Miracles do not happen anymore because humanity (in general, certainly not in entirety) is not as ignorant as it was two thousand years ago and we understand miracles are not real.

Actually, there are many claims of miracles and apparations, even today. The difference is that now we can easily debunk those claims and explain what really caused the alleged miracle, while we didn't have enough scientific knowledge to do so in the past.

(November 27, 2012 at 4:42 pm)Ryantology Wrote: Miracles do not happen anymore because humanity (in general, certainly not in entirety) is not as ignorant as it was two thousand years ago and we understand miracles are not real.

What do you base that on? Here's an article which says belief in miracles is growing in the US, and is at close to 80%.

You do understand that belief in something is not at all the same as the existence of that thing, don't you?

So what? Nearly half the U.S. also believes the earth to be less than ten thousand years old. We Americans will believe in all kinds of stupid shit.

(November 27, 2012 at 5:04 pm)John V Wrote: What do you base that on? Here's an article which says belief in miracles is growing in the US, and is at close to 80%.

Your point ... ?

Quote:Here's an article which says belief in miracles is growing in the US, and is at close to 80%.

The belief in astrology is also growing. So is the belief in ghosts, or physics powers. I'd bet that the amount of air time devoted by television to this beliefs has something to do with that.

Most people do not have enough knowledge to correctly assess reality. The state of the education of science is a sorry one, because (among other reasons) of the lobbying of evangelical groups to get public schools to teach pseudoscience like Intelligent Design.

(November 27, 2012 at 5:04 pm)John V Wrote: Here's an article which says belief in miracles is growing in the US, and is at close to 80%.

Argumentum ad populum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argumentum_ad_populum

Read it and weep .....

(November 27, 2012 at 5:12 pm)Kousbroek Wrote:

(November 27, 2012 at 5:04 pm)John V Wrote: What do you base that on? Here's an article which says belief in miracles is growing in the US, and is at close to 80%.

Your point ... ?

Er, that Ryantology's assertion that "humanity (in general, certainly not in entirety) is not as ignorant as it was two thousand years ago and we understand miracles are not real" doesn't seem to be accurate. Thought it was pretty obvious, considering it followed his quote and all...

(November 27, 2012 at 5:04 pm)John V Wrote: What do you base that on? Here's an article which says belief in miracles is growing in the US, and is at close to 80%.

We live in a hyperbolic culture where the word 'miracle' means 'unlikely' instead of 'impossible' and applies to even the most mundane occurrences. I found my car keys, it's a miracle. He hit that 3 at the buzzer, it's a miracle and look, he's praising Jesus.

Yawn. Show me someone walking on water. Let's hear that bellowing voice of God.

Funny that there are no biblical miracles in an age where such nonsense can be explained (and debunked) scientificially. Because of the residue of Christianity's poison, lots of Americans pay lip service to the idea of believing in miracles. How do you think they would react to someone, one day, out of nowhere, walking on water, reviving the dead and calling himself Jesus? Do you think 80% of Americans would blindly accept that Jesus was back? Or do you think almost all of us would ask a lot of very tough questions and reserve judgement, while (correctly) writing off the mindless acceptance as lunacy?