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To take Ariala's analogy one step further....
At times, hell exists here on Earth. I happen to have bipolar disorder. Back in Jesus' day that would have been thought of as my being possessed by demons. Certainly it's not something I'd desire to have nor wish on anyone else. Others create their own miserable hell on earth through their own sins (to use the Christian terminology you'd use in your sermons). We don't have to wait till we die to suffer through our own hells.
I am certain that this poor young man was put through hell on Earth during that "healing" service. Services exist for people like him and his parents that can heal him through ordinary means. Certainly a healing service wasn't strictly necessary unless the parents tried everything else - and there is no evidence whatever that they consulted any autism experts at all. Therefore, they didn't try everything else, and were not desperate enough to warrant taking their boy to the healing service yet.
posted by
kidnykid
on August 26, 2003 at 1:14 PM
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Unicorn, you speak of the "eternal torment" of hell...
The consequences are eternal, the burning is not.
posted by
Ariala
on August 26, 2003 at 12:36 PM
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Jesus gave doctors the ability to heal, too
For example, if you have a fever, a reputable doctor might try to find out why, and give you appropriate medication. That is an appropriate form of healing which Jesus authorizes.
As a pastor, I'm sure you're familiar with the letters of Paul to Timothy; in one of those letters, Paul advises Timothy to take a little wine to settle his stomach. That was state-of-the-art medical care back then. I see little difference betwen that and taking antibiotics for an infection, putting a splint or cast on a broken bone, and so forth. Instead of asking experts to help them with their boy's autism, which is what they should have done, they did evil that good might come.
Just remember that God uses experts as well as working miracles.
posted by
kidnykid
on August 26, 2003 at 12:28 PM
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healing
Being a pastor myself, I do believe in healing. Jesus promised us that we would be able to do miracles of healing thru His name. The "streets of hell" aren't paved with anything by the way. No such thing as streets in hell. Just eternal torment. Certainly you have heard positive stories of healings? There was a man in Libia a few years back who died, was embalmed and waiting to be buried, on the 3rd day (conincidence?) he was brought back to life and lives today. God has His reasons for why some are healed and some not. Nothing is out of His control.
posted by
PastorB
on August 26, 2003 at 10:59 AM
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