On a sunny, cloudless day, you go to visit a loved one–best friend, favorite sibling, whatever–to find their house has become a raging inferno. Fire fighters are attempting a rescue. As you watch the roof collapses. Just then, a woman you’ve never seen before rushes up and raises her hands. Instantly a thunderhead appears and a clouseburst begins. Once the fire is doused, the woman lowers her hands, and the rain stops. The fire fighters bring out your loved one and two of their own, all three badly injured. The strange woman lays hands on your loved one, whose burns and fractures heal in seconds. She heals one of the fire fighters just as quickly; the second dies before she can get to him. She apologizes, cries briefly, and slips away.
Not surprisingly, this makes the news, though most people don’t believe the miraculous parts. But you’ve seen too much to doubt, and your loved one confirms what you saw. The news coverage includes one good picture of the strange woman. Through the much-less-impressive magic of crowd-sourching, you discover that the miracle-worker’s name is Anne, that’s she’s a woodworker and handyperson, and she has a webpage dedicated to her moral and metaphysical musings. She claims that her powers come from God (whom she refuses to identify as male or female), though denying that she herself is divine.
Most of Anne’s writings are about social justice and charity, and there’s also a space to ask for help and healing. She emphasizes that she has limits that prevent her from helping everyone who deserves it, and that she cannot raise the dead. There’s also a good bit about her philosophy too. Some of her teachings are things you agree with; some are matters you find debatable; a few are notions you actively oppose. None of it is hateful; she opposes violence and discriminationin in all forms. There is a small movement growing up around her. Once a month she and her followers meet at a local lake to (a) gather needfuls to the impoverished, and (b) talk about her teachings. Anyone who wishes to support or repay her work is invited to bring donations to this event–but only food, clothing, and so forth, not money. She won’t accept more than a pizza and six-pack even from people whose lives she has saved. Anyone who tries to collect money on her behalf, Anne emphasizes, is lying, as is anyone who suggests that she be worshipped or that she wants any two particular people to become romantically or sexually involved.
Do you give any special credence to Anne’s teachings because of her miraculous powers? Why or why not?
