I noticed people were trying to stick it into the health care reform bill to be paid for? Nonsense of course, along with the acupuncture and other stuff they’re tossing in. But this is the part I don’t get:
Christian Scientists have to PAY to have prayerful well wishes sent their way?
I’ve heard of plenty of religions “encouraging donations” when clergy make an effort to pray or organize charitable help for a sick person, but flat out requiring a FEE for it, that they feel health insurance should cover? That seems even more ridiculous than “usual” religions.
Come on, Jules. One of the major functions of all religions, as far as the leaders go, is to make a buck (or a great many of them). You have to admire their creativity, if not their ethics.
Well most religions just sort of pressure for “donations.” I was rather surprised that the Christian Scientists just come right out and demand payment for “healing services.” I would have thought they incorporated it in Sunday services at no charge, and then passed the plate around. Sort of like the faith healers, you know how they call on audience members to come forward if they’re sick, then dance around like a chicken? It’s just pretty ballsy to come right out and say “We’ll pray for you to recover from your disease, for $200.”
I never knew much about Christian Scientists, except that they shun medical treatment. Oh, and that their sign says they have “reading rooms.”
Well most religions just sort of pressure for “donations.” I was rather surprised that the Christian Scientists just come right out and demand payment for “healing services.” I would have thought they incorporated it in Sunday services at no charge, and then passed the plate around. Sort of like the faith healers, you know how they call on audience members to come forward if they’re sick, then dance around like a chicken? It’s just pretty ballsy to come right out and say “We’ll pray for you to recover from your disease, for $200.”
I never knew much about Christian Scientists, except that they shun medical treatment. Oh, and that their sign says they have “reading rooms.”
They also demand payment to ‘advance’ in the ‘religion’, that’s why they go after the hollywood high school dropout crowd like Tom Cruise, Isaac Hayes, etc and refuse to allow you to leave once they have their hooks in you. If the Mafia were a religion, it would be CS!
Well most religions just sort of pressure for “donations.” I was rather surprised that the Christian Scientists just come right out and demand payment for “healing services.” I would have thought they incorporated it in Sunday services at no charge, and then passed the plate around. Sort of like the faith healers, you know how they call on audience members to come forward if they’re sick, then dance around like a chicken? It’s just pretty ballsy to come right out and say “We’ll pray for you to recover from your disease, for $200.”
I never knew much about Christian Scientists, except that they shun medical treatment. Oh, and that their sign says they have “reading rooms.”
They also demand payment to ‘advance’ in the ‘religion’, that’s why they go after the hollywood high school dropout crowd like Tom Cruise, Isaac Hayes, etc and refuse to allow you to leave once they have their hooks in you. If the Mafia were a religion, it would be CS!
No, that’s Scientology, I’m asking about Christian Scientists. Similar silly names and hocus pocus, different wackos!
I know one former Christian Scientist, he’s a good guy, a smart
guy, a CFI member, and arguing with his wife whether the children
should attend the local CFI Sunday gathering, or go to church.
Anyway, he describes the name “Christian Science” as using Jesus
as your science, in other words rely on Jesus in place of
relying on medical doctors. They put some pressure on their
members by looking down at them with disapproval and scolding
them if they utilize a doctor’s good services, as I hear.
Interesting. I never knew much about them. They are a very quiet and low key bunch, it seems. The only times I’ve heard of them on the news are those rare but horribly tragic trials where a child dies of lack of medical treatment. That makes me so angry.
What do you do if your leg is shattered in a car accident? Do you get the bone set? Or pray and scream in pain until you die of infection?
What I’ve found on the web is similar to what you mention, that members are “allowed” to seek medical treatment but can be shunned or “punished” if they do.
No, that’s Scientology, I’m asking about Christian Scientists. Similar silly names and hocus pocus, different wackos!
I always get those two mixed up! I’ve had run ins with them at the hospital, usually when one spouse is NOT a CS and talks the other into getting medical treatment for the child—loony toons!!
Article on the issue of government paying for prayer healing quackery, in the NYTimes today, with comments from Barry Lynn from Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Read it HERE:
December 5, 2009, 4:49 PM To a Divisive Debate, Now Add Religion
By BY KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
Should health insurance companies cover prayer as a legitimate medical expense?
The Christian Science church is seeking to insert a measure in the Senate’s health care legislation that would encourage private insurance companies to cover prayer and spiritual treatment of the sick, even though both the House and Senate turned down earlier versions.
The push is just one facet of a broader health care debate over whether the government should encourage — or use taxpayer money to support — alternative therapies and treatments that are not considered “evidence based.” ...
I have to wonder how sects like that can survive, with little
or no modern medicine. The Amish are like that too, I gather.
I guess it comes down to herd immunity and just keeping your
group’s birthrate up above the death rate, huh? Eeek, that
could get ugly for the women!
Interestingly enough, the Amish actually get medical care, and vaccinate their children. They also allow their DNA to be studied as they have rare genetic diseases in their community, due to the bloodlines being a bit uh…concentrated… Allowing this is very helpful to genetic researchers.
A false rumor that goes around the anti-vaccine websites is that the Amish don’t vaccinate their children, and have never had a case of autism in their community. Therefore vaccines cause autism. It was an article written by an “alternative medicine guy” who apparently drove through lancaster country, chatted with a few parents and asked them if their kids were autistic, then concluded that the entire autistic community has no autism. In reality they do vaccinate, and they do have autistic children. Here is a LINK about Amish and their autistic children.
“The idea that the Amish do not vaccinate their children is untrue,” says Dr. Kevin Strauss, MD, a pediatrician at the CSC. “We run a weekly vaccination clinic and it’s very busy.” He says Amish vaccinations rates are lower than the general population’s, but younger Amish are more likely to be vaccinated than older generations.”
They also tend to try a lot of “home remedies” before seeking medical care, for minor injuries and illness, which may contribute to the impression that they do not approve of medical care. Unfortunately, the anti-vaccine propaganda has caught up even to the Amish, and there is a lot of debate amongst the Amish community about whether they should stop vaccinating, noted in their community newspapers.
They have to pay for EVERYTHING!!
