Miracles A Reality?: Being on the Fence Leads to Splinters

I think the discussion of whether miracles exist requires one to accept that the miraculous doesn’t get a black and white definition.  There are scientific miracles which can be explained, supernatural miracles that may be unexplainable, and even miracles that are defined as such by the individual.  For example, to the Aztecs, Cortes’ steel swords and firearms were miraculous, but that is only because they didn’t know the real, very unsupernatural nature of the powerful weapons they held in awe. Sadly, this kind of ignorance is often the mother of miracles.  Face it. When your traditional weaponry consists of obsidian knives, obsidian-tipped spears and arrows the swords and muskets Cortes brought with them would seem to be creations beyond the capability of mortal man.  In the case of the Aztecs, just a little bit of knowledge may have taken the shine off the supposed miracles Cortez carried and given them the chance to save their civilization. Now, if one wants to consider what can only be described as a true supernatural event with no scientific or logical explanation, then I will agree with Hamlet and say, “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio (or in this case Prosian), than are dreamt of in your (or anyone’s philosophy).  So, when it comes to miracles, I sit on the fence and frankly, pulling splinters out of my a—is bad enough.  Did someone really have to add fing razor wire too?

So, from a scientific perspective, miracles are the result of previously unknown, newly discovered, or misunderstood natural phenomena.  If a miracle is placed under the harsh lens of the scientific method, it’s often dissected until the very natural, less than miraculous explanation is discovered. Some scientifically debunked miracles include:  The Aurora Borealis, the phases of the moon, a birds ability to fly, and the Wonder Bra. These may all seem to be authentic god-crafted miracles to the ignorant eye, but scientific laws and reason serve to both lift and separate the truth from the miraculous.

For the truly unexplainable, many argue that they just can’t be explained NOW. The ability to explain these, “Miracles” away by science simply hasn’t been developed yet. Once science catches up with the supposedly unexplainable, it will sift away the fanciful and leave behind only the nuggets of truth and reality.  For me, I agree with my geology professor (a very open atheist) who explained that science is meant to define the quantifiable, observable workings of the natural universe.  Because of this, science will struggle to determine if a real, honest to some deity miracle has happened.  In short, you can’t explain away the supernatural with science because science isn’t designed to explain what lies beyond the laws of nature and the universe.  So, I sit firmly on the fence between, “Yes miracles happen” and “Nope. It’s all explainable.”  Frankly, with all this fence sitting, my biscuits are burning. I’ll have to stop by Costco and pick up the value size Preparation-H. 

Now, there is something to be said about things one could consider miraculous, but probably have a very unsupernatural explanation.  For example, I feel that the big blue ball we call home supports life is miraculous.  An even bigger miracle to me is that the life on this planet relies on perfectly conceived, reciprocal relationships with completely different other forms of life.  Consider how we breathe the oxygen produced by plants and then exhale carbon dioxide which the plants need.  The process is scientifically understood, but it still feels magical.  Another example? How about the relationship between trailer parks and inbreeding?  Trailer parks couldn’t exist if not for inbreeding. The slightly irregular, potentially three-eyed residents that result from inbreeding will need someplace to live.  Where better than the trailer park that inspired mom and dad (two first cousins both of whom had parents that are also first cousins) to bump uglies?   It’s beautiful if you think about it. I’ve always felt that such perfect, mutual relationships cannot be random, there has to be some force orchestrating it all.

There you have it.  Miracles and the supernatural exist or they don’t, and science will eventually debunk the f-out of them.  Like trailer parks and the mutually beneficial relationship they have with those who inbreed or who are inbred, a miracle may exist only from a certain very unscientific and unsupernatural viewpoint. Either way, I think I need the fire department to break out the jaws of life to remove the fence post propelled knickers from my now thoroughly weggied bum.