# Virgin Mary Apparitions **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 24, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309 "2008-11-24T19:47:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/121 "2010-12-08T23:13:43Z")
> [@sskrok56](#): > > the apparition in shamokin pa > > I have a picture of that apparition, i saw a news broadcast and was curious so i drove down to see it. I didn’t see anything for a long time then after about an hour I saw what looked like a womens face.i was trying to see if there was the face of Christ so i wasn’t expecting that. later there was an announcement that people were seeing the face of Mary. After a while I saw a different face and then another and another. If you look at the picture you will see 5 different faces > are there all the time all interwoven.Now I don’t know whose faces they are or how anyone else would know who they were but I guess considering the nature of where they are appearing one might assume they were Christ and Mary and other biblical persons. I am not sure how to post the picture here but will try. if I can’t do that go to my facebook page , I have posted the picture there. the original was a slide I had made into an 8x10. I then took 5 pictures of that picture and posted them. there are also demonic looking faces below the altar in the black vertical stripes which are easy to see although I never saw them when I was in the church. When I look at the picture now the faces are so obvious that it seems almost incredible that others might not see anything. they jump out at you. my facebook page is steven skrok,i am the only one so its easy to find > > [http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...1089.684265789](http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...1089.684265789) > > [http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...1089.684265789](http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...1089.684265789) Sorry, but I still don’t see crap. Just some shadows and highlights caused by the folds in the cloth. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/122 "2010-12-09T01:11:56Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > They had to keep from laughing during the miracle because they both saw an image of our dog. > > I’m not sure what that has to do with this thread, but I just thought I’d share. Well, “dog” spelled backwards IS “god”, so… ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/123 "2010-12-09T01:35:12Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > The amount of ignorance, gullibility and plain stupidity in the world is just astounding. > Hey! Who shrank my penis? No baby, I wasn’t exaggerating. A wizard just touched me this morning. Honest. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/124 "2010-12-09T01:53:44Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Zombie apparitions! I blame the disciples of Seethruart. ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/125 "2010-12-09T02:03:56Z")
There was a case in California a couple of years ago where local and maybe not-so-local crowds gathered to stare at the visions appearing in the window each night of a local carpet store. After while, the fellow who owns the gas station/mini mart across the street noticed that the crowds dispersed more or less fore the night around his closing time. Being a man of science, and likely not a Christian, he was soon able to deduce that the image was an artifact of the lights at his shop reflecting in the window across the street. Despite his willingness to share and demonstrate his ability to make the vision appear and disappear at will with the flip of his switch, literally at the speed of light, it took several days, maybe even a week, for the crowd of believers to disperse. Did I mention that that area of California has recently found itself named the 4th least brainy city in America? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/126 "2010-12-09T02:23:33Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > How can anyone possibly know what she looked like? Mary? Looks like a Judy to me. Betty? Betty Z.? ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/127 "2010-12-09T02:39:46Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > When people want to believe they will see anything they want to see. Some years ago there were reported aparitions in some poor village in southern Spain where the Virgin would appear at night, to a bunch of ignorant yahoos, who were mostly older women. The aparitions were at a distance, faint and strange, over at some trees and it was said that if you got closer the virgin disappeared. Well, an entreprenurial TV team decided to investigate and they got a fairly clear picture of what was going on. So they went along with the believers and some cameras and when the aparition was in full swing the other half of the team which had hidden some floodlights behind the trees turned them on, and light was made and it was discovered and proved that it was a local woman who had an elaborate setup and who ran to her own nearby house when thus exposed. > > So what do you think happened with the believers? You would think they would be furious at their neighbor for fooling them like this. (And how come no one noticed she was always missing in the audience?) But no. They were furious at the reporters who had spoiled the miracle. The reporters were chased away and had to flee before things got nastier. > > I have no trouble believing people have seen whatever they were being told it was they were seeing. After all the truth is that the Virgin Mary has only appeared to fools. I say she should appear to Randi and claim the million dollars and then give it to charity. This is pretty close to what the local response was to the story in 2009 California that I posted above. Disbelief at the exposure more than anything. Something like “Well at least it was Mary for a while, good while it lasted!” ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/128 "2010-12-09T03:27:09Z")
Virgin Mary appeared in the windows of a church a few years ago. jesus shows up on a piece of toast. Apparitions are everywhere if you are able to believe everything you have been told. They are nowhere if you question. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/129 "2010-12-09T03:34:48Z")
> [@pixelfreak](#): > > Can apparitions of the Virgin Mary be explained away? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/130 "2010-12-09T04:18:21Z")
I just read all three pages of this zombie thread. I wonder if pixelfreak (the OP) ever completed his deconversion? ---
**Author:** ![sskrok56](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@sskrok56](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sskrok56)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/131 "2010-12-09T16:31:58Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Sorry, but I still don’t see crap. Just some shadows and highlights caused by the folds in the cloth. it seems like the links to the pics aren’t working right now, but did you not see the demonic looking face in the black stripes below the altar? It seems even stranger to me that some people see the images and some people don’t. I still don’t know if there was any purpose to the apparitions or if they were faked how they did it. and if they were faked how is it that some people can’t see them,wouldn’t you create something that everyone could see? ---
**Author:** ![sskrok56](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@sskrok56](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sskrok56)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/132 "2010-12-09T16:40:24Z")
> [@sskrok56](#): > > I have a picture of that apparition, i saw a news broadcast and was curious so i drove down to see it. I didn’t see anything for a long time then after about an hour I saw what looked like a womens face.i was trying to see if there was the face of Christ so i wasn’t expecting that. later there was an announcement that people were seeing the face of Mary. After a while I saw a different face and then another and another. If you look at the picture you will see 5 different faces > are there all the time all interwoven.Now I don’t know whose faces they are or how anyone else would know who they were but I guess considering the nature of where they are appearing one might assume they were Christ and Mary and other biblical persons. I am not sure how to post the picture here but will try. if I can’t do that go to my facebook page , I have posted the picture there. the original was a slide I had made into an 8x10. I then took 5 pictures of that picture and posted them. there are also demonic looking faces below the altar in the black vertical stripes which are easy to see although I never saw them when I was in the church. When I look at the picture now the faces are so obvious that it seems almost incredible that others might not see anything. they jump out at you. my facebook page is steven skrok,i am the only one so its easy to find > > [http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150331349985790&set=a.10150331348050790.581089.684265789](http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150331349985790&set=a.10150331348050790.581089.684265789) > > [http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150331350015790&set=a.10150331348050790.581089.684265789](http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150331350015790&set=a.10150331348050790.581089.684265789) Guest Join Date: Dec 2010 Quote: Originally Posted by jayjay View Post Sorry, but I still don’t see crap. Just some shadows and highlights caused by the folds in the cloth. my reply it seems like the links to the pics aren’t working right now, but did you not see the demonic looking face in the black stripes below the altar? It seems even stranger to me that some people see the images and some people don’t. I still don’t know if there was any purpose to the apparitions or if they were faked how they did it. and if they were faked how is it that some people can’t see them,wouldn’t you create something that everyone could see? Reply With Quote ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/133 "2010-12-09T16:53:06Z")
There aren’t any apparitions. Some people see them because they want to. It’s the same as making pictures out of clouds. The brain likes to try to organize things into familiar images, and especially likes to make things into faces. Personally, I don’t see a damn thing in those pictures. ---
**Author:** ![This\_Just\_In\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@This\_Just\_In\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/This_Just_In_2)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/134 "2010-12-09T17:02:32Z")
Make your own Virgin Mary Apparitions for the family and friends. [Holy Toast](http://www.worldwidefred.com/holytoast.htm) Follow the Toast! The Holy Toast of Jerusalem, all ye who call yourself Toastenes. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/135 "2010-12-09T20:08:33Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Personally, I don’t see a damn thing in those pictures. Me neither. It wants some sort of login credentials! ---
**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/136 "2010-12-09T21:03:28Z")
I saw a cloud and it looked just like a sheep – now how can you explain that away? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/137 "2010-12-10T04:32:07Z")
> [@SmartAlecCat](#): > > I saw a cloud and it looked just like a sheep – now how can you explain that away? Easy, **Hal Briston** is The Lord. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/138 "2010-12-18T13:25:24Z")
Looking for Miracles is a lack of faith! I can see many impressions of different people and animals in my carpet, and paneling in one room, I could even trace them, but they are just like ink blots. The mind can create anything for the imagination. If I out line them for others then they say …Yes now I can see them!Each panel is the same and the same pattern looks like the same image. I cannot see why a supreme being (or the mother of one) would show up as reported, and really have little or no influence on people. Some of them claim they see this and now believe, but their lives are another story! Seems like a silly thing for a Supreme being to be involved in,sort of like people use different images of Santa Clause to get children to believe in him.Even have Santas on every street corner,take their children to see him and make a list of what they want, to get the children to belive, so they can control their behavior! ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/139 "2010-12-18T17:45:10Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > Looking for Miracles is a lack of faith! I can see many impressions of different people and animals in my carpet, and paneling in one room, I could even trace them, but they are just like ink blots. **The mind can create anything for the imagination.** Bolding mine. You mean like an elaborate set of beliefs unsupported by evidence and elaborate rituals to go along with the set of beliefs? ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309/140 "2010-12-19T13:00:49Z")
> [@not\_alice](#): > > Bolding mine. > > You mean like an elaborate set of beliefs unsupported by evidence and elaborate rituals to go along with the set of beliefs? In a way, yes, One’s beliefs have a lot to do with one’s desires. Belief is just that, belief. Some people are easily led because they need something to cling to, it is not a bad thing if it helps them, just like my great granddaughter’s imaginary friend! Many do not question their beliefs and that is their right. That is one reason there are so many different religions. One can look at the belief so many had that died at Jamestown, they followed a man who they thought would lead them to a better life, and ended up taking their own, and their loved one’s (in some cases). There was also the people who were waiting to be taken up in a space ship(a few years ago) all perished! A non religious belief! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-mary-apparitions/474309.md?page=8)