The Faith Healers

Rating:
Summary: Very good reading
Review: For the skeptics that may think this book is an attack on religion or Faith in general this book does not attack either. This book is an angry outcry against those unscrupulous individuals that prey upon those in need. I love the almost scientific scrutiny that is used to debunk these men. He carefully examines several of these so called "Faith Healers", and makes a poiant argument that those that take advantage of others in the name of religion should be prosecuted.

Being a magician himself he is aware of many tricks of the trade when it comes to manipulating an audience, and uses his own personal experience to unveil when others use similar techniques. This book reminds me of the movie "Leap of Faith", but there is no happy ending in this book. Granted those of us that will read this book are the ones that are inclinded to not believe in the laying on of hands, or other types of "Healing". This is a good read and I highly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Exposition, but Needs Updating
Review: I remember six or so years ago when Peter Popoff, was exposed as a fraud and how he used a microphone and scouts in his rallies to find out information ahead of time so he could pretend to "know" that someone was in need of help and how he even planted people with crutches etc for healings. Thru reason and scientific fact James Randi shows why these smoke and mirror televangelists are like the small man behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz. Like me he isn't against reading or looking into other ideas and beliefs, since true knowledge is power. Personally I think every religious or new ager should read this book if for no other reason that it will at least plant the suggestion of things to pay attention to. It is like learning about the sleight of hand tricks that magicians use. The only difference is that magicians will tell you up front that it is an illusion, a sleight of hand and a "trick".

Rating:
Summary: Prophets For Profit: Let Us Prey!
Review: If only I could give it 10 stars....

This book by James Randi is a godsend (please excuse the expression) for those skeptics out there. Mr. Randi has written a wonderful work on the parasitical purveyors of the ultimate pseudo-science: faith healing. Whether it's exposing Peter Popoff's spirit-filled earpiece, Oral Roberts' death-defying bid for 8 million dollars, to Donald Grant's literal leg-pulling or Pat Robertson's hucksterism, Mr. Randi has the guts and intellect to stand up for those too gullible (or desperate) to defend themselves. Highly recommended!!!

Rating:
Summary: Randi exposes "faith-healing" frauds
Review: It is almost impossible to read this book and not be outraged by the callous and reprehensible behavior of the so-called "faith healers." Not only does Randi reveal the methods and tricks used by these charlatans, but he provides example after example, including actual documents, to back up his findings. He demonstrates just how disgracefully these individuals use every underhanded trick they can come up with to wring money out of people who honestly believe that their hard-earned dollars are going to support a good cause; they believe they are doing the right thing, when in actuality their donations are used to purchase sports cars, clothes, and new homes for these supposed "men of God."

It is unfathomable how someone like the previous reviewer can accuse Randi of being jealous of the money earned by the "faith healers." Randi is unfailingly respectful of those whom he sees as honestly pursuing their convictions, even though he feels they are misguided; for example, he bears no ill will towards Earnest Angley, one of the most famous faith healers of all, because he feels that Angley is sincere. But as for the charlatans and deceivers who prey upon the weak, Randi spares none of his wrath, and rightfully so. Why shouldn't he take off the kid gloves when dealing with people so vile that they would exploit the honest religious faith of good people for their own monetary gain?

Does the previous reviewer feel that it is legitimate for a minister to mail out packages of kool aid, call it the "blood of Christ," and ask for donations in excess of $100 from simple, hard-working people? Is it legitimate for them to concoct one so-called "crisis" after another in their ministry, in order to solicit funds which will go not towards any good cause, but rather, to support the extravagant lifestyle of the "minister?"

This book has nothing to do with "the power of faith;" it is about dishonesty and criminal behavior being perpetrated by frauds. And in spite of what the reviewer below has to say, Randi shows very clearly, with exhaustive examples, that such faith healing does NOT work.

Thanks again, Randi, for having the courage to stand up to evil.

Rating:
Summary: masterful research
Review: Randi does an excellent job of exposing these frauds who prey on the sick and despairing all for the sake of the almighty buck. The blatant lying,greed,hypocrisy of these "faith healers" is truly revolting. I don't blame Randi for being angry at this. These faith healers should be prosecuted. His book offers an excellent critique of the horrific abuses of these faith healers. Randi starts off with a history of faith healing and then goes on to show that not only is there no proof for faith healing, but that people are frequently pulled into this racket usually to their greater detriment. The main thrust of this book is to show that faith healing is really a racket put on by con artists who could't care less about the bible. They prey on people who are sick and despairing all for their own greed. There may be such things as faith healing, but so far we have no proof of it. If there is a god, he gave man reason to use in the pursuit of a reliable form of knowledge which is science, not in the mysticism and nebulous thinking of faith healers.

Rating:
Summary: Heal Thyself
Review: Randi is an American icon and institution. He has successfully debunked New Age spokemen, paranormal "scientists", ESP, UFO, psychokensis claims, Uri Geller...and done so with a sense of humor and humanity. Here, though, Randi is angry. It is not that the people who fall for these charlatans are any worse than the Hollywood morons who attend "channeling" session. No, what makes him so furious is that these hypocrites (faith healers, not Hollywood morons) play on the most vulnerable of our society in the most vulnerable area of their lives.

He recounts the behind-the-scenes misadventures of these "men of God" (and their women folk). I am sure at one time or another we have all seen some guy in a Gucci suit standing before a crowd of country bumpkins proclaiming that if they believed (and gave) they could be HEALED. Randi tells of the actors who work this pitiful bunch, the hidden microphones, the power of the Big Lie. And all of this is done in the name of religion!

Miracles, the act of suspending the laws of nature, may occur. But Randi contends that they cannot be reproduced in a closed environment following normal scientific procedures. When faced with having to perform under these circumstances the results are as one can imagine. If you want to confirm what you always thought then rush out and get this book.

Rating:
Summary: A Sad Account of Deception in the name of God
Review: This book serves as a reminder that nothing is sacred when it comes to making a quick buck. In it are accounts of the charlatans behind the money making schemes that play on the emotions and needs of humans. It tells the story of supposed ministers of God that make a mockery of religion and care little for the efficacy of their work or for the human lives they shatter. James Randi does an excellent job of exposing the con artists for what they are; and how they consistently and repeatedly refuse to put their claims to the test. Read the book and become informed of the deception, insincerity, and insensitivity that are the faith healers.

Rating:
Summary: Great book, needs a new edition
Review: This is a great book exposing the various frauds and fakes that hide behind the religious tax codes. I concur with what has been said by others, but I am concerned that the book is very out of date. My edition (purchased last year) was published in 1989. A second edition would be very welcome - one that traced more recent frauds, as well as their recent forays into the internet, especially if the book employed a better type face and paper.

Rating:
Summary: Placebo Effect and The Chosen Ones
Review: Those who get "fooled" are those who want to get "fooled". As for the chosen ones - everyone is chosen who chooses himself.

The first notable thing in the Bible is a statement that the "Kingdom of God is WITHIN" each and every person. There are also few other appropriate statements as "YE ARE GODS" (EVERYONE, not one person as opposite to another), and the statement made by Jesus that "You shall do EVEN GREATER THINGS that I do".

People are afraid to embrace their own God-given power, so yes, there are those who take advantage of it. It seems on the surface that medical doctors are fairing better than faith healers and sometimes they are, sometimes theya re not. It is ludicrous looking upon medical experts as all powerful just as much as it is surrendering the power over one's life to anyone else, whether he comes by the name of faith healer, or any other name.

A friend of mine recently went to the dentist where he was given certain medication. He also received a pamphlet that stated that the possible side-effects of that medication are the same as "SIDE-EFFECTS of the PLACEBO" and then it began listing effects such as headaches, nausea, etc. Yes, you read it right! My friend, a fellow hypnotist, gave me to read and re-read the pamphlet because he wasn't sure whether his eyes were playing tricks on him or is it that medical experts don't have a clue what is a PLACEBO.

I began pondering what is the difference between a medical doctor giving a patient a placebo vs. a person who would be called a charlatan selling "snake oil" as a remedy on the street? The effects would be exactly the same - a drug called "krebiozen" may have more fancy name and a doctor may be said to abuse his title and trust of a patient by giving him a placebo - but the point is placebos have been documented to be often as effective, as sometimes even more effective than "real" drugs.

The proper medical care once involved using leeches and amputating parts of people's bodies in the name of healing. Today, it doesn't involve leeches, it only involves the use of rather poisonous drugs with bad side-effects and it still involves taking parts of the people's bodies out. Just pick a copy of a compendium of pharmaceutical drugs and read the effects and side-effects of most drugs - you'll soon discover that while the drug used in a proper medical care will help you to get rid of one health problem, it will likely cause the emergence of 20 new health problems (this is good for medical and pharmaceutical industry because it will give them jobs for a long time and will keep them busy).

As much as there are "faith healers" abusing the trust people place in them, there are just as many medical experts. And if they seem "evil" - there are some hospitals in Toronto which got very bad reputation because of the experiments they conducted there (in the name of science). Some such experiments involved stopping the oxygen to babies in the incubator to find out how long they can last without air. Of course, the only way that could be discovered is by keeping the air long enough until they'd drop dead. Guess how delighted that made the parents?

I also know of doctors who were ignorant an impotent in helping people getting rid of some serious health problems and who became mightily furious when these people managed to heal themselves entirely through natural means (drugs that they were taking were making them sicker and sicker, so they stopped taking them).

You can pick up Cialdini's book on Influence and get more lovely stories under the section of "authority" where the proper medical care involved amputating the wrong leg of a man, or where for the sake of experiment the nurse was given instruction to give to a patient a deadly dose of medication which she unquestioningly and dutifully proceed to put into action, against her better judgment - because oh, well, doctor is the one who has authority and what does she care.

Maybe you've heard the saying "operation was successful, but the patient died."

Yes, there are times when medical care is helpful, there are times when placebos are helpful and there are times when faith healers are helpful - and there are times when all may be ineffective, and worse - have disastrous consequences.

The responsibility for health doesn't lie in the hands of medical doctors or in the hands of faith healers. Those who have to go to faith healers, don't have enough faith themselves, to begin with - they have not learned how to use their own God-given powers, the power of their minds to heal their bodies.

Those who put their faith into faith healers are no better off than those who put their faith and responsibility for their health upon medical experts.

The Kingdom of God is WITHIN, but boy, does it take an effort to acess it and people just don't like to bother.

Simontons (medical doctors) used to teach seminars to help people use the power of their mind to heal themselves from cancer. A good deal of people would leave before making any attempt because they just didn't want to trouble themselves - why take responsibility for your own health when someone else can do it and sometimes the easiest way just seems giving up and dropping dead. At least that takes no effort at all.

If you think that faith healers are more tricky than medical doctors and pharmaceutical industry - do some more research - there are many more of them who are interested in how much money they can get in the process, than in your own wellbeing and neither groups is too willing to admit the limitations of their "power and authority".

Medical experts will drug you, poison you, radiate you and chop you to pieces until there's nothing left of you (hey, they're just doing their best to help you), faith healers will let you come to your natural end. In either event, you'll be much better off learning to take care of your own health, so you don't have to depend on the mercy or ignorance of either tribe of villains.


Rating:
Summary: Another good one from Mr Randi
Review: Unfortunately, the people who would benefit from this book probably don't read much. Still it serves as a good reminder of how downright rotten certain people are. Not as well written as some of Randi's other books, but every bit as entertaning.