Spirituality and Your Health

A team of Coumbia University scientists is warning against incorporating spiritual and religious intervention into medical practice due to the current lack of "empirical" justification.

However, the team does acknowledge that religious and spiritual activities provide comfort in the face of illness and that codes of religious conduct that prohibit smoking, drinking alcohol, unsafe sexual activity, psychosocial stress and unhealthy dietary habits help to reduce sickness and death.

A 1996 random survey of 296 members of the American Academy of Family Physicians revealed that 99 percent were "convinced" that religious beliefs can heal. A whopping 75 percent believe that prayer given by "others" can also heal.

Thirty US medical schools now include courses in religion, spirituality and health in their curricula.

Recent studies by schools of medicine at various universities confirm that the practices of spirituality and religion reduce high blood pressure in women.

I, for one, am all for the integration of medical science and faith. How about you?

Here's to your health!

 

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TS,
I have a question. How do you know that it
is actually God that is healing people and not just a belief that God can heal them.
Meaning... they have convinced their mind
that they will be healed and then the body
responds to that. Clear as mud?

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[This message has been edited by Flash (edited December 20, 1999).]

 

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I think 'faith', is the 'be all' and 'end all', whether it's faith in Christ, Mohammed or Feng Shui.
The religious put their faith outside of themselves, the spiritual put their faith partly outside and partly inside and the strictly unspiritual put their faith only in themselves.
Some people ofcourse, have no faith in anything at all.

Flash,
Whether people actually benefit from their faiths and beliefs must be to the greater extent subjective.And I believe god is only relevant if he/she/they exist, within one's chosen religion/faith/philosophy.

 

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I think it's a combination of both, Flash. I don't follow the Christian faith, but I do believe in the power of positive thought, whether you call it a prayer, a spell, a wish, whatever. I believe there is a huge amount of energy available, and we can move that energy and shape it to our wills. Hence people that have healing hands, and the like.

The healer has faith that their healing will work, they concentrate their energies into their hands. The healee's (is that a real word?) belief in the energies power is what allows it to work. The damaged body shapes itself to the energy sent into it.

I have seen this in practice, and actually experienced it in my lifetime. I had a lot of surgery and such as a little kid (about age 1 through 2 1/2) and they couldn't give me painkillers because they had almost killed me with them a couple times already. So I experienced quite a bit of pain, and once my mother was able to lay her hands on me and draw the pain out. I still have a VERY vivid memory of that, it felt like I became a hose, and all the pain flowed out of me.

So, yes, I am a believer!

 

tablariddim,

I get where you're coming from. However, before my layoff from posting on this website, I had a long debate with Boris who claimed not to be of faith, that is to say religious, at all. Even Boris, being both stubborn and wise, the self-assured, had to come to a point where there was the acknowledgement of the fact that he really does have a religious stance. Everyone, be it in themselves or simply the righteousness of their own ideas, has a religious faith.

Boris,

If you're out there, "Hi there buddy!" We never did finish. It would be nice to.

Jesus Is Real Power,
ISDAMan

 

My Friend Flash,

You've asked a wonderful question in, "How do you know that it is actually God that is healing people and not just a belief that God can heal them. Meaning... they have convinced their mind that they will be healed and then the body responds to that. Clear as mud?" I encourage you to read mine and truestory's posts under "how can you tell?". It's just like being passed a note in class that isn't signed with a name. If you have a relationship with that person; the letter is signed with the essence of that relationship. You know when that person is passing you a message. God gives promises in His Word. If you have aright relationship with Him, His promises of Love and reward will show through. If you are not in a right relationship with Him, His promises of Love and correction will show. It's all a matter of how you relate to Him. All others are confused when they come across messages that developed out of a message that they were never partakers of. In comforting His children, as well as healing them, He is sure to let them know that He is near and working on their behalf.

Jesus Is The Real Power,
ISDAMan

 

In order for the body to heal well, it must be comfortable. Part of being comfortable includes having one's mind at ease. It would not help an atheist like me to have a priest present before going in for surgery. I would not feel comfortable at all with any religious implications. Therefore, religion and Jesus would do me no good. I would be most comfortable simply knowing that I was in the hands of a competent doctor. If it helps my religious friends deal with it by praying for me, then let them help themselves to it. I welcome their concern and well-wishes. Fortunately, I'm not due for surgery anytime soon!

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Truestory:

I would say that Columbia's response is to counteract two things happening in the healing industry.

First there seems to be a set of prejudices linking chiropracters to sorcery ... at least, that's the way it sounded here in the 1997 election; but the public definitely seems to see a link between chiropracters and spiritual healing. This is only important because chiropracters have, in recent years, become vocal about establishing a place in the medical canon. (As a side note to the '97 election ... the vote against chiropracters was not regarding people's ill view of the practice, as the measure was written to include homeopathy and other direct-application treatments; the big issue came when the 3 biggest insurers in the state --including my employer--threatened to raise their rates if the measure passed.)

Is the connection there? I understand if not.

Secondly, and perhaps more salient, is a 1997 study by the Institute of Noetic Sciences. An apparently triple-blind (?!) study of "distant healing" through prayer for AIDS-complex patients found nothing particularly stunning. But to say that their study warrants further research does not simply come from vagaries. Setting a standard of an MD's assessment of a 5% chance of this event happening naturally, they found "significant" results in 40% of their patients ("significant" does not necessarily fall within the 5% assessment; I will find the data for the 5% margin if you need.)

I might add that an MD named Dossey (Larry, I think) wrote a book called "Healing Hands". I've never read the entire thing because, frankly, the subject didn't hold THAT much interest over the last several years. But the IONS report sort of snapped me awake because it's as quantitative as the field has been.

However, aside from the few points I've raised, I know little about distant healing beyond what I consider a shared cultural faith in the power of hope (and if you'll accept that this is not a barb at your faith, let me say that the power of hope is one faith I can get behind).

thanx,
Tiassa

------------------
"Religion isn't dead either. The AntiChrist will have access to computers, television, radio, and compact disc. If he walks among us already, the chances are that he has a walkman. I just hope it's not Christ himself, disillusioned after two thousand years in a cosmic sitting room full of magazines and cheeseplants, turned malignant and rotting in despair at the way his message has been perverted." (Robyn Hitchcock, 11/1987)

 

Skye,
Thank you for your input. This makes a lot of sense..and after some thought to it I would have to say that I do agree with you.

 

ISDAMan,
I will try to look the stories up when I have more time.

His children...you mean the ones who follow him? How is it if one does not believe that he would make himself known? There are some out here on this board who are searching for truth..if God/Jesus was the only way to truth..then why have they not made themselves known? Why is your God so selective in whom he chooses?

 

Flash,

God is not one to stain Himself with impurity. You meet Him on His terms or you don't meet Him at all. Not being willing that any should parish, He chooses everyone. However, some people try coming to play in His football game wearing ice skates. He'll not have them on His team until they comply.

Joy to the world, The Lord has come,
ISDAMan

 

ohhhhhhhhh I see... I have to COMPLY with
his RULES... thx

 

Flash,

Yes, I know, "rule" is a dirty four letter word to people today. They're all over the place. It's a sign of maturity in how a person deals with them.

Christ the King,
ISDAMan

 

ISDAman,
I tend to break some the rules I don't agree with. Does this make me immature, or evil incarnate?
But as as you said in a previous post it don't really matter does it? I'll still go to hell, 'cause according to you , god wants it all or nothing.

What is absolutely ironic, is that I can spend almost my whole life breaking as many rules as I like, but if I manage to live long enough to rediscover my faith in god and Jesus and repent, I, will be saved.
Yet my neighbour who is the kindest, fairest, friendliest and most benign person I know, cannot bring himself to accept Jesus as his saviour because of his acute cynisism
through one reason and another, he will end up going to hell for eternity.
The system surely sux!

 

ISDAMan,

So if my son gets sick, but he hasn't been a good boy, I shouldn't take him to the doctor because he didn't follow my rules? Is that how a loving (did I mention mature?) parent takes care of his/her children?

He doesn't want to stain Himself with our impurity?? Oh, puhleeaase!!

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------------------
www.indigenousrocks.com

 

SEARCHER!!! How did you make that rolly-eye guy?? Man, you come up with the BEST stuff!!

BTW - I agree with Searcher, as usual.

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SkyeBlue,

When you are in the reply box, look to your left where you will see a link called, "Smilies Legend". It's new - just click on that and it tells you how to make all the different faces. It's pretty cool!

I especially like this guy:

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------------------
www.indigenousrocks.com

 

YES!

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Cool!!

 

If you tell your child, because you love him/her, that the only way to survive the imminent inferno is to wear the protective suit which you give them, your child had better comply, or your child will perish.

Jesus Christ is our protective suit which has been given to us by our loving God. It's your choice whether or not to put it on. Don't be too proud to wear it. It will save your life in the long-run.


[This message has been edited by truestory (edited December 23, 1999).]

 

tab,

<CENTER><TABLE><TR><TD WIDTH="500"><FONT SIZE="1">QUOTE:
<HR>I tend to break some the rules I don't agree with. Does this make me immature, or evil incarnate? But as as you said in a previous post it don't really matter does it? I'll still go to hell, 'cause according to you , god wants it all or nothing.<HR></FONT></TD></TR></TABLE></CENTER>

Criminals tend to break the rules they don't like too. They also tend to get imprisoned for it. No one ever called you evil incarnate. The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. it also says that all of our good deeds are as filthy rags. Your can't be good enough to just work your way into God's Heaven. God made us for fellowship with him. If we do not conform to His ways, what makes you think He should let you or anyone else into His Heaven? I've posted regarding your very questions before. Look under the "I believe" thread to get your answers.

Searcher,

I have no idea what point you are trying to make. The fact that your son in the example is sick is every reason for you to seek to have his condition tended to. Read what Jesus said. Mark 2:15-17 <FONT COLOR="BLUE">And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them,</FONT><FONT COLOR="RED"> They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.</FONT> You have never seen me post anything that advocates not seeking help. The Bible tells us again and again that there is a whole lotta good in many wise counselors. The whole premiss of the Bible is God coming to Help man in his sickness.

Proverbs 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

ISDAMan

<FONT SIZE="1">Excerpt from The Complete Multimedia Bible King James Version
Copyright (c) 1994 Compton's NewMedia, Inc."</FONT>

[This message has been edited by ISDAMan (edited December 23, 1999).]