By Stephen Cook, the Golden Age of Gaia, http://goldenageofgaia.com/2013/11/faith-and-healing-the-mainstream-media-but-whos-the-real-charlatan-here/

November 8, 2013

While there are some wonderful and progressive publications and news sources popping up around the world – both online and off – it seems certain elements still feel they have to toe the age-old line of “burning the witches at the stake”. Literally.

Last night, feeling a tad tired, I sat down in my lounge room during the early evening. This is not something I usually do at that time of day. I then did something else I don’t usually do at that hour – I turned on the TV.

I instantly recognised the person on my TV screen as being a man associated with theta healing. I know this because we held Blossom Goodchild’s Sydney event in his welcoming venue.

But first let me state upfront that I have NO link, or really any opinion on theta healing per se. What I feel or think about theta healing is actually totally irrelevant to the issue I wish to discuss.

The issue here is media manipulation. Or, if you wish, trial by media. So let me set the scene….

The guy I knew was talking about how he is an industrial scientist who never thought anything could help his back pain. “Oh, that’s Mark from the Co-Creation Centre”, I thought, as I also wondered: ”What’s this all about?” I then realised I was watching one of Australia’s two, sensationalist tabloid TV current affairs programs.

The story, it turned out was about an event held this past weekend in Sydney featuring US-based theta healing author Vianna Stibal. But this was no ordinary interview and feature story… as I also soon found out.

Mark was talking about how this type of healing had helped his back pain. Another lady was saying how it had lessened her Multiple Sclerosis symptoms. Another lady felt it had helped heal her cancer.

But as I kept watching I was saddened. The TV reporter and crew didn’t care that these people were saying they felt they had enjoyed some relief from their health issues. The story was simply out to discredit the whole concept of anything alternative, intangible and different. The reporter belittled whatever those interviewed said. He called Vianna a charlatan to her face and never let her finish what she was saying.

Then the footage cut straight to one of Australia’s most respected medical professionals, as he stated that supposed claims made by theta healing attendees and teachers were nothing but heresy. I doubt he even knew what the story and/or theta healing was about. He just said what the reporter led him to say.

Accusations about false claims, stories of Vianna’s son’s former wife and their divorce, and their legal cases were also bandied about as part of this report. They even filmed a theta-healing practitioner in Brisbane via a camera in a briefcase, asking her how she treated sick pets. I expect just so they could show how ‘crazy’ and ‘whacko’ alternate healers are…

In short, it was a knife job. ‘Whoa’, I thought ‘ that was pretty harsh.”

I then turned to a respected news show watched a story then flicked channels again. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Here was Vianna and the whole faith and alternative healing story being tied to the stake on yet another tabloid current affairs program.

This time they were even more negative. They had a leading sceptic on. They trashed the whole concept of the mind being used for healing. They spoke to someone they introduced as a ‘real doctor who treats real patients”… as if the people who were talking about the positive effects of their healing experiences were not real people.

It got worse. Essentially, this story tore down any type of possible benefit or healing that anyone MAY have received from ANY alternative therapy or concept. In short, they were burning all faith healers and alternative concepts as if they were witches. I felt I was in a time warp. (Hello, Joan of Arc, are you still here?)

They even claimed that the 60 or so people attending the weekend course were being ripped off because no faith healing process had any ‘old school’ medical backing. We want proof, they said. Give us proof.

Yet these same TV shows will promote the heck out of the latest product from one of their network sponsors, the latest fad diet or some celebrity’s new perfume and also accept payment for stories they run.

Today I emailed Mark and his partner, Theresa, knowing how hard it is to get a story on one of these shows – but even harder to be the victim of negative reporting. They were shell shocked to say the least – but helpless to do much now it has been to air. Yet here were two non-mainstream people simply attempting to talk about an alternative therapy to a small and committed, enthusiastic audience; getting the light energy out there as best they know how.

Instead they ended up being splashed across Australia’s TV screens – twice in one night – and held up to ridicule. All because they were showcasing an alternative way of living that was outside the mainstream world.

As I said, this  purpose of this story isn’t about the merits of a form of alternative healing. It is to demonstrate that the mainstream media can still twist and turn any story into the way they – and the mainstream thinking – wish it to be portrayed.  In this case, demonising an alternative theory or practice, and those who choose to believe.

It left me thinking: who’s the real charlatan here? To me, it was both TV shows. My faith, however, remains – the world is awakening to such manipulation of things outside the ‘norm’. I hope that what people saw on TV last night was so obviously a misrepresentation, they will see through it. If not today, then tomorrow – or the day after. In these energies it may likely guide them TO alternative modes – of thinking, healing and beyond.

For, charlatans or not, it’s not the media healing the world. It’s our own innate faith – in ourselves.

Meanwhile, in case you are curious, here are online links to both stories:

If you’re interested, I’ve left comments open to see what you feel and think about the issue of the media falsifying and misrepresenting alternative concepts, authors and theories.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonight/lifestyle/article/-/19729614/the-faith-healer/

http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/article/8751773/faith-healer-or-a-fake