The Ultimate Medical Mistake
Chapter 1

Searching Questions

There were a number of convictions that drove me to compile this study, but by far the most compelling conviction grew out of the following statement by Ellen White:

“Everywhere people are perishing for lack of a knowledge of the truths that have been committed to us.” (CD455.3)

For the sake of emphasis, please allow me to rephrase this statement:

Great numbers of people have died prematurely, and still are dying prematurely, for the singular reason that we have not shared our distinctive truths with them.

As a church, we have mountains of truth that we have yet to share with the world, but when it comes to those truths that can save people everywhere from an early grave, none are of more significance than our unique truths pertaining to the nature, the prevention, the causes, and the cure of disease.

Other than a few institutions that are closely following the inspired guidelines, we, as a church, have been largely ineffectual in sharing these unique truths with the world - and my fear is that nothing is going to change until such time as God’s children come to appreciate the full significance of our health message.

An Inspired Message

Perhaps the most significant aspect of our health message is the fact that it is an inspired message. This means, in simple terms, that this message originated in the very mind of God.

While some are of the opinion that Ellen White was inspired, but that her teachings on health were “borrowed” from her contemporaries, her own testimony assures us that this was not the case:

“After the [health] vision was given me, my husband was aroused upon the health question. He obtained books, upon our eastern journey, but I would not read them. My view was clear, and I did not want to read anything until I had fully completed my books. My views were written independent of books or of the opinions of others.” (See 5MR391.3 & 5MR 392.1)

We may safely conclude, therefore, that God used a humble lady to give us a health message for just such a time as this, and for just such a disease-ridden world as ours.

An Inspired Standard

Having an inspired message to guide us, a message that is unquestionably faultless, we may confidently accept her writings on health as our scientific standard. After all, she herself assured us that . . .

“True science and Inspiration are in perfect harmony.” (MYP189.3)

Regardless of this fact, some of the health principles that are found in the inspired writings still give rise to a certain measure of concern and confusion within our ranks. As a result, some have felt the need to try and harmonize Ellen White’s teachings on health with the orthodox medical model. Others again have suggested that “things have changed,” and that certain of her teachings on health are now outdated. Yet all such efforts that I have come across to date have failed dismally, (a) to address the core issues, and (b) to highlight the unique teachings and the awesome wonders of the message that God has entrusted to us.

If Ellen White was inspired, which fact most of us have accepted by faith, and if our health message is an inspired message, as it certainly is, then we may safely accept that the health principles that are presented in her writings are as true, as trustworthy, and as unchangeable as the eternal principles of love.

With this fact in mind, let us consider two very important and far-reaching principles, both of which are found in the following statement:

“Nature alone possesses curative powers. Medicines have no power to cure, but will generally hinder nature in her efforts.” (4aSG136 Emphases my own)

These two principles assure us that whether our focus is on 18^th century medicine, or on modern medicine, we simply cannot sidestep the fact that . . .

“Restorative power is not in drugs, but in nature.” (15MR278.3)

While medicinal drugs usually do come at a heavy price - both in terms of their monetary cost, and in terms of their injurious effects upon the human system - there is no question that the use of drugs is sometimes unavoidable. Drugs are sometimes justified in relieving unbearable pain and various other symptoms of disease; sometimes they supply a substance that the body needs; and sometimes they may serve some other useful purpose. Even anesthetic is a drug, and none of us would like to undergo surgery without anesthetic.

Nevertheless, the point that has to be made, and this with strong emphasis, is that:

“Drugs never cure. They change the order of difficulties, but never heal them, never remove the cause.” (PC21.2)

“Drugs never cure. Instead, they place in the system seeds which bear a very bitter harvest.” (2SM288.3)

When Ellen White uses the word “never,” she is obviously referring to both the eternal past and the eternal future. As such, we may rest assured that no drug ever possessed curative powers, and there are a growing number of modern-day physicians who would fully agree.

“It must be emphatically stated that drugs do not possess curative powers. The cure is always brought about by the body itself, and the most that a wise doctor can do is assist the body’s own healing forces.” (Paavo O. Airola, N.D., Ph.D. There is a Cure for Arthritis, p.89)

While many people may be of the opinion that drugs do cure, and while their personal experience may seem to support their opinion, Inspiration leaves us in no doubt that nature alone possesses curative powers.

‘Sick people who take drugs do appear to get well. With some there is sufficient life force for nature to draw upon to so far expel the poison from the system that the sick, having a period of rest, recover. But no credit should be allowed the drugs taken, for they only hindered nature in her efforts. All the credit should be ascribed to nature’s restorative powers.” (HL244.1)

While it is often claimed that “new and better” drugs have been developed in recent times, and while there may be some substance to this claim in terms of the non-healing properties of certain drugs, nothing can alter the fact that:

• “The use of drugs is not favorable or natural to the laws of life and health.” (MM223.1)

• “The use of drugs is not in accordance with God’s plan.” (16MR57.1)

• “The use of drugs has not been specified as in the Lord’s order.” (SpM7.2)

While we do need to salute the many kind, caring and self-sacrificing people who are involved in the medical/drug industry, and while we do need to recognize that much good work is being done by this industry – especially in the field of trauma - it is an indisputable fact that God called us to engage in a work that is far removed from the drug-dependant medical practices of the world.

Even the most casual reading of the inspired teachings on health will convince us that God called us (a) to teach the world’s people how to live in order to prevent disease, and (b) to introduce the world to a drug-free method of healing that is safe and rational, a method of healing that actually cures disease instead of merely suppressing the symptoms of disease.

“Every effort possible is to be made to show the sick that disease may be cured by rational methods of treatment, without having recourse to drugs.” (5BIO386.5)

“Patients are to be supplied with good, wholesome food; total abstinence from all intoxicating drinks is to be observed; drugs are to be discarded, and rational methods of treatment followed.” (MM228.6)

Clearly, therefore, God called us to engage in an altogether unique work – a work that recognizes Him as the True Physician, a work that focuses far more heavily on prevention than it does on cure, a work that depends on the healing powers of nature instead of on drugs, a work that has infinitely more to do with health care than it has to do with disease care. While this special work may seem like a strange work to those who have placed their faith in worldly medicine; it is nevertheless a truly scientific work:  

“The study of surgery and other medical science receives much attention in the world, but the true science of medical missionary work, carried forward as Christ carried it, is new and strange to the denominational churches and to the world. But it will find its rightful place when as a people who have had great light, Seventh-day Adventists awaken to their responsibilities and improve their opportunities.” (Ev518.1)

While Ellen White most certainly did encourage our students to qualify as physicians, and by so doing to satisfy the laws of the land, nowhere does she encourage our qualified physicians to engage in the drug-dependant practices of orthodox medicine.

“In this school [Loma Linda] many workers are to be qualified with the ability of physicians, to labor, not in professional lines as physicians, but as medical missionary evangelists. Such students should come out of the school without having sacrificed the principles of health reform or their love for God and righteousness.” (MM58.5)

Far from engaging in worldly medicine, one of the highest callings of our medical missionary evangelists was to work at reforming the practice of medicine:

“As reformers we are to reform the medical practice by educating toward the light. Our work is to be done in the full recognition of God.” (MM125.2)

“The light was first given to me why institutions should be established, that is, sanitariums were to reform the medical practices of physicians.” (MM27.2)

There is no question, therefore, that the institutions that we were called to establish were intended to serve as lights unto the world, not merely as reflections of the medical practices of the world:

“As to drugs being used in our institutions, it is contrary to the light which the Lord has been pleased to give.” (MM27.2)

‘Special instruction should be given in the art of treating the sick without the use of poisonous drugs and in harmony with the light that God has given. In the treatment of the sick, poisonous drugs need not be used.” (9T175.1)

“His method of healing without drugs shall be brought into prominence in every large city through our medical institutions.” (MM325.3)

“Rational methods for the cure of disease will be used in a variety of ways. Drugs will be discarded.” (LLM110.3)

“When physicians understand physiology in its truest sense, their use of drugs will be very much less, and finally they will cease to use them at all.” (HL264.4)

Clearly, therefore, a right understanding of physiology will preclude the use of drugs – other than in exceptional circumstances. As such, . . .

 “The physician who depends upon drug medication in his practice shows that he does not understand the delicate machinery of the human organism. He is introducing into the system a seed crop that will never lose its destroying properties throughout the lifetime. I tell you this because I dare not withhold it. Christ paid too much for man's redemption to have his body so ruthlessly treated as it has been by drug medication.” (MM229.2)

“There should be nothing put into the human system that would leave its baleful influence behind. And to carry out the light on this subject, to practice hygienic treatment, and to educate on altogether different lines of treating the sick, was the reason given me why we should have sanitariums established in various localities.” (2SM293.4)

While some may have the impression that our present-day acute-care hospital system is the natural outgrowth of the original “drug-free” sanitariums that were established by our pioneers, and while there are even televised documentaries that unwittingly foster this idea, we need to respectfully record that this is simply not the case. As mentioned above, our calling was not merely to emulate the medical practices of the world, but to introduce the world to an altogether unique method of “drug-free” healing.

 “There are many ways of practicing the healing art; but there is only one way that Heaven approves. God’s remedies are the simple agencies of nature that will not tax or debilitate the system through their powerful properties.” (CD301.2)

In this light, therefore, we need to answer the all-important question:

If “God’s remedies are the simple agencies of nature,” and if “nature alone possesses curative powers,” and if medicines “have no power to cure,” then how is it that we, as the custodians of truth, currently operate one of the largest acute-care medical networks in the world – a medical network that appears to be as dependant on drugs as any other?

This is one of the core issues that we, as a church, are going to have to come to terms with; and there are a number of very good reasons why I say this:

1. Because our health message will not rise to prominence until it is recognized, not merely as a collection of guidelines, not merely as a “needless appendix to the truth,” but as God’s infinitely better way of practicing the healing arts.

2. Because suffering people everywhere are depending on us “to reform the medical practices of physicians.”

3. Because our existing acute-care medical system will be of far greater service to humanity when our physicians embrace heaven’s only approved method of healing – which method is discussed later in this document.

4. Because “nothing will open doors for the truth like evangelistic medical missionary work.” (Ev513.1)

5. Because people everywhere “are perishing for lack of a knowledge of the truths that have been committed to us.” (CD455.3)

Warning

Persons on prescription medicine should never dispense with their medication, or reduce the prescribed dosage, unless advised to do so by a suitably qualified health professional. This is especially applicable to persons on heart and/or psychiatric medication.

For those taking medication, the wise thing to do is to prayerfully read the remainder of this document, then plan your healthy living programme together with a health conscious, nutrition-oriented physician. Then, as your physician monitors the improvement in your condition, he will reduce or discontinue your prescription accordingly.