Posted on 08/09/2006 10:35:43 AM PDT by Republicain
PARIS, Aug 8, 2006 (AFP) - More than a third of French people believe in miracles, according to a poll to appear on Thursday, just days before a major annual pilgrimage to the Lourdes sanctuary in southwestern France.
Thirty-five percent of respondents to the poll, carried out by TNS-Sofres for the French Roman Catholic magazine The Pilgrim, said they believed in miracles, though they used different definitions for the word.
One third of believers defined a miracle as "a phenomenon for which there is no explanation", another third said it was "a happy and unexpected event" while only eight percent said it was the result of "divine intervention".
Sixty-eight percent of respondents said they did not believe in miracles, while three percent had no opinion, according to the poll of 1,000 people carried out on July 6-7.
Some six million pilgrims flock every year to Lourdes, a small town in the foothills of the Pyrenees, where Catholics believe the Virgin Mary appeared to a young miller's daughter inside a cave in 1858.
Christianity's most visited place of pilgrimage after Rome, Lourdes draws hundreds of thousands of sick and handicapped, fervently praying for a cure from the allegedly holy power of the site's spring water. The largest French pilgrimage to Lourdes takes place on August 15, the Roman Catholic Feast of the Assumption.
The Roman Catholic Church in November recognised as "miraculous" the case of an Italian woman who recovered from a serious illness following a pilgrimage to Lourdes in 1952, the 67th "miracle cure" attributed to the shrine.
Out of more than 6,700 exceptional cures reported to be linked to Lourdes since 1858, only one percent have been officially recognised as "miracles".
The other 2/3 prostrate to Allah 5 times a day.
They're going to need a miracle in order to survive the onslaught of Islamofacism.
I feel sorry for the other 2/3.
Like the French Military fighting to defend France?
Given the quality of their army, it is a wonder that more French do not believe in miracles. They certainly rely upon them.
They voted socialist didn't they?
If you think the US military could have defeated the Nazis in 1940, you're delusional. In 1940, the US had an army smaller and less well equipped than Rumania. The French fought from 1914 to 1918 (where they suffered over 6 million casualties, 75% of the men they deployed), they fought in 1870, they fought in 1815 and 1812 and 1798, etc. So give me a break.
Nice name!
Did I hit a nerve, Francois? My post said nothing about the US military in 1940, or any other era. I was merely referring to the French military and police collaborating with the Nazis. If you dispute that occurred you are delusional.
Likewise!
No you didn't. You refered to a French "failure" to defend France. They fought and they were defeated (as every other country's army would have been at that point in 1940).
We can second guess French tactics and strategy. But if you're going to accuse the French of failing to defend their country, then I think it's only fair that you consider the First World War, when they suffered six million casualties defending their country. For point of comparison, the United States, a much larger country, hasn't suffered anywhere near six million casualites in all the wars it has ever fought, combined.
Wish that many believed in bathing.
Of that 1/3, how many believe in God?
That is exactly what I am accusing the French of. Germany invaded France on May 10th, and Hitler was admiring his newly acquired Eiffel Tower on June 23rd! How hard could they have fought? It seems more likely that they surrendered! And don't try and impress me with large casualty numbers, all that does is prove that they didn't fight very well, whatever the reasons may be!
The French inability(unwillingness) to fight led General Patton(maybe you've heard of him) to say "I'd rather have a German unit in front of me than a French unit behind me"
When it comes to military endeavors, I will take Patton's opinion over de Gaulle's, or yours, everytime. On a related note, I would take the high school kids from "Red Dawn" over the French military, if push came to shove.
Sad.
This is largely the result of poor education.
Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano
Blood of St. Januarius
The Tilma of Guadalupe
Incorrupt bodies of the saints
Fatima
Shroud of Turin
Sudarium of Oviedo
They fought and they were defeated. As the United States and every other country would have been in 1940 had they shared a common border with Germany.
And don't try and impress me with large casualty numbers, all that does is prove that they didn't fight very well, whatever the reasons may be!
Now you're just being silly.
IMHO, you are the one being silly. The Japanese fought and were defeated. The Germans fought and were defeated. The French capitulated. And today the French, again unwilling to fight, do all they can to surrender diplomatically so they do not have to run the white flag up the pole on a battle field.
I believe in miracles. I'm surprised France still exists....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.