Exploitation through Testimony

[jesusandyou]

In Charismatic world, every day you listen to testimonies like you were a drug addict for 7 years and one fine day you became born again. You were a lone ranger and finally you found joy. You were a Chain Smoker but you got freed. You were an alcoholic now you got freed through Jesus.

The people who listen to such kind of testimonies will start believing them. Do you think such kind of testimonies need a medical certifcates attached to prove it's truthfulness? Can this reduce (not eradicate) the corruption happening in the Christian world?

I advocate for medical certificates.

[Seeker]

Jesusandyou,

In my opinion, this is a problem that is not restricted to what you call the Charismatic world.  There are wolves out there everywhere who will prey on our tendency for a quick fix.  The truth is, God works in His own time, and the "fix" may not necessarily be what or the way we want it to be.  


Even exorcisms sometimes take years.  Faith in God is one thing, but belief that He will work the way we want Him to work is not true faith, IMHO.  This brings to mind that "not so holy" trinity of Me, Myself, and I.

[DavidFilmer]

It is usually much easier to avoid a sinful habit for a short time than a long time.  Someone who gets enthuastiac about God may find the strength to avoid a sinful habit for a while. But as the days, weeks, and months grind on, often that enthusiasm wanes, and the person falls back into the bad habits.

In the case of the Christian who attributes his earlier success to the work of the Holy Spirit, this can be very disconcerting - has God abandoned him? And, if the person has publically testified about the experience, what will people think now that he is drinking or using drugs (etc) again?

Unfortunately, this leads people to hide their problems even more, rather than seeking help and comfort from the Christian community.

That's why it makes me uncomfortable to hear someone speak of being "cured" of bad habits by the work of the Lord. If the bad habits return, the person is likely to feel even more helpless against them, and more likely to conceal it from those who might be able to help. These people may continue to testify about the divine healing (to "save face"), while secretly living the sinful or destructive lifestyle. This adds to the person's guilt and dispair (and sin), and misleads other Christians.

I have often thought how nice it would be if God would simply take away my sinful desires. In other words, if God would grant me free will to do everything EXCEPT this and that - in that area I want no free will; I want God to force my will against it. But God does not work that way. Free will is humanity's greatest gift and also our greatest challenge. God will give us his graces ("My Grace is sufficient unto thee") but will never short-circut our ability to reject those graces.

[Satish]

hi jesusandyou,

Similar to the way you have argued, someone may advocate for a medical certificate where the person was cured of back-ache, spondalytis, where the person had been restored sight, where the person had cured of hearing and the list can go on.

Thanks and God bless
Satish

[DavidFilmer]

There is already the Bureau des Constatations Medicales in Lourdes which investigates claims of miracle healings, and works very closely with the Catholic Church to substantiate such claims when the canonization of a Saint or the validity of an apparition is in question. If this Bureau certifies a case of healing, there can be little doubt that it is authentic, and the Magesterial authority accepts those findings without hesitation.

[jesusandyou]

Will "Bureau des Constatations Medicales in Lourdes" investigage a healing if I say I am healed of my headache through a Charismatic Catholic Priest at a retreat?

[DavidFilmer]

It is unlikely that you could have such a cure as a headache certified by the Bureau.  The standards of evidence of the Bureau are VERY high. It is medically impossible to prove you have a headache in the first place, and it is medically impossible to prove you have been cured of it. And, even so, headaches may be cured by many natural means (asprin works wonders, and morphene will usually work where asprin will not). The Bureau will not certify ANY case which could have ANY possible natural explanation (regardless of how unlikely the natural explanation is).

The Bureau was founded in 1858 (146 years ago) and has considered thousands of cases. Only 68 have been certified (fewer than one every two years). The Catholic Church does not formally endorse "miracles" lightly.