Health Prayer: Should Religion and Faith Have Roles in Medicine?

One of the reasons that prayer doesn't always work could be that God is imaginary and the benefits are only psychological.

Baura Kale of UT 4:03PM June 07, 2010

Prayers work fine along with faith and sincerety, but all praying and no action is an insult to our creator. We, all of us, on this planet were blessed with a brain so powerful we have learned to use only up to ten percent,(10%), of it.

By scholistic standards wouldn't we all would qualify individually as "The Village Idiot?" If so, wouldn't that be another insult to our creator? We ask ourselves why were we given such a powerful brain? Can we safely assume to; "Use it?"

The frontal sector of the brain gives us the individual right to make our own judgements and the freedon to choose what road we want to travel. We have the perfect right to do wrong things, It is we, and we alone, who makes our own individual choices that will lead us to our own destiny, good or evil.

The rear sector of our brain is liken to a powerful computer, with a memory, that never crashes. The more data we put into it the more it handles, It records everything we say, think or do.

Could this be the real meaning of the bibical phrase; "Live by the sword, die by the sword?" When evil thoughts and doings are recorded in the rear sector of the brain will they come back and haunt us?

This writer's life an the lives of family, is belived, to have been saved several times because of living a positive and good life. Always being in a learning mode, I ask you to comment on this.

Kirby Allan of AZ 5:29PM March 16, 2009

At age 81 this writer, whose suffered past ailment after ailment

most of my life, wants to share my success in maintaining my own body health. I sell nothing. This information comes only from my heart in the best interest of humanity.

No matter What you hear or believe, this writer, being 81 in January 2009, wishes to share with, not only seniors, but every American of all ages what I have learned to have recently past my doctors test, as well as my lab test, in flying colors.

I'm the guy who ram roded the first competitive health care system, "German style "Homeopathy," into my state of Arizona after being passed by the people of Arizona in the 80's, and Arizona's the then governor stalled the measure for one year. Such is politics goes. Being armed with 3,000 signed petitions for the creation for a second philosophy in health care, twenty, (20) church members and one reporter/camera man crom our TV channel 10. We stormed the governors demanding he, (Governor Bruce Babbitt) put that peoples mandate n play. The governor then in hiding got his what i call a "Hammer" finally allowed us to enter for conversation after insisting he speak to me only, except the reporter/camera man which I agreed to ask to stay outside. The

B. S. rolled out with excuse after excuse. Note; "I had alreadly had accused governmor of malfeasance and misfeasace of duty in an interview with TV 10."

Hammer knew I would be aired again on TV on the results of our meeting so he finally, after much pressure, agreed to put the mandate ilnto play, but he shouted; "You know everything, you aren't going to make the announcement, I am!" As Politics goes

he made his announcement on TV channel 5 to beat my interview on TV 10 by one half hour. TV 5 had their evening news at 5:30 PM and TV 10 had thiers at 6:00 PM. Again, politics being as usual, the mandate was flawed because they, the; (Political Parasites)made a rule that to be a member of the newly created; "Homeopathic Board Of Medical Examiners" okne has to also be a practicing AMA Physician. That killed the needed purpose of "Competition" in health care/ So, that flaw rendered the peoples mandated "Competition" a misnomer as competition goes. I refused treatment from our one philosophy practioner who diagnosed my ailment as; "Lympathic Cancer" in the early 80's and realizing that what this doctor perscribed as treatments was the usual chemo./radiation would all but destroy my natural immune system and becoming hooked for the rest of my limited life, I went into fresh/live veggie and fruit juices fast for two months. I got the swelling of my lymph nodes down, but not the soreness. That's when I met German homeopathic doctor Friedrich Plog who cam to America on a promise he would be able to teach Homeopathy in colleges and would be able to practice in Arizona. Before he realized he hadn't come to a free country, as he treated and healed many death bed cancer and other serious ailments patients;

Burl Ives, etc.

Kirby Allan of AZ 7:20PM January 05, 2009

As a person of faith, I am very grateful for the skilled and dedicated health care professionals that I work with every day. For many of my colleagues, they bring deep commitment and passion to their respective vocations. When I or someone I love is seriously ill, I/we will trust my/our lives and healing into their care. As I watch them as they work to bring healing and lessen suffering, my deep respect grows for both them and the tools/resources of allopathic medicine.

But as a Hospital Chaplain, I know that there is not just the illness or the physical injury that afflicts our body; but just as important, there is also how our lives and relationships become dramaticly impacted by the news that we have cancer or someone we love deeply has suffered a major heart attack. Where do we find meaing and renewed strength in these times of tremendous challenge? My task as Chaplain is not to impose my beliefs/world view on a patient or her/his family. Rather, it is to become fully present to that person/family as they struggle to cope and find their own path to renewed meaning and healing in their lives and relationships. I find that many chose to "move deeper" in their own lives and relationships...they begin to actively seek and give forgivenness to others. I often watch in deep awe and respect as our patients and their families "do the hard inner work" to bring healing within themselves and their relationships. This is the Spiritual dimension of our illness and our healing.

Western medicine has often become focused on the mechanics of illness and the healing process. But now we are beginning to take a more wholistic approach. If someone's Faith/Belief System is central in their lives, then this could be important imformation as her/his doctor does their initial assessment of personal/family strengths. Hope can often be engendered and strengthened by a person's belief system. "Where do they find their strength?" "Do they have a supportive family/community standing with them in their crisis?" As a person who was one of our patients said, "I know now that no one gets well by themselves."

Medicine and Spirituality are natural partners in the process of healing. It is essential that we continue to be respectful of the vital roles that both play in our daily lives.

David Edwards of WA 3:46PM December 30, 2008