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The Forum > Article Comments > Miracles as marketing > Comments

Miracles as marketing : Comments

By Rodney Crisp, published 19/10/2010

Australia has now witnessed its first two miracles and it would seem appropriate to examine the phenomenon a little closer.

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The most mystifying miracle to me is how the internalisations of one or more individuals can be attributed to a specific life event.

It is equally as valid to place the cause of these miraculous events on a Buddhist or other religious believer who has prayed to their God or spirit for all humanity to be free of its ills.

It seems that it can only be wishful thinking or oft used successful marketing that drives one religion to lay claim to what may be the result of the power of another religion or its God. No amount of praying and investigation can remove the possibility of these events being the result of other forces.

Regardless, these miracles are a great source of entertainment and dazzlement for some and a great source of income and control for others - those factors remain constant no matter what is perceived as a miracle.
Posted by JohnBS1, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 12:22:55 AM
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Thanks crabsy for your explanation of the purpose of icons.

Two similar ideas - not true 'icons' - come to mind. The first is the Rosary. Catholics (and members of some other denominations) use rosary beads as physical objects on which they can concentrate while focusing their prayers elsewhere. We aren't consciously counting beads - we are meditating on the mysteries of our faith. Similarly, when I was in Year 11, I visited a Buddhist temple as part of my SOR course. There, we spent some time meditating while staring intently at a flower. We weren't thinking about the flower - we were simply using it to focus our thoughts. If our eyes wandered, so did our minds.

Saints play a similar role in the Catholic Church. Catholics who believe Mary MacKillop cured cancer are misguided not only in terms of scientific reality, but also in terms of Catholic doctrine. Saints do not perform miracles themselves - they are simply vessels through whom God performs miracles (or so the Church tells us). Thus Mary MacKillop did not cure cancer. If any miracle actually took place, it was God's act - not Mary's - as a sign of His approval of the veneration of Mary MacKillop. The miracles are taken as signs that God approves of the individual's sainthood.

Committed as I am to my Catholic faith, I cannot say with 100% conviction that I believe in miracles. It will always be in my nature to be a bit of a 'doubting Thomas'. I don't necessarily disbelieve in miracles, either. I certainly believe in God, and I don't believe that, a little under 2000 years ago, He decided to stop interacting with His creations. Apparitions, visitations and miracles are not entirely implausible to me. Images of the Virgin Mary on toasted cheese sandwiches are, however, a bit hard to take. While I will not denounce any 'act of God' that has been proclaimed a miracle, I will not puff myself up with false certainty and self-declared expertise by saying that every as-yet unexplained occurrence is an example of divine intervention.
Posted by Otokonoko, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 12:35:06 AM
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Crabsy
Yes, I like your idea of miracles as icons. Though I’m unable to accept miracles as Hume defines them I’m unwilling to relinquish the idea of miracle as a signifier or symbol of something other than itself. The icon as “window” is a good analogy for this. Though I haven’t made much use of icons, I have heard teachers talk on them. I was particularly impressed with the idea that perspective is often ignored and sometimes reversed in icons, so the viewer does not feel like an outsider observing an eternal scene, and sometimes feels like a character in the painting itself.

Otokonoko
Thanks for your interesting post. I can see the similarity with rosary.

I was told some time ago that doubt is not the opposite of faith, it’s the engine of faith. I always quite liked that idea.
Posted by Rhian, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 2:01:37 AM
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Dear Rhian,
If you wish to know the mind of God, study the bible, meditate on it day and night. Meditate is as easy as worry to do. Worry leads to sickness and death. Meditation (to mutter) on Gods Word (Jesus) leads to abundant life. God provided for all circumstances in his Word. All our part in appropiation of Gods word is to believe. If you believe you see. If you do not believe you will never see. It is much easier to deny then to do the hard yards. Read Mark 16:15-18 and you will see that miracles are a sign for the unbeliever. If you have a death sentence from a doctor and a believer comes along and shares Gods provision for healing from his word and you believe and it triggers enough faith in God to give his word a go, you are then in the place of receiving a miracle. Faith or trust or understanding comes from what we chose to dwell upon(study). Gods will is that none should perish But it is our choice. Worry is faith in the problems we encounter not faith in the answer. People are only earthenware vessels carrying the positive or the negative message. What you feed your mind governs what comes out of your mouth. Possibility or negativity. Only a supernatural creator can go against HIS principles and we call that a miracle. So if evolution is right there are no such thing as a miracle.
Posted by Richie 10, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 5:16:51 AM
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There's only one Saint who has reversed a significant, previously incurable condition with demonstrable and reproducible effects.

He has raised the bowed and hung heads of the little sufferers, long forgotten, mocked and derided. Indeed raising them up in renewed body to glorious heights for a hitherto unforeseen duration.

He is adored by men and women alike and in defending the institution of marriage has most certainly earned the respect of the Church.

Galloping upon his Pfizer Charger, he doth utter one sentence only. "Why are you so downcast and infirm of body and soul?", he is known to have spake.

Then in a blaze of blue glory, one is healed as if by magic!

All glory to Saint Viagra.

A miracle indeed.
Posted by Firesnake, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 10:01:57 AM
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* In commercial terms, miracles are marketing tools that help consolidate and increase the client base.*

Now that is refreshingly honest
Posted by Yabby, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 12:11:30 PM
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