Apparently some hotelier in India told everyone that he saw an image of the Virgin Mary in the sun, and also claimed that some of his statues were crying honey and bleeding oil in his home. Since then, nearly 50 people in India have gone completely blind while trying to look into the sun to try and see what he saw:
At least 50 people have lost their sight after staring at the sun hoping to see an image of the Virgin Mary, according to reports.
Alarmed health authorities in India’s Kottayam district have set up a sign dispelling rumours of a miraculous image in the sky and warning of the dangers of looking into direct sunlight.
Forty-eight cases of sight-loss, allegedly caused by photochemical burns on the retina, have been recorded at St Joseph’s ENT and Eye hospital in the region since Friday.
Despite warnings, and the potentially harmful effects of their actions, believers are allegedly still flocking to a hotelier’s house in Erumeli near where the divine image is said to have appeared.
Why is it that these ‘miracles’ always seem to manifest themselves as images in the sky or crying statues? Why can’t suddenly 100 people with cancer suddenly be cured, or fields that have been barren for years suddenly start growing again? In this case, either the guy a) saw a real miracle, b) made it all up to attract business or c) imagined it all due to some mental illness. If it’s (b), then he’s at least partially responsible for 50 people that will never be able to see again.
I think it’s interesting how there are now 50 people who are blind…I mean, is that ‘blind faith’ to look into the sun to see the Virgin Mary? Wouldn’t common sense tell you not to look directly at the sun anyway?
Not quite a Darwinism is it?
Yup, I wonder about people that are so religious that they would stare into the sun until they are legally blind. I often think that religion, even if there is a higher power, has caused more earthly harm than good over the years.
Question, what benefit is there if they actually see the Virgin Mary? Are they blessed or better off than they were before if they did see in the sun what the first guy saw? I mean couldn’t they just go to a church and see a beautiful marble statue and get the same effect?
Oh my. . Things like this really make me wonder.
“I often think that religion, even if there is a higher power, has caused more earthly harm than good over the years.”
I couldn’t agree more. Well put.
So sad to see superstitions and blind faith like this still prevailent in the world, and possibly most common in India.
Here’s another similar story:
“Miracle Baba goes down to never come up”
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080719/main6.htm
I humbly disagree with you on the religion causing harm comment. I guess it’s how you define religion. If religion means staring into the sun like a gullible fool, then yes it has caused more harm than good. If religion means bombing public markets so you can go to “heaven,” then yes. However I don’t think that’s even religion. More like just … sheer stupidity?
Well, bear in mind that many of the wars in the past were waged as a result of religious beliefs at the time. The catholic church used to burn people at the stake, and the crusades were essentially a war to purge non-believers. A great deal of blood has been spilled in the names of various gods. You can blame it on a group of fanatics, although historically many of those fanatics were high members of their religious organizations.
The main problem with religion is that a lot of people simply look to the heavens for their problems to be solved, rather than looking at each other.
I agree. I think the word “religion” originally meant a peaceful discipline to a righteous way of life grounded in universal love and faith in the Creator. However many people now see it as meaning propagation and practice of strict dogmatic rules set by a self-elected preaching class, often supported by violence. I still believe in the original concept of religion, but understand that hypocrites in religious positions or wearing religious clothing, have misinterpreted their religion’s teachings and caused resentment towards religion in general.