Are stigmata, in a medical sense, explicable? Do they have a medical and physiological explanation? Is this where the biophysical tires meet the metaphysical pavement ?
I have heard that the sweat of passion is a true medical phenomenon (sweating blood).
Is there any evidence for other spontaneous stigmata within other religions outside of Christianity and its popular “Three Nails” archetype (Padre Pio et.al)? Any spontaneous Bindis?
Most, if not all, of the “stigmata” that I’ve heard about are almost certainly self-inflicted. That’s the only explanation I’ve heard that makes any sense.
Well, there are some nervous dermatological conditions- that and other outward physical signs or symptoms, that truly are “stigmatic” and underlie a persons neurology? No?
No stigmatic who has submitted to scientific analysis of the condition (specifically, keeping the person under observation and waiting for the blood to start flowing) has proven to be the real deal. Most self-inflict the wounds, the real shysters types try to fake out researchers by applying animal blood on themselves.
You can read about many documented cases in Skeptical Inquirer magazine.
What does Skeptical Mag say about the Indian guy who hasn’t eaten in over 40 years or something like that? He was kept under surveillance for two or three weeks and didn’t lose any weight–or so the scientists say. http://home.iae.nl/users/lightnet/health/lightresearch.htm
lol. I suspect that they’ll say that when articles are published in repected journals and not on the Living on Light website, then it’s interesting.
You might check the Archives, there’s this guy named Cecil Adams, writes a column, covers a lot of stuff like that sometimes… What’s the deal with stigmata?
LOL unfortunately that’s the best link I could find. But I swear I read it in a “legit” paper, I just can’t remember which one. The article also mentioned a German nun back in the 40s or 50s who only ate 2 communion wafers a day.
What do you call a spy with holes in her hands?
Stigmata Hari.