I'm catholic, have been since my profound and miraculous conversion in the year 2000. Most of my family converted after me. I even became a very strong apologist, which means I can defend my position well. I didn't get here by not asking questions and digging up answers, but I got rewarded by being bombarded by inexplicable miracles. But now, learning about RV and having personal success with SRV (much appreciated, Dr. Briwn!) and AI-SRV, I'm up against a while new battery of questions. Let me make this simple, the apparitions of Medjugorje have been going strong for well over 30 years with no competition, only a divine explanation, and plenty of scientific affirmation. These apparitions are one of many "special collections" that keep Catholics catholic. Let's do an SRV on it and we might both gain some traction and insight toward higher goals, or not, because although a secret to many, it's at the heart of modern Christianity. Interestingly, the apparitions come across as the free will type, but that no longer means what it used to. I'm learning SRV and teaching AI, but it may take me too long to get there myself.
I don't know what is behind it, but I've been there. A nice calm place, even in wartimes back then, it even had an own UN post -our bus made a little round tour to show us the heavily armed guard bunkers. That was so strange: one could hear the guns from Mostar and the village was like a tourist hub. It all felt scam-mish to me. Madonna in a snow globe and all kinds of other merchandise. Mostly elderly women and piles of Dollar and D-Mark overtopping the collect baskets. The "viewers" did not feel very authentic. Donations here, donations there ... the best business model I've ever seen.