Re: Belief and the Brain

On 1/14/06, D. F. Siemens, Jr. <dfsiemensjr@juno.com> wrote:
>
> If your interpretation is right, then hemorrhage is psychosomatic and
> requires only positive thinking to cure. Of course, you cite only the most
> abbreviated version of the miracle in Matthew 9. Accounts also occur in Mark
> 5 and Luke 8. Both these accounts note that Jesus was aware that power
> (/dunamis/) had gone out from him. Faith plus Jesus' power is different from
> mere faith, indeed, even from our faith in Jesus.
>

I don't think anyone's suggesting that hemorrhage is psychosomatic. Note
that I said:

I'm not saying that this wasn't a supernatural miracle, but just the placebo
effect, but it doesn't take away the main point that the man must have heard
Jesus, heard the authority he had, and BELIEVED he could get up and walk.

I'm sure that given the account, it was supernatural. But the man still had
to believe he could get up and walk. What I'm suggesting is that maybe as
well as just being an account of a miracle, the spiritual lesson for us is
the importance of faith. A modern example of this is in a book called "Out
of the Dark" by Linda Caine. It documents her long struggle with suicidal
depression, and terrifying flashbacks of a traumatic childhood experience
where she was sexually abused by her mother's brother at the age of four.
Three years therapy with a Jungian psychotherapist (who co-writes the book
with her) managed to uncover all the details of what was causing the
depression. The theory said that if you could understand fully what
happened in the past, it would become a "normal" memory and you could deal
with it. Linda could not deal with it, and the uncovering of the horror of
what happened to her made it much worse - she had repeated nightmares when
she would wake up screaming and try to smash the window and jump out (as she
said, she kept the glaziers in the mental hospital in business!).
Ultimately she was cured by prayer. She contacted a woman from a Christian
healing fellowship, fasted for three days, and went to be prayed for (Linda
is an evangelical Christian). The healer woman possessed remarkable
spiritual insight, and when she prayed, evidently knew exactly the words to
say, that Linda needed to hear. The effect was almost instant - she
describes how everything seemed to come into focus, a weight being lifted,
colours appearing brighter, and an absolute conviction that the illness was
over. Her psychotherapist (not a Christian) who writes the next chapter
noted immediately the dramatic change in her - like someone had switched a
light on behind her eyes. Though he was not a Christian, he noted that we
should nevery underestimate the power of prayer.

One further observation I'd make. I think as soon as one mentions the word
"psychosomatic", there is a feeling that it's a derogatory word, implying
it's "all in the mind", or that you're making it up or imagining it. In
reality it's much more complex than that. The interaction between the mind
or the body is very strong. Thoughts produce moods, which in turn cause
chemicals to be released and physical symptoms to occur. How many people
here, for instance have been moved to tears by a piece of music, or watching
a sad film, or one with an unexpectedly happy ending. The chain or
reactions leading to the shedding of tears, opening of tear ducts etc
originated in the mind, with thoughts, feelings etc.

Iain

By the Mosaic Law, the woman was unclean. She violated the Law both by
> moving through the crowd and by touching Jesus' robe. Would she have been
> healed by standing outside of the press and believing that Jesus would heal
> her? Prove your answer.
> Dave
>
> On Fri, 13 Jan 2006 20:26:10 -0500 "jack syme" <drsyme@cablespeed.com>
> writes:
>
> *Mastthew: 19* As Jesus and the disciples were going to the official's
> home, *20* a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years came up
> behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, *21* for she thought, "If
> I can just touch his robe, I will be healed." *22* Jesus turned around and
> said to her, "Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well." And
> the woman was healed at that moment.
>
>
> Her belief, her faith, made her well.
>
>

--
-----------
After the game, the King and the pawn go back in the same box.
- Italian Proverb
-----------