Miracles for Sale
2011 April 28
Sniffing out the work of God in the world…
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Office of Church Relations | (310) 506–4270
24255 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, California 90263-4270
That’s downright disheartening.
I thought maybe you were going in this direction:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9tAKLTktY0
Brilliant!
I agree with the need for exposing the ones who exploit others, especially those who can least afford it. But I couldn’t have done it this way. I felt ill at the thought.
But then again, I don’t think I know of any other way that would have made the same point.
The idea of having to be a hypocrite in order to tell the truth is an uncomfortable thought. Nathan is at least a believer in God, but Warren Brown has never claimed even that much. Makes me wonder which was the bigger impulse: sensationalism? Or compassion?
The whole thing just makes me sad.
This is really no different than an investigative piece that the mainline media reports every week on network news shows. In fact, this group showed itself making ethically responsible decisions to protect the legitimate interests of people that they could have injured personally and financially (i.e. the PR firm that was initially a part of the project).
I applaud this group for exposing frauds and “false prophets”. Just as other groups have difficulty “policing”" themselves, I’m afraid the Church is often complicitly silent about the illegitimate use of its own influence. While those in the video who were seeking miracles may feel embarrassed, perhaps too they will be forced to see the reality of these experiences for what they truly are. . . And be saved from future scams.
K, I know what you’re saying and in one respect I agree. I don’t mean that I don’t think I could have made the documentary or been part of it. But I don’t think I could have played the part Nathan did. To me, it’s a very serious thing to invoke the name and power of God. I wouldn’t feel right about any of it. Every sermon I preach, I pray that God’s words are spoken, not mine. It’s a serious devotion to me; I couldn’t have “played the part.”
I do think it’s an important thing to have done, though. And I think good came of it. But I still don’t think I could have done it. I guess I’m glad it was someone else’s moral thing to deal with.
Does the end justify this means of reaching it? The project made me nervous, nauseous, all the while wondering, where has the church been in unmasking these frauds? If we were more diligent protecting the mighty Word of God and His powers, maybe this project would have become a moot question. I didn’t like it, and as has been said, I pray for Nathan, in particular, as well as everyone else that took part in this
sham-with-a-purpose. 
I have no tolerance for charlatans, but I wonder if our reluctance to discredit them stems from a reasonable doubt that God might still be healing some of those who believe even at the hands of fakers or faquirs. (Mark 9:38)
Speaking as a science type:
The thing that came to mind, is how many parallels there are between the approaches used in this video and the many non-pharmacological based approaches to chronic pain management. Granted, credentialing (typically a nurse or psych, rather than an MD), and a treatment plan/schedule plays a role in the pain management clinic… the end goal of non-pharma programs being short term relief, followed by long term neural rerouting. If such occurs and sticks, an improved quality of life for the patient is likely. Granted long term success rates are quite mixed. No matter, success or failure, short or long term, a very handsome profit is made by said non-pharma based pain management clinics. Granted, if they succeed, such is wonderful, but if they dont… (I wouldn’bt believe any of this had I not seen actual brain scans going on during non-pharma based therapy).
As a Christian:
The scam part is bothersome, the worst part being the bit about folks not being healed because they did not have enough faith. This is perhaps much more bothersome than the financial scamming aspects. As far as the faith healers themselves, time and time again through out history, God used folks with alterior motives for His work. Thus, while a natural skeptic of any such goings on… It would be impossible to say God doesn’t accomplish his work through them at times.
I attended an event similar to this designed for women only—I had such an uncomfortable feeling with people falling backward, etc.–it just seemed profane to me. But others seemed to be blessed so I am willing to accept that there are many things outside my realm of reality and I want to leave it that way!