The meaning of Supernatural (last updated: 29th October 2021)
What does supernatural actually mean
An event that takes place for which there is no known naturalistic explanation. It is an event which is beyond the bounds of normal experience.
That which is beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature.
As we are staunch believers in Creationism that appeals to supernatural acts we are obliged to address this issue although we cannot for obvious reasons explain the workings of it.
To people living prior to the 20th century speaking to and seeing someone on the other side of the World using a mobile phone, or watching robots assemble a motor car on the production line of a factory might well have been regarded as supernatural acts, so we have no reason to rule the concept out. Is there anything that can be regarded as supernatural in these enlightened times when science seems to have the answer to everything?
One could question whether other creatures have the capacity to distinguish between naturally occuring events and supernatural ones. In all probability its only impact on them would be to spark curiosity, and little else, in other words it wouldn't concern them greatly as long as their life was not threatened by it.
One's place in the natural World
The question comes down to, 'do supernatural events actually take place in today's World, or are they merely a figment of the imagination as some people would have us believe'? In regard to Creationism such individuals deny its existence and escape the issue that way.
Whether or not an act is seen as supernatural, we suggest, is largely down to who you are, and what your life's experiences have been.
Human beings are loath to believe in the supernatural because they always want to try to explain unusual phenomena by appealing to their understanding of the World about them.
It follows perhaps that older, more experienced individuals are less likely to believe in the supernatural. Scientists are likely to be more sceptical because they are taught to carefully examine whatever they are presented with before passing judgement, and will always look for a naturalistic explanation. Our distant ancestors may well have acknowledged the supernatural but was it simply down to ignorance on their part? If we were invaded by creatures from another World and they performed miraculous feats would we regard these as supernatural manifestations? Is the word supernatural only associated with miracles performed by a supreme intellect such as God?
So do supernatural events actually occur and what is an example of one?
There have been many instances of people claiming that they have been healed as a result of prayer. Doctors treating those individuals have been unable to offer a naturalistic explanation for what is often a rapid recovery from a life threatening illness.
Do flying saucer encounters fall into the category of the supernatural? Should we be afraid of the supernatural? Has anyone ever experienced suffering as a result of being present at a supernatural event? Are there several types of supernatural event? possible examples,
(1) Those brought on by devil worship, the occult, etc. We suggest that these indulge in figments of the imagination, often with an element of coercion, serving only sinister purposes that benefit noone. Such activities are therefore not supernatural events in our estimate as nothing tangible or helpful is taking place and it serves only to instil fear, leading to subjugation, in those present. Frankly you have to be pretty gullible or perhaps just bored with life to engage in such practices. Of course Satan is real, operates in the spiritual realms of our World, and will adversely influence our lives if we give him the chance. It is doubtful whether he can be manipulated by mere people using a ouija board during a séance performed by a medium; he has more self respect than that and dictates to us, not the other way round. However Satan needs our cooperation in order to achieve his aims and sadly we are not averse to giving it to him.
(2) Those performed miraculously by God for a specific purpose. We suggest these are occuring regularly in todays world for the benefit of mankind although they are often difficult to discern and attribute to Godly intervention. We cannot prove in the traditional sense that God exists and carries out supernatural acts because if we could Christianity would no longer be a faith. Christianity is a faith because it is then available to everyone regardless of their intellectual prowess.
God does not need our cooperation to achieve his aims although it is in His nature to work with us and willing participants are often energised into action via His Holy Spirit.
True supernatural acts are therefore those which achieve Godly purposes executable with or without human assistance. This is what distinquishes them from all other contenders and only God, the Creator of The Universe is capable of this.
We have abundant written evidence that God performs supernatural acts. Jesus demonstrated His Divine powers throughout His entire ministry on Earth by performing miraculous acts that were all beyond the capabilities of man, hence they were of a supernatural nature. It was the hallmark of His reign on Earth, and believers do not dispute this:
Jesus turns water into wine. John 2:1-11
Jesus raises Jairus' daughter from the dead. Matthew 9:18, 23-26
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. John 11:1-45
Jesus walks on the water. Mark 6:45,52
The feeding of the 4000 men, women and children. Mark 8:1-13
And the greatest, and most spectacular, supernatural act was that Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion, although this is attributed to God the Father rather than Jesus himself, a feat that accounts for the very existence of Christianity.
There are literally dozens of eye witness accounts of supernatural acts performed by Jesus in the New Testament. He only ever used His Divine Powers to improve the lives of the people around Him.
In conclusion Supernatural events do occur but the only ones that merit the name are supreme acts of God with (2) above being the only source of them. The Creation of life on our planet, and the Creation of the Universe itself fall into this category because we have no understanding of how these feats were accomplished, and no realistic prospect of ever gaining one, and we have ruled out naturalistic causes. God is therefore the one unique force for good in the World being both the originator of the Universe, and all life within it, and the source of all beneficial supernatural events. These events are classed as supernatural only because we do not have the mind and intellect of God to enable us to properly comprehend them.
