Why We Would Have Less Miracles in the Future

Typhoon "Hagupit" / Ruby, has been dubbed by the Philippine Daily Inquirer as "Yolanda Like" and has garnered its share of debates and consternation among the fine Filipino folk of the Internet. While the religious and the faithful prayed, the agnostics and atheists made fun of them. I'll try my best to stay in the middle in the hopes that we could see a slightly more objective point of view.

First, what is a "miracle"

• a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.
• "the miracle of rising from the grave"

synonyms: wonder, marvel, sensation, phenomenon, supernatural phenomenon, mystery

• "his recovery was a blessed miracle"
• a highly improbable or extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment that brings very welcome consequences.
• "it was a miracle that more people hadn't been killed or injured"
• an amazing product or achievement, or an outstanding example of something.

Deconstructed it has at least three main factors:

• An adverse event, situation or circumstance
• An inexplicable and welcome development
• The attribution to a divine agency

In highly religious Philippines, miracles can sometimes be loosely defined. Some consider a job promotion a miracle. Some consider a change in prognosis a miracle. Some consider meeting a key person a miracle. In the past, most favorable things can be defined as a miracle to the heart warming applause of many. 

As debates raged on social media sites and in the comment sections of Philippine dailies, I have been forced to be circumspect on the matter. 

As of 6:00 am, 9th of December 2014, Typhoon Ruby / Hagupit fizzled into a mere thunderstorm. The first time in my personal memory that I recalled such happening. We barely felt it. Again, if this is the work of a divine agency, I am thankful. That's one thing off my checklist of problems.

Why the future would have less miracles - or - subsequently more miracles... Confused? Read on...

Remember the three factors of a miracle I noted above? 1. Problem 2. Positive Circumstance 3. Divine Attribution.

My concern is in number 2. More and more things are having scientific explanations. More and more solutions are coming (and yes I am also aware of the problems that they also bring). 

In short, there are less things which we cannot explain - and yes there are still many to study and learn. 

• There would be less miracles, because there would be less people who believe that these extraordinary events are "miracles". If you think about it, to some people, the Internet itself is a miracle of sorts...
• There would be more miracles - but only for those who believe that everything is a "miracle". 

Many schools of thoughts and paradigms overlap on how to treat "miracles". Whatever happened to Typhoon Ruby that caused it to weaken, be it colder sea surface temperature and NorthEasterly winds, or the fervent prayers of those who wished well, 

I am just grateful...