Replies

INCREDIBLE.

1. I cannot imagine ever again taking any protestation from any RC hereon about any purported slander by any Protty with more than a molecule of salt.

2. If I come up with such a testimonial by an MD in good standing in his community, will you repent of such outrageous statements against Pastor Wright?

I, for one, have no problem with the concept of miraculous healing. I can't imagine any believing Catholic who would. (After all, there are enough Catholic pilgrimages to Lourdes to testify otherwise)

Having said that, I also know that there are more charlatans who prey upon those with weak minds and weak faiths (both Protestant and Catholic, btw) to know that there are charlatans out there.

I know nothing about this Rev. Wright to say anything about him one way or the other. So any comments I make are general in nature and do not reflect ANYTHING about him.

Having said that, I would say that the following would be good guidelines regarding the subject of healings:

I would call into question anybody (again, either Catholic or Protestant) who asks for, explicitly or implicitly, payment in exchange for any cure. That is not to say that a person could not offer, on a free-will basis, a gift in thanksgiving...but that gift should not be a predicate. See Acts chapter 8 in regards to the sin of simony.
I would call into question anybody (again, either Catholic or Protestant) who identifies himself/herself as a great healer...or even who says that God works mightily through himself/herself. (See 1 Cor 15:19...consider Paul's attitude about himself) -- consider the spiritual forces involved with Reiki -- where the "minister" uses his/her "internal powers -- given by God" to "heal." Seems like meekness is a far more authentic virtue.
I would call into question anybody (again, either Catholic or Protestant) who practices a healing ministry only (or even primarily) in very public settings. Look at the example of our Lord healing the blind man in Mark 8. He entreated the man to tell no one. Think about Matt 9. He (Our Lord) did a whole bunch in private...not for show.
I would call into question anybody whose personal theology surrounding healings attested that all are assured of receiving physical healing. Col 1:24 testifies that Paul was afflicted. Our Lord told us all to take up our crosses and follow him.

FWIW

***2. If I come up with such a testimonial by an MD in good standing in his community, will you repent of such outrageous statements against Pastor Wright?***

My mother died of ovarian cancer. Not breast cancer so I cannot take direct umbrage.

If you can come up with reasonable proofs, then this dude is a miracle worker; else he is a miserable fraud that needs to be run out of town on a rail.

2. If I come up with such a testimonial by an MD in good standing in his community, will you repent of such outrageous statements against Pastor Wright?

I'm not looking for a faith healer. Especially one that claims to cure lung cancer in his teaser infomercial, but fails to include the spiritual failing in that teaser, so that one must buy the $24.99 book to learn what it is.

Quix, can you not see what a charlatan that so-called Pastor is? I don't and won't repent of anything. That's just ridiculous. And GOOD PEOPLE who are really suffering are surely going to send that quack their 25 bucks for nothing except false guilt induced by a psychopath.

1. I cannot imagine ever again taking any protestation from any RC hereon about any purported slander by any Protty with more than a molecule of salt.

Since when should any of us (all Catholics or all Protestants) get grouped like that? No one of us should be responsible for the actions of another.

Besides, slander is based on the truth or falsity of the claim being examined... it doesn't matter who is speaking the slander and who is accusing, if the claim isn't true, it's slander.

2. If I come up with such a testimonial by an MD in good standing in his community, will you repent of such outrageous statements against Pastor Wright?

It takes more than one MD to be convincing. Might I suggest the way that we've done it for centuries when examining cases for canonization of Saints: a panel of doctors concluding that there is no natural explanation whatsoever for the healing.

Have we thrown out cases that were probably miraculous intercession? Yes, but that random treatment here or there for whatever it was cast a grain of doubt. But even in those that were naturally explainable, it was certainly God's mercy and benevolence that brings about the healing.

BTW... I'm happy to put my two cents in, but just out of curiosity, why was I pinged?