Sightings of Jesus have been very common in recent times. His image has been seen in many different objects such as the bark of a tree, a frying pan and peanut butter. Some people even believe that these sightings demonstrate Jesus' omnipotence. However, others claim that the images are fraudulent.
Pareidolia is one possible cause of these visions. It is about seeing patterns in seemingly random data, including peoples' faces in everyday objects. The human brain is highly skilled at identifying faces, however the problem is we can occasionally perceive a human face even when there isn't one. What we recognise in patterns is very much influenced by our belief system, hence a Christian might see Jesus' image in an inanimate object like a stained cloth.
One of the most renowned religious sightings which is associated with pareidolia, is The Shroud Of Turin. It's a linen cloth which displays the face of a man who is in pain from enduring a crucifixion. It has been dated to Medieval times and is on show in Turin Cathedral.
There have been many arguments about the legitimacy of The Shroud Of Turin. One point of view is that the brown stains on it are actually drops of blood which correlate to a man who has suffered crucifixion. There have been extensive forensic tests however, and the conclusion was that the stains were in fact blotches of red paint.
There have been many other instances of the influence of pareidolia. In Limerick there is a church which has a tree stump. Many people think the stump contains an image of the Virgin Mary with a child. People flock to the site every year to pray. In 2009, some people in Donegal claim to have seen crosses forming in the sky over a statue, causing it to cry.
Pareidolia can cause people to have visions about almost anything and not just religion. It can be linked to people who say they have seen UFOs or Elvis Presley. The Loch Ness Monster is another common delusion, where people say they have spotted the creature when in fact what they really see is a shadow on the water.
There have been many theories about why pareidolia exists. One of the most interesting was offered by the American cosmologist, Carl Sagan. He argued that the human skill for identifying peoples' faces is important for our survival. When the weather is poor or when our visibility isn't clear, pareidolia helps us to work out if someone approaching us is an enemy or a friend. Occasionally we get it wrong, mistaking something for a face when in fact it isn't.
Pareidolia can influence artistic experiences as well sightings of Jesus. An artist can flick paint over a wall in a random way but the onlooker might see a mountain or a landscape in the results. Some artists place hidden images in their work in order to influence the viewer in subtle ways. Some have even claimed that subliminal messages have been inserted into the lyrics of pop songs.
Pareidolia is one possible cause of these visions. It is about seeing patterns in seemingly random data, including peoples' faces in everyday objects. The human brain is highly skilled at identifying faces, however the problem is we can occasionally perceive a human face even when there isn't one. What we recognise in patterns is very much influenced by our belief system, hence a Christian might see Jesus' image in an inanimate object like a stained cloth.
One of the most renowned religious sightings which is associated with pareidolia, is The Shroud Of Turin. It's a linen cloth which displays the face of a man who is in pain from enduring a crucifixion. It has been dated to Medieval times and is on show in Turin Cathedral.
There have been many arguments about the legitimacy of The Shroud Of Turin. One point of view is that the brown stains on it are actually drops of blood which correlate to a man who has suffered crucifixion. There have been extensive forensic tests however, and the conclusion was that the stains were in fact blotches of red paint.
There have been many other instances of the influence of pareidolia. In Limerick there is a church which has a tree stump. Many people think the stump contains an image of the Virgin Mary with a child. People flock to the site every year to pray. In 2009, some people in Donegal claim to have seen crosses forming in the sky over a statue, causing it to cry.
Pareidolia can cause people to have visions about almost anything and not just religion. It can be linked to people who say they have seen UFOs or Elvis Presley. The Loch Ness Monster is another common delusion, where people say they have spotted the creature when in fact what they really see is a shadow on the water.
There have been many theories about why pareidolia exists. One of the most interesting was offered by the American cosmologist, Carl Sagan. He argued that the human skill for identifying peoples' faces is important for our survival. When the weather is poor or when our visibility isn't clear, pareidolia helps us to work out if someone approaching us is an enemy or a friend. Occasionally we get it wrong, mistaking something for a face when in fact it isn't.
Pareidolia can influence artistic experiences as well sightings of Jesus. An artist can flick paint over a wall in a random way but the onlooker might see a mountain or a landscape in the results. Some artists place hidden images in their work in order to influence the viewer in subtle ways. Some have even claimed that subliminal messages have been inserted into the lyrics of pop songs.
