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The Science of Miracles

Page 38

by Joe Nickell

Duckett, Jodi. 1991. Morning Call (Lehigh Valley, PA). November 5.

  “Grave Doubts.” 1992. Louisville Courier-Journal, March 3.

  Horswell, Cindy, and Steve Friedman. 1987. “‘Nothing but Hell There’ Says Man Who Fled ‘Haunted House.’” Houston Chronicle, June 26.

  Nickell, Joe. 1995. Entities: Angels, Spirits, Demons, and Other Alien Beings. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.

  ———. 2006. “Death of a Demonologist: Ed Warren Dead at 79.” Skeptical Inquirer 30, no. 6 (November/December): 8.

  “Ray Garton.” 2009. Wikipedia. http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Garton (accessed February 27, 2009).

  Schmidt, Karen. 1992. “Couple Sees Ghost; Skeptics See through It.” Hartford Courant, October 30.

  Tutt, Bob. 1987. “Ghost Trial Opens Grave Discussion of Fears That Won't Die.” Houston Chronicle, July 4.

  Warren, Ed, Lorraine Warren, Al Snedeker, and Carmen Snedeker, with Ray Garton. 1992. In a Dark Place: The Story of a True Haunting. New York: Willard Books.

  Williams, Ben, Jean Williams, and Bruce Shoemaker. 1991. The Black Hope Horror: The True Story of a Haunting. New York: William Morrow.

  Chapter 55. Satan's Step

  “Black Footprint.” N. d. Flyer from Frauenkirche, Munich, Germany.

  Die Frauenkirche in Munchen. 1999. Regensburg, Germany: Schnell & Steiner.

  McLachan, Gordon. 2001. The Rough Guide to Germany. London: Rough Guides, p. 75.

  Schmeer-Sturm, Marie-Louise. 1998. Die Schwarzen Führer: Munchen, Oberbayern. Freiburg, Germany: Eulen Verlag.

  Thompson, Stith. 1955. Motif-Index of Folk-Literature. 6 vols. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

  Chapter 56. Footprints of the Devil?

  Brown, Theo. 1982. Devon Ghosts. Norwich: Jarrold Colour, pp. 47–53.

  Colby, C. B. 1971. Strangely Enough. New York: Scholastic, pp. 174–75.

  Dash, Mike, ed. 1994. “The Devil's Hoofmarks: Source Material on the Great Devon Mystery of 1855.” In Fortean Studies 1, pp. 71–151.

  Dingwall, Eric J. Cited in “The Devil's Footprints,” pp. 102–106, in Ebon 1981.

  Ebon, Martin, ed. 1981. The World's Greatest Unsolved Mysteries. New York: Signet.

  Edwards, Frank. 1959. Stranger Than Science. New York: Ace Books.

  Furneaux, Rupert. 1977. The World's Most Intriguing True Mysteries. New York: Arc Books.

  Gould, Rupert T. 1928. Oddities: A Book of Unexplained Facts. 3rd ed. New York: Bell, 1964, pp. 9–22.

  Knight, W. F. Jackson. 1950. Cited in Dash 1994, pp. 107–109.

  Nickell, Joe. 1995. Entities: Angels, Spirits, Demons, and Other Alien Beings. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books. (See index entries for contagion, “copycat” effect, and hysteria.)

  Owen, Richard. 1855. Letter to editor, Illustrated London News, March 3, quoted in Gould 1928, pp. 16–17.

  Stein, Gordon. 1985. “The Devil's Footprints.” Fate (August): 88–95.

  Van Kampen, Hans. 1979. “The Case of the Lost Panda. Skeptical Inquirer 4, no. 1 (Fall): 48–50.

  Chapter 57. Fire from Heaven—or Hell?

  Arnold, Larry E. 1982. “Did Jack Angel Survive Spontaneous Combustion?” Fate (September): 60–65.

  ———. 1995. Ablaze! The Mysterious Fires of Spontaneous Combustion. New York: M. Evans.

  Beck, Theodric R., and John B. Beck. 1835. Elements of Medical Jurisprudence. 5th ed. Vol. 2. Albany, NY: O. Steele et al., pp. 60–68.

  Fort, Charles. 1941. The Complete Books of Charles Fort. Reprinted New York: Dover, 1974.

  Hopkins, Albert A., ed. 1976. Magic, Stage Illusions, Special Effects, and Trick Photography. New York: Dover.

  LeCat, Dr. Claude Nicholas. 1813. Quoted in Arnold 1995, 29.

  Lewes, George Henry. 1861. “Spontaneous Combustion.” Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine 89 (April): 385–402.

  Nickell, Joe. 2001. Real-Life X-Files: Investigating the Paranormal. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, pp. 28–36, 240–44.

  ———. 2004. The Mystery Chronicles: More Real-Life X-Files. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, pp. 10–13, 162–64, 339–40.

  ———. 2012. CSI Paranormal. Amherst, NY: Inquiry Press.

  Nickell, Joe, and John F. Fischer. 1984. “Spontaneous Human Combustion.” Fire and Arson Investigator 34, no. 3 (March): 4–11; no. 4 (June): 3–8.

  Nickell, Joe, with John F. Fischer. 1988. Secrets of the Supernatural. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, pp. 149–57, 161–71.

  Randles, Jenny, and Peter Hough. 1992. Spontaneous Human Combustion. London: Robert Hale.

  Stevenson, Thomas. 1883. The Principles and Practice of Medical Jurisprudence. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Lea.

  Note: Italicized page numbers indicate images.

  Aaron's rod, 347

  Abadiania, Brazil, 213

  Abgar (Edessan king), 105–06, 109

  adipocere. See grave wax

  Adler, Alan, 124

  Alberto, Marlene, 74

  Allen, Thomas B., 372

  Altemus, Kathy, 388

  Alvarez, Luis, 286

  Amityville Horror, The (book), 381, 382

  Amityville “horror” hoax, 381–84

  Ananias, 105–06, 111

  Andrew, St., 139

  anecdotal evidence, 293

  “Angel, Cloud,” 266

  Angel of Mons, 265–66

  angels, 261–67, 267, 269

  animated images, 57–63, 63. See also “glowing” statues; milk-drinking statues; “weeping” effigies

  Anson, Jay, 382

  Anthon, Charles, 280

  apparitional experiences, 165–66, 227–230, 289–90

  argument from ignorance, 74, 216

  defined, 74

  Arthur, King, 149

  Atahualpa (Inca king), 29–30

  Augustine, St., 91, 139

  Ault, Henri, 35, 38

  automata, magical, 22

  automatic writing. See Ryden, Vassula

  Baal. See Bel

  Bader, Christopher, 261

  Baker, Robert A., 207, 265, 288, 370

  Barber, Theodore X., 275, 281. See also fantasy-prone personality

  Barnum, P. T., 169

  Bel

  idol of, 19–20, 22

  fire miracle and, 20

  “Belgian Lourdes,” 187–190

  belief tales, 225, 228

  defined, 228

  Benedict XVI, Pope, 254

  Bernadette, St. See Lourdes

  Bernas, Lilian (stigmatist), 341–44, 345, 346

  Besançon, Shroud of, 110

  Binga, Timothy, 114, 119

  Bishop, Raymond J., 371–72

  Blackmore, Susan, 293

  Blatty, William Peter, 371

  Blavatsky, Madame Helena P., 281–82

  Blood, Holy. See Holy Blood

  Bollone, Pierluigi Baima, 135

  Book of Mormon, 279

  Borromeo, St. Charles, 170

  Bowdern, William S., 371

  Brodie, Fawn, M., 279–80

  Brown, Dan, 142, 153

  Bruge, Holy Blood of. See Holy Blood

  Brunvand, Jan, 262

  Bruse, James, 325

  burden of proof, 15

  Burnham, Sophy, 261, 264–65

  Caiaphas, 236

  Calming the Sea, 299–300

  Calvin, John, 91, 94–95, 141, 151,

  Camino pilgrimage, 159–166

  Canterbury Tales, The, 91–94

  carbon-14 dating, 126

  Carson, Johnny, 199

  Cayce, Edgar, 280

  Changing Water to Wine, 298–99, 306

  charismatic movement, 202

  Charney, Geoffroy de, 120

  Charney, Margaret de, 120

  Chaucer, Geoffrey, 91–94, 98

  Chevaliér, Ulysse 128

  Chimayó (healing shrine), 191–96, 196

  Chrétien de Troyes, 142, 150

  Christopher, Kevin, 344

  Christopher, Milbourne, 373

  Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 277

  Cipac, Marcos, 32

  Clement V (pope), 102

  Clement VII (Avignon pope), 120

  “Cloud Angel,” 266

  Coin in the Fish, 302

  Colby, C. B., 395–96, 398

  Cold Spring, Kentucky, 258, 259

  Colombo, John Robert, 37

  Columbus, Christopher, 149

  confabulation, 245

  confirmation bias, 137

  Constantine the Great, 96

  contagion, psychological, 229–30, 397, 400

  defined, 397

  Conyers, 185, 258–59

  Cook, Mary Jean, 363

  Cox, Robert G., 73

  Craveri, Marcello, 229

  Cromarty, Barbara, 382

  Cromarty, James, 382

  Crookes, William, 35

  cross. See True Cross

  Crossan, John Dominic, 241

  Crowdery, Oliver, 282

  Cursing of the Fig Tree, 300–301

  D'Arcis, Pierre, 120–21

  Davenport brothers, 374

  da Vinci, Leonardo, 142

  Da Vinci Code, The (book), 142–43, 153

  deathbed visions, 291–94

  DeFeo, Ronald “Butch,” 381, 383–84

  DeFeo family murders, 381

  Delcour, Adrien, 189

  Della Sala, Sergio, 144

  demons, 208, 369–79, 381–84, 385–89

  Devonshire, England, 401

  Diego, Juan. See Guadalupe, Image of

  Dietz, Albert G. H., 361

  dirt, blessed. See Chimayó

  DNA evidence, 61, 124

  Doctrine of Addai, The (book), 105

  Donahue, Ginger, 354

  dowsing, 280

  dream contacts, 288–89

  Duyser, Diana, 51

  Duyser, Greg, 51

  Edamaruku, Sanal, 80

  Eddy, Mary Baker, 281

  Edessa, Image of. See Mandylion of Edessa

  Embriaco, Guglielmo, 151, 154

  emerald grail, 149–155, 153–55

  Emmerich, Anne Catherine, 233–39

  “entities, healing,” 214

  epilepsy, 369

  Eucharistic miracles, 221, 241–46, 310–11

  Evans, William, 63

  Evita. See Peron, Eva

  exorcism, 369–79

  Vatican guidelines, 369–70

  Exorcist, The (movie), 369

  “extraordinary proof” maxim, 15

  exuding effigies, 60–62, 65–69, 71–78. See also “weeping” effigies

  Falk, Ruma, 286–87

  Falmouth, Kentucky, 258, 259

  fantasy-prone personality, 165, 211, 229, 233, 264, 275, 281–82, 335

  traits of, 281

  Fatima, Portugal

  influence of, 311

  “miracles” and “secrets,” 249–55

  Feeding the Five Thousand, 302–03, 306

  Feeding the Four Thousand, 303–04

  fire immunity, 356, 358

  Fischer, John F., 32, 124, 405

  folklore, 162–63, 245–46, 320–21

  folk saints. See saints, popular

  Fowler, Nancy, 185, 273–74

  Fox sisters, 374

  France, Anatole, 184, 195

  Francis of Assisi, St., 323–24

  Frauenkirche (Munich), 391

  Frei, Max, 124–26, 136

  Furneaux, Rupert, 397–98

  Gallemore, Ronald P., 74

  Garlaschelli, Luigi, 130–31, 144–45, 148

  Garton, Ray, 389

  Garza-Valdez, Leoncio, 124

  generalization technique, 200–01

  Geoffroy de Charney. See Charney, Geoffroy de

  ghostlore, 228

  ghost photographs, 287

  ghosts, 165–66, 227–30. See also apparitional experiences

  Gibson, Mel, 233, 235, 239

  Gil, Antonio, 315–16

  glossolalia, 202, 230, 356–57

  “glowing” statues, 83–87, 87

  “golden door” photos, 45, 48, 259

  Golden Legend (book), 152–53

  Gora, Vikas, 81

  Gordon, Henry, 80

  Graham, Billy, 206, 261, 262

  grave wax, 170

  Greffe, Dr. Brian, 194–95

  Gregory, Father Archimandrite, 67–68

  grilled-cheese Madonna, 51–54, 55–56

  Guadalupe, Image of, 31–33, 72, 192, 317

  forensic illustration of, 34

  guardian angels. See angels

  Guscin, Mark, 134, 135, 137

  Halahan House (Southington, CT), 387–88

  Halley's Comet, 245

  hallucinations, 229, 265. See also “waking dream”

  handwriting evidence, 270–72

  Harris, Martin, 280

  Healing Oils of the Bible (book), 74

  healings, miraculous, 175–222

  by Jesus, 175–80, 181

  See also “Belgian Lourdes”; Chimayó; Hinn, Benny; Lourdes; Popoff, Peter; Santo, Audrey

  Heatherington, Dale, 46

  Helena, St., 96, 97, 141

  Heller, John, 124

  “hell's fire,” 403

  herbal remedies, 216

  Herod Agrippa I, King, 158

  Hero of Alexandria, 21–22

  Hershey, Barbara, 359, 360, 362

  Hindu deities, 79

  Hines, Terence, 195–203

  Hinn, Benny, 203, 205–11, 212

  Holy Blood

  at Bruge, 101–03, 103

  on Shroud of Turin, 122–23

  on Sudarium of Oviedo, 135–36

  other, 141, 142–43, 146, 150

  Holy Blood, Holy Grail (book), 142, 153

  Holy Grail, 142–43, 147, 152–53. See also emerald grail

  Hornby, Sir Edmund (judge), 289–90

  Hosts, 241–43

  defined, 242

  Turin “miracle,” 243–46, 247

  See also Eucharistic miracles

  Houdini, Harry, 374

  Hough, Joseph C., 211

  Hough, Peter, 292, 405

  Hughes, E. Albert, 375

  Hugo, Victor, 142

  “Hugo Christ” photo, 266–67

  “Human Blockhead” (sideshow act), 215–16

  Hume, David, 13–14

  hypnosis, 207–09

  “hysteric,” 313

  iconoclasts, 57–58

  iconography, 32, 34, 109–10, 112, 131

  ideomotor effect, 271

  idolatry, 57–58

  versus veneration, 57

  Image of Guadalupe. See Guadalupe, Image of

  “Incorruptible” corpses, 169–72, 172

  infrared photography, 32

  Irene, St. (weeping icon of), 67

  Jacopo da Voragine, 152–53

  Jahoda, Gustav, 286

  James, St. (Santiago)

  miraculous relics of, 157–66

  statue of, 168

  Januarius, St., 102, 143–45, 148

  Jeanne des Anges, 370

  Jerome, St., 139

  Jesus

  apparitions of, 227–30

  burial of, 119, 149

  healings by, 175–80, 181

  miracles of, 242, 297–305, 306–07

  See also Holy Blood; resurrection of Jesus; Shroud of Turin; True Cross

  Joan of Arc, 281

  “John of God,” 213–18, 218

  John Paul II, Pope, 184, 254

  John the Baptist, St., 139, 149, 150, 244

  Jordan, Peter, 382

  Joseph of Arimathea, 149, 151

  Josephus, 238

  Judging Amy (TV show), 221

  Karr, Barry, 157, 221

  Katseas, Rev. Ieronimos, 66, 67

  Kennedy, Anson, 46

  Kübler-Ross, Elizabeth, 291

  Kuhlman, Kathryn, 205, 206, 209, 211

  Kunz, Geroge Frederick, 151

  Kurtz, Paul, 9, 11, 157, 166

  Kushner
, Rabbi Harold S., 211

  Labouré, St. Catherine, 171

  Lawrence, St. (San Lorenzo), 149

  Lazarus, 180, 181

  Le Cat, Dr. Claude Nicholas, 404

  Leonard, Gladys Osborne, 281

  leprosy, 177

  Lewis, C. S., 13, 14

  ley lines, 166

  Long, Becky, 252

  Looking for a Miracle (book), 15, 47, 171

  Lorenzo, Cora, 71, 77

  Lorenzo, St., 145

  Loretto staircase, 359–363, 364, 365

  “Lourdes, Belgian,” 187–190

  Lourdes (healing shrine), 183–86, 186, 216

  “Lourdes of the Bronx,” 185–86

  lucid dreams, 288

  luminescence, 36–38, 40

  Luther, Martin, 175

  Lutz, George, 381–83

  Lutz, Kathy, 381

  Machen, Arthur, 265

  MacLaine, Shirley, 159–161, 165

  Magi, tomb of, 140–41

  Magnish, Scot, 65, 67

  Mahner, Martin, 392

  Malory, Sir Thomas, 149

  Malz, Betty, 266

  Mandylion of Edessa, 105–10, 110, 111–17, 116

  “Marianity,” 238

  Marian sites, 252

  “Mariolatry,” 238

  Mark, St., 140

  Marlboro Township, NJ, 258

  Mary (mother of Jesus)

  apparitions of, 183, 186, 249–55, 257–59, 273, 309–10, 313

  effigies of, 23–25, 31–33, 34, 51–55, 56, 61, 63, 65–68, 69, 73, 78, 83–86, 186

  Mary Magdalene, 143, 149, 226–27

  “Master of the ‘Shroud’ of Lirey,” 132

  Maury Povich Show, The (TV show), 386

  McBrien, Rev. Richard, 379

  McCrone, Walter, 123–26, 130, 135

  McGaha, Major James, 245

  McKinney, Ida Ruth, 387

  Medjugorie, Yugoslavia, 219, 257–59

  Michell, John, 35

  migraine, 369

  milk-drinking statues, 79–81

  Millet, Madame, 405

  Miracle Detectives (TV show), 71, 72, 74, 75, 193

  Miracle of Turin (painting), 247

  miracles

  defined, 13

  evidence for, 14–15

  as parables, 297–305

  types of, 15–16

  See also miracles of Jesus

  miracles of Jesus

  Calming the Sea, 299–300

  Coin in the Fish, 302

  Cursing the Fig Tree, 300–01

  exorcisms, 177

  Feeding the Five Thousand, 302–03

  Feeding the Four Thousand, 303–04

  healings, 175–78, 181

  Miraculous Drought of Fishes, 301

  raising the dead, 178–180, 182

  Walking on Water, 304–05

  Miraculous Drought of Fishes, 301

  misdiagnosis, 176, 209, 216

  Mitchell, S. Weir, 262

  “mock sun,” 245

  Moran, Rick, 382

  “Mormon” church. See Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

 

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