On this extremely cold and snowy April day, my parents have told me that there was a sighting of the Virgin Mary in the Vietnamese countryside near where my grandmother lives. I tried Googling it, but I haven't found anything on this particular sighting yet.
Now I am a Christian, but sometimes I question some of the allegations of sightings, signs, and some other things that have supposedly occurred. I guess I just use my head more than my faith. How can you really be sure you have really saw *insert holy figure of some sort*? I mean some of the things people think they see is quite silly actually. Remember the grilled cheese sandwich that supposedly had a burn mark that resembled the Virgin Mary and that sandwich was sold on Ebay? Seriously, it's a sandwich! Why would you spend so much money on a sandwich that'll eventually spoil? I'm not sure on the exact dollar amount this sandwich went up to, but I'm pretty sure it would be enough to put a giant dent on my college tuition bill.
And when Jesus does decide to come back, then wouldn't he try to show up in something less... ridiculous? How sane are the people that are finding some of this stuff? For all we know the person that saw *insert holy figure of some sort* could have a history of mental problems and hallucinations. And yet people believe them! Also, how do you know they're not just lying to get attention? You really can't.
If you really did see something then I'm going need some concrete proof. And by that I don't mean the mold that is growing on your bread that resembles Jesus, also someone that is in a sane state of mind would be preferred.
Now not too long ago in Saigon (technically Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam there is a giant statue of the Virgin Mary and it appeared that she was crying with tons of pictures and video coverage depicting tear stains coming out of her eyes. Now, the statue is HUGE (I've actually had a chance to see it once) and it's impossible for someone to try to somehow put the tear stains on the statue. Now that is what I would consider proof.
There was also a story around the same time that a much smaller statue of the Virgin Mary in southern California that was crying in tears. Only this time the tears was actually blood. Now from what I've heard the statue is near a church where there is a very short fence. Someone could have easily planted the blood on the statue and cause much of the Vietnamese Catholics to go into hysteria over this sign. I'm not sure about this one since it's a bit iffy.
Have some common sense. Don't let religion warp your mind to the point of insanity and you start thinking every small thing is a sign of God or that strawberry in your yogurt looks like one of the saints.
EDIT: The Virgin Mary statue in Vietnam's tear stains were caused by age and dust. So no concrete proof there.
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
You rock.
(if you can't see the fnords they won't eat you)
"I want to believe."
http://www.youtube.com/v/4oscOsCGNE0
As for the statue in Vietnam, that's been attributed to age and dust.
One of my Guitar World magazines had a brief piece (and picture!) of a Jimi Hendrix sighting in the finish on someone's guitar. I don't have the magazine on me, though.
"CONSERVATIVE, n.
A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others."
- Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary"
Wow, someone certainly had a lot of free time on their hands to make that PB&J creation, but it was amusing.
Thanks for the article. I wasn't exactly aware of any follow up information after they found the supposed tear stains.
------
"They can smash your cookie, but you'll always get your fortune."
My blog