Faith Healers

[jake]

Do you believe in them?

One of my neighbors who i would describe as a intelligent guy hurt his foot/ankle on New Years Eve.
The next morning he went to the 'best' faith healer in our area as it was swollen. Later on when he returned home his foot was wrapped in leaves with a bandage to hold them in place. The faith healer told him a bone was broken and she had put it back in place One week later he has no swelling or pain. Its a miracle

There are still a large percentage of the population that believe in faith healers and i do understand that a lot of medicines come from plants, roots, bark etc. Just don't get how she can she can fix a broken bone within a week

My apologies if this subject has come up before. Did look first

[joebloggs]

who needs the 'faith' the healer or the patient

a picture i took in Palawan April of last year

Attachment 7604

[fred]

Just don't get how she can she can fix a broken bone within a week

How did your neighbour know there was a broken bone? An X Ray?
If yes I would offer to pay for another X ray to compare the 2.
No..I dont believe in faith healers,but I might if you upload and display the Xrays confirming the miracle!!
Cheers,
Fred.

[jake]

How did your neighbour know there was a broken bone?

The faith healer told him it was broken
Managed to keep a straight face when he told me!
I usually don't say anything as have learned its the best way.
Am curious if any of the Filipina ladies will reply to my question?

[stevewool]

imyself thinks there must be other ways to cure things rather then going to the doctors who then gives you a tablet that cost you a arm and a leg, dont know about broken bones, but hey i was not there

[Michael Parnham]

Dont believe in faith healers, also not a believer in wizards, ghosts, witches, or anything thats not for real, in fact its very common for parents of small children in Philippines to tell a child that if he or she won't do as its told, thay are threatened by being told a monster will get them, how stupid is that!!

[stevewool]

we too was told that also about getting out of bed, the monster under the bed will get you,i try it now with Em but its the monster under the sheets that will get her

[joebloggs]

from the excellent 'mind body and kick ass' bbc series

i remember chris putting a pinoy champ on their

[raynaputi]

Everytime we go to province for a vacation when we were kids, we seek faith healers if something like a body part hurts. Usually just simple stuffs like upset tummy or hurting arms/legs and the likes. All they do is put some oil and massage that body part and then put leaves afterwards. The faith healer just say chants and all that. As a kid, well yeah it is something you would believe effective, as after the massage, the pain kinda goes away (mind over matter). But as we grew older, we'd know it's not real. My parents don't believe, my grandparents do, as it's very common especially in the province. But once a major issue arise, like might be a broken bone, my parents and grandparents would immediately go to the doctor.

It is prevalent in provinces, even saying excuses or asking permission to pass to some magical dwarfs or creatures living in clumps of soil or among the trees (we call it "nuno sa punso" and you'll just say "tabi-tabi po" or "makikiraan po") whenever you pass by their houses as it would upset them if you don't and might cause you some harm.

[Tawi2]

Charlatans,pure and simple,I saw a faith healer in pinas in the 1990's,in fact they wanted a "Donation" to watch BUT you couldnt stand too close These psychic-surgeons are simply strengthening superstition in a country that thrives on mumbo-jumbo falsities and falacies,visit san antonio on siquijor during "Holy" week,you see quack-doctors and mambabarangs selling snake-oil potions and love-spells and barangs,what a croc of toffee,but as long as people BELIEVE and thats the crucial word BELIEF then the trade and the mysticism will continue

[fred]

One of our gardeners was telling us that his mother was sick and they were going to have a meeting with the Hilot to solve the illness mystery..
Next day he told us that the hilot asked questions of them about a dispute the mother had with a neighbour.. He told them that the neighbour had ill feelings towards them and had put a spell on his Mum which made her sick.
Now.. He had something that would ward off the spell and advised them to purchase it from him..
A MAGIC BELT!!
Yes.. The spell on his Mum would eventually kill her unless they laid out 10,000 Pesos for this belt that would serve as a barrier to the evil spell afflicting poor ole Mum.
The next day they approached a 5/6 dealer to ask for a loan of 10k..
I did try to explain that the hilot was a very bad person and a liar etc but he was unwilling to take the risk so he borrowed the money and bought the belt for his old girl..
**** me!!!! Im in the wrong game!!

[Tawi2]

Ahhhh,the old Hilot every village should have one(just like an idiot) and they always have an antidote to ward off or hex any barang

[Terpe]

I tend to believe in some areas of healing using natural things from plants and organisms etc.
Not really faith healing.
I don't reall believe at all in those faith healers, especiall those 'quack' healers in Philippines.

Most of todays medicines and cures etc are from nature.
Even the ubiquitous Aspirin was originally from the bark of the Willow tree.

I believe in Kisspirin

[Jamesey]

All faith healers are charlatans.

Any beneficial effect that they might have is just the placebo effect.

But what interests me is whether they all know that they are frauds, or if some actually believe that they can perform some sort of "healing"?

[-sillybilly-]

Everytime we go to province for a vacation when we were kids, we seek faith healers if something like a body part hurts. Usually just simple stuffs like upset tummy or hurting arms/legs and the likes. All they do is put some oil and massage that body part and then put leaves afterwards. The faith healer just say chants and all that. As a kid, well yeah it is something you would believe effective, as after the massage, the pain kinda goes away (mind of matter). But as we grew older, we'd know it's not real. My parents don't believe, my grandparents do, as it's very common especially in the province. But once a major issue arise, like might be a broken bone, my parents and grandparents would immediately go to the doctor.

It is prevalent in provinces, even saying excuses or asking permission to pass to some magical dwarfs or creatures living in clumps of soil or among the trees (we call it "nuno sa punso" and you'll just say "tabi-tabi po" or "makikiraan po") whenever you pass by their houses as it would upset them if you don't and might cause you some harm.

Hey Rayna didnt you noticed them whispering some sort of prayers and they will spit on the leaves before they stick it on you?

[Tawi2]

magical dwarfs.......... living in.........the trees

On siquijor I fell asleep under an old tree,acacia or banyan I think it was,anyway I was told not to do so again as I was very lucky the small man who lived in the tree hadnt came out and posessed me or addled my brain,some poeple are scared to pass trees like that after dark

[raynaputi]

Hey Rayna didnt you noticed them whispering some sort of prayers and they will spit on the leaves before they stick it on you?

I didn't care at that time as it's usually not me, but my younger siblings!

[-sillybilly-]

I was taken once to a faith healer when i was young. As I was so sick and vomiting. So my dad took me and somehow i did get better.

And when i think about how did i get better.... Ahhhh! It was the fresh air that i needed when we were on our way.

I did used to believe and now i dont.

[Doc Alan]

It’s very interesting to have our Filipino friends’ perspectives on faith healers, in addition to sensible posts from other members.

Such " healing " is founded on the belief that certain people – or places – have the ability to cure and heal, through a close connection to a “ higher power “. It does seem that public interest and trust in the mythical practices of faith healers may be dwindling in the Philippines, as elsewhere in the world. But the miracles claimed by practitioners and believers – especially psychic surgery where whole body organs appear to be removed without a single knife cut – remain a challenge to explain. There’s little faith healing cannot do, according to proponents !

Faith healing MAY promote peace of mind, reduce stress, relieve anxiety and even pain, and strengthen the will to live. Even if this is a “ placebo effect “, it should not be ridiculed, while at the same time not be relied upon as the ONLY treatment.

There is no available scientific evidence that faith healing can cure physical ailments. For example, children “ treated “ by faith healing alone do less well than those having “ conventional “ treatment.

It’s true that many effective drugs ARE derived from plants. But the ONLY way they are proved to be effective is by clinical trials - comparing existing treatments and drugs with new treatments. All aspects of medical diagnosis and treatment these days are “ evidence based “.


Members should be relieved to know that doctors don’t rely on hunches, educated guesses or even just experience. This is why the desperately sad case of Neon Roberts ( the boy with the brain tumour ) is not made easier by his mother’s reluctance to accept the need for treatment based on best evidence, rather than unproven alternative therapies. In his case it is down to some chance of normal life … or no chance at all.

[fred]

On siquijor I fell asleep under an old tree,acacia or banyan I think it was,anyway I was told not to do so again as I was very lucky the small man who lived in the tree hadnt came out and posessed me or addled my brain,some poeple are scared to pass trees like that after dark

The good news about that Tawi is that they are afraid to cut those lovely trees down..
Trust me...Its the only reason they are still standing.