Michelangelo, Mother Teresa and Miracles

Last updated on: December 26, 2014 at 3:45 pm by Fr. Dwight Longenecker

Michelangelo, Mother Teresa and Miracles 2014-12-26T15:45:34-05:00 Fr. Dwight Longenecker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Last week in New Jersey some of the faithful flocked to see something strange and wonderful–the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in a tree trunk. The story is reported here. Then there was the face of Mother Teresa in a bun in Tennessee. You can see that here along with an image of Jesus on a piece of toast, and here is an image of Jesus that appeared in a frying pan in England.

I like this stuff. I find it encouraging that the human race is still so sweet and gullible and so capable of seeing things that don’t really exist. Rather than the cynic who see through everything, I’d like to be like the believer who see into everything. Of course facts matter, and frauds should be exposed, but on the other hand, anything which turns the facts upside down and make people look at reality twice and perhaps for once start to think that reality is rubbery and the cosmos is unpredictable and the whole of everything might be an open system rather than a closed one–I like that. It makes me smile and feel poetical and piratical and subversive and submissive both at the same time.

One of the reasons I am so down on atheism is because it is so dull. The atheists seem so burdened down with facts and arguments. Indeed facts are important, but they’re not much fun are they? I mean, they’re so completely utilitarian and unimaginative. “Yeh, well, show me! Prove it! Where’s your evidence?” Yawn. Where’s the fun in that? Now seeing Mother Teresa in a cinnamon bun, Mary in a tree trunk and Jesus on a piece of toast or a fry pan. That’s interesting. A plaster statue that weeps blood? Fascinating. A saint who has been dead for three hundred years, but whose body is fresh as a daisy? I’m interested. Two cars going for a head on collision and they de-materialize? Bewildering but fun. A woman who sees angels and a man who prays for dead people? Curious. A mysterious linen shroud with a scorched image that no one can explain (except for people who believe it is a photograph of the resurrection) Intriguing.

So I was therefore delighted to find that there are some atheists who also “see things” and believe in stuff that isn’t there. Check out this fascinating article in which some folks see pictures of human brains hidden in Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel. This is secret coded evidence of his being a secret atheist don’t you know? Can’t you see it? Now we’re getting somewhere. I wonder if atheists have ever come up with any other outlandish beliefs, amazing conspiratorial connections or any other examples of vivid imaginations gone wild? Oh yes, the idea that giraffes grew long necks so they could eat the leaves off the tops of trees, or that the Catholic Church officially killed millions of people in the Spanish Inquisition! Then there’s the idea that the Pope is a Nazi who wears ruby slippers and is responsible for the AIDS epidemic, the genocide in Rwanda, subjugation of women, the institution of slavery and just about every bad and nasty thing you can think of.

I’m entertained by cranky theories, funny miracle stories, amazing conspiracy theories and far out stuff, and I thought the atheists were rather dull in this respect, but when I stood things on their head I realized they’re just as entertaining as we are. You just have to see it from the other side.

Previous Post

July 23, 2012

Atheist Trolls

Next Post

July 24, 2012 The Vicar on a Roman Holiday

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Anglican Matters Apologetics Architecture Blobble Study Book Reviews Brideshead Caitlin O'Rourke Catholic Art Catholic Culture Church Politics Chust for Nice Contemporary Culture Duane Mandible Ed Blanch Film Reviews Fr Harvey Nicolaitan Frank Viola Mantilla the Hon More Christianity Mrs Brady Catholic Old Lady Mystery of the Magi Norman Anderson Queen Hillary Saints and Supernatural Spirituality The Inklings The Vicar Theology Todd Unctuous Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz