Differences between True and False Healers

Kalashnikova T.P. "True and false healings".

Qualitative characteristics

Russian Orthodox faith healers

False miracle workers

Moral character

Humility, meekness, respecting others before self, fear of God, modesty, truthfulness

Pride, arrogance, vanity, sometimes outward religiosity, guile, affectation, desire to be exalted, to attract, to seduce

Attitudes toward the reward for treatment

Non-acquisitiveness, gratuitousness

Pursuit of profit, gain, wealth, luxury, commerce

Attitude to publicity

Hiding one's gift of miracles and hiding positive results

Promoting successful cases of treatment, seeking publicity, self-glorification, and fame

Methods of treatment

Prayers, anointing sick body parts with holy oil, laying hands; using sacred objects, the sign of the cross, sometimes herbs, and holy water. Gentle calm voice, no violence

Hand manipulations, passes, non-contact massage, staring, incantations, conspiracies, shouting, elements of violence, suppression of other people' will, hypnotism, magnetism, etc.

Positive effect

is caused by

divine grace through the faith of the patient and the healer's special divine gift

By natural causes, sometimes by coincidences, through self-hypnosis, faith of the patient, or through forces of a non-divine (demonic, mortal world)

The emergence of the gift of miracles

As a consequence and reward for righteousness, prayerful deeds, fasting, humility, while denying from following one’s own will

Often it is spontaneous just because of a longing for recognition as a miracle worker

The nature of healings

Healings are complete: both physical and spiritual, connected with the revival or strengthening of the healed person's true faith. It is possible to heal from all diseases and even to raise from the dead

Healings are only of an external nature, covering the physical aspect, but spiritually they have a negative impact

Side effects of healing

None

Multiple, mostly of a mental, spiritual kind. However, sometimes they can remain undiscovered for a long time.

This article in Russian

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