Religion and Alternative Health

[owheelj]

This is about to replayed on radio national (or you can download the podcast, but I just heard about it listening to the radio)

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/...health/4091002

Transcript shows a very uncritical look, but a pretty appropriate comparison nonetheless, and definitely an interesting insight.

[Loki]

Can you give us a summary and your take on it? Or are we expected to listen to the thing on spec?

[owheelj]

Well you can read the transcript on the link if you don't want to listen to it. It was just going into the details of the links between religion and alternative medicine. How they have similar roots, are based on similar ideas, that kind of thing.

[Darwinsbulldog]

The alternative to health is sickness!

[DezinerAU]

What do they call alternative medicine that works?

Okay, I just had to say it.

[blunt]

oh oh, this excites me. I haven't listened to it yet and surely will.

But this is a thought that I has occurred to me lately too.

It started when I first found out earlier this year that a lot( actually, I am yet to meet one who is an exception) of my alternative/hippy friends who I generally have similar viewpoints on politics and what not, are quite dead set against vaccinations.

Having grown up in a third world like Nepal, this was a new concept to me, this denial of the effectiveness of immunisation, rather they believe it causes more harm.

On further enquiry, I found a general non-trusting attitude towards conventional medicine (the only type of medicine so far I might add). And most, if not all, expressed disgust at the Big pharma milking money, yada yada.

It's rather obvious that it took me so long to realise, I should have known something was off considering they always consulted a naturopath, a homeopath, kinisiologist etc. whenever they suffered from anything, and also advised me to do so as well. And I must admit, I did go see a homepath and a vega machine -ologist (?) It was only after I was set back a $1000 I actually looked for more substantial proof other than my friends' glowing, almost miraculous reviews.

Ever since, I have been flirting with the idea about the similarities between religion/cult and alternative medicine, and I even dare to push that envelope and include 'alternative living' .

Perhaps it's an old school of thought, but a fresh one for me. Not to mention a total backflip on my outlook of all things alternative, and I'm afraid personally very consuming/involving.

Will report back after listing to it. Thanks for the link