There is this guy on television, with the most amazing comb over, that is a faith healer. His name is Benny Hinn, and it always seems like when I turn by those Christian networks in my channel surfing, I catch a glimpse of this guy. He is always healing people (supposedly) and doing the slap on the forehead to do this. While this is so humorous to watch, it can not be ignored that Christianity does teach a divine healing in its religion. Jesus healed, the apostles healed and people have look to their Christian god for healing since the dawn of Christianity in this world. So what about Witnesses, did you see any examples of them wanting faith to heal people?
We had an elder in our congregation who got real thin all of a sudden. He went to the doctor, and found out that he had stomach cancer. They wanted to operate and when they did, they found it was all over his body and there was nothing that could be done. He was a popular elder and people were sad that he would soon die. So often in prayer at the meetings, as well in field service, Bible studies and so on. People would say something like this, "Jehovah, please help Brother Jones to fight this cancer and live." What were they asking for? Were they asking for a game of chance? Where they asking to perhaps bring this to Jehovah's attention, in case he was out to lunch when Brother Jones found out? Or, where they asking for a healing? More often then not, I would say that the latter question was what they were asking for. Healing from prayer, and prayer was useless without FAITH, right?
When my mother-in-law found out a couple of years ago, that she had breast cancer. She had to have a full mastectomy. While she was in the hospital, the family was all sitting around supporting one another and talking. An elder asked to say a prayer. Which was not a easy moment, considering that about half those in the room where not Witnesses. So he prayed, and he asked, "Please help Sister Adams to fight this and get well soon?" Was he asking for her to do this of her own strength, or what he looking to inspire the LORD to do something for her divine? I think we realize that the elder was hoping that this prayer would open the floodgates of Holy Spirit to be a healer for Sister Adams, and since Witnesses felt elders were more connected to Holy Spirit, this gave comfort to my father-in-law when he stated, "I hope Jehovah heard that prayer and helps Judy?" A mind set reflected in a comment, that many Witnesses hold too, right?
Yet faith healing died out with the early Christians, and is not something Witnesses think is possible today. They rank it up there with other deeds of the early Christians, that were holy then, but evil when done now. Things like speaking in tongues, oh the mere thought of doing that brings chills to the Witness spine. So what happens, when health is on the line, better yet why do Witness pray for faith healing in such odd side stepping ways? Personally, I think it is mental aspect of the mind to realize that healing starts from within. We look to the most powerful part of our body and souls when weak and unlock the door with what ever key we use. Some use religion, and are open about it like that Benny Hinn guy and others use prayer and are subtle about it, like that elder who prayed for my mother-in-law and the congregation that prayed for the popular elder who died of stomach cancer.
Witness are an interesting group to look at, when you see them from the outside. Yet think about this for a moment, "Did you think prayer had a healing influence in your life, or the life of other Witnesses you knew?" Most likely, you did? Most likely, you also made fun of people like Benny Hinn at the same time. Yet he was just doing openly, what YOU as a Witness, was doing on the side. Interesting, isn't it?