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I'm more of an Open-Minded Investigative Person when it comes to these things. I've actually heavily researched various cases of Supernatural happenings, and the vast majority of times, the Close-Minded Skeptics will go for a super-weak explaination that does not add up with the whole facts of the matter and will leave it at that, but when open-minded persons such as myself investigate the matter further, their skeptical explainations are shown to be invalid and ignorant the entire facts of the matter that very much conflict with their arguments and do not agree with their conclusions. Not all the time, but alot of the time.

However, to be completely fair, I know and admit that there are indeed many proven frauds out there truely preforming "parlor tricks" as you have said, and such persons have been rightly exposed, but just because you find some counterfeit money out there, does that must mean that all money out there therefore must automatically be counterfeit? smile

As for Sai Baba, I've researched a fairly large variety of sources regarding him, countless anecdotes that seem to far suggest that it is indeed something far more than just "parlor tricks", and even the cases that *can* be considered mere parlor tricks, it seems there may be something more there as well. However, as far as Sai Baba is concerned, there are many good arguments going both ways, for and against, with no true resolution. That's why I linked the Wikipedia Article, it neutrally presents all sides of the issue. However I will say that dozens of other guru frauds have popped up during Sai Baba's lifetime that have been adaquetely exposed and ruined, and while many accusations have come up with Sai Baba, and possible explainations for some of his feats have been made, there are just as many that are unexplainable or not likely to be satisfactorly explained.

The Hindu Milk Miracle is a very good example of Skeptics' opinions not adding up with the facts of the matter (Thank God for Open-Minded Investigators such as myself who do not simply go with the simpliest skeptical explaination and will not honestly research the matter further).

They universally claimed it was capillary action causing the statues to absorb the milk, and left it at that, however...

1.) Many statues absorbed dozens upon dozens of gallons of milk, some hundreds, and the milk had simply vanished. Where did all of that milk go with such tiny statues?

2.) Why did it only take place during those 24 hours all around the world, and never again? If it was capillary action, why do the statues still not take milk today?

3.) There were some statues that were made of copper that drank the milk, capillary action cannot attribute to that.

There are various other facts of the matter that refute the skeptics' arguments as well.

Here are some renowned skeptical arguments by quick-to-judge close-minded skeptics of the past...

* The Scientific American, The New York Times, The New York Herald, the U.S. Army, academics - including Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy Simon Newcomb from John Hopkins University- and many other American scientists all heaped derision, ridicule and denigration onto the Wright brothers claiming that it was: 'scientifically impossible for machines to fly'!

* Professors, including Professor Henry Morton who knew Edison stated, immediately before Edison demonstrated the electric light globe: 'On behalf of science ... Edison's experiments are a ... fraud upon the public.'

* Another scientist from the French Academy of Sciences, after listening to a record made by Edison, stated: '... clearly that is a case of ventriloquism'!

* John Logie Baird, the inventor of television, was attacked by closed-minded skeptics who stated it was: 'absolute rubbish that television waves could produce a picture! '

* One of the leading scientists from the French Academy of Sciences stated that hypnosis is a fraud and stated after seeing a hypnotized subject with a four inch needle in the top of his arm: 'This subject has been paid for not showing he's in pain'.

rofl

Now, I'm *certainly not* claiming that you are this type of skeptic Oh-mi-kaze, please don't get me wrong, this isn't directed at you, I'm merely explaining why I personally am far more open than the average skeptic.

I've also had many first-hand personal experiences with the Paranormal and Supernatural, and especially with Spirituality & Mysticism, and I've also witnessed and have been part of a miracle that saved my and my family's life as a child, something that I have a very strong memory of, that I have never been able to explain, but I know that it happened. I've also heard many solid anecdotes from sincere family members and friends that I know are not lying to me of things that have happened unexplainable in their lives. That's part of why I'm more open to such things. My whole life has been one big mystical event, and I've done extensive research in such fields myself. I don't expect anyone to believe me, but that's why I am as open as I am to these sorts of things.

Well, to be perfectly fair, the first article I posted stated not only Sanatana Dharma Miracles, but Miracles in Other Religions as well. None of the sources I posted seemed to even remotely suggest that they meant that Sanatana Dharma is the only valid Religion. As The Rig Veda States...

Truth is One, but sages call it by many names.
Rig Veda 1:164:46.

Also, as for the Object Manifestations of Rama's Ring, Sita's Necklace to Hanuman, etc. Regardless of whether or not they were 'real', they were spiritually inspiring to those devout persons that they were shown to, and they were used in teaching a spiritual lesson about the story behind them. Even if it was 'palor tricks', the spiritual meaning it had to the people, I feel was enough of a Miracle in itself.