How do members of other religions explain Christian faith healing?

[Kapalika]

Faith healing, nothing but a scam for the most part:

Derran Brown really knows his stuff when it comes to things like this. It really shows how lesser magick works. Little more than trickery.

The difference is that other religions' faith healing usually involves some sort of practices (Yoga, fasting, acupuncture, presopuncture, meditation etc.) that take time and effort on the sick person's part, while Christianity's faith healing involves someone else briefly praying for you and laying their hands over your body for a few seconds.

Yoga isn't faith healing, and meditation isn't faith healing either. Both benefit one spiritually but meditation can benefit your body and mind too for perfectly explainable reasons that faith isn't required for.

Basically yoga is a religious practice so helps one on their spiritual journey and meditation is a generalized practice that has many proven benefits for anyone no matter their beliefs. It's all about focusing, being mindful and sorting through your thoughts and emotions so they don't rule over you... the mind is tied to the body and so your less stressed and so in better health too.

Nothing faith-centric about that.

Sure, you can go a lot deeper with altered states but it all comes back to improving yourself. Health benefits then become secondary... the spiritual journey the primary. But faith isn't required since it's all about looking inward.

You might also dig into anything with keywords like "chakra" or "energy work" more broadly and find some things interesting to poke around with.

Unfortunately most sources that go into these topics particularity when associated with the other stuff you mentioned... they just don't know what they are talking about.

I can meet new agers going on and on about Karma, Chakras, Reiki... the moment I ask them their beliefs about Dharma none of them know squat which is funny as all of those come from Dharma religions. I once asked a woman who said she was really into Yoga if she meant hatha yoga...she had never heard of it (despite having done only it) and no one there knew of even the basic yogas spoken of in scriptures. I ask those speaking on Chakras what they know of Kundalini and Tantra... they know little other than what is California Tantra (basically sex). And in their explanations flip the male-female attributes to meet their own etho-centric connotations in classic imperialistic fashion.

What I'm saying is... I urge caution to those seeking out such alternative "medicine" or new age ideas that borrow from Dharmic religions. It's often little more than the utter bastardization and corruption, total misappropriation of religion. It's eroding at the real thing, threatening centuries of wisdom and spiritual development. A sign of the Devanaagari (age of vice).

If one wants to know about real Chakras, real yoga or Tantra or other such practices, all that... read the scriptures... study what Dharma followers throughout the ages have said. Don't trust Mr Joe or Mrs Smith at the local yoga studio. Their ploy to make money is anti-Dharmic by nature. It's exploitation.

 

[leibowde84]

Statistically speaking, faith healing is a concept that happens predominantly in Christianity and, although miraculous healing has occurred in other religions too, the numbers seem to be higher among Christians. There are several Christian denominations (The Last Reformation, the Charismatics etc.) who focus on healing people through the power of prayer. You can find thousands of videos related to Christian faith healing on YouTube.

Faith healing - Wikipedia

How do members of other religions explain the numerous healing cases recorded within Christianity? And before you ask me how Christians view the miracles of other religions, let me go ahead and say that there's a lot of debate about it, but in the end we have concluded that we don't really have a clear answer. Is that the same view non-Christians have or do you have other opinions?

What evidence are you basing your claim that more faith-healings happen with Christianity than other faiths? What study are you referring to?

 

[leibowde84]

You want me to link to thousands of videos?

The real question is, why do you believe the people in the videos? Couldn't it all be an act? Or the placebo effect?

 

[Lucian Hodoboc]

What evidence are you basing your claim that more faith-healings happen with Christianity than other faiths? What study are you referring to?

Faith healing - Wikipedia

There are actual denominations within Christianity dedicated to street healing (The Last Reformation). That's basically what they do: walk around the streets, preach the Gospel and try to heal people. While there are religious figures who try to heal people through prayers in other religions too, there is no other religion (that I'm aware of) besides Christianity in which all members claim to be able to heal people through prayers, not just a few selected members.

 

[leibowde84]

Faith healing - Wikipedia

There are actual denominations within Christianity dedicated to street healing (The Last Reformation). That's basically what they do: walk around the streets, preach the Gospel and try to heal people. While there are religious figures who try to heal people through prayers in other religions too, there is no other religion (that I'm aware of) besides Christianity in which all members claim to be able to heal people through prayers, not just a few selected members.

You cited a wikipedia article. What study are you basing your claim that Christianity is responsible for the most faith-healing on?

 

[Muslim-UK]

You cited a wikipedia article. What study are you basing your claim that Christianity is responsible for the most faith-healing on?

In the video I posted, Derren Brown uses exactly the same methods as the street Christian street 'healers'.

 

[Lucian Hodoboc]

In the video I posted, Derren Brown uses exactly the same methods as the street Christian street 'healers'.

That's nice. Can Derren Brown also instantly regrow bone that has been eaten away by cancer, like God did for this guy?

 

[McBell]

Statistically speaking

Source?

 

[Twilight Hue]

And now you have, but you're probably going to dismiss them as hoaxes without even bothering to investigate them by contacting those people and talking to them.

Sudden Healing- Late End Stage Metastatic Cancer Miracle-Oncologist Speaks Out-All God.wmv

Testimony of Dead Malaysia Cancer Patient Woke Up. Jesus heals.Nothing is impossible with God

I can't stand when people do this type of testimony.

It's in reality, irresponsible and highly dangerous because it compels people to abandon their medical care for . ...this.

It's not so bad if medical attention isn't abandoned, and I do think a person's faith can still play a role in a holistic way that supports a positive outlook.

Smart ones keep their medical care revelent and active with their faith

Darwin award winners can kindly keep removing themselves from the gene pool as they continue to go home to their God's.

.

 

[leibowde84]

That's nice. Can Derren Brown also instantly regrow bone that has been eaten away by cancer, like God did for this guy?

Beyond this guys mere claims (We don't know the guy, so we have absolutely no reason to believe him without supporting evidence), what evidence do you have that this actually happened?

 

[Lucian Hodoboc]

Beyond this guys mere claims (We don't know the guy, so we have absolutely no reason to believe him without supporting evidence), what evidence do you have that this actually happened?

There are photos of his medical diagnosis and x-rays, the clinic address and the doctor's name and signature in the video. The radiologist's name is Dr. Ali Borghei. I'm guessing you could contact him and ask if the patient's claims are real or not.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Beyond this guys mere claims (We don't know the guy, so we have absolutely no reason to believe him without supporting evidence), what evidence do you have that this actually happened?

A lot of them will actually lie straight out without a second thought.

 

[Muslim-UK]

That's nice. Can Derren Brown also instantly regrow bone that has been eaten away by cancer, like God did for this guy?

In the comments section, ThePreachingAtheist wrote,

"I know of Atheists that were in the same condition and did not pray, yet became cancer free (went into remission). Since not everyone who prays is healed, it is more logical and sensible to understand that those who got better would have gotten better without some belief in a mythological god (Jesus). It happens frequently. This video is nothing special and proves that nature can still surprise us. In this case, the cancer victim went into remission."

Nature clearly has tricks that side step the need for Mr Brown.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

Regardless of topic, 'miracles' or unusual occurrences shown on YouTube simply aren't convincing. For every one you believe in, you could also find ten you are sceptical of, whether they are eagles attacking puppies, exploding toasters, ghosts, or whatever.
Further, '300,000 videos' is proof of nothing. It's not like you've watched them and judged them accurate. It's simply a topic count. You'd be better off linking to particular instances you find credible, I would guess.

As for Christian faith healing, I spend no more time thinking about it than I do Indian healers, and have about as much belief in it's veracity.

I don't believe in faith healing.
If it existed, why would we need hospitals?

 

[Lucian Hodoboc]

In the comments section, ThePreachingAtheist wrote,

"I know of Atheists that were in the same condition and did not pray, yet became cancer free (went into remission). Since not everyone who prays is healed, it is more logical and sensible to understand that those who got better would have gotten better without some belief in a mythological god (Jesus). It happens frequently. This video is nothing special and proves that nature can still surprise us. In this case, the cancer victim went into remission."

Nature clearly has tricks that side step the need for Mr Brown.

Well, then I invite you to contact ThePreachingAtheist and ask him to disclose the name of the atheist people he speaks of along with the name of the medical clinics and the doctors who can testify for them, the same way as Nate Schwegman did. Until you do that, I'm going to take that argument as a hearsay fallacy.

 

[leibowde84]

There are photos of his medical diagnosis and x-rays, the clinic address and the doctor's name and signature in the video. The radiologist's name is Dr. Ali Borghei. I'm guessing you could contact him and ask if the patient's claims are real or not.

Have you done that?

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

There are photos of his medical diagnosis and x-rays, the clinic address and the doctor's name and signature in the video. The radiologist's name is Dr. Ali Borghei. I'm guessing you could contact him and ask if the patient's claims are real or not.

I suppose it's convenient the doctor could lose his license for breaking HIPAA laws just because some youtube viewer wants confidential information?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

As far as I know, there is no scientific explanation for the so-called 'spontaneous remissions'. They hypothesized various explanations, but failed to come to a conclusion.

Why would you expect a single explanation?

BTW: which remissions? Do you have any actual cases?

And something that science cannot explain is part of the dictionary definition of the word 'miracle'.

Only if your god is a god of the gaps.

 

[NewGuyOnTheBlock]

How do members of other religions explain the numerous healing cases recorded within Christianity? And before you ask me how Christians view the miracles of other religions, let me go ahead and say that there's a lot of debate about it, but in the end we have concluded that we don't really have a clear answer. Is that the same view non-Christians have or do you have other opinions?

To take this question seriously, I first have to be convinced that "faith healing" actually happen. I have yet to find a case of a healing that can be attributed only to divine intervention. Fact checking the claims show a real pattern of withheld information (medical records not released so we don't have to prove it just believe, no names/dates/places, no medical opinions supporting the claim, etc) Show me that ... then we'll talk ...

 

[Lucian Hodoboc]

To take this question seriously, I first have to be convinced that "faith healing" actually happen. I have yet to find a case of a healing that can be attributed only to divine intervention. Fact checking the claims show a real pattern of withheld information (medical records not released so we don't have to prove it just believe, no names/dates/places, no medical opinions supporting the claim, etc) Show me that ... then we'll talk ...

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