Attitude of the Orthodox Church to modern, alternative and traditional medicine. The opinion of the priests about homeopathy and phytotherapy. Who is the Orthodox doctor?
Modern medicine and Orthodoxy
Perhaps there is no more popular wishes on any holiday than the wishes of health. A person can have wealth, glory and anything else, but if he is sick – what is the meaning in all this? The state of our health more depends on ourselves, from the lifestyle, nutrition, bad habits. But in many respects our health depends on medicine. Today we will try to figure out how the Orthodox Church refers to medicine in general and to its various directions.
Why we are sick
One way or another, but with some diseases in their life there is absolutely every person. Someone sick is stronger, someone is easier, but everyone goes to doctors. Why do we have diseases given?
From a spiritual point of view, a person may hurt for such reasons:
- In punishment and edification for perfect sins. An example of such a child can be considered as aids, which is most often a specific disease of a certain disadvantaged layer of the population – drug addicts, individuals of unconventional orientation, those who are raising a messy sex life.
- As a trial of faith. It is very clearly for us to tell the Holy Scripture in the history of Old Testament Ieow. He did not have sins requiring punishment, but, nevertheless, serious suffering was undergone. Handing in faith and not having fluttered, he was rewarded by the Lord.
- As an indication of the need to change its own life. There are no cases when a person came to the true deep faith that is after severe illness. Such people later sincerely thanked the Lord for the misunderstandings, because they understood that otherwise they would not discover Christ for themselves.
Very often, people who face trials in the form of heavy pathologies are wondering "for what I mean?" If we look at the problem from a Christian point of view, we will understand that our sins are so deep that only in the great grace of God we still live on Earth. In fact, if the Lord was not merciful, but just, we would all deserve to have died for our sins.
The Orthodox Vera not only indicates to us on our imperfection, but also gives the effective ways to salvation. Often, these paths are associated with the carrying of severe burden of diseases and sorrow. But the Gospel says that only the one who will take his cross and will carry it to the end, will be able to escape.
But at the same time it is necessary not to forget that the main healer is the Lord. It is necessary to pray to him, and healing will be sent through the hands of doctors. Despite the fact that such an understanding refers to the Old Testament time, approximately the same position and the modern Orthodox Church.
Духовная польза болезни при правильном к ней отношении совершенно не противоречит желанию выздороветь. Более того, многие врачи сами не скрывали, что являются не более, чем проводниками Божьей воли о человеке. Например, таким был святитель Лука Войно-Ясенецкий, который не только почитаемый в православии святой, но и великий врач.
Почему-то многие святые или сами были врачами, или прибегали к их помощи. Они не считали, что достойны явного и видимого исцеления от Господа, но смиренно верили и молились, что Господь пошлет им такого лекаря, в руки и разум которого вложит все, что необходимо для успешного врачевания.
О различных направлениях медицины
Медицинская наука включает в себя большое количество направлений и отраслей. Все ли они подходят для православного христианина?
Традиционная доказательная медицина
Как правило, когда речь идет о науке, подразумевается именно наличие доказательной базы. Основы такого подхода общеприняты, используются во всем мире и не вызывают сомнений в профессиональной среде.
Врачи, которые работают по принципам доказательной медицины, используют для лечения заболеваний только средства с доказанной эффективностью и нередко опираются на международные протоколы лечения. Православный христианин может спокойно пользоваться такими услугами.
ethnoscience
Понятие народного лечения очень широко и многогранно. Кто-то считает народными методы лечения травами, кто-то использует для выздоровления золу, капусту, животный жир и тоже считает эти методы народными. Но как правило, под народным подходом принято считать традиционные способы лечения, которые передаются из поколения в поколение и часто могут значительно отличаться как в разных семьях, так и в разных регионах.
Духовных препятствий для лечения такими способами нет, если не используются заговоры, амулеты, обереги и прочие оккультные предметы и практики. Однако любому человеку, как верующему так и нет, нужно помнить, что народная медицина не имеет доказательной базы, поэтому достоверно неизвестно, к каким последствиям может привести подобное лечение.
Phytotherapy
Последнее время повышается популярность лечения травами и различными растениями. О целебных действиях растений известно с давних времен, некоторые из них даже официально признаны и используются в современных протоколах. Грамотно и точно подобранные комбинации растений действительно могут оказать положительный лечебный эффект, но нужно внимательно подходить к выбору врача, который этим занимается.
Если фитотерапевт лечит своих пациентов только травами, их комбинациями или какими-либо растительными компонентами — нет духовных преград воспользоваться таким лечением. Но нужно внимательно следить, чтобы в терапии не использовались элементы оккультных практик, таких как заговаривание травы и тому подобное.
Homeopathy
Perhaps one of the most controversial areas of medicine, which has both yarn opponents and faithful supporters. The history of homeopathy is rooted to the very beginning of the XIX century, when Professor S. Ganeman discovered the principle of ultra-long doses and the fact that "the like is treated like". It is these two approaches to this day underlie classical homeopathy.
If a person, being an Orthodox Christian, believes in the effectiveness of homeopathy – he can use it to improve his health. But it is always necessary to accommodively approach the assessment of those risks that carry all alternative methods.
Choosing one or another method of treatment, the Orthodox person must, on the one hand, rely on God and fully entry his life. On the other hand, should not show and do not care about their health. Moreover, laziness is unacceptable or intention of its health.
Orthodox medicine
A special request for Orthodox doctors appeared in modern Orthodox society. What does this phrase mean?
From the point of view of a professional, the Orthodox doctor is a specialist in any medical field, which is a believer of a church Christian. At the same time, the level of its qualifications and professionalism can not completely depend on religion. Of course, a person who tries to live inner spiritual life must be responsible for his work with full responsibility. But still there are no direct dependence of the qualification and religion.
From the point of view of the patient, a request for an Orthodox doctor means searching for a "special" specialist. It is assumed that the Orthodox doctor will be treated since everything will understand completely in everything, will not appoint a bunch of standard analyzes and appointments. And when patients face a standard medicinal approach, feel deep disappointment.
The peculiarity of the Orthodox doctor should be attributed to its work as a minimal service. Of course, if a specialist sees in his patients, first of all, it is not possible to earn, and living people and brothers – to fulfill their work it will be special. Apparently it is why they are looking for such specialists.
Of course, the Orthodox doctor should be very careful about each who came to him. According to Jesus Christ, we know that through everyone who appealed to us for help, the Lord comes to us. I remember this, it is impossible to work badly and irresponsibly.
The believer doctor will understand that the cause of malaise goes beyond the bodies only. If the patient also comes a believer and churchyard, then with the doctor will be able to speak in one language, and mutual understanding will be more.
This does not mean that Orthodox people should create something like a closed club "for their own". So you can start looking for not only Orthodox doctors, but also Orthodox electricians, plumbers and any other specialists.The pursuit of the visible form should not go beyond common sense. A good dentist can be an atheist, and Muslim. And there can be no sin to get help from his hands.
When to contact the doctor, and when to run to the temple
Caring for their own health should be timely, but calm. Heproyondria, excessive anxiety about his health, constant trips for doctors – all this testifies to the disorder in the spiritual life of a person.
Important! If there are any obvious malaise, symptoms of the disease or uncomfortable feelings – you need to contact the doctor, pass the necessary tests and undergo treatment.
But you do not need to forget about the temple. Many unpleasant and incomprehensible symptoms can leave when a person begins to restore order in his own soul. Our soul and body are inextricably linked, and changes in one component will certainly lead to a change in the other. Competent therapy from a good doctor together with personal hard work on healing his own soul can help overcome even very serious diseases.
Tell me, is it possible to be treated with unconventional methods? Yoga, Cleansing Aura, Energy and the like?
Good afternoon. Alternative medicine is very different. It can be attributed to both phytotherapy and homeopathy, and therapeutic food, and special exercise, and much more. Unambiguously cannot be said that all alternative medicine is incompatible with Orthodoxy. It is necessary to deal with each specific branch and evaluate its spiritual side. For example, the treatment of herbs is quite suitable for a believer, if the therapeutic effect is based on plants properties, and not on any conspiracies or magical rites with grass. Homeopathy is not recognized as official medicine and is considered to be Lzhenauka, but with a Christian point of view it is safe.
The situation with spiritual practices is more complicated. The same yoga is a very unsafe occupation from a spiritual point of view. And if you can still allow the use of some individual exercises (and then not all) as charging or exercise, then the full and professional yoga classes are not suitable for the Orthodox man due to the depth differences in ideology. The same can be said to other eastern practices that "work" with energy, aura, chakras and the like. These teachings are based on the Orthodox faith, so they will have to choose – or we are Orthodox Christians, or we use such practices.
Separately, it is worth touched by psychic and healing. Now these are very common flows of alternative medicine. Moreover, even Orthodox Christians come across on the tricks of such healers – sometimes healers in their magical cults use icons, consecrated water, church candles and other Christian attributes.This is misleading and creates the external visibility of some Christian rite. In fact, it is still a magic cult that has nothing to do with the faith of Christ. Blies and the Bible and all the holy fathers of our church strictly warned not to contact the magicians, healers and psychics to solve any problems, including health. It is important to understand that if such unconventional "treatment" will even give any visible positive fruits, the spiritual harm from visiting such specialists will be incommensurable.
In addition to the spiritual assessment of the unconventional treatment method, it is always important to assess the risks associated with the refusal of evidence-based treatment methods. Of course, alternative methods can give a positive result, but always need to carefully understand what consequences can be when using a particular alternative treatment method.