I like this community.

[velvetpage]

From lolscience.

In other news, I don't always agree with Brad, but today he hit a nerve with me: It's not a miracle, it's a lot of people doing their jobs.

Comments

[used_songs]

That was an excellent essay - thanks for pointing me in that direction.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

[merlyn4401.livejournal.com]

A lot of people use the word "miracle" in the vernacular sense, not the religious sense.

And you can always argue that God made sure the right people were in the right place at the right time.

Dunno. Strikes me as a weird thing to get your panties in a bunch about, but I'm sure that's just me.

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

I don`t like that vernacular usage. I would rather reserve the term "miracle" for things humans cannot do on their own. There are better terms for what happened with that plane - heroism, for example.

I would like to give to God what belongs to God, and give to humans what belongs to humans. I am willing to acknowledge a possible divine role in making sure everyone was where they needed to be and had the strength to do what needed to be done. But the bulk of the accolades belong to those we can see, who prepared for years for just such an event and then put their training into practice perfectly. If they choose to attribute their skills to God, that`s their choice. But I think it belittles their effort, many of them over the course of their entire lives and careers, to immediately call their actions miraculous - as though they themselves had nothing to do with it.

Of course, you then get into the very sticky theological situation: if this was a divine miracle, then what were the flights that DIDN`T get saved? Divine justice? I`d rather avoid going there - and avoiding the term "miracle" is one way to avoid that.

[mrs-dm.livejournal.com]

I kind of see this good outcome, along with the other bad outcomes, as fate, and leave a personal god out of it.

I think everyone's fate is intertwined. I can't help but think of the birds who got caught up in the planes engines, and the role they played in the human fates of the passengers. Like, when these birds hatched from their eggs a couple of years ago, were they fated to collide with this particular plane?

To me, it's more a metaphysical issue than a religious one.

[pthalo]

Hi, I wandered here from ladyperegrine's journal, but she's new to my friends list, so she probably can't vouch for me (I read your user info page). Anyway, I've added you because your public entries are interesting. I'm low-drama about friendings, so you can add me if you find my entries interesting, or not if you don't feel like it. Just wanted to introduce myself and say hi.

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

Thanks for saying hi, and I'll take a look! My public entries are few and far between compared to the drivel I write day-to-day, though. :)