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Why believe in miracles?

Rational Agnostic

Well-Known Member
I often wonder why many religious people believe in the miracles described in their scriptures so readily, especially when they are skeptical of nearly everything else. Let's consider Christianity for this illustration. Christians, in any other context, would you believe that the miracles of the bible could occur? For instance, if I told you that I was born of a virgin, could walk on water, could magically turn a small snack into a meal that feeds 5000 people, and have been dead and buried and come back to life, would you believe me? How about if four anonymous authors confirmed my story? Would that be enough to convince you that these things were true about me? If not, why are you convinced that the Jesus stories are true? Is "eyewitness testimony" really a good reason to believe such incredible claims? Thousands of seemingly sane people claim every year to have been abducted by aliens, yet I doubt you believe them. So why suspend all critical thinking and judgment when it comes to Jesus (or whatever miracle performing deity you believe in)?
 

Eddi

Agnostic
Premium Member
For me: Because they are mentioned in a number of texts that (due to the will of God) have come together to form a book like no other, a holy book.The holy book in fact.
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
"Religion is the opium of the people." - Karl Marx

For people who don't see a rational way out of their misery, the belief in miracles is what keeps them going. That's one reason why religiosity is prevalent in poorer countries (or countries with high social barriers). The happiest countries are also those with the least believers. You have no need for miracles if you can reach your dream with natural means.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
The answer to the OP rests in the psychological realm and there are probably multiple answers such as it gives them hope, it makes them feel they are part of something special and so forth.

To me what is called a miracle can be a number of things.

One is just magic tricks that look like something but aren't really.

Then there's the operation of unknown laws. It's a miracle that voices can come from a box to people who have never heard of radio. I believe that some few people have access to such laws that the vast majority of us don't.

Then there's the big miracle, that the universe exists at all.

And finally there are, as the song says, "Ordinary Miracles" that are lawful parts of life but can seem miraculous when looked at a certain way.
 

1213

Well-Known Member
...For instance, if I told you that I was born of a virgin, could walk on water, could magically turn a small snack into a meal that feeds 5000 people, and have been dead and buried and come back to life, would you believe me? How about if four anonymous authors confirmed my story?

But, even if you could do it and I would believe it happened, what then? Why should we care? I think the greatness of Jesus is his teachings, not the miracles.
 

TagliatelliMonster

Veteran Member
For me: Because they are mentioned in a number of texts that (due to the will of God) have come together to form a book like no other, a holy book.The holy book in fact.

Every book is a book like no other, and there is nothing extraordinary about the bible (or any other "sacred" scripture) that requires explanation beyond "humans did it".
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
I'm far from certain there are "miracles", as I have to wonder if there's logical explanations if we knew all the facts. However, I am not implying that there aren't any deities by saying this.

IOW, I/we don't know that which I/we don't know. [how philosophical, eh?]
 
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