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	snarkhunter 2009-05-25 02:34 pm UTC (link)
	...huh. All I can think is--it takes 2 1/2 years to learn to treat a spiritual poison? And, well, I guess it's no worse than any of the kooky New Agey stuff around here... (Reply to this)

	tehrin 2009-05-25 07:27 pm UTC (link)
	I don't understand why you are at a loss for words since this is a cultural thing. A lot of cultures still believe in ritual and magic. If there is a need for it by the populus, I don't see why some professinal agencies wouldn't address it. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	tehrin 2009-05-25 07:29 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, and I missed the part where you were Malaysian. My bad. You probably understand how much stranger it is than I would as an outsider. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

t_boy
2009-05-25 11:07 pm UTC (link)

Heh. Well, your first comment was almost exactly the same thing that my wife asked me about when she read this news article, and saw my reaction to it.

It's essentially a series of WTFs piled one on top the other, at least for me. Or a series of WTFs that are linked to one another, amplifying the final result.

Intellectually, I get the fact that there are other fellow Malaysians who believe in spirits and magic and stuff.

It's just that a university (we're supposed to be regulating our tertiary education system here; the Ministry of Higher Education is supposed to say whether you're able to call yourself a University or not) that is run by the government, that on one breath talks about how Islam is a religion of reason and then in the same breath talks about witch-craft, calling it medicine, and to top it off, they're concerned about their practitioners being on the straight-and-narrow (ideological) path, not saving or improving the quality of life of their patients.

My wife tells me I'm taking it negatively, that it's very likely that at least now the government is trying to steer people to at least take conventional treatment when, say, they're diagnosed with a tumor and they're convinced it's because they've been possessed by a jinn.

Did not see any mention of that in the original report, although my wife insists that they wouldn't, because the article was obviously not marketed for someone who believes that if you have cancer, you don't go see a fucking bomoh.

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tehrin
2009-05-26 01:11 am UTC (link)

The thing is, it's the patients choice to see doctors who specialize in that. It's really no different from other faith healing practices. And by addressing an individuals personal concerns, who's to say they aren't improving the life in some way.

And no, I'm not saying that they should ignore ordinary health care. I'm just saying that I can see the purpose as to why they would create such a degree. And hopefully they'll include some kind of bonified medical practice training in qualifications. And having some kind of government or medical board approved certification may weed out some of the hacks that would cause the most damage.

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t_boy
2009-05-26 01:43 am UTC (link)

The thing is, it’s the patients choice to see doctors who specialize in that. … And by addressing an individuals personal concerns, who’s to say they aren’t improving the life in some way.

You’re right, of course: it is a matter of personal choice. And yet…

And no, I’m not saying that they should ignore ordinary health care.

…and yet they do. I just deleted three paragraphs worth of comment, because I realized that I was beginning to rant. It’s a bit of a sore point. So let’s just say that by all means, choose complementary medicine if you must.

But at least know that there is a reason why they’re called complementary; they’re not excuses for you to skip on conventional medicine. Even if that means going through chemo. Especially if it means going through chemo.

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vito_excalibur
2009-05-27 07:50 am UTC (link)

And yet, no matter how many cultures believe in it, ritual and magic, though they may work for some things, do not actually work to treat disease. This information is widely available. So one would hope that one's government would be working to get that across to the people and find ways to get people effective treatment, rather than doing...whatever it is they're doing here. Wow. :(

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t_boy
2009-05-27 08:15 am UTC (link)

Yes. And look, seriously, if you need to go see a bomoh or sinseh or ayurvedic practitioner for, cancer, I won't stop you, but please, please, please, please, please, fucking please go see a doctor, and go seek conventional treatment first... and if you don't have any money for both conventional and alternative, go for conventional.

Yes, I am well aware that chemotherapy does not cure cancer, not in the sense that we understand as "cure" -- a good end for cancer patients is that they live long enough to die of something else.

And it's terrible -- generally how cancer is treated is by injecting or inserting harmful shit into you in hopes that it'll kill enough cancer cells before it kills you.

But chemo or radiotherapy or even outright surgery is, by far, better than putting all your hopes on so-called 'cures' that don't work for any foreseeable amount of time, and then being very briefly disappointed before dying horribly.

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	kuromitsu 2009-05-25 10:32 pm UTC (link)
	...I don't suppose they're doing it for free? (But maybe this is just my bitter, Central European way of thinking...) (Reply to this)(Thread)

weaselistic
2009-05-27 12:44 pm UTC (link)

It's not a Central European way of thinking. It's just... a sensible way of thinking. :/ There are superstitious people everywhere, there are people who mistrust regular medicine and science in every country or culture. Yesterday, I've been reading some... crazy ass stuff about alternative medicine and the people who die horribly because of it, but remain convinced until the end that they're going to get healthy again. In Europe.
At least it is not government-sanctioned, but that almost seems to add fuel to the fire, too, because it makes people into zealots who see their little son's cancer as an opportunity to prove that the wonder doctor's method works, and the regular doctors are just greedy, evil, lying bastards.
(Sorry for the ramble. This stuff just made my head hurt hurt hurt.)

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	ajatshatru 2009-05-25 11:52 pm UTC (link)
	Sigh That's a nice icon, though :) (Reply to this)(Thread)

	t_boy 2009-05-27 08:18 am UTC (link)
	Thanks. I got a whole bunch more. If you're Malaysian you might get this one. If not... (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	ajatshatru 2009-06-01 12:38 am UTC (link)
	I'm Indian, and there's been astrology introduced in some places in India, so ... Well, it's simply headdesk-time OMG awesome icon :D I think I'll go and take a look at your user-pics page (Reply to this)(Parent)

	redwarrior 2009-05-27 01:42 am UTC (link)
	...And I thought the religious loonies in my country were bad. (Reply to this)