Faith Q&A

May 28, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

McClatchy Newspapers

Voices of Faith: Are some people sick because they are so weak spiritually?

Pastor Raymond Davis Jr., Greater Corinthian Church of the Christ: To be weak spiritually doesn’t necessarily render a person sick physically. There are people who are weak and sick physically but who are at the same time spiritually strong. Some people demonstrate an undaunting presence of mind to stay faithfully focused and trust God in their situation when they are physically sick.

However, the Bible tells us of a situation with people of the church who became sick, and some even died resulting from spiritual immaturity and weakness. This situation as told to us in 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 speaks to the question before us.

The people of the church exhibited spiritual poverty, weakness and immaturity in the most critical of church ordinances — the Lord’s Supper, or the Eucharist. Speaking through the apostle, God took issue with the people of the church regarding their aptitude in partaking of this event. The spiritual problem was this: (1) a spiritual disorder; (2) partaking unworthily; (3) not discerning the Lord’s body.

If Christians partake but make no meaningful distinction between what was before and what is after and present, they don’t discern. To discern is to make distinction. This failure renders one spiritually weak and susceptible to sickness and even death.

Lama Chuck Stanford, Rime Buddhist Center & Monastery: The belief that people become ill due to a lack of faith is a common misconception that causes unnecessary suffering. The perception that physical or mental illness is somehow caused by a lack of faith is also a deterrent to people seeking medical care.

From a Buddhist perspective, everything that happens in our life is a result of karma, either from this lifetime or a past lifetime. Karma is simply cause and effect. The Buddha said, “Wholesome actions produce wholesome results, and unwholesome actions produce unwholesome results.” Therefore, the primary cause of illness, while it may have an underlying cause such as a virus or bacteria, is due to our past karma ripening. This is not due to a lack of faith, but rather due to our past nonvirtuous actions.

Conversely, studies at Duke and Harvard universities showed a strong connection between healing and faith. It has been demonstrated that religious faith has a positive effect upon the body to heal. One study even suggested that people who attend worship services regularly have stronger immune systems.

But even if you are not religious, it is possible to gain positive benefits from meditation. Meditation is consistent with nearly any spiritual faith. Meditation helps us to live more fully in the present moment. This takes tremendous courage. It means committing ourselves fully to responding moment to moment with compassion, regardless of the situation.

Send your questions for one of our panels of religion columnists to Helen Gray at The Star, 1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO. 64108. Send e-mail to hgraykcstar.com.

2011, The Kansas City Star