Faith healing: Why an either/or?

Seri Shaman (Photo: Tomas Castelazo)

There's an old joke that goes something like this:  If God wanted us to fly, He would have given us soul travel and airplanes…  By the same token – if God wanted us to heal, He would have given us doctors and shamans, medicines and herbs, exercise and exorcism, logic and prayer…

Why does religion need to be pitted against science?  Why can't the two work hand-in-scalpel – both tools of the same God?

Wikipedia defines faith healing as "healing through spiritual means…  [that] can be brought about by religious faith through prayer and/or

rituals that, according to adherents, stimulate a divine presence and power toward correcting disease and disability."  There is nothing within this definition that precludes also relying upon scientific and/or medical assistance.  In other words, God sometimes works in such obvious ways that they only seem mysterious.

Unfortunately, those who more narrowly define faith healing as relying solely upon prayer and ritual sometimes end up with tragic results.  Such is allegedly the case with Herbert and Catherine Schaible of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  According to MaryClaire Dale of the Associated Press, they are currently facing third-degree murder charges due to their refusal to seek medical care for their now-deceased infant son.  

Resources

http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/faith-healers-charged-with-murder-after-2nd-death?ocid=ansnews11

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_healing

Copyright May 26, 2013 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved