Promoting skepticism and reason without boundaries or sacred cows.
I saw this on TV last night. The priest said the Church isn't going to investigate because these things usually turn out to be natural phenomenon.

SACRAMENTO (AP) — Carrying rosary beads and cameras, the faithful have been coming in a steady stream to a church on the outskirts of Sacramento for a glimpse of what some are calling a miracle: A statue of the Virgin Mary they say has begun crying a substance that looks like blood.

It was first noticed more than a week ago, when a priest at the Vietnamese Catholic Martyrs Church spotted a stain on the statue's face and wiped it away.

On Saturday, tables in front of the fenced-in statue were jammed with potted plants, bouquets of roses and candles. Some people prayed silently, while others sang hymns and hugged their children. An elderly woman in a wheelchair wept near the front of the crowd.

"I think that it's incredible. It's a miracle. Why is she doing it? Is it something bothering her?" asked Maria Vasquez, 35, who drove with her parents and three children from Stockton, about 50 miles south of Sacramento.

Thousands of such incidents are reported around the world each year, though many turn out to be hoaxes or natural phenomena.
The Rev. James Murphy, deacon of the diocese's mother church, the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, said church leaders are always skeptical at first.

"For people individually seeing things through the eyes of faith, something like this can be meaningful. As for whether it is supernatural or a miracle, normally these incidences are not. Miracles are possible, of course," Murphy said. "The bishop is just waiting and seeing what happens. They will be moving very slowly."

But seeing the statue in person left no doubt for Martin Operario, 60, who drove about 100 miles from Hayward. He took photos to show to family and friends.

"I don't know how to express what I'm feeling," Operario said. "Since religion is the mother of believing, then I believe."


If the Church doesn't believe it's a miracle, why should anyone else?

"There's a big event in the future — earthquake, flood, a disease," Truong said. "We're very sad."

NAHHHHHH! NO SHIT? WOW, THAT'S AMAZING! WHAT A PREDICTION! THOSE THINGS HARDLY EVER HAPPEN! THIS MUST BE A SIGN FROM GOD!

*sigh*

Comments (Page 1)
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on Dec 02, 2005
Meh...I tend to think that mostly any Virgin Mary stuff is crap, myself. I don't understand the Catholic hoopla about her. She gave birth to the Son of God. Okay...I don't know why that means that Catholics have to pray to her or through her or whatever.

Weep away, baby. ~shrugs~
on Dec 02, 2005
dooo dooo dooo do doo - phenomenon

Marcie - she's special because of all the women ever on the planet earth, God chose her to have his son.

I am raised catholic but have a skeptical heart. I am sure their are still miracles somewhere but these always kind of crack me up. How about the Mary image on toast that sold on ebay for big bucks. Kind of loca.
on Dec 02, 2005
I tend to think that mostly any Virgin Mary stuff is crap, myself.

Yep.

I don't understand the Catholic hoopla about her... I don't know why that means that Catholics have to pray to her or through her or whatever.

Yep.
on Dec 02, 2005
How about the Mary image on toast that sold on ebay for big bucks. Kind of loca.


Or the face of Jesus on a taco shell.
on Dec 03, 2005
Marcie - she's special because of all the women ever on the planet earth, God chose her to have his son.


That makes sense...but aren't we supposed to pray to Mr. God through Jesus, and not Mary?
on Dec 03, 2005
Very interesting article. Living in a dominantly Catholic country the title automatically caught my eye. It is still hard for me to understand this aspect of Catholicism. I have seen it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, they treat statues like gods.

One thing I have noticed, however, is that many of the Catholics I meet have very skeptical hearts and minds, much like locamama. Much of what they do and believe is inherited (which is a very common phenomenon in most religions).
on Dec 03, 2005
I'm Catholic, and a bit skeptical as well...However, I don't see any harm in someone believing in this phenomenon...so what if they flock to this place to pray? So what if they want to believe in a miracle? So what if they see it as a "warning" to become better people in this world?

I guess it's hard to understand when you Don't come from a religion that reveres the Virgin Mary...she is very much respected as being the mother of Jesus...she even has a day in her honor in Mexico..and here in the border town I live in, it is widely celebrated.

I don't think it's necessary for people to look down on them, and view them as foolish just because they believe in something you (and I mean "you" in a general term) don't.
on Dec 03, 2005
so what if they flock to this place to pray? So what if they want to believe in a miracle? So what if they see it as a "warning" to become better people in this world?


Because it's false.
on Dec 03, 2005
Because it's false.



Ditto
on Dec 04, 2005
~~Because it's false.~~

Yes, it's false to you and what you believe in...but not to those who have faith in that sort of thing..and with that, I don't see the big deal..it's not hurting anyone.
on Dec 04, 2005
Yes, it's false to you and what you believe in...but not to those who have faith in that sort of thing..and with that, I don't see the big deal..it's not hurting anyone.


How would you feel if you found out that something you had been worshipping turned out to be not worth worshipping?
on Dec 04, 2005

don't know why that means that Catholics have to pray to her or through her or whatever.

Jesus H Christ!  Dont spout ignorance! Learn!  You are a teacher.  Dont speak in ignorance again!  At least read my religion articles.  I will address this one next since while it was mentioned in the comments, it was not the subject.

 

on Dec 04, 2005
Icon, I agree this is crap. However, I think the Catolic baiting going on here is way beyond normal debate, so I will just leave you with this. Toast is toast and a statue is a statue. And wiat for my next article. Bigotry is not only skin deep. It is religious as well.
on Dec 04, 2005
Jesus H Christ! Dont spout ignorance! Learn! You are a teacher. Dont speak in ignorance again!


Yeah, Marcie, because you know, you're reinforcing the stereotype.
on Dec 04, 2005
Yeah, Marcie, because you know, you're reinforcing the stereotype.


And that is beneath you.
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