NationStates Jolt Archive

If one person survives in a [insert disaster here] where one hundred died, why is it a miracle?

If the survivor or the reporters say that it is a "miracle", are they showing any respect for the victims?

If a man danced with a bottle of wine and it gives birth, is that strange?

Miracles are what insecure people call unlikely, random and sometimes untrue events in order to justify their existence in come sort of supreme being or power, be it God, Destiny, Karma or whatever. The people who point out miracles are too weak to accept that life is little more than the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain.

What's a miracle? Me actually getting a date before I die.

If one person survives in a [insert disaster here] where one hundred died, why is it a miracle?

If the survivor or the reporters say that it is a "miracle", are they showing any respect for the victims?
1. It's not a "miracle," it's simply highly unlikely.

2. It's not being disrespectful of the victims, it's expressing surprise at an highly unlikely circumstance.

:)

1. It's not a "miracle," it's simply highly unlikely.

2. It's not being disrespectful of the victims, it's expressing surprise at an highly unlikely circumstance.

:)

Hmmm what about an accident where one die and 99 survive? Some survivors call that a miracle too. I'm not sure whether probability has anything to do with it.

Do you think that the families of the victims don't feel a sting when "miracle" is used? I'm not sure if the word implies that they were not "special" enough to be saved from disaster.

Hmmm what about an accident where one die and 99 survive? Some survivors call that a miracle too. I'm not sure whether probability has anything to do with it.

Do you think that the families of the victims don't feel a sting when "miracle" is used? I'm not sure if the word implies that they were not "special" enough to be saved from disaster.
That's highly unlikely, but it ain't a miracle.

I don't know. I'll burn down an orphanage and see what the survivors think.

Hmmm what about an accident where one die and 99 survive? Some survivors call that a miracle too. I'm not sure whether probability has anything to do with it.

Do you think that the families of the victims don't feel a sting when "miracle" is used? I'm not sure if the word implies that they were not "special" enough to be saved from disaster.
( shrug ) I don't think that's what most of those who use the word "miracle" in this context mean by it. If the families of those who die choose to interpret it that way, that's sad, yes, but that doesn't mean it was intended that way.

That's highly unlikely, but it ain't a miracle.

I don't know. I'll burn down an orphanage and see what the survivors think.

Actually I am thinking about religious groups that use the concept of miracles to grow. Like when a few people survive a catastrophe that kills thousands - it is used as supporting evidence for a benevolent God.

The concept of miracles is hazy to me. For example I don't understand why when a bridge stands for a few hundred years it is not a miracle, whereas when another bridge falls and kills everyone but two, THAT is a miracle.:rolleyes:

That's highly unlikely, but it ain't a miracle.

I don't know. I'll burn down an orphanage and see what the survivors think.
LOL! Well, I'll poll the police officers who carry you away to see what they think about you. :)

Actually I am thinking about religious groups that use the concept of miracles to grow. Like when a few people survive a catastrophe that kills thousands - it is used as supporting evidence for a benevolent God.

The concept of miracles is hazy to me. For example I don't understand why when a bridge stands for a few hundred years it is not a miracle, whereas when another bridge falls and kills everyone but two, THAT is a miracle.:rolleyes:
What constitutes a "miracle" is a highly individual thing.

( shrug ) I don't think that's what most of those who use the word "miracle" in this context mean by it. If the families of those who die choose to interpret it that way, that's sad, yes, but that doesn't mean it was intended that way.

So there is a secular meaning to "miracle" which is like "man, I survived out of pure random luck"? I always associated that word with divine intervention or something.

So there is a secular meaning to "miracle" which is like "man, I survived out of pure random luck"? I always associated that word with divine intervention or something.


But since there is no way to prove divine intervention, the tag "miracle" tends to get slapped on anything that seems to have unlikely percentages (either the one out of 100 that survive, or the 99 out of 100 that do) or anything for which one cannot immediately point out the cause (either because there IS no cause, or one does not know the science behind the cause).

So the opposite of "miracle" is, apparently, an education in math and science.

If one person survives in a [insert disaster here] where one hundred died, why is it a miracle?

If the survivor or the reporters say that it is a "miracle", are they showing any respect for the victims?

Reminds me of Disraelis comment about the difference between tragedy and disaster:-
"If Gladstone fell into the Thames, that would be a tragedy. If someone rescued him, it would be a disaster"

DOCTOR: You were lucky you weren't killed.

MAN: If I was lucky I'd still have my legs.

Wasn't there something a while ago, the people at Lourdes wanted the Vatican to change the qualifications of a miracle so they'd get more? I think the Roman Catholic Church doesn't consider it a miraculous healing if the person got any medical help at all that may have healed them.

So there is a secular meaning to "miracle" which is like "man, I survived out of pure random luck"? I always associated that word with divine intervention or something.
Miracle (http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/miracle):

1. An event that appears inexplicable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God: "Miracles are spontaneous, they cannot be summoned, but come of themselves" (Katherine Anne Porter).

2. One that excites admiring awe. See Synonyms at wonder.

3. A miracle play.

I think it was Thomas Aquinas who gave the following definition, correct me if I'm wrong:

A miracle is either:

1. An unnatural event.

or

2. A natural event happening in an unnatural way.

Sadly I don't have a copy of the book I read this in at the moment so I can't check.

Wasn't there something a while ago, the people at Lourdes wanted the Vatican to change the qualifications of a miracle so they'd get more? I think the Roman Catholic Church doesn't consider it a miraculous healing if the person got any medical help at all that may have healed them.
I know the Catholic Church has very stringent requirements for determining what is and is not a "miracle." One of the reasons for this is that, to be declared a "Saint," the Church requires a certain number of verifiable "miracles" for the candidate to become "beatified."

Wasn't there something a while ago, the people at Lourdes wanted the Vatican to change the qualifications of a miracle so they'd get more? I think the Roman Catholic Church doesn't consider it a miraculous healing if the person got any medical help at all that may have healed them.

Yup, I started a thread (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=475809) on it but nobody cared. :(

I would say a miracle is a feeling of wonder and awe related to an event. It has nothing to do with how probable or improbable an event is. Many people don't experience miracles not because nothing good ever happens to them, but simply by lacking the capacity to appreciate things. I happen to think it's miraculous that I got out of bed this morning. Plenty of other people are going "Yeah, so what?"

Bush being re-elected, from his point of view anyway. I think the rest of the planet got smited.

I know the Catholic Church has very stringent requirements for determining what is and is not a "miracle." One of the reasons for this is that, to be declared a "Saint," the Church requires a certain number of verifiable "miracles" for the candidate to become "beatified."

Also, you usually have to be dead. I don't remember if that's a requirement of a coincidence though.

Yup, I started a thread (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=475809) on it but nobody cared. :(
Awww! :fluffle: :fluffle: :fluffle:

Yup, I started a thread (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=475809) on it but nobody cared. :(

I had the strangest feeling it was here I heard it.

Don't be sad Randomlittleisland, I cared. Kinda :fluffle:

Many people don't experience miracles not because nothing good ever happens to them, but simply by lacking the capacity to appreciate things.
This is very true, and very, very sad. I can't imagine being so cynical and jaded that one totally loses one's sense of wonder at just being alive! Me? I DIG it! :D

I've heard "miracle" defined as something that isn't supposed to happen, but does anyway.

Otherwise, I don't know.

Awww! :fluffle: :fluffle: :fluffle:

I had the strangest feeling it was here I heard it.

Don't be sad Randomlittleisland, I cared. Kinda :fluffle:

YAY!!! :)