'God can heal' adverts banned

[naomi24]

The Advertising Standards Authority has banned adverts carrying the message "Need Healing? God can heal today!’ The Authority says the adverts, which emanate from churches in Bath, are misleading, irresponsible, and could encourage false hope.

A spokesman for the church said "It seems very odd to us that the ASA wants to prevent us from stating on our website the basic Christian belief that God can heal illness’.

In claiming that ‘God can heal today’, I imagine the church could well find itself facing complaints from a lot of disappointed customers, so is this advert a simple statement of belief, or is it irresponsible and likely to mislead - and does it encourage false hope?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...and-somerset-16871116

[ll_billym]

/// This is perilously close to restricting religious freedom. ///

Why should 'religious' claptrap be treated any different to 'normal' claptrap?

/// Was it a profit making business ///

No, just a harmless suggestion that sometimes kills people.

[LazyGun]

It is claiming an effective treatment for a range of illnesses without any empirical evidence to support it. As such, I think the ASA were right to ban their adverts.

There are some faith healers who claim that their healing gift will not work unless the patient gives up their conventional meds - These are the real charlatans who can be prosecuted should they make claims of curing cancer, for example. I thought I had heard somewhere that this particular group at least emphasized that patients should stick to their conventional medication, with the healing prayers as an "added bonus" - Were this the case, I would be more relaxed about what they are offering - Not that I believe it has any basis in truth.

The simplest evidence that healing prayer does not work is amputees. I am sure that many amputees have been the target of healing prayer, and many will have been devout christian - unyet god steadfastly refuses to regrow a limb. Does he just hate amputees?

[poortony]

Albaqwerty has that got something to do with the 5 fish and 2 loaves?

[vulcan]

Also on the Jeremy Vine show they referred to an experiment where people were undergoing heart surgery. Some were prayed for but were not told, others were told they were being prayed for but weren't and the final set were prayed for and told about it. To every bodies amazement, including those who were praying, the final set had more post operation problems then all the rest.

[Zeuhl]

^^^
L O L

Were they told it was the surgeons who were doing the praying?

[poortony]

God Bless you all.

[naomi24]

//This is perilously close to restricting religious freedom.//

Why? Should religion be free to guarantee the success of something that is highly unlikely to work? We don't allow other con men that freedom.

[Nadis]

It's a bit like anti-wrinkle cream...that's said to perform miracles aswell. I don't use it myself but know people that do and they look soooo much younger....er not really!