Lourdes effect
Encyclopedia
The term Lourdes effect has been coined by the Belgian philosopher and skeptic Etienne Vermeersch
to account for the conjecure that some supernatural powers seem to have a sort of resistance to manifesting themselves in a completely unambiguous fashion. According to Vermeersch, should the miraculous power of Lourdes
actually exist there would be no reason to think that it would be more difficult for the Virgin Mary or God
to reattach a severed arm than to cure paralysis or blindness
. According to Vermeersch, the visions and photos of, for instance, the Loch Ness Monster
and the Yeti
lack reliability and clarity due to a similar effect.
Vermeersch uses this term to mock what he calls the selective and uncritical approach to miracles, or the frivolous attribution of supernatural gifts to human beings. Skeptics note that the number of fatal accidents that occur on the way to and from Lourdes is considerably higher than the 67 alleged miracles due to faith healing recognized in 2005 by the Vatican
.
Etienne Vermeersch
Etienne Vermeersch is a Belgian philosopher, skeptic, opinion maker and debater. He is one of the founding fathers of the abortion and euthanasia law in Belgium. He is also former Vice-Rector of the Ghent University.Vermeersch became an atheist after five years with the Society of Jesus...
to account for the conjecure that some supernatural powers seem to have a sort of resistance to manifesting themselves in a completely unambiguous fashion. According to Vermeersch, should the miraculous power of Lourdes
Lourdes
Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous...
actually exist there would be no reason to think that it would be more difficult for the Virgin Mary or God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
to reattach a severed arm than to cure paralysis or blindness
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
. According to Vermeersch, the visions and photos of, for instance, the Loch Ness Monster
Loch Ness Monster
The Loch Ness Monster is a cryptid that is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next....
and the Yeti
Yeti
The Yeti or Abominable Snowman is an ape-like cryptid said to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal, and Tibet. The names Yeti and Meh-Teh are commonly used by the people indigenous to the region, and are part of their history and mythology...
lack reliability and clarity due to a similar effect.
Vermeersch uses this term to mock what he calls the selective and uncritical approach to miracles, or the frivolous attribution of supernatural gifts to human beings. Skeptics note that the number of fatal accidents that occur on the way to and from Lourdes is considerably higher than the 67 alleged miracles due to faith healing recognized in 2005 by the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
Further reading
- Etienne VermeerschEtienne VermeerschEtienne Vermeersch is a Belgian philosopher, skeptic, opinion maker and debater. He is one of the founding fathers of the abortion and euthanasia law in Belgium. He is also former Vice-Rector of the Ghent University.Vermeersch became an atheist after five years with the Society of Jesus...
, Van Antigone tot Dolly. Veertig jaar kritisch denken, Antwerpen, Hadewijch, 1997, 256 pp. (i.e. From Antigone to Dolly: Forty Years of Critical Thinking)