Barb,

I know you're just a tiny baby, but now you have an idea of what the '60's were like. Are you saying that your support group has given you a virus?

I would say to these people, "I don't understand you; don't you want to get well? Orthodox medicine has absolutely no cure for this disease!"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGRRRRRhhhhhhphttt!!!!!



Snoopy

Barb,

To the person who sent you the quackbuster info, why don't you send them the articles (they were posted on this board somewhere) denouncing one of the more notorious quackbusters and his fraudulent credentials? All the reports came from newspapers, so you don't have to show they came from here.

On another note, I, too, have been the subject of such behaviour on another mailing list. I chose not to reply to the hateful, accusational emails. I refuse to waste my time and energy on people perpetuating the cycle of hatred.

That is the road I take. There is another option, ask this question:

What benefit would pharmaceutical companies derive from finding drugs that actually worked?

If the drugs worked, everyone would get healthy and then where would they get their income from? It is a multi-billion dollar industry, so why would anyone in the medical field support something that worked? It would put a lot of people out of work, wouldn't it?

I NEVER thought about this, until one day my GP prescribed a cream for a rash and said something to this effect: Yep, it costs $30, but it probably won't work, give it a go anyway.*

So, why was I being asked to spend money on something that doesn't work anyway?

Think about it.

Of course, this is a conspiracy theory of sorts, but not necessarily. It is really about whether or not people want to take responsibility for themselves. However, aspects of various societies don't encourage this, instead we build a culture of blame. That's where these people are coming from. We are growing up in an age where if something is wrong, then we have to find a culprit. Unfortunately, in this case, you were targeted. But, have some compassion, these people are living their own "delusions"+.

You cannot help everyone, nor can you convince anyone who does not want to listen. Stick with those that are open to new ideas and who are willing to enter into discussion (without accusation).

It would be wonderful if we could get everyone to hear us, but the world does not work that way. I always try to remember this:

"He who saves one life, saves the world entire."

I also try to keep in mind that I have not chosen an easy route. I have chosen to take responsibility for my own life, and that requires a lot of hard work.

And, Barb, I am sure there were people on that list who were listening with an open heart. Sometimes, the silent ones are the one who are really thinking; not the vocal ones.

All the best, Barb. Believe or not, you've probably done more good than you realise (or will ever "hear" about).

[*Aside: funnily enough on the way to to get the prescription filled, I called in to an aromatherapy store and they gave me a $1 cream, which worked within 15 minutes, the rash, the burning, everything went. I took it to my GP who said nothing in this should work, but IF it works, keep it. The ointment had NO aromatherapy oils; it was a carrot-based (and other vegetable products) cream. I later gave it to my aunt, who had a rash (and a closed mind), it worked and she became very interested in so-called "alternatives" as well.]

[+ Given earlier discussions on this list, I hope I will be forgiven for using this term.]

[ 21 January 2002: Message edited by: Simone ]</p>

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Regards,<br /><b>Simone H</b><br /><br /><i>Aude Sapere</i><br /><br />"Never be a passive listener or learner" ~ Christian Gottfried Hahnemann

Dear Barb,
I am impressed that you got so many e-mails. For ten people that read your message usually only one will respond. This shows how effective your explaination was. It really threatened the readers, and because they couldn't defend themselves they felt they had to attack you. Some of these ones may be so annoyed that you upset their 'apple cart' that on their own they may investigate further. You have accomplished your goal. That is rewarding. Also the 90% that didn't respond, some of them will also investigate further into what you have said.

I think this is only your second year of studying homeopathy. It is a good learning experience. Just think that in ten years from now one of these very persons may approach you and tell you how valuable your comments were and that you prompted them to further studies themself and now they are studying homeopathy. Many times I thought I was wasting time only to find out years later the good impact it had on many.

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Anti-aging
Carole Franske

thanks for all the support - I really appreciate it. to everyone who Emailed me directly I don't want to send a reply until I am sure I have cleared the virus from my puter but I do thank you verymuch.

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Man, do not pride yourself on your superiority to animals. For they are without sin and you in your greatness defile the earth by your appearance on it and leave traces of you foulness after you. Dostoyevsky

I hate to say it, Barb, but all the really smart people get treated this way. The doctor--
Dr. Semmelweiss--who first suggested that maybe if doctors washed their hands after handling cadavers on their way to deliver babies, fewer women would die in childbirth, was hounded out of the profession, ridiculed, and wound up in a mental hospital! It's a terrible thing the way we, as a species, are willing to attack anybody who's different! (Now we're going after Arabs, we're actually holding thousands of "suspected terrorists"/Arab-Americans on suspicion, we've suspended their rights, no one knows where they're being held, no charges have been brought, one has died in custody....) Anyway, as a species, we've really gotta get a hold of ourselves! So Barb, really, how did you get this computer virus, do you know?

Snoopy

Dr. Semmelweis, Galileo, Joan of Arc, Jesus Christ, etc., etc., the list goes on and on!!
Ever read the book The Confederacy of Dunces? You can get a more detailed description of the exact process there.

When you are aware of the "pattern" of the process that transpires when a group finds a person who thinks differently from the herd, you can expect this response and learn to avoid it, or use it to your advantage.

It does no good arguing with people--they won't be swayed by good articles, come-ons from stock brokers trying to push sales of pharmaceutical stock (promoting sales using the whole approach to "treatment" that pharmaceutical companies take--first, we'll sell them this drug, which will work till the side effects kick in, then we'll sell them a drug for that...then another when those side effects become too strong...etc....! So you know there's going to be a guaranteed dependency on the product this company makes!! A great investment!!), common sense, testimonials, evidence of the poor motives or track record of conventional medicine...NONE OF THIS WILL MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE to these people, because they are all just kinda "lost" and need to feel they are doing all they can, just as they were told to do.

Barb, I will tell you this in all honesty: I have experienced people decide to undergo seriously destructive "treatment" for ailments they very possibly would have survived...and die of those "treatments", simply because they were too afraid to try an alternative method (or, in one case, to just leave things alone and NOT treat would have resulted in a much longer lifespan!). They didn't want to "justify" such a decision, they didn't want to have to take responsibility to carry out all such a decision would entail (maybe a little soul searching and positive life changes, for some!) and didn't want to answer to anyone's rude questioning...which they knew they'd get (see the line of questioning I mentioned in my last post).

Consider just how frightened and cowed a person must be to choose death and "certainty" over the possibility of being cured. When you start to work with people who have "terminal" diseases, such as cancer, you will see this over and over again. Making the argument for plain common sense is just a waste of breath with people like this because the decision is ultimately theirs to make, and it has to be respected.

Recently, I watched the movie "The Horse Whisperer", because there was nothing else going on over Christmas. My mother in law had a copy of the movie at her house, and since I had nothing to do and had some personal connection to "the Horse Whisperer" (yes, he's a homeopath who belongs to one of the mailing lists I subscribe to, and he helped me treat my cat at one point) I watched it.

Of course, there is absolutely no mention of the fact that the real person on whom the story is based is a homeopathic vet. There is no mention made of homeopathy in the movie whatsoever: however, it is demonstrated a couple of ways, very subtly. The most obvious clue to homeopathy: the horse is finally cured of his wild fear and mistrust of his human companion in a very literal "like cures like" demonstration (when we all know a dose of a good mania remedy would have done it alone); the most subtle, but most concrete clue: when the Horse Whisperer is contracted to help the injured Girl and her horse, he tells the girl that she has to be willing to do whatever is required to become well and to help her horse. She had to be fully committed to working towards getting better--100%. He tells her if she is not 100% capable of this commitment, he cannot help her.

For me that was the strongest scene in the movie, because forcing that decision on the character "seeking" cure was what started the whole process towards getting better. It is also the demand every homeopath makes of his or her patients.

The bottom line is you can only help people who want to be helped, and are ready to do whatever it takes. You only have so much energy to give to the work--be stingy with it and reserve it for those who are willing to work with you to accomplish the same end. Otherwise, those who are just wasting your time will end up sabotaging you and all those patients who are committed.

Start employing this standard as soon as you can, and you'll avoid those nasty stomach aches in the future.

I guess I don't need to tell you you ought to drop a "support" group which includes members who deliberately damage your computer with viruses, either. Not very healing or supportive behaviour, I'd say.

Divina

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...and deliverance has many faces<br />but grace<br />is an aquaintance of mine