Mark 15-16
Nov. 29th, 2010 10:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wolfpurplemoon posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
wolfbiblemoonWhen the disciples went out into the world to spread their message after Jesus rises, God worked with them confirming their message with several signs. These were acts that could be performed by people who believe: they will be able to drive out demons, speak new languages, pick up snakes, drink poison without being harmed, and heal the sick. These don't seem to be very convincing signs and I think they have simple explanations.
People who seem to be possessed by demons are often suffering some sort of psychological disorder so noone who thinks they are driving out demons is helping. Anyone can babble incoherently especially if in a religiously motivated fervour, so I don't think that a bunch of people doing that would be much of a sign. There are people who pick up snakes with their hands, they're called herpetologists, still not a sign. I'd be incredibly sceptical about anyone claiming to be able to drink a poison they'd had no previous exposure to without harm, I doubt their claims would hold up under scientific conditions. And as for healing people by touching them, I think there have been plenty of studies which show that faith healing has no more than a placebo effect.
People who seem to be possessed by demons are often suffering some sort of psychological disorder so noone who thinks they are driving out demons is helping. Anyone can babble incoherently especially if in a religiously motivated fervour, so I don't think that a bunch of people doing that would be much of a sign. There are people who pick up snakes with their hands, they're called herpetologists, still not a sign. I'd be incredibly sceptical about anyone claiming to be able to drink a poison they'd had no previous exposure to without harm, I doubt their claims would hold up under scientific conditions. And as for healing people by touching them, I think there have been plenty of studies which show that faith healing has no more than a placebo effect.
