I don't have a problem with faith---we'd all of us be in a sorry state without any faith or hope at all. Despair is the state of being without hope--- abandoned, lost in darkness.
I do have a problem with anyone who claims to be able to 'heal' another, through some magical transfer of faith or hope from the stronger to the weaker person.
The faith and hope of another is useless to me---only the faith or hope that I have in my heart is motivational to me. What someone else chooses to call their particular brand of hope and faith is also immaterial to me. I don't feel the need to label mine----or idolise and worry about it-----just so long as I can feel it when I need it.
Honest medical personnel are clear about their role---they remove, if they are able, the obstacles to health.
Health is a state of homestasis or balance in the body.
[
en.wikipedia.org]
A good medic aims to remove obstacles in order
to allow the body to heal itself and allow it to return to a state of homeostasis. An honest medic aims to facilitate this natural process----no honest medic would claim to be able to do the 'healing' himself.
The haka works
for those performing it by firing up the natural physical systems of the body to prepare it for fight or flight, for action---it fires up the adrenaline (US: epinephrine) response. The wording of this particular haka, the Ka Mate, is a clear expression of faith and gratitude in the natural processes of the body, it is a celebration of being alive and active--- nothing at all about casting out of demons or other airy fairy notions:
[
en.wikipedia.org])
The "Ka Mate" haka generally opens with a set of five preparatory instructions shouted by the leader, before the whole team joins in:
"Ka Mate"
Leader:
Ringa pakia!...................... Slap the hands against the thighs!
Uma tiraha!....................... Puff out the chest.
Turi whatia!....................... Bend the knees!
Hope whai ake!.................. Let the hip follow!
Waewae takahia kia kino!... Stomp the feet as hard as you can!
Leader: Ka mate, ka mate ........ I die, I die,
Team: Ka ora' Ka ora' .............. I live, I live
Leader: Ka mate, ka mate......... I die, I die
Team: Ka ora Ka ora ".............. I live, I live
All:Tçnei te tangata pûhuruhuru ...................... This is the fierce, powerful man
Nâna i tiki mai whakawhiti te râ ................. Who caused the sun to shine again for me
A Upane! Ka Upane!................................... Up the ladder, Up the ladder
Upane Kaupane"........................................ Up to the top
Whiti te râ,!............................................... The sun shines!
Hî!............................................................ Rise!
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/01/2011 07:29PM by Stoic.