Most Americans think God heals better than doctors

I’m hardly like Science Joe over here, but even I find this a bit odd…more than half of Americans surveyed think that prayer can heal something doctors have said may be impossible to heal.

When it comes to saving lives, God trumps doctors for many Americans.

An eye-opening survey reveals widespread belief that divine intervention can revive dying patients. And, researchers said, doctors “need to be prepared to deal with families who are waiting for a miracle.”

More than half of randomly surveyed adults — 57 percent — said God’s intervention could save a family member even if physicians declared treatment would be futile. And nearly three-quarters said patients have a right to demand such treatment.

Dr. Michael Sise, trauma medical director at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, called the study “a great contribution” to one of the most intense issues doctors face.

Sise, a Catholic doctor working in a Catholic hospital, said miracles don’t happen when medical evidence shows death is near.

“That’s just not a realistic situation,” he said.

I think the power of positive thinking can certainly be helpful when you’re facing a serious illness and, for many people, religion provides that. But the problem is that this isn’t the only application of “faith healing”…on the opposite end of the spectrum, people think that prayer can heal anything, like those parents who refuse care for their children because they only believe in religion. The power of positive thinking can only take you so far when you have golf ball-sized tumor on your skull. I’m not sure that stroking beads and kneeling before some guy who may be as real as Snuffalufagus will do a whole lot to solve that. Unless he actually is Snuffalufagus and can use his big trunk to suck the tumor out. But then that’d be a Godlike power, so would you worship Snuffalufagus? I’m not sure that I’m comfortable following the lead of some big extinct make-believe wooly mammoth who hangs out with some neurotic oversized bird. Unless he can turn waters into delicious alcohol…that’s important for my deities. I like magic!

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