I do not understand where you are going here.

My point was people see things that the cannot explain or understand and attribute it to God's work, i.e surviving horrific car crashes where it's a miracle that they didn't have their head lopped off (sorry for the morbid story) etc. They do this instead of thinking well he must have ducked at the right moment or the momentum of the car he hit meant his head hit the cushioned side bar rather than the steering wheel and so on....

Things like poisonous Snakes in a church and snuggled up against babies on the 15th of August each year. BTW, this phenomena happens at 2 places and all on exactly the same day. The odds alone of that is incredible. 

Things like going blind when looking into the eyes of an icon. 

Things like the Holy light from the rock where Christ is said to have risen. 

Things like skeletons smelling like roses. 

Things like curing the incurable. Things like stigmata experienced by many people around the world and icons weeping. 

Things like being visited by a spirit. Things like having your life saved from inevitable death. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_of_the_gaps

OK, but how is science going to explain any of the phenomena I described earlier without having a complete and utter meltdown?

is it something that will ever be explained by science? 

Can we see any scientist offer us an explanation on Discovery? It's metaphysical. that's what it is. The science of metaphysics. 

The term was invented as a criticism of people who perceive that God only acts in the gaps, and who restrict God's activity to such "gaps".^[18] It has also been argued that the God-of-the-gaps view is predicated on the assumption that any event which can be explained by science automatically excludes God; that if God did not do something via direct action, God didn't do it at all.^[19]The "God of the gaps" argument, as traditionally advanced by scholarly Christians, was intended as a criticism against weak or tenuous faith, not as a statement against theism or belief in God.

According to John Habgood in The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Theology, the phrase is generally derogatory, and is inherently a direct criticism of a tendency to postulate acts of God to explain phenomena for which science has yet to give a satisfactory account.^[21] Habgood also states:

It is theologically more satisfactory to look for evidence of God's actions within natural processes rather than apart from them, in much the same way that the meaning of a book transcends, but is not independent of, the paper and ink of which it is comprised.

Because people would never lie about these sorts of things right?.......

What I hate so so much is the people who say 'well science can't explain this so it must be god'. For fucks sake we are a young species and we do not know everything. Why can't religious people accept that we don't know everything and that we may not have an explanation for everything?

Hasn't this thread devolved into a shitstorm of comments regarding magic sky friends and miracles.

Maybe the World politics / global events discussions are happening in the religion thread????

It's the hottest thread in ET.

World politics has gone stale since the butthurt over Trump died down :laugh:

The European Cat Snake is venomous but due to their fang position rarely bite humans, and are considered harmless to humans.

They tend to arrive during a August (around the 6th to the 15th). Theories include that they follow underground water resources (that is the churches were built near water sources on the island, and the snakes naturally seek out water ... generally a good source for food, as these snakes diet is largely lizards).

Be also interesting to know if the "festival" started before the snakes started coming or if the snakes started coming after the festival was founded.

I'm sure it will head back in that direction soon but I wouldn't say a shit storm as it's just been just a bit of a tangent that really has been pretty civil given how these discussions would normally go here aha

That's not fair BETHFC. You are accusing people of lieing about this. You need to be much more open minded, because you never know what riches may await you just by being open to certain possibilities. 

It's far too easy to doubt. that is the easiest of all. I first heard this story years ago, and I doubted it and srtill do to this day because I haven't seen the phenomena with my own eyes. I asked about it though, and was told by many people who did see, shown photos and I researched it. I found the following:

1) there were around 4 snake species involved in this phenomena.
2) anything from a harmless python right up to the deadly Viper and Diamonback

I just found it extremely extraordinary. And I hope it is true tbh. 

Which is why I will be going one day, on the 15th of August to attend the Annunciation Festival.

I have been to Tinos, but not Cephalonia (Captain Corellis Mandolin). I have been to the site on Tinos where the phenomena occurs but not on the date so did not witness the phenomena. 

No one say's that. that is what others imply to be said because it relegates their intellect. 

No it isn't as simplistic as that, and what i hate is how some people imply that religion and science are somehow against each other or work against each other.

Religion and Science work nicely together, and religion isn't so dismissive of the big Bang or Evolution like some imply.

We have some of the best Scientists, Physicists, Biologists, and medical practitioners well entrenched in our religion. 

Oh geez, yes that would be very interesting to know. But the festival is centuries old, probably dating back to 100 AD or thereabouts. 

These festivals also have foundations on pagan rituals as well, and may go back to BC. 

But what is interesting about the European cat Snake, is that it apparently has a cross on its head, hence why it is considered a Holy Snake. They also failed to appear the year the island was invaded by the Italians and Nazis and just before the massive earthquake of 1953. So the locals believe, that if the snakes do not appear, something bad is going to happen. 

The myth about these snakes is attached to the year the monastery was attacked by pirates in 1705. The nuns prayed fervently to the Virgin Mary for protection and were then transformed into the snakes to avoid being taken as prisoners.The snakes have a small cross on their head and their tongues are also in the shape of a cross. They are known to belong to the Telescopus fallax species, also known as the European Cat Snake, and they appear in and around the courtyard of the church, on the walls and on the bell tower. The snakes show no fear while the services are held and are harmless during the festivities. As soon as the Liturgy concludes on the 15th of August, they become hostile and aggressive and disappear back into the wilderness of the area. The snakes cannot be found until the following year.The people of the villages consider them to be holy, collecting them and setting them on the silver icon of the Virgin of the Snakes (Panagia Fidoussa). It has been recorded by the locals that during World War II and the year of the island's destructive 1953 earthquake in August, the snakes failed to appear. The locals now use this as a sign that if the snakes do not show just before the 15th of August that something bad is imminent.

Shock Poll Shows Merkel Losing Chancellorship If Elections Held Today; JPMorgan Stunned

by Tyler DurdenFeb 7, 2017 4:09 AM284SHARESTwitterFacebookRedditOvernight we reported that Germany's default swaps spiked to the highest level since Brexit as a recent poll showed that Merkel's lead in the polls had slid to multi-year lows ahead of Germany's elections later in the year, provoking some concerns that a formerly unthinkable "tail risk" outcome was becoming more likely. However, according to new data unveiled today, Merkel's headaches are only just starting, because in a brand new poll released this afternoon, the CDU would get 30% of the vote, while the suddenly resurgent SPD would get 31%. This means that the SPD's new head, Martin Schulz, would enter any coalition talks as the leader of the largest party, hence becoming Chancellor, leading to a stunned reaction by JPMorgan.


Lel

-PB

Not quite sure what Trump has to gain out of all these Obama wire tap allegations?

-PB

So the Chinese military is growing their footprint in Afghanistan. Can think of a number of positives to this.

Will help them corner the Heroin market in that region that's for sure.

-PB

In other news regarding the Chinese military.  They have, for the second year in a row, reduced defence spending, while Trump has added tens of billions.  The previous theory was that China would not catch up to the US in terms of military power until around 2040.  This will now be pushed back, possibly beyond many of 442 posters lifetimes (no offense).  Good sign for global stability.

I'm not convinced about this, they're doing their work with soft diplomacy and have more than enough to "defend" themselves against their near neighbours. I don't think it does much to reduce any hostilities that are currently about.

Well if there is any truth in the above, Greece is the wildcard and will be the thorn in NATO's and Russia's back side. I will explain.

Greece is an important NATO member, hence a US ally. They also have great relations with Russia. The US supports Albania, and the Russians support FYROM.

Greece hates both Albania and FYROM.

They would look for any opportunity to move into FYROM and take the place over which will piss the Russians off, and yet the Russians won't do anything against Greece. The reason for this is because Greece is a strong ally to Serbia and Montenegro. They are close to the Slavic Serbs and Russians and they are all Orthodox too which unites them.

The US will not stop Greece because it's a NATO member. During the Balkan Crisis, Greece was arming the Serbs and Milosevic forces along with Russia. That's a NATO member too. Complicated stuff.

So why would they do it? Well because FYROM is making claims on Ancient Greek Macedonian History, and culture and have made territorial claims against Macedonia which is the largest Greek Province.

Greece also needs a war. It needs one badly to reset its economy. It has a massive military that has the capacity to fight a huge war as well. And it will eliminate a major political problem as well - Albania and FYROM.

They will have support from Serbia as well.

🇰🇵 is close to reaching missile launched nuclear warheads capable of reaching Japan, Australia and the continental United States.

Would you support military action to halt this ? Yes or No? If no - how would you recommend dealing with North Korea?

Territorial claims have nothing to do with this. This is clearly the U.S trying to reign in control over a region it should never involved itself in. Since the balkan wars the u.s has tried to impose its will on the balkan peninsula disregarding the people that live there. This is all to combat russian influence in the region. Yet with these actions resentment toward the west will increasingly grow. If the macedonian constitution was to be changed in favour of the albanians it would be a monumental threat to the balkans. The idea of a greater albania would be alive and well.

If this happens it sets a precedent for the the regions of epirus in greece, the presevo valley in serbia and parts of montenegro. With the backing of the U.S whats to stop albanian minorities in these regions from trying to do the same? Also if this goes ahead i can see a civil war errupting in north west macedonia. Which would be catastrophic for the region.

Of course it does.

US influence is compromised at present due to their inability to maintain control of their own country, and institutions. 

Combating Russian influence is increasing and will not abate because of Greece, Serbia and Montenegro. In fact, they blame the USA for the last Balkan War when NATO helped Islamist Groups in Bosnia, and Albania and now there are even ISIL Cells in the Balkans. 

US Foreign Policy is flawed and just creates trouble and wars. 

Serbia and Greece are powerful and will not tolerate an increase in Islamism or claims on their territory so they are just sitting back waiting for Albania and FYROM to tear themselves apart. 

And the big problem for them is that Greece is a NATO member, so its not as if they can do anything. 

My point is this. The Americans are out of their depth here, and are in no position to reign anything in and whenever they try, they just cause more problems are destabilize the security and peace of the Balkans. You can blame the rise of Islamism (ISIL) on them, and that is going to cause big problems. 

These were their allies.

http://vostokian.com/isis-and-the-balkans/

South Korean president has been officially impeached.

-PB

Greece and Serbia are powerful? In the context of the Balkans maybe, but America could crush them without noticing.

yeh, i would like to see America try and crush a NATO ally. that sounds real plausible doesn't it? How can America crush Greece, a NATO member without destroying the organisation to its core? 

And that is my point that I was making. if there is another Balkan Crisis, America will once again be caught holding its dich because it won't know what to do. Will it support FYROM and Albania? Will it support its NATO ally (Greece)?

Or will Russia act decisively? 

Fact of the matter is this. The Americans bought ISIL to the Balkans and Serbia and Greece are not happy about it and will look for all kinds of arrangements with Russia to get rid of that threat. Putin would act decisively. 

And on top of that there is the question of the name, and territorial claims. 

Aikhme plz

-PB

Gotta laugh at Erdogan being mad at the Netherlands for not allowing people to campaign for the upcoming elections in their country which is now blowing up into some massive diplomatic crisis.

-PB

Not surprising hes a nutter.

Scotland eyeing another referendum, England will have back south of the firth of forth;)