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Faith Healers in Ireland

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  • 22-08-2013 1:46pm
    #1
    Chin Stroker
    Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭


    Has anyone ever had experience of one? Are they all con men/women or is there strong evidence that they can cure ailments?


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    #2
    bodice ripper
    Registered Users Posts: 4,681 ✭✭✭bodice ripper


    I have some magic beans which are great for lower lumbar pain, if you want them.....


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    #3
    FatherLen
    Registered Users Posts: 3,808 ✭✭✭FatherLen


    There was a poster around these parts a while back who claimed he could heal people with a kick to the face.


    I can't remember his name though...


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    #4
    smoking_kills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 488 ✭✭smoking_kills


    Chin Stroker wrote: »
    Has anyone ever had experience of one? Are they all con men/women or is there strong evidence that they can cure ailments?

    No experience of them. I'd burn my money before giving it to any of them :D
    Yes each and every one, though some have convinced themselves it works :confused:
    Not a shred of evidence. :eek:


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    #5
    enda1
    Registered Users Posts: 5,166 ✭✭✭enda1


    The clue is in the name OP, "Faith". So no, there is no evidence of their success.


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    #6
    shopaholic01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,916 ✭✭✭shopaholic01


    Has anyone ever used them? What exactly do they do?


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    #7
    Sofiztikated
    Registered Users Posts: 6,995 ✭✭✭Sofiztikated


    shopaholic01 wrote: »
    Has anyone ever used them? What exactly do they do?

    Not a whole pile, and if you get better, it was because of them.


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    #8
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,251 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    Tis a great system. You get better, it works. You don't, your faith wasn't strong enough...

    Schysters.


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    #9
    BeerWolf
    Registered Users Posts: 4,122 ✭✭✭BeerWolf


    They're all cons.


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    #10
    smoking_kills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 488 ✭✭smoking_kills


    shopaholic01 wrote: »
    Has anyone ever used them? What exactly do they do?

    They chant , use Crystals, pyramid healing, Reiki, some even pray :eek:, poke you but not in a sexual way :eek:, tell u what utter rubbish modern medicine is, and that their medicine has been used for centuries, because apparently that makes all the difference, list unknown and unconfirmed reports of their success, again tell you what utter rubbish modern medicine is. Tell you about Mary who they cured of tinnitus (What?) And if you don't get better, well its your fault for not having enough Faith, while counting your cash. ;)


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    #11
    shopaholic01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,916 ✭✭✭shopaholic01


    smoking_kills wrote: »
    They chant , use Crystals, pyramid healing, Reiki, some even pray :eek:, poke you but not in a sexual way :eek:, tell u what utter rubbish modern medicine is, and that their medicine has been used for centuries, because apparently that makes all the difference, list unknown and unconfirmed reports of their success, again tell you what utter rubbish modern medicine is. Tell you about Mary who they cured of tinnitus (What?) And if you don't get better, well its your fault for not having enough Faith, while counting your cash. ;)
    Sounds legit! :P


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    #12
    wil
    Registered Users Posts: 4,188 ✭✭✭wil


    BeerWolf wrote: »
    They're all cons.
    No:confused: That 'kick to the face chap' sounds genuine enough.

    "Immediate results"
    "You'll never complain again"
    "Lower back pain forgotten or your teeth back"


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    #13
    smoking_kills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 488 ✭✭smoking_kills


    wil wrote: »
    "Lower back pain forgotten or your teeth back"

    LMFAO......comment of the week for me....


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    #14
    lee_baby_simms
    Registered Users Posts: 3,412 ✭✭✭lee_baby_simms


    shopaholic01 wrote: »
    Has anyone ever used them? What exactly do they do?

    Exploit vulnerable people with empty promises and false claims in exchange for money.


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    #15
    blacklilly
    Registered Users Posts: 2,687 ✭✭✭blacklilly


    When I was 15 I had a skin disorder and none of the drugs/sterioids prescribed to me by any doctor worked. My juinor cert was coming up and I literally could not open my hands because of this skin disorder (therefore I couldn't write). As no prescribed drugs were working my parents decided to bring me to a healer, it was the their last option, after two visits my skin cleared up completely and this issue has never arisen again.
    I don't need to read journals on whether there is any scientific evidence that these healers can work. I witnessed the best evidence there is.
    Oh btw this healer did not ask for money, there was an option to leave a donation for a charity but there was no pressure to give any money.


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    #16
    daheff
    Registered Users Posts: 5,847 ✭✭✭daheff


    a good few years back I picked up a virus and couldnt shake it. Was pretty sick with it for about a month. At this stage I'd been to the doctor a load of times and was getting nowhere. The mother decided she needed to bring me to one of these people.

    So in we went into his gaff. He took one look at me, asked me to put out one of my arms with the palm of hand facing down. Pushed down lightly on the arm a bit. did something else, then asked me to put same arm out, but palm facing up. Then he did his pushing down on the arm again, but this time all the way until my arm reached my side. He decided that this was what was causing the problem and gave me some foul tasting sh***t to take a spoon of twice a day for a week. All would be good afterwards he told me. I asked him how did he know...and he said it was because he could easily push my arm to my side the second time. I told him sure, but thats cos you changed the way he had me hold my arm out and the first time made it easier to resist his pushing down on my arm.

    He was couldnt explain any further. Needless to say I took one or two spoons of the stuff (to keep the mother happy) and threw the rest out

    took weeks until a blood test came back and found out the real problem...which was then easily sorted by 'conventional' medicine


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    #17
    Malari
    Registered Users Posts: 18,150 ✭✭✭✭Malari


    blacklilly wrote: »
    When I was 15 I had a skin disorder and none of the drugs/sterioids prescribed to me by any doctor worked. My juinor cert was coming up and I literally could not open my hands because of this skin disorder (therefore I couldn't write). As no prescribed drugs were working my parents decided to bring me to a healer, it was the their last option, after two visits my skin cleared up completely and this issue has never arisen again.
    I don't need to read journals on whether there is any scientific evidence that these healers can work. I witnessed the best evidence there is.
    Oh btw this healer did not ask for money, there was an option to leave a donation for a charity but there was no pressure to give any money.

    An anecdote is not evidence.


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    #18
    smoking_kills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 488 ✭✭smoking_kills


    blacklilly wrote: »
    When I was 15 I had a skin disorder and none of the drugs/sterioids prescribed to me by any doctor worked. My juinor cert was coming up and I literally could not open my hands because of this skin disorder (therefore I couldn't write). As no prescribed drugs were working my parents decided to bring me to a healer, it was the their last option, after two visits my skin cleared up completely and this issue has never arisen again.
    I don't need to read journals on whether there is any scientific evidence that these healers can work. I witnessed the best evidence there is.
    Oh btw this healer did not ask for money, there was an option to leave a donation for a charity but there was no pressure to give any money.

    I had a headache the other day, but the grass need cutting and it was going to rain. So I went out and cut the grass anyway. Low and behold when i was finished my headache was gone.

    Therefore cutting grass cures headaches. I don't need journals or long term peer reviewed studies, case studies or any of that non-seance . I KNOW what happened.

    On a side note, I'll rent my lawn mower to anyone with a headache, for a price of course. 100% guaranteed.


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    #19
    kylith
    Registered Users Posts: 17,736 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    blacklilly wrote: »
    When I was 15 I had a skin disorder and none of the drugs/sterioids prescribed to me by any doctor worked. My juinor cert was coming up and I literally could not open my hands because of this skin disorder (therefore I couldn't write). As no prescribed drugs were working my parents decided to bring me to a healer, it was the their last option, after two visits my skin cleared up completely and this issue has never arisen again.
    I don't need to read journals on whether there is any scientific evidence that these healers can work. I witnessed the best evidence there is.
    Oh btw this healer did not ask for money, there was an option to leave a donation for a charity but there was no pressure to give any money.

    May I suggest that you put the Irish Association of Dermatologists onto this healer. Such a prodigious gift could help thousands of people.

    Jesus, if I could cure people like that I'd be healing people on the street corners.


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    #20
    omahaid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,497 ✭✭✭omahaid


    Up there with homeopathy - complete rubbish


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    #21
    blacklilly
    Registered Users Posts: 2,687 ✭✭✭blacklilly


    Malari wrote: »
    An anecdote is not evidence.

    I'm not here to prove anything to you. All I can tell you is that it worked for me and I wouldn't be too quick to laugh at it, that's all.
    Someday, medicine may not work for you and it may push you to try something that you usually wouldn't consider.
    I went through 9 months of broken, infected skin covering nearly half of my body,doctors, consultants etc could not understand it, numerous drugs passed through by body with no positive effects and in some cases made it worse.
    Two visits to a healer and it cleared up, simple as


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    #22
    blacklilly
    Registered Users Posts: 2,687 ✭✭✭blacklilly


    smoking_kills wrote: »
    I had a headache the other day, but the grass need cutting and it was going to rain. So I went out and cut the grass anyway. Low and behold when i was finished my headache was gone.

    Therefore cutting grass cures headaches. I don't need journals or long term peer reviewed studies, case studies or any of that non-seance . I KNOW what happened.

    On a side note, I'll rent my lawn mower to anyone with a headache, for a price of course. 100% guaranteed.

    The OP asked a question, I told them of my expereince with a healer. Why is everyone on Boards.ie so riddled with undertones of anger??

    So glad to hear your headache cleared up, I hear grass is good for other things too!


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    #23
    shopaholic01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,916 ✭✭✭shopaholic01


    blacklilly wrote: »
    I'm not here to prove anything to you. All I can tell you is that it worked for me and I wouldn't be too quick to laugh at it, that's all.
    Someday, medicine may not work for you and it may push you to try something that you usually wouldn't consider.
    I went through 9 months of broken, infected skin covering nearly half of my body,doctors, consultants etc could not understand it, numerous drugs passed through by body with no positive effects and in some cases made it worse.
    Two visits to a healer and it cleared up, simple as
    Maybe it had naturally just run its course? Some skin conditions do clear up almost overnight.


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    #24
    BeerWolf
    Registered Users Posts: 4,122 ✭✭✭BeerWolf


    People often say "As a last option", and then the person in question is healed - it was most likely just sorted with time, i.e. - You'd have healed up regardless of you having that faith healer there or not. Them being there is just merely a staged coincidence.


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    #25
    kylith
    Registered Users Posts: 17,736 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    smoking_kills wrote: »

    On a side note, I'll rent my lawn mower to anyone with a headache, for a price of course. 100% guaranteed.

    No! Not a price, a donation. Totally voluntary, of course.


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    #26
    shopaholic01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,916 ✭✭✭shopaholic01


    kylith wrote: »
    No! Not a price, a donation. Totally voluntary, of course.
    How much of a 'donation' is expected?


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    #27
    Toby Take a Bow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Toby Take a Bow


    blacklilly wrote: »
    I'm not here to prove anything to you. All I can tell you is that it worked for me and I wouldn't be too quick to laugh at it, that's all.

    I think the point is that you don't know whether the faith healing worked, there could be a million reasons why your condition stopped.


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    #28
    kylith
    Registered Users Posts: 17,736 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    BeerWolf wrote: »
    People often say "As a last option", and then the person in question is healed - it was most likely just sorted with time, i.e. - You'd have healed up regardless of you having that faith healer there or not. Them being there is just merely a staged coincidence.

    Some steroids, for example, can take a good while to kick in, especially with chronic conditions. Check out Embarrassing Bodies; people are occasionally put on antibiotics for months, especially for skin complaints.


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    #29
    kylith
    Registered Users Posts: 17,736 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    shopaholic01 wrote: »
    How much of a 'donation' is expected?

    Oh, you know, whatever you can afford. No pressure. As much as you think me curing you is worth. Totally no pressure though.


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    #30
    smoking_kills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 488 ✭✭smoking_kills


    blacklilly wrote: »
    I'm not here to prove anything to you. All I can tell you is that it worked for me and I wouldn't be too quick to laugh at it, that's all.
    Someday, medicine may not work for you and it may push you to try something that you usually wouldn't consider.
    I went through 9 months of broken, infected skin covering nearly half of my body,doctors, consultants etc could not understand it, numerous drugs passed through by body with no positive effects and in some cases made it worse.
    Two visits to a healer and it cleared up, simple as

    But have you ever considered any alternative explanations.

    Coincidence..The skin disorder went away by itself. Cancers do this ,as do may disease..

    The drugs the Doctors gave you did work, just not in the time frame they expected...

    Placebo..Well understood and verified effect.

    All 3 are better explanations of what happened, obey all know laws of Physics/chemistry and biology. And don't invoke magic/faith in ANY way.


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    #31
    Malari
    Registered Users Posts: 18,150 ✭✭✭✭Malari


    blacklilly wrote: »
    I'm not here to prove anything to you. All I can tell you is that it worked for me and I wouldn't be too quick to laugh at it, that's all.
    Someday, medicine may not work for you and it may push you to try something that you usually wouldn't consider.

    No, it won't.
    blacklilly wrote: »
    I went through 9 months of broken, infected skin covering nearly half of my body,doctors, consultants etc could not understand it, numerous drugs passed through by body with no positive effects and in some cases made it worse.
    Two visits to a healer and it cleared up, simple as

    I'm sorry you went through that, it sounds awful. It's just that your visit to the "healer" is not enough evidence to show that he/she is what cleared it up. It was just a coincidence because evidence has shown that people do not posess healing powers.


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