From: I3150101@DBSTU1.RZ.TU-BS.DE (Benedikt Rosenau)
Newsgroups: alt.atheism
Subject: Fatima Is Supposed To Be Proof
Date: 18 Nov 92 16:48:10 GMT
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Almost every religion reports miraculous events such as Fatima. Interestingly,
though miracles seem to be an important tool of communication between the
various gods and humanity, I have never witnessed one. What are they for then?
Or are gods more the kind of flashy entities?

Michelle typed:
> In article <9211131754.AA24959@inet-gw-1.pa.dec.com> I3150101@DBSTU1.RZ.TU-BS.
(Some stuff deleted because I do not have the original postings)

>>And there are those who were there and did not join in the mass hysteria.
>>Their reports sound slightly different. Food poisoining might be another
>>explanation.
>>
> Yah sure, buddy, whatever you say...do you have proof that 100 thousand
> people were poisoned before seeing this? Also, reports are never accurate,
> you should know that.

You say your god gave proof. So prove your assertions. I don't have to prove
that it was food poisoning, you have to prove that it could not have been food
poisoning besides every other possible explanation that does not rely on your
god to work. Food poisoning CAN cause hallucinations and together with the
bad sanitary circumstances and the miracle wanton athmosphere it gives a
possible (sic) explanation of the event.


>>And since this all is 'proof' (though 10**9 people did not see it and were not
>>given a chance to), I would like to see PROOF that the miracle was done by
>>god or maybe mary, and not by one or more of the following:
>>Brahma, Apollo, Helios, Loki, Odin, Bugs Bunny, the Three Musqueteers, Cthulhu
>>Pink Invisible Unicorns, Lakotas From Outer Space, Elvis, Deus Ignotus, or
>>any other god from every pantheon. Especially, the proof that the last ones
>>cannot have done it would interest me.
>>
>>I cannot tell about Fatima, but Bugs Bunny sure does wonders.
>>  Benedikt
>
> Let me see, as I recall, it was foretold by Fatima that a miracle would
> take place to prove to the nonbelievers that she was speaking from the
> Lord.

You say it was foretold which seems to be a poetic version of that some
children have said that something would happen. I am not familar with Fatima
but I have heard that people were killed during the panic that was caused by
trying to evade the 'suns'. The photographs show this panic.

> The miracle came exactly when it was supposed to after Fatima had
> spoken to the three children. That's proof enough for me, since I doubt
> these three children could've poisoned 100 thousand people in preparation
> for the event, much less fake a miracle....

Food poisoning happens. One does not have to blame it on children.

Anyway, you have evaded the question, why shouldn't a prankster/evil/flashy
god put on a show like that? Where is the proof that it is your god?

And how do you deal with the zillions of other miracles reported for other
religions?
   Benedikt