.

Not always. Scripture says we must test the spirits to see if they are of God.

 

[Charlie_Zeaiter]

… How can they deny this truth and the message delivered by the Blessed Virgin Mary?

The problem with Protestants is that they are guilty of idolatry. They believe the bible completely contains God, and that God is completely revealed in the bible. The bible is their idol.

For Protestants, a book (albeit the bible) has replaced the living Holy Spirit, Saints and Angels. There is no room to teach Protestants anything new, even via a spectacular miracle.

You can not be a Protestant and believe in Our Lady of Fatima. Even if Jesus came down to earth and asked us to pray the rosary for prayer and repentance, He would be dismissed by Protestants as the Devil in disguise. They would demand that they stick their finger through His wounds… and even then I’m not sure if they’ll believe.

 

[mystified]

Don’t know if my family member qualifies as an evangelical (Assembly of God), and she has never mentioned Fatima, but I do know she believes in the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
As a Catholic, I know that it is not a matter of faith to accept or to deny the appearances at Tepeyac, Fatima, Lourdes or elsewhere. After visiting the Guadalupe basilica in México, and seeing the tilma with the lifelike image (her eyes really do follow you), I do accept this as miraculous. I certainly stand with Pope John Paul ther Great on this one!

 

[rr1213]

The problem with Protestants is that they are guilty of idolatry. They believe the bible completely contains God, and that God is completely revealed in the bible. The bible is their idol.

For Protestants, a book (albeit the bible) has replaced the living Holy Spirit, Saints and Angels. There is no room to teach Protestants anything new, even via a spectacular miracle.

Untrue. Protestant bashing.

 

[Frost]

The 89th anniversary of the Miracle at Fatima is tomorrow, October 13. Over 70,000 people, including Masons, communists and atheist, witnessed the sun dance in the sky, throw off multi-colors and descend to the earth. They looked directly at the sun for approx. 10 minutes and nobody was blinded! Many newspapers around the world reported it including the New York Times.

I have never asked non-Catholics but what do Evangelicals and Protestants say about this miracle? How can they deny this truth and the message delivered by the Blessed Virgin Mary?

I live in northern-Europe. Here, most Protestants have not even heard about the miracle of Fatima. So they don’t say much about it Personally, I don’t think anything of it, it is not a part of my Christian life. If revelations like the Fatima helps people believe in Christ, I have no problem with it.
As I understand it, Catholics are not obliged to believe in specific private revelations (CCC 67), they are not a part of the depositum fidei. One can be a good Catholic and at the same time be sceptical towards the Fatima. But a Catholic must believe that such manifistations can happen.
Protestants are generally sceptical against the “cult of Mary” of the Catholic Church because they fear it will take focus away from Jesus. They also fear that it will develop into worship of false gods. It isn’t out of disrespect for the Virgin May, but out of respect for God.