Please Note: Due to volume considerations, not all questions can be answered. Questions most likely to be answered will be those of general interest to a broad group of visitors to this forum. Questions pertaining to a specific case; requests for diagnosis, medical advice, or second opinion; or requests for opinions about untested alternative therapies will generally not be answered.
|
|
 |  |
 |
 |
Faith vs. Medication
Nov 11, 1996
Faith tells us to believe. Why then should I continue to take medication, when I am in essence delaying the ultimate -- death. Is not taking medication in conflict with "God's plan?"
|
 |
|
 |
|
Response from Rev. Pieters
NO! Taking medication is not in conflict with God's plan. Taking medication, according to my belief system, is very much in God's plan. Physicians and their treatments can be understood as vehicles of God's healing power. When I was taking an experimental chemotherapy, I believe that God was healing me, through a combination of medical treatment and my own self-care program. And the chemotherapy worked, and my lymphoma and Kaposi's Sarcoma have been in remission for over 11 years now. God gave me a miracle through medicine! Why wouldn't God do the same for you?
There are some faiths which believe that using medication reflects a lack of faith in God's healing power. Christian Scientists, for example, believe in prayer for healing, and some Christian Scientists do not go to doctors or hospitals at all when they're facing a medical problem, because they believe that this goes against God's will. While I respect their freedom to believe as they do, I know that I am joined by a vast majority of people of faith who believe that God is giving us miracle after miracle in the continuing development of medical treatments for all kinds of conditions, including HIV. Many people of faith see the combination "cocktail" treatments for HIV as an answered prayer!
You say that medication is "in essence delaying the ultimate -- death." Why wouldn't you want to delay death? I personally love life, and I believe in the sanctity of life. I believe that God's will is for us to live as long and as well as we can. If medication helps us to achieve that, then certainly that is within God's will!
|
|
|
 Please remember that this forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not engaged through this
forum in rendering legal or medical advice or professional services. Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible
for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither The Body nor any sponsor is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.
Questions and messages posted to this forum are not statements of advice, opinion, or information of The Body, Body Health Resources Corporation or any sponsor of this
forum. While neither The Body nor Body Health Resources Corporation regularly reviews posted content, we reserve the right to delete, move, or
edit postings if we deem it appropriate under the circumstances. Visitors submitting questions remain solely responsible for the content of their
messages.
Information provided by experts is general only and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease, or relied upon as
legal or other professional advice. This information is not a substitute for professional advice or care. If you have or suspect you may have a
health or legal problem, you should consult your own health care provider or your attorney.
Copyright notice.
|
|
|
|
