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Xeno-x -- the word "miracle" has become a vernacular for exaggeration
Simply anything that defies the odds or does not have an easy explanation can be labeled as a miracle. We also tend to combine this exaggeration with other emotional syndromes. For example, if an adult becomes really ill, is hospitalized, comes close to death but then gradually recovers and eventually resumes a normal life, they are just lucky. Though some may say it was by the grace of God that this recovery has taken place, it is not likely that people will be running around proclaiming a miracle. On the other hand, if a baby is born with a life threatening illness but then gradually recovers and eventually lives a normal life, it is virtually guaranteed that someone somewhere will be proclaiming the baby a "miracle baby" or referring to the recovery as a miracle. The word has been rendered virtually meaningless or at least has become very diluted by these types of uses.
posted by
gomedome
on February 21, 2006 at 6:35 AM
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you can always say miracles happened
in the past.
and make them fantastic too.
but if you really believe in them
then you end up having to try to explain why they haven't happened today
but if you just take them for what they
stories
just to make a point
then you can discover multitudes of little miracles in your everyday life.
me?
i'm working on a poached egg with the transfiguration on it.
posted by
Xeno-x
on February 21, 2006 at 5:40 AM
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Bud-Oracle - I checked out the Virgin Mary in a grilled cheese sandwich
on eBay. It was a stupid attempt to garner publicity and then attempt to capitalize on that publicity. There were plasticized replicas of this grilled cheese sandwich made with a benchtop rubber curing mold. The kind you would use to make a halloween mask. Then there were series of eBay listings that all had identical bids of up to within a few dollars of $10,000. This was meant to give the impression that a piece of poorly formed neoprene had a real market value with a going rate. Then the media got involved and reported the bids as being real (until proven different they are real) then the story took off. I'd bet whoever was behind it got booted off of eBay and lost lots of money. It's not always the buyer that is stupid in a transaction, there are just as many stupid sellers.
posted by
gomedome
on February 20, 2006 at 10:33 PM
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CrimsonCarouse - I asked the nuns that very question 40 years ago
The answer I got was that "they were holy times". After studying history a bit, I now see that the only difference between those times and today in terms of "holiness" is that fewer of us believe in magic. Explaining it really is that simple of an answer. Some members of our species are clinging to campfire tales told by an ancient, ignorant and very supersticious populace as being eternal truths. It's embarrassing.
posted by
gomedome
on February 20, 2006 at 10:20 PM
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Myself, well I've always wondered
why miracles have stopped happening. I mean when was the last time somebody fed thousands of people with a fish and a couple loaves of bread? That's pretty lame if no one can perform miracles just because christ isn't around. How about a talking bush thats on fire or something to restore our faith in miracles? Faith healing just isn't doin it for me!
posted by
CrimsonCarouse
on February 20, 2006 at 10:10 PM
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Hey, Blogi, the bird flu is comming and what about that miracle which just
sold on Ebay. the toast with the face of the virgin mary mary on it. Thank god no one took a bite out of it.
I try to leave off capitalizing anything that I don't respect. It's a concious thing, to distinguish those wjhose beliefs I respect by their actions and those who demand belief as their due.
posted by
Bud-Oracle
on February 20, 2006 at 9:00 PM
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