Why Islam is True-Lesson 13- Kinds of Miracles

Name

Babeesh says confidently, “I told you Hinduism is real! This miracle is the gods showing everybody that Hinduism is the true religion.” Aldrich, the Atheist, and Nathan, the Christian, immediately throw their hands into the air and shout, “It has to be a fake! It can’t be real!” Why do they have to say this?

• “Because they both believe that science discovers how the universe actually works. As a result, if they admit that the idol does a miracle, they are admitting the existence of a supernatural being. That is what they both believe God to be. And that would mean that they are admitting that Hinduism is true.”
• “Because Hindus cannot perform miracles. Aldrich and Nathan know that Hinduism is false, so they cannot have authentic miracles in their religion.”

Babeesh looks confident and says assertively, “If it is real, you must acknowledge that Hinduism is true.” Babeesh is looking directly at you, probably because you have been the most confident throughout these sessions. How will you reply?

• “Baneesh, think about what you are saying. You worship an elephant with eight arms! Who can believe in that!? I don’t care if the idol drinks a whole dairy farm’s worth of milk. I’m not going to worship an elephant with eight arms.”
• “Miracles are real. Of course they are. But Islam has the most incredible miracles. Our miracles are much better than yours because the Quran is the greatest miracle.”
• “Maybe the miracle is real and maybe it’s not. But even if it is real, it doesn’t prove that Hinduism is correct. Hinduism is based on the belief that contingent things can make other contingent things happen. The Argument From Contingency shows that this is false by demonstrating that all contingent things need a Necessary Being to make them exist.”

Aldrich watches and seems disoriented by it. Then, after a while, he says, “If science can explain it, then who cares? If it cannot, then that is interesting.” What will you add to this conversation to help Aldrich?

• “It is the same thing as the last miracle video we saw. It doesn’t matter even if it's true. Christians are using this miracle to prove that something contingent is god. But the Argument From Contingent shows that God cannot be contingent.
• “These videos should tell you that the internet is full of fake content. These are not miracles at all. They are just videos that people have edited.”

Now it is Nathan’s turn to look crestfallen. But, on the other hand, Babeesh looks somewhat appeased, and Aldrich seems confused. Then, finally, they all say at once, “Why doesn’t it matter whether the miracles are real or not”? How will you respond?

• “Because your beliefs are blatantly absurd. One worships an elephant, and the other worships a god made in a factory. And Aldrich doesn’t even get to that stage!"
• “Miracles break the normal relationship between cause and effect. That is the only thing that they affirm. However, we do not throw our intelligence away because a miracle happens. We would be ignoring the rational conclusions of our minds if we believed in Christianity, Hinduism, or Atheism. The Argument From Contingency proves that there has to be a Necessary Being and cannot be contingent in any way.”

Aldrich asks, “So why do all religions pay so much attention to miracles?” How will you reply?

• "Because they are important! If a religion had a genuine miracle, then it would be able to prove it was a true religion. People couldn’t argue against a real miracle!”
• “Because, in certain circumstances, they mean something extremely significant. So, for example, when they occur at the hands of someone claiming to be God’s messenger, they confirm that claim.”

Aldrich is listening but still needs to be fully convinced. He says, “I am not sure what you say makes sense. How does it show that the claimant to messengerhood is truthful?” How will you reply?

• “Because God is showing that He is interrupting the regular cause-and-effect relationship at a time when the person is claiming to be a messenger. It is like someone claiming to speak on behalf of the President and saying that the President will confirm their claim by doing something that he doesn’t normally do, like abruptly and noticeably rising and sitting down three times immediately after the person makes that claim. You would understand from this that the President is confirming that the person who is claiming to be his messenger is truthful."
• “Because miracles are amazing! You and I can’t do them. It shows everyone that this religion is real. That’s why real miracles are so rare."

Other Kinds Of Miracles Jesus performed miracles at the time he was claiming to be a messenger. What type of miracles would they have been?

• Prophetic miracles (i.e., miracles confirming his claim to be a messenger)
• Saintly miracles
• Humiliating miracles
• Misleading Miracles

Jesus miraculously spoke to his mother as a newborn. He told his mother, “Verily, I am a slave of Allah. He has decreed that He will give me the Book and make me a prophet.” (Quran, 19:30). What kind of miracle was this?

• Preparatory miracle
• Prophetic miracle
• Saintly miracles
• Misleading miracles
• Humiliating miracles

Which of the following points could you make to convince a Christian that the miracles of Jesus do not mean he is God?

• Miracles on their do not prove anything.
• Jesus and the miracles are all contingent things, none of which can be God.
• God chooses to create miracles by breaking the normal cause-and-effect relationship. Jesus cannot choose this, only God.
• All of the above