Individual,

Save us the rant and just give a scientific explanation to the miracles of Lourdes or give a reference to some scholarly refutation of the claims.
There must be something on the internet.

Is Mise, how can anyone ever refute something that never really happened in the first place?
You can't prove that miracles happen either.

Personally, I think that if there is a god or two out there, they must be truly heartless to allow children to die of cancer for instance, but yet they 'save' some pious adults?

I worked in a hospital many years ago and stood by and watched while several Jehovah's Witness family members prayed over one of their female members body as she died of blood loss after giving birth.
They refused to allow her to have a blood transfusion.
She left six children behind...

That's real religion for you.

She left six children behind...
Suseonlie,
I wonder what kind of God would have been pleased about that outcome, is Mise''s God perhaps ? I always think of when innocent people become victims of some hideous crime or some drunken or stoned driver. If there is such a power that can make these things happen then why can't this be prevented ? What is the reasoning for bringing humans into this world & then let so many become innocent victims if the power is there to prevent it ? I can't fathom it & I bet is Mise can't either.

Not a bad article. But I strikes me as odd to say that religious beliefs ought not exempt someone from state laws, and then spend all that space trying to define 'religious beliefs'. If religious ideals are not going to be taken into account, then why the need to define them? That's like saying 'red heads' are not going to get any special treatment according to the law, and then spend the next five paragraphs trying to define red heads. Why bother?

I'm wondering why the author wants to define these people. He acts suspiciously and raises suspicion. His poor attempts at defining religions seem aimed at portraying them very negatively and show little insight.

For example, the author states that all religions issue categorical demands on the faithful.

Well, speaking as a Christian believer, I don't know what demands he's talking about or how this applies to myself or fellow believers I mix with. Christianity is about the freedom to live a life of goodness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17). The only constraining imposition is the Biblical command to love God, and love ones neighbour as yourself.

Next, the author wants to claim that people of faith are substandard with regard to reason, rationality, common sense and science.

How insulting? If he was standing in my presence, the first thing I'd do is challenge him to a game of chess, and see how he handles this form of common sense and rationality. Christians may see things differently to non Christians. But we hold no beliefs which we are not prepared to logically and rationally defend. We "honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks for a reason for the hope we have" (1 Peter 3:15).

And as for science, the author should become more familiar with history. Most branches of modern science were founded by Christian believers, men of faith who were strong in the Biblical beliefs, such as six day creation. Western science was helped to come into being by the Christian worldview.

Suse,

You have a medical background and you should be able to explain away the claims that miracles have happened at Lourdes.
Specific claims are made, surely they can be refuted scientifically?

Individual,

All that I ask is that you, having made claims about religion, just prove (if possible) that the claims about Lourdes are wrong or point me in the direction of some scientific refutation of these claims.

Can't be to hard can it?

is Mise,
You're beyond help, see ya !