In keeping with my last blog, I decided to do some research on this 'Jesus-sighting' phenomenon. And turns out, there's a name for it.
Finding religious imagery in inanimate
objects is called simulacra. It occurs when people see iconic or aniconic images or symbols in nature that can be related to certain organized belief systems.
Christians typically experience simulacra by sighting Jesus or the Virgin Mary in their food, whereas Muslims may report seeing religious script or verses from the Qur'an in food or other natural objects.
Believers see them as actual manifestations of the spiritual being that was created and brought to them by miraculous forces. They think this is the work of miracles. It gives them hope and faith. Perhaps they are just seeking proof that God is out there, and trying to get their attention.
I found a study that said religious people tend to see faces in inanimate
objects much more than nonbelievers, but this is most likely people experiencing pareidolia. Pareidolia is "a false perception of
imagery due to what is theorized as the human mind's over-sensitivity to
perceiving patterns, particularly the pattern of a human face, in otherwise random
phenomena." The fact that religious people tend to see these patterns much more may represent the fact that they believe that we live in a world of supernatural phenomenon, and thus are more susceptible to interpreting everyday encounters as miraculous.
Next time you see Jesus in burnt toast, don't be afraid to speak up. You just may be able to sell that baby to some desperate religious fanatics seeking proof in miracles.
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