Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Gemma Therese · 01-16-2003, 08:06 AM

Atheists: How do you explain the incorrupted bodies of Roman Catholic saints and martyrs? (ex. St. Bernadette)

Gemma Therese

Undercurrent · 01-16-2003, 08:12 AM

Incorruptable Bodies

m.

Gemma Therese · 01-16-2003, 08:14 AM

I didn't ask for a link, I asked how YOU explain it.

I could have searched the internet by myself.

Gemma Therese

Refused · 01-16-2003, 08:18 AM

Gemma,

How do you explain it?

-Rodney

Godless Dave · 01-16-2003, 08:19 AM

Mummification can occur in a variety of situations.

Let me put this another way:

Gemma Therese, how do you explain the uncorruptable corpses of Egyptian kings? How do you explain the uncorruptable corpses of stone-age execution victims buried in European peat bogs?

hezekiah jones · 01-16-2003, 08:21 AM

I saw one from a peat bog at the British Museum. Did the Catholic Church overlook his canonization?

livius drusus · 01-16-2003, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gemma Therese
I didn't ask for a link, I asked how YOU explain it.

I could have searched the internet by myself.

Coming from someone whose sole response to specific questions about the crimes of the Catholic Church has been pictures of lepers and various other dead people, I find your sudden aversion to links perplexing.

Nonetheless, in answer to your question, I explain it the same way I explain most so-called miracles: incidental environmental factors preserved the corpses. Church ignorance and superstition did the rest.

braces_for_impact · 01-16-2003, 08:32 AM

Considering that corpses are often found in many climates and within many regions/cultures in a very little state of dessication, I would explain it as local conditions surrounding the corpse witrh a little bit of chance thrown in.

In the particular case of catholics, I would explain it as yet another pathetic attempt to point to a miracle in order to keep the church in it's present position of power and authority, as well as to provide it's followers with some reasoning to believe that they are on the "right track" spiritually.

You asked,

Ron

seebs · 01-16-2003, 08:40 AM

I could buy "local conditions and chance", except I'd be a little suspicious about the chance part, not having any idea what the "natural" frequency of preservation is. It would be interesting to try to compare the frequency with which dead saints do this to the frequency with which dead non-saints do it.

Of course, there's a huge selection bias if they allow that to be one of your miracles.

penumbra · 01-16-2003, 08:46 AM

from Gamma Therese
"Atheists: How do you explain the incorrupted bodies of Roman Catholic saints and martyrs? (ex. St. Bernadette)"

Cellular volume of certain previously ingested preservative?C2H5OH (if I remember my chemistry correctly).

01-16-2003, 08:06 AM	#1
Gemma Therese Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: new york Posts: 608	Atheists: The Incorruptibles Atheists: How do you explain the incorrupted bodies of Roman Catholic saints and martyrs? (ex. St. Bernadette) Gemma Therese

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

01-16-2003, 08:12 AM	#2
Undercurrent Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Santa Fe, NM Posts: 2,362	Incorruptable Bodies m.

01-16-2003, 08:14 AM	#3
Gemma Therese Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: new york Posts: 608	I didn't ask for a link, I asked how YOU explain it. I could have searched the internet by myself. Gemma Therese

01-16-2003, 08:18 AM	#4
Refused Regular Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: South Carolina Posts: 490	Gemma, How do you explain it? -Rodney

01-16-2003, 08:19 AM	#5
Godless Dave Contributor Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: With 10,000 lakes who needs a coast? Posts: 10,762	Mummification can occur in a variety of situations. Let me put this another way: Gemma Therese, how do you explain the uncorruptable corpses of Egyptian kings? How do you explain the uncorruptable corpses of stone-age execution victims buried in European peat bogs?

01-16-2003, 08:21 AM	#6
hezekiah jones Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: WI Posts: 4,357	I saw one from a peat bog at the British Museum. Did the Catholic Church overlook his canonization?

01-16-2003, 08:32 AM	#8
braces_for_impact Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: In a nondescript, black helicopter. Posts: 6,637	Considering that corpses are often found in many climates and within many regions/cultures in a very little state of dessication, I would explain it as local conditions surrounding the corpse witrh a little bit of chance thrown in. In the particular case of catholics, I would explain it as yet another pathetic attempt to point to a miracle in order to keep the church in it's present position of power and authority, as well as to provide it's followers with some reasoning to believe that they are on the "right track" spiritually. You asked, Ron

01-16-2003, 08:40 AM	#9
seebs Contributor Join Date: May 2002 Location: Saint Paul, MN Posts: 24,524	I could buy "local conditions and chance", except I'd be a little suspicious about the chance part, not having any idea what the "natural" frequency of preservation is. It would be interesting to try to compare the frequency with which dead saints do this to the frequency with which dead non-saints do it. Of course, there's a huge selection bias if they allow that to be one of your miracles.

01-16-2003, 08:46 AM	#10
penumbra Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 1,938	from Gamma Therese "Atheists: How do you explain the incorrupted bodies of Roman Catholic saints and martyrs? (ex. St. Bernadette)" Cellular volume of certain previously ingested preservative?C2H5OH (if I remember my chemistry correctly).

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.