The Problem with Miracles
We hear and read about miracles every day. But what is a miracle? According to Webster’s English Dictionary a miracle is “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs”. But I think that this definition is very broad and not specific enough. I know that I had very little hair on my head when I was born (believe me I have photos to prove it!!). But until a few years ago I had a head full of hair. Is my hair growth a miracle just because I personally cannot offer any explanation on how hair grows and then eventually dies? This is not within the boundaries of my knowledge but I am sure there are many doctors who can explain this “miracle” very clearly.
Whenever we have a discussion on the big bang and the origins of the earth, space and the universe someone will invariably stand up and ask the obvious question. If the big bank is the beginning then who or what started the big bang? Is that entity the mysterious God? Obviously not. There are many unknowns in the world today. It would be foolish to group the unknowns together and then present that as evidence for the miraculous (God or otherwise). History is full of great mysteries and miracles that can be easily explained away by modern science. The first book of the Bible (Genesis) says that the world was created in 7 days. This is obviously not accurate (If everything was created in seven days then human beings and dinosaurs would have co-existed. But we know from fossils that dinosaurs became extinct about 65 million years ago. Scientists have sequenced the human DNA. We today know a lot about the total number of mutations and how many mutations occur in a lifetime. Based on the data collected the “modern” human is at least 250,000 years old. There are cave paintings in Lascaux (France) that were drawn 35,000 years ago. If you believe the Genesis account of creation in the Bible then the world did not exist at that time). It is normal for people who lived about 2000 years ago to buy into this theory but knowing what we know now should we still believe in such theories?
Stories like this (which can be found in all religions in the world) are attempts to explain what then appeared miraculous and unexplainable. It also has an important lesson for us. There are a lot of things today that we think are miraculous but will be common sense a few years, decades or millennia later. Believing in miraculous things is fine as long as you understand the context. It might be alright for some to go to a temple and offer prayers to a loved one who is sick. You might get some emotional satisfaction from doing so. But it is very important to make sure that the loved one gets the best medical care possible (a few weeks back a couple from Wisconsin was convicted of second degree murder. Their kid died surrounded by a prayer group because the parents believed that healing came from God. The child had a treatable form of diabetes. One would expect such things to happen in India but not in the United States of America).
Does demystifying something that you hold to be true take something away from the experience? As a kid my family in Kerala would tell me lot of stories about their pilgrimage to Sabarimala. One of my favorite ones is the story about the beacon that appears in the evening on the day of Makara Sankaranthi. Many devotees believe this beacon is the celestial manifestation of Lord Ayyappan. Even as a kid it was very difficult for me to believe this story. I always wanted to know more about this mystery. A few years later I learnt that this beacon is actually an artificial fire created by the Kerala Forest Department, Kerala State Electricity Board and the members of the Sabarimala temple board. I have visited Sabarimala three times as a child. Did the new found knowledge and my current skepticism about religion and Gods cheapen my experience? It did not. I enjoyed the company of my cousins and other relatives with whom I went, I remember the long walks in the forest and I particularly remember the simple food and chilly nights at the top of the mountain where we camped.
Believing in miracles has an impact on your sense of curiosity. It is partly our sense of curiosity and adventure that has propelled us to the top of the food chain. Now it is incumbent upon us to keep investigating and finding answers to the remaining miracles. As the saying goes “if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is”. The only miracle that we might never solve is why certain individuals continue to believe in miracles.
Related posts:
- Manmohan Singh Gets Blessings from Sai Baba!
- Lord Ayyappan and Sabarimala Pilgrimage
- Sabarimala: Light of Knowledge For Devotees
- Ideas for Improving the School System
- Hinduism Needs Reformers Not Leaders
Category: Culture & Religion