In the midst of the U.S. healthcare debate, a minor provision appears to be stirring up some controversy. The provision, inserted by Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) with the support of Democratic Sens. John F. Kerry and the late Edward M. Kennedy (both of Massachusetts, home to the Church of Christ, Scientist), would require insurers to consider covering Christian Science prayer treatments as legitimate medical expenses. The church believes that spiritual healing in the form of prayer treatments is an effective alternative to conventional interventions. However, opponents of the measure are concerned that this could open the door for other groups to seek medical legitimacy for practices that lie outside of science. But, there is precedence for this. Namely, the IRS allows the cost of prayer services to be counted as tax-deductible medical expenses. Is this blurring the line between church and state? Should spiritual health and healing be overlooked as an integral part of physical and mental well-being? [via LA Times]
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Tags: Christ, Christian, Church, Edward Kennedy, health, healthcare, IRS, John Kerry, Orrin Hatch, prayer, religion, science
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:22 am
I don’t know about Christian science prayer. I am a firm believer in Prayer, talking to our creator that knows all about what works in our bodies. In fact if all of those senators and everyone in politics would Pray before they make their decisions, this country wouldn’t be in the mess it’s in. I believe in miracles and we have to stay in touch with God and read his word and apply it to our lives whereever we live or work. Our God can do anything but He wants us to seek him (pray)daily. Oh, what a great country we would have if we would go back to what this country was found on. Put Bible back in Schools, ever since we have strayed away from it’s teachings, the Devil has begun to destroy our Country. Morals have gone out the window. Yes let us Pray for our Country and never give up.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:41 am
I belive prayer is a powerful thing, with out prayer i dont know what type of wourld we would have. Prayer is the key to all our situation and problems it has help me i have proven it and i know its real. Let us all come to gether and pray that the reading of the bible and prayer be conducted in every school and we would have a better america, this country is so beautiful let us all pray for it
November 5th, 2009 at 6:43 am
I belive prayer is a powerful thing, with out prayer i dont know what type of world we would have. Prayer is the key to all our situation and problems it has help me i have proven it and i know its real. Let us all come to gether and pray that the reading of the bible and prayer be conducted in every school and we would have a better america, this country is so beautiful let us all pray for it
November 5th, 2009 at 7:07 am
I am a firm believer in prayer. I am not in to Chrietian Science, but I pray to God thru our savior Jesus Christ. I do agree we got to get prayer back in school. So many children never hear the word if they don’t hear it from school. As for our country, yes we need that very much. I agree with Pauline on that. As for healing purpose, I believe in prayer and I also believe in asking God to give the Drs. the knowledge to heal.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:17 am
Prayer is a powerful thing cause we are approaching the Almight, the Creator of this world and humanbeings, but charging for the service of pray is just selfish, imagine Jesus charging each time He healed someone, riduculus, and if the excuse is living expence those praying needs more faith cause God always provided. There should be no charge for prayer.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:20 am
Turning to God in prayer always but I mean alwaysss has and is the only why we must and need to go. I KNOW prayer is a powerful thing…Prayer is the key to everything. Jesus Christ is waiting for us to ask and as it is said ask in HIS name and no other name, it will be done only and only if we are His people. Jesus does not hear the prayers of sinners…so get right with Jesus now before it´s toooo late.
November 5th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Our fore fathers were men of prayer, our country grew and florished because of God’s blessings. the God of yesterday is the same God of today. let us all his creation glorify the God of heaven and earth and this country can be as great as it was years past. Jesus said “I am the vine and you are branches, without Me you can do nothing”. let us all be the body of the Lord Jesus Crist and elect Godley men to our goverment begining with our president.
November 5th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Prayer has no place in our schools PERIOD! This country was not founded on religious beliefs, as a matter of fact our founders said keep church and state separate. Prayer and religion are just things humans use for things they can’t understand or accept. There is a God and he is as real as santa claus and the tooth fairy. I have two creators they are called my parents. This provision is insane. You people can pray for help with an illness or problem, but my faith is in myself, my family, and my doctors. Advances in science will move this country forward not prayer or religion. We need to stop brainwashing our children from birth and let them make their own decisions about religion and god.
November 5th, 2009 at 10:39 am
tlowe, Tonight I will pray for you in the hope that you will look around at the wonders God has created for you and that you will develop the knowledge of faith in those things that you do not see. I can lead a horse to water but, I cannot make him drink.
It would behoove you to try to explain to yourself how this universe came into being without devine intervention. This world was not a haphazard event, it was planned from the very start and your life is nothing more than a test to find approval of the devine being to reside in his presence for all eternity.
Good luck my friend, hope you awaken to the realities of life before it’s too late. I have you in my prayers.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
the wrath of God is coming, repent before its to late put your trust in JESUS before its to late
November 5th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
prayer should be considered a way of healing. look at this,Man made the car right? When the car get something wrong with it who
heal it by fixing it? MAN right? if he know how too. God made us
he made the parts in us and every part on us he knows all about
us because he made us like he wanted to make us just like man made
the car part by part and bolt by bolt god created, desing, and put
us together automatically, he,s knows what,s wrong when we need
healing. Pray is a way of talking to him like we talk to each other
Yes I believe in prayer, and I believe in healing through prayer.
Why? Because I know it works.I raised six children from birth. They
didn,t know anything about medical science healing until they were
grown. Why? Prayer. I could write many testimonies about prayer and healing. Prayer is the key faith unlocks the door to prayer healing.
November 5th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I am an avid believer in prayer as healing. However, the Christian “Scientists” have taken it too far as to lend credence to a profession rather than a religion. Prayer is for free! We should never charge a fee in order to pray for healing. That is absolutely ludicrous!
November 6th, 2009 at 9:01 am
obviously, the people behind this provision have no clue who GOD really is. It seems to me that they are the ones that desperately need our prayers. I am already praying for them and Im not gonna charge them.
November 6th, 2009 at 11:55 am
YES, PRAYER IS ABSOLUTELY HEALING BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE PAID OR REIMBURSED IN ANY FORM. AS ANY APPROVAL FOR MONITORY CONNECTION WILL TAKE IT AWAY FROM ALL BLESSNGS AND HIGHER ABSOLUTE POWER’S MIRACLE INTERVENTION.
November 7th, 2009 at 11:14 am
I have been a Catholic all my life and all my life I have had prayer offered up for me. I am a teo time cancer survivor, after 15 surgeries. I also had to have some ribs taken out and had my chest rebuilt. My priest laid hands on me and at least 50 churches of all religions prayed for me and it did not cost me one sent. HOW DO YOU PAY OR REPAY GOD????? By playing it forward. By prayer and respect for all and by telling everyone you meet how blessed you are because you have been prayed for. If money comes into it the love and caring will go out…Judie
November 9th, 2009 at 12:02 am
that is madness at its best form, what would have hapenned to humanity if all of a sudden GOD becomes for SALE. a prayer is actually meant to be a free thing, and it is reinforcement of good will that humanity should be all about.
November 9th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Those who practice prayer as an integral part of spiritual well-being should be able to seek prayer as a part of medical treatment. However, I do have to wonder, along with some of you, about whether it is right to charge for prayers.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:52 am
You people are fucked up!,I died in a car wreck, and it was the best thing that happened to me, because it saved my life. Life is just whatever you make of it!