General Discussion

HuckleB

(35,773 posts) Sat Jul 26, 2014, 05:02 PM Jul 2014

Tim Minchin Addressing The Use Of The Term "Miracle"

"A woman had given birth to naturally conceived identical quadruplet girls, which is very rare. And she said, "The doctors told me there was a one in 64 million chance that this could happen. It's A MIRACLE!" But, of course, we know it's not, because things that have a one in 64 million chance happen ... ALL the TIME! To presume that your one in 64 million chance thing is a miracle, is to significantly underestimate the total number of things that THERE ARE. ... Maths."

-Tim Minchin

The part in the quote starts shortly after the one minute mark.

?t=1m6s

He is always spot on in showing the silliness that leads to beliefs that just can't be supported as justified, at the end of the day. And that's important, IMO.

Despite my opinion, Minchin is also funny as all get out. Which, of course, is just another opinion, but...

9 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Tim Minchin Addressing The Use Of The Term "Miracle" (Original Post) HuckleB Jul 2014 OP

"the miracle of childbirth" awoke_in_2003 Jul 2014 #1

Okay.... whistler162 Jul 2014 #2

When half of all mammals can do it... awoke_in_2003 Jul 2014 #3

It's awesome, but it's no miracle. HuckleB Jul 2014 #4

Look, I had a 10# 24" baby with no drugs, and I'm 5'2". LeftyMom Jul 2014 #9

His frustration is a common error when one takes a figure or speech literally. aikoaiko Jul 2014 #5

Humor is good. HuckleB Jul 2014 #6

k&r (& Storm) Electric Monk Jul 2014 #7

+1,000,000 ... 000 HuckleB Jul 2014 #8

awoke_in_2003

(34,582 posts)

1. "the miracle of childbirth"

Reply to HuckleB (Original post)

Sat Jul 26, 2014, 06:47 PM

Jul 2014

has always irritated the living hell out of me. What? About 40% of the population (allowing for infertility) are capable of doing it.

whistler162

(11,155 posts)

2. Okay....

Reply to awoke_in_2003 (Reply #1)

Sat Jul 26, 2014, 08:14 PM

Jul 2014

so being willing to push a 5-10+ pound object out of your body multiple times is not defined as a miracle!

Carrying 4 fetuses to full term is not a miracle.

From my perspective, male, that is the definition of miracles!

awoke_in_2003

(34,582 posts)

3. When half of all mammals can do it...

Reply to whistler162 (Reply #2)

Sat Jul 26, 2014, 08:20 PM

Jul 2014

it is not a miracle. A lot of work? Hell yeah, but not a miracle. Four at a time is a statistical anomaly.

HuckleB

(35,773 posts)

4. It's awesome, but it's no miracle.

Reply to whistler162 (Reply #2)

Sat Jul 26, 2014, 08:21 PM

Jul 2014

Enjoy the video!

LeftyMom

(49,212 posts)

9. Look, I had a 10# 24" baby with no drugs, and I'm 5'2".

Reply to whistler162 (Reply #2)

Sun Jul 27, 2014, 01:35 AM

Jul 2014

It wasn't a miracle, no divine intervention was required. It was the hardest fucking work I've ever done and it took was 24 hours of pain and extertion without a rest, food or more than a sip of water.

Calling it a miracle disrespects women and how fucking tough we are.