If "Healings" are fakery isnt praying also worthless?

Question

I have a friend who sincerely believed God would heal by his exercise of faith healing. Ive known him forever and have not ever seen him do anything that doesnt fall softly into simple human experience.

However, I assure you, the is 100% sincere and "believes". No amputee has ever been "healed" right? Thats because the healing process can be objectively observed.

Ive done some research on this and never run into any real proof of faith healing...put another, nothing that doesnt otherwise happen outside faith healing...follow?

I think most people understand this subconsciously, but like Andy Kaufmann, when afflicted, will try anything. If we understand this is fakery and healings just dont work, does it not follow that prayer also...doesnt work? After all, an attempt at healing is just another type of prayer, in both cases, we ask for supernatural help.

Oh I know, you want to tell me how God works "you see, if your heart isnt purple and glowing...then he wont help ya"..sigh.

Answer 1

I suppose most "healings" on TV are not credible. An authentic healing blessing would not be a public spectacle. If all you ever experienced was the former, I wouldn't expect you to have a belief in prayer. The point of a healing blessing is as much to give comfort as anything else. It may be a placebo, but loving concern is a medicine.

Answer 2

You draw two parallels that need not be linked.

Prayer is one thing. Healing is another.

There's a big difference between casual, lazy, even clumsy prayer, and serious, consisent devotions.

There's also a community aspect to prayer which cannot be ignored.

It's a lot of trouble for God to temporarliy suspend the laws of time and space so a miracle can be accomplished.

Most of us don't deserve it, and wouldn't believe it anyway.

I doubt that God has any problem answering the sincere and fervent prayers of the truly faithful, so long as what they ask is consistent with his divine will.

Here's a coupe of interesting links that may shed some more light on this subject:

http://www.tfp.org/magazine/mag73/lourdes_medical.htm

http://metacrock.blogspot.com/2005/10/miracles-and-study-methodology.html

http://66.201.42.16/viewitem.php3?id=377&catid=371&kbid=ionsikc

Answer 3

First I am curious, do you mean by an amputee being healed that the limb grows back? And yes that has happened, not often Im sure but in the 50s I believe it was there was a revival in which there were people who did have parts of their body grow back. God is a God of miracles..whether your friend is Healed or not does not deminsh the power of God, sometimes the answer to prayers are NO, my faith is not conditional on how or what Gods answer is it is faith that he knows what is best for me. It has to do with what God is trying to accomplish in us thru our lives and how we handle it..How awesome that your friend knows that our God can heal...and to quote a friend of mine..the healing maynot come until heaven but it will come...never never give up hope...

Answer 4

Nope.
It's a relationship thing.
That always works better with communication.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

He listens and answers.
Sometimes the answer is no.

Answer 5

Not true (your last statement) Faith healing does work....kinda (by my expeirience anyway).

I have a few personal and have heard of many others tha have been healed or partially healed from what should have been "unfixable" problems or even death.

God doesnt care if you belive or not....well maybe kinda....BUT....he will work in mysterious ways.....often people are praying for the afflicted without them even knowing that they are being prayed for.

There are many times when my best friends daughter (who is quite severly problematic with spinabifida and hydrosyphipilas) shouldnt have pulled through. But, I belive that the hundreds of strangers praying with her, somebody is looking over her. Word of mouth spreads, and generally christians (and I would like to think even non-christians) pray for her or think about her.

Drawing attention to those who need help may in fact bring attention to her little body by those in another place.

I'll bet that even in the city you live, talk to one or two doctors and they will tell you that there is no way that someone should have survived...yet somehow they did.

When my grandfather was dying from a stroke and blood clot on the brain, we all prayed with and for him (even though he was completely paralyzed) that he would help bring closure to his sons and daughter. One last acknowledgement of the fact that they all showed up to be there with him by his side when he died. When we were all there (finally), I leaned over and gave him a silly toothless gum style kiss just like he always gave me as I was growing up, and he smiled ear to ear and then slowly passed.

Well, we belive that with the help of God, he was given one last chance to show all of us that he knew we had finally gathered as a family, even if it was for his passing, and that helpped all of us accept the fact that we had lost a family patriarch.

Answer 6

Miracles just happens in a mysterious manner. Jesus never said in his teaching that you will be healed or he will give processions on earth. He said who ever want to follow him must deny himself and he has to carry his CROSS. True Christianity about GIVING UP self rather than worshipping self,

Answer 7

Why are you so worried about what your friend believes? If it helps him sleep at night, what's wrong with it?
BTW you can "prove" anything you want with the selection of data you make.

Answer 8

I guess hope is hope. These things pray on the hopeful. It's sad really. Like vultures to road kill.

Answer 9

false premise. Healing is not fake.
You are a blowhard, though.

Answer 10

well obviously you didnt reaserch enouh...cause i have seen a miracle....oh yes....they are real...you just need to know what your talking about....