I grow tired of reading about the "Miracle" on the Hudson. Even though I understand that when most people use the term to describe what happened, they are not referring to an act of God, but rather to an unbelievably lucky incident. What's been bothering me is the certainty that if the "Miracle" on the Hudson had ended with death and destruction, then any reference to the divine would be replaced by a reference to the actions of the pilot and crew. If a tragedy had occurred, the pilot would have been blamed. God would get a pass.
My question is, what is the opposite of a miracle? Is it an act of God? Would anybody describe a fatal plane crash as an act of God? I don't think so, the word tragedy comes to mind instead.
I also want to know what the secular term is that can be used in place of miracle. Then, the next time a lot of people avoid certain death through the actions of a highly competent professional, we can celibate instead of harping on the press coverage.
