Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
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Tazo Tea, acupuncture, homeopathy | Christina | Thursday, July 24, 2008 |
Question: Pax Christi! When I encounter resistance, the typical line is that the Asians have been using this method for thousands of years. My only comeback is that the occult has also been around for thousands of years. Therefore, can you help me on how to answer this fact that these are medicinal methods used by the Asian people. If it never healed them, then it would have died out centuries ago. |
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Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM
Dear Christina: Sorry for the delay. 1. Acupuncture has been studied scientifically. It has been found useful in pain control, but not in much else. Even then, traditional pain killers are just as effective and even moreso than acupuncture. It is interesting to note that Chinese surgeons, in China, do not always use acupuncture in their practice. Acupuncture is based upon the idea of energy in the body that flows through "meridians." What acupuncture is suppose to do is to remove blockages (that cause disease) in this "flow". When that happens the person is suppose to get well. The idea is also to balance the energy within the body with the energy of the universe. This is the Yin/Yang dynamics. All this is hogwash. There is no evidence of meridians and this "flow" through them that affects health. What acupressure may do is stimulate endorphins and other chemicals in the body that have healing functions. But the claims of major healings of everything from cancer to whatever has never been substantiated. We can also not neglect the power of the placebo effect. Bottomline, is it the acupuncture or something else that may facilitate healing? One a properly conducted scientific study can determine that. Those studies have not shown the great healing powers of acupuncture itself. Studies would also have to be conducted in China as to how many people are ACTUALLY healed as oppose to those who only claim to be healed. This is the same with so-called Faith Healers. Just because they say people are healed doesn't make it so.... yet people flock to these faith healers even when they have been proven a fraud. Even if acupuncture had no effect at all, it would still flourish and be used.
2. The use of herbs can have medicinal effects. Many drugs are derived from herbs. The problem is that when buying these substances from a Health Food Store or Herbal Store we cannot be for certain what the potency might be or the quality of the herb. Also, taking certain combinations of herbs, or combinations of herb and medicines can be poisonous. One needs to know what they are doing.
3. I would agree. If the tea leaves of this tea are blessed by shamans it is best to avoid it. God Bless, Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum
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