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From: gdk@ssi.uucp (Gary D. Kline)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: questions and answers
Message-ID: <15701@handicap.news>
Date: 16 May 91 13:48:18 GMT
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Reply-To: gdk@ssi.uucp (Gary D. Kline)
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Fidonet: Blink Talk Conference

Index Number: 15701

Warren.Figueiredo@f6.n3800.z1.fidonet.org (Warren Figueiredo) writes:
>
>I know someone who was pestered by the aggressively religious. Not only
>did they lay hands on her several times hoping to cure her of low
>vision, but they convinced her to quit taking her madicine as a sign of
>faith.
>
>Needless to say, today she has no sight due to glaucoma and her
>fundamentalist Christian friends agree that not only did the girl not
>have enough faith to resotre her full sight but she must have sinned
>greatly for the Lord to take the rest of her vision away.

	This discussion brings back memories.  One, of a young man
	seriously crippled in an car accident whose fundamentalist family
	insisted he would get out of his wheelchair and walk if only he
	would pray and *believe.*   After months of intensive prayer didn't
	cure him, the believer's out was:  "Well, you simply don't 
	believe deeply enough."

	Several years ago I tuned into a faith-healer preaching over
	the radio.  A call-in program.  All callers were encouraged
	and supported enthusiastically.  Suddenly there was a caller
	that the minister hadn't expected:  someone whose speech was
	severely garbled.  After a few seconds of this, the faith-healer
	said, "Praise the Lord, son.  My advice to you is to pray and
	pray like you've never prayed before.  And you will be cured."
	The line was cut, and the program went to a commercial.

	It strikes me as strange that the fundamentalists only choose
	"plausible-impossible" situations such as making the blind see,
	or the wheelchair bound walk.  That they never take on the
	"impossible-impossible" miracles such as helping a double amputee
	grow new legs.

	Faith certainly has its place.  Some people would be adrift
	without it...  But there are times when faith oversteps it bounds.

			Keep the faith!
				--gary