RE: The Gull: A Rat with Wings, or an Ecological Asset?
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I live in Utah. True to form, you will find flocks of seagulls at every landfill in the state.
I doubt the miracle story. Salt Lake City is next to a huge inland lake with well established bird sanctuaries.
The miracle claim is based largely on the name of the bird. One assumes that "seagulls" are dependent on an ocean. So the appearance of "seagulls" in the interior must be a miracle.
Had people used the term "gull" instead, people would not have perceived the appearance of the birds as a miracle.
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Thanks so much for this most interesting comment. I have referred to several sources since reading the comment. The historical accuracy of the 'miraculous' gull story certainly bears closer examination. I happen to love history (my undergraduate major was actuallyhistory), so I appreciate this challenge to the 'story'.
What really happened? I won't quarrel with a treasured legend of the Mormon people (no more than I challenge the biblical plague of locusts in Egypt). However one can certainly look at the record and present the gull/cricket story as just that: something that is said to have happened by people who believe in the miracle. Here's an interesting article that seems to offer a rational view of the actual events that year: Mormons, Crickets, and Gulls: A New Look At An Old Story. I'm going to edit the blog and respectfully refer people to the same article if they wish to look more closely at this 'miracle'.
I appreciate the information. Thanks for stopping by.