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Thanks for the clarification
by degsme

Thanks for the clarification on not ignoring me. I understand about the time needed to dig up references. But I think you make a basic error in the assumption that every "reported miracle" is indeed a miracle. Again - the Amazing Randi's $1,000,000 prize has stood unclaimed for over 30 years.

A "miracle" isn't simply something that YOU cannot explain in a manner satisfying to you. Rather a true miracle would be a provably paranormal event.

I will leave you with the literal words of a science professor in Lisbon who witnessed the great miracle predicted to the very day by three little children. Is he lying? Is it a coincidence that it happened exactly on the day the three children say it would 90 days in advance?

He could be lying. He could be delusional. He could have been delusional at the time of the supposed event but rational now. And we over-remmember positive coincidences and under remember failures of such predictions. Here's a quick example of that. Most folks notice when their Odometer ends up with an unusual pattern - like all the numbers being 5s or 6s.

And at first that seems really special. But if you go through and actually enumerate all of the "noteworthy patterns" (01234, 10101, 010101 etc) you end up with the mathematical fact that such "noteworthy patterns" have about a 1:10 shot of happening every time you get in the car. Whether you notice them or not depends on other things. But when you DO notice them you perceive them as "rare" even though they are not.

And while your at it you may want to consider the findings of a psychiatrist who witnessed demonic possession at a Catholic exorcism. Compelling for me, sorry it does not impress you.

Again, none of the observed is unexplainable or duplicatable by someone like The Amazing Randi. And given that no evidence is given on the long term followup of "Julia" we really don't know if the "driving out of demons" was anything more than a placebo effect.

Remember, rituals are powerful psychological constructs. They have been refined over the years to resonate with human neurophysiology. so the use of symbols of power like The Cross can very much have calming effects on a psychologically disturbed mind.

So no, there is nothing in his testimony or that of Jindal that is compelling in any way to me. Every one of the behaviours can be explained with no need to reach to the paranormal. And in the Jindal case, faith essentially becomes an excuse to assault an emotionally disturbed young woman.

No those aren't proofs of much of anything except how deeply held various beliefs are.

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