Faith Healing Reminiscences of a common man

Faith healers’ version of religion is dismally narrow. It lacks the spiritual splendor of tradition, cosmic harmony with God?and sublimity, but seems to work on material and evangelistic goals. People go after faith healing for health and weath. There is a mad rush. The growing popularity of faith healing is a matter of concern and indicates degeneration of values.

Jesus healed at least forty sick people. Shridi Sai Baba and Vaikuntar were known for their healing powers.

Leaving aside the fakes, most faith healers use the word of God for healing. Words heal.?Words in the Bible of Christians, Qoran of Muslims, Bhagavad Gita and slokas of Hindus, Guru Granth Sahib of Sikhs, Tripitaka of Buddhists, Arul Nool of Ayya Vazhi, Agamas of Jains and all such religious texts are believed to have the power to heal.

Faith healers solve the mind; the body follows, as much as it can, improving in small increments as long as it can, ?in accordance with the laws of nature. The mind – body problem was debated for centuries by scholars The search for soul finally ended with advances in neuroscience which discovered that mind. ?soul and conscience all remain in the brain and associated neural networks. Besides, the brain controls endocrine glands, body functions and movements. ?Faith healers influence the brain through persuasive suggestions.

Covertly, some ?faith healers plant the seeds of proselytization. The reward is conversion. Some healers set much score by words. They use scripture words as tools. The healing session is a guided tour into selected phrases of the scripture which the patient reads and discovers religion.

Faith healing is basically a psychological phenomenon. It is a placebo. A belief. Belief by itself cures. Belief in a supreme force, God – whatever God – is the foundation for healing. Healers invoke belief and promote positive thinking to empower the mind nd enable people to perform their best. What the patients do not know is that believing any God would have produced the same effect.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa worded this differently. He realized after meticulos spiritual experiments?that all Gods are the same. Vivekananda

presented this theme to Chicago in 1893, "we accept all religions as true". This principle renders religious conversion meaningless.

Going deeper, Jeff Levin made a splash by publishing “How Faith Heals: A Theoretical Model” [1] in which psychoneuroimmunolgy and placebo explain faith healing, opening a possibility of using faith healing as an acceptable medical adjunct.

Even before, the mind body problem remained at the centre of scholarly discussions for centuries. Neuroscience ended this debate. Now we know mind is located in the brain and the associated neurons.

Faith healers view other religions with a hostile eye. For example, a Christian faith healer may not admit healing by Shridi Sai Baba or Vaikuntar. Faith healers assert that healing is possible only in their religion and close their eyes on reports of healing in other religions.

Breakthrough in this direction was made by Guru Nanak who created Nanak Panth where people from different religions assembled and prayed their own Gods. Kabir had already created a similar Kabir Panth. Vallalar brought together people from all religions (suddha sanmarga) to worship God, the supreme light. ?These are incredible examples of religious tolerance and harmony.

Not all faith healers push religion. Some of them do not ever refer to religion, instead exercise their healing power. The patient merely sees a faith doctor without becoming aware of the religion of the healer.

A parallel practice known as psychic healing is very popular in Philippines and Brazil. The healer performs psychic surgery and?heals people. It is done not by faith but clairvoyant energy and spell. Reiki from Japan is yet another procedure.

None of these healing methods – faith healing, psychic healing and Reiki – is scientifically proven.

However faith healing business is flourishing. Healers begin by declaring that they spoke to God and received His specific instruction to the cure the patient. People believe. A healer pastor in South Africa even claimed he spoke to God on the phone. In Russia there are more faith healers than doctors. Most Russians take to faith healing. In principle, faith healers should not charge any fee. People donate, generously. Some healers, like the Philippno healer who cured leg pain of a tennis star, reject donations, and remain poor. Other healers accept donations and become rich.

?

References

[1] ?????https://www.baylorisr.org/wp-content/uploads/levin_faithheals.pdf

?

?