I don't think so. The right to free speech does not extend to false advertising.

Outlaw people from claiming god has given them the ability to heal.

interesting. what men aren't common, other than those who proclaim themselves to be otherwise?

confiding in your fellow man is one thing(religion or not)..
but these people are blatantly dis-empowering themselves..albeit under the false prognosticating of a "miracle-worker".
it's so obvious, it hurts to watch doesn't it?
is it unwise to trust an individual without them having earned it? i would say an emphatic yes.
is it unwise to trust an individual over your personal 'god'? i would say an emphatic yes.
we can agree it would be common sense.

regardless, we can also assume that some of these folks possess more skepticism than some atheists here.. but are at the perceived proverbial 'end of their rope', and feel the need to believe in something now that their world seems to be crumbling around them..
if they are 'healed' in their own minds, then so be it, who are we to judge?
who are we to deprive them of the harsh consequences which may give purpose to their experience, through a selfish whistle-blowing act of perceived "compassion"?... poor bastards, they just don't know any better..

all that has occurred here is what occurs in every so-called community, whether it be a religious one or not:
a social contract, which must be willingly entered into, or given tacit compliance..
one must read the fine print, or one cares not, and is forced to trust in ignorance..

i would like to make an announcement in this thread, not directly directed at your response 14cobster..
no crime goes unpunished. i repeat. there is no crime that occurs in this universe without consequence. none.

I wouldn't think this would be true, even for believers. If things went slightly differently, it's entirely plausible that Hitler would of died in his sleep as an old man and went on to spend eternity in heaven.

true enough, but then we would be assuming that what-ifs have any plausible power in this universe.
as you can see, things went exactly as they must have though..
one must enjoy suffering to get sucked into this argument..
its good to hurt sometimes though, so i will oblige.

i would recommend you start a new thread if you want to speculate Holocaust..
i would have plenty to say if you truly want to discuss it...
unless of course you don't mind veering from the legalities of faith healing, to the moralities of mass-murder..

I don't really have an interest in discussing the holocaust, and was only using Hitler as an extreme example. I just don't get where you are coming from since plenty of crimes go unpunished on earth and those same people could make it into heaven.

(...and don't worry about derailing, RGT is one big derail )

one big derail...so true. lol, i still don't like contributing to the chaos though..

you seem to be assuming there is some external heaven in the skies...which i know you don't believe in anyway, so no candy for you.
although, with all due respect, if you are truly atheist, i do deem you to be insane..
i mean i don't know how someone can look at i dunno..a venus fly-trap, or an eye-ball for example and just say, 'accident'..

but anyways..i think i've defined my position clearly enough on this matter.
with what degree of certainty can you say that anything can occur without consequence?

divine law dictates otherwise, and you needn't believe in a deity to bear witness to this.
everything ultimately boils down to cause and effect in a universe based on opposite poles..
ignorance of said law is no excuse..

in this particular case, i suppose the consequences can be somewhat mitigated on behalf of those being actively exploited, but this depends on whether or not the seeker is actually seeking the truth when deceived..or just blindly chasing the piper..

concerning the 'exploiters', if they are discharging their duties in truth (for it is apparently their duty to deceive those who are willing to be deceived for the sake of clinging to their victimhood or irresponsibility), there really are no consequences for these apparently immoral, outrageous acts of trickery.
they have coming to them exactly what they need..

where is the crime, or more specifically, where is the injured party?
that's where i'm coming from.
no punishment need be meted out by law enforcement except for horridly irresponsible parenting..
people do just fine punishing themselves..

I was actually talking about freedom of religion.

Pastor Bob sayz, "I don't have the ability to heal--only god does through our prayers as long as we are faithful."

Surely you can't outlaw Pastor Bob from having this belief and teaching it to others?

It's just one of those blatantly immoral, ridiculous things that will eventually be outlawed, regardless of your stance on it - http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/47...hange-1191460/

Placebo effects for serious issues should only be administered by qualified medical practitioners, under their judgement and accountability.

hookers and blow are outlawed too, but we can still see freaks on the beat and fiends on the pipe.
and btw, the pimps and peddlers Still aren't wholly responsible for the abusers' side effects.

?

Because faith healers aren't forcing people to forgo medical attention. Fact dont think most of them even discourage it. Some faith healing goes on while someone is getting medical attention. Don't know why y'all want to ban that.

rofl..did that come out like that?
apologies, i shouldn't be typing this late..
cmon veeddzz, you are quite astute..
i guess what i meant here was..
it's ultimately irrelevant if it is deemed ridiculous, immoral, or even illegal if people still act on their desires regardless of consequence..
and even if the doc prescribing the medicine is licensed, doesn't mean he is responsible for your health..
while what you state may be fact, the particular view seems somewhat narrow-minded..

as a staunch atheist I think faith healing is wonderful. I wish all xristians practiced it. =)

well done, this one got a good chuckle out of me!

Making something illegal doesn't stop everyone from doing it, correct, but that's not to say that we should make no effort what-so-ever to reduce it. On a side note, I don't see what this has to do with the point that I was making, hence the question mark.
Medical errors, incorrect diagnoses and adverse events all go on record, so the medical practitioner is indeed accountable - to a reasonable degree.
?

do i really have to connect the dots for you? it was merely an example in contrast of 'extremes' in society..
just forget it...i get weird after a few beers..(as if i could get weirder)

in response..
indeed, even if said efforts only result in an increase of said activities behind closed doors.. what's the point?
it's just not a solution, however much it may discourage or how much good we may believe is being done..
in the end the system is still broken.. but please let's not get into this..
you must understand how it can come across as an end-all statement, when you and i both know it doesn't really matter.

an MD being 'accountable to a reasonable degree' does not detract from the issue of the patient's responsibility for their own health.
also, the argument that they are licensed to act in a criminally negligent manner, and potentially kill patients with little to no consequence, is of no consequence.
most malpractice/negligence only results in the the killer doc forced to practice out of state. lol

their job is to prescribe medicine, period.. which is arguably a scam in some circles, legal or not.
and even then, they can only recommend, and the responsibility still lies with the patient..
even at gunpoint, one cannot force me to take a pill..

and willfully, i can also throw my pills in a bonfire and believe i don't need them because an unlicensed 'man of faith' said so..and i should be held responsible for my actions.

my point is, in essence, this is simple cause and effect.
when we knowingly/unknowingly abdicate our own personal power, there is no crime, there is but a lesson in self-responsibility.

lol, this.

They have no such duty, period. If they felt they had some duty towards these people, it certainly would be one with greater integrity if they were to inform these people that faith healing can be an utterly dispicable practice, so "look out." And how better could they accomplish this other than by fully disclosing all the treacherous tricks of their trade to them? Show these victims every last particular about how they had previously fooled them and others like them in need?

Also, as for the universe meting out just rewards, how is it that you believe that in so many instances man need not impose punishment on others yet somehow these faith healers with malicious intent are a curious exception to the rule? And I do understand that you sort of mean to say that the act of the faith healers deception in and of itself is the righteous justice served up by the great magnificent universe with its manifold laws. But then that is also the case for people in law enforcement punishing the faith healers, no? It looks as though nobody should be accountable for anything apart from their own self-protection...

the concept has been misconstrued.
it is not a perceived duty to their followers.
it is their own sense of duty to their self-service, which i must admit they implement quite fervently.
but i am not defending the faith healers, i merely refuse to promote self-victimization/irresponsibility, or allow those reading to dismiss the concept.

full disclosure to the 'victims' of what is actually happening here would be to skip to the last page of the book, and imo, is a severe disservice to those who feel the need to cling to their victim-hood...but even if they Did, people would Still believe..
regardless, whether this opinion lacks perceived 'integrity' is ultimately irrelevant.

as stated in my first response to this thread, the truth will be revealed for all at exactly the proper time.
perpetrator and victim are held responsible.

they are not an exception...i'm not conveying that at all.
man's law and authority are another thread entirely for me.
i alluded to not getting into that aspect of the discussion with veeddzz, and i will refrain from further reference.

in summary, we must transcend the idea of what is happening in all similar situations.
a manipulation of perception creates a perceived 'victim' and 'perpetrator' here.
the question should not be where the finger is pointed.
we should be able to stand back, and appreciate the power of what is actually taking place.

in attempting to relate here, even my arguing the non-existence of a crime is an exercise in futility..
considering that no matter how horrific the crime, it cannot justify the 'victim's' abdication.
and conversely, the 'victim's' abdication cannot possibly justify the despicable actions of the 'perpetrator'.

ultimately, complaining that 'faith healing' should be outlawed is a self-victimization unto itself, although in awareness can be a beneficial exposure of denial..
what we see without can only be a reflection of what exists within. what 'others' are truly there to 'police'?
are the 'evils' we perceive in this world not a component of our psyche?
why do we choose to ignore that which is in the mirror? our face remains until it is addressed, and i don't mean the face in the mirror.
it's all merely concepts of 'good' and 'bad' that we hold within our minds anyway, which don't actually exist outside of thought.
i allow myself to become entangled in this thread only to be reminded of this..

can we not trust ourselves to be content that 'others' maintain beliefs we cannot hold?

are the 'perpetrators' wrong for allowing a way for the 'victims' to commit their beliefs in a manner that will reveal their necessary lesson?

we can become so deeply enthralled, and mesmerized by this movie of life that we've leapt on screen and become 'characters on film'..
when will our Coke spill on our laps, so that we may be brought back to our seats??
if i am but a character on-screen, wouldn't the 'bad-guy' be more 'fun'??
i'll be right back, need some more popcorn..

all is as it must be, as all is in divine order.

Here's a simple question for you: Put yourself in the shoes of these particular faith healers in OP's posted video. You've been conning these religious people for some number of years. If you had two options, which would you choose? 1. Realize the deception and manipulation that you have done upon these people, and confess the wrong you have done to them. 2. Keep on deceiving them because you are afraid that you might otherwise be doing a disservice to them. I'd go with number 1 and feel better about myself, relinquishing what must be a considerable burden to my conscience, granted I was aware that I had for so long been doing something pretty bad.

BTW, SEVERE disservice?

a bit less greed and a lot more empathy?
nah, why should i, i'm a douche-bag in those shoes.

whether they repent for their misdeeds is of no concern for me.
it would be nice if they learned their lesson in a manner i saw fit, but that's not my place, or our reality now is it?

i'm sure they came to the realization of what they do when they planned it.
confession? eh, maybe a quick panic of guilt when exposed..
i doubt these type of people will announce a press conference to publicly apologize..

as far as #2, whether they acknowledge divine law or not is irrelevant, as their actions produce the consequence.

and BTW, it was severe. not SEVERE.

The UK has various laws which inhibit spiritual healing.

It is an offence to give spiritual healing to a woman in childbirth or charge for healing venereal diseases.
It's illegal not to provide medical aid to your children and faith healing is not considered medical aid.
It's illegal (I think) to countermand the advice of a doctor.
Spiritual healing, complementary medicine, mediumship etc. since 2008 comes under consumer protection regulations which, where there is a fee, puts the burden on the service provider to be able to provide evidence for their claims. Mediums now advertise their services as 'for entertainment only' and spiritualists are prohibited from giving diagnosis or suggesting they can cure anything.

I realise this thread is mainly about faith healing ie the stuff that goes on in church but it's good to see that the tide is turning against people making money from unsubstantiated claims. It remains the case though that NHS doctors refer patients to 'healers' as a complimentary therapy.

I generally support the right of people to be idiots and **** their own lives up if that's what they want. So how far do we want to go to protect idiots? Humans seemed to be conditioned to see patterns that aren't really there. Just like the fish at the poker tables. "Hey, K4 has hit every time tonight, I'm going to start playing it because clearly it will pay off." They see one person who gets better after faith healing, and assume it must work.

It is not illegal because your politicians haven't got the guts to call it the bs that it is and pass the necessary legislation.