"Do Miracles Happen?"

[bindeweede]

Tricia Robertson
revealed some early findings in a lecture on paranormal healing to the Society for Psychical Research in London on Thursday, 1 October, titled “Do Miracles Happen?”Mannion, inevitably, appears in the article. The famous "Abraham" has been joined by another spirit guide,
the spirit of “Dr Nicola Alexandre” worked in conjunction with Abraham to produce a result which the patient described, 44 days later, as “nothing short of amazing”.
Although no controlled sessions were conducted with Nina Knowland, Robertson has researched 30 of her cases – all of whom were the healer’s own patients – and discovered equally impressive results.Well, would you believe it?


Tricia Robertson, who is a DACE tutor for the University of Glasgow (Department of Adult and Continuing Education), concluded that “miracles do appear to happen” and will publish a report on her study once she has completed all the interviews and obtained signed testimonials.http://www.paranormalreview.com/health/almost-half-of-healers-patients-report-immediate-benefit/

[Trinoc]

Well, yes ... very occasionally incredibly good luck happens. Much more often of course, shit happens.

[bindeweede]

I wonder why someone who had received virtually "miraculous" healing on his damaged eye, would still choose to remain blind in that eye, rather than continue "treatment".


The healer believed that with continued treatment she might be able to restore some vision to the eye, but Sean has decided not to pursue that course of action. Instead, he told Robertson that he is happy with things as they are – retaining the sightless eye and relying on his right eye for vision.Still, it makes a nice story.

[Harryprice]

Interesting philosophical question - do miracles happen. If an event takes place that defies our understanding of the laws of nature, it only shows our ignorance. The scientific laws must then be amended and the miracle is no more.

I wonder if anyone ever enters the field of parapsychology without prior beliefs in psychic phenomena?

[Cuddles]

Interesting philosophical question - do miracles happen. If an event takes place that defies our understanding of the laws of nature, it only shows our ignorance. The scientific laws must then be amended and the miracle is no more.

I'd have to nitpick slightly here. When an event takes place that defies our understanding of the laws of physics, it usually means that our understanding of the event itself is incomplete, rather than requiring changes to the physics. This is especially the case for things that get described as miracles - I'm not aware of a single one that actually led to a change in our understanding of science.

[Harryprice]

I'd have to nitpick slightly here. When an event takes place that defies our understanding of the laws of physics, it usually means that our understanding of the event itself is incomplete, rather than requiring changes to the physics. This is especially the case for things that get described as miracles - I'm not aware of a single one that actually led to a change in our understanding of science.

This was put as a philosophical question. There was an underlying assumption in my proposition that the event actually did defy the known laws of science. I think anyone who did not realise this assumption would have picked it up automatically from the conclusion.

[Matt]

I'm not aware of a single one that actually led to a change in our understanding of science.

Behold a new star in the east...

[Trinoc]

Behold a new star in the east...
If it had led to an understanding of supernovas, or whatever it was (if it happened at all) ... but it didn't. It took nearly 2000 years for a (possible) scientific explanation.

[Matt]

If it had led to an understanding of supernovas, or whatever it was (if it happened at all) ... but it didn't. It took nearly 2000 years for a (possible) scientific explanation.

I was thinking of historical recordings of ostensibly supernatural events in the sky being coallated years later by Edmond Halley, leading to a new understanding of the solar system.

But with regard to supernovae check this out http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=5638#

Where would we be without the mysterious light in the sky being recorded by arab, chinese and korean skygazers back in 1054

Well pretty much where we are now but with a slighly less compete picture of the expansion of the crab nebula.

[Julia]

the spirit of “Dr Nicola Alexandre” worked in conjunction with Abraham to produce a result which the patient described, 44 days later, as “nothing short of amazing”.

That's one hell of a slow miracle. ::) And who was Dr Nicola Alexandre? If she was an actual human being who was born, qualified as a doctor and died it should be fairly easy to trace her.

[polomint38]

That's one hell of a slow miracle. ::) And who was Dr Nicola Alexandre? If she was an actual human being who was born, qualified as a doctor and died it should be fairly easy to trace her.

You are assuming that all that great doctors out there are from Earth! ;D

[Trinoc]

Last time I got flu I recited a special mantra that I had bought from Swami Baksheesh Rum Baba, and 44 days later I was miraculously completely healthy again.

[tolman]

Last time I got flu I recited a special mantra that I had bought from Swami Baksheesh Rum Baba, and 44 days later I was miraculously completely healthy again.
But I bet that at the end of those 44 days, many people on Earth came down with some disease or another.

Therefore you must be a witch.

[SorryImPsychic]

I wonder if anyone ever enters the field of parapsychology without prior beliefs in psychic phenomena?

Science has to investigate the power of "FAITH". We do not understand the full meaning of that word and the effects it can actually cause.

[tolman]

Science has to investigate the power of "FAITH". We do not understand the full meaning of that word and the effects it can actually cause.
Well, some of the known effects of "FAITH" include seeing thing which aren't there, hearing things which aren't there, trying to make memories of events fit within a preconceived framework, etc.

[SorryImPsychic]

Well, some of the known effects of "FAITH" include seeing thing which aren't there, hearing things which aren't there, trying to make memories of events fit within a preconceived framework, etc.

These effects are not symptomatic of "faith": they are based on "beliefs" and there is a considerable difference between these two mindsets.

[bindeweede]

These effects are not symptomatic of "faith": they are based on "beliefs" and there is a considerable difference between these two mindsets.

Could you explain the difference between someone having the "faith" that they are seeing something that is not there, and someone who has the "belief" that they are seeing something that is not there?

Thanks.

[SorryImPsychic]

Could you explain the difference between someone having the "faith" that they are seeing something that is not there, and someone who has the "belief" that they are seeing something that is not there?

Thanks.

BELIEF is accepting phenomena "X" is phenomena "Y".

And FAITH actually brings about the desired phenomena "Y". As I said earlier we do not fully understand the mechanism of FAITH.

[bindeweede]

BELIEF is accepting phenomena "X" is phenomena "Y".

And FAITH actually brings about the desired phenomena "Y". As I said earlier we do not fully understand the mechanism of FAITH.

The word you need is "phenomenon".

The word I need is "tosh".

[Harryprice]

And FAITH actually brings about the desired phenomena "Y". As I said earlier we do not fully understand the mechanism of FAITH.

So, are you saying that if you believe enough in something, it will happen, even if it defies currently understood science?

[SorryImPsychic]

So, are you saying that if you believe enough in something, it will happen, even if it defies currently understood science?

No I'm saying belief persists despite any evidence disproving that belief. Belief is not based on any real knowledge or facts.

But Faith is a 'power' - which I have said we don't understand.

[Harryprice]

But Faith is a 'power' - which I have said we don't understand.

What sort of power? Can it do anything outside of someone's head or their actions?

[brianp]

But Faith is a 'power' - which I have said we don't understand.

Rubbish! There is absolutely no evidence that our minds can directly influence events in the outside world.

[Harryprice]

Rubbish! There is absolutely no evidence that our minds can directly influence events in the outside world.

Except through people doing stuff, of course ... :smiley:

[brianp]

Except through people doing stuff, of course ... :smiley:

That's why I included the word "directly". ;-)