2010-01-23T16:22:00Z Our experts respond to your questions on faith and healing. tag:onfaith.washingtonpost.com,2010:/onfaith/healthcentral/657 Copyright (c) 2010, WashingtonPost.Newsweek Interactive 2010-01-23T16:22:00Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2010-01-22:/onfaith/healthcentral2010/01/what_gives_life_meaning.html

Q; What gives life meaning? By Erica Brown Life is meaningful when transcendent moments are shared with others, when waking up each morning is an act of purpose and when we feel that the world is animated by forces that are greater than we are. Life is meaningful when we read, study and grow and realize that there is depth in all things when we give them time and attention. Life is meaningful when we...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

David Waters 2010-01-21T19:00:20Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2010-01-21:/onfaith/healthcentral2010/01/is_there_such_a_thing_as_karma_1.html

Q: Is there such a thing as karma? By Ramesh Rao I remember, way back when I was still trying to figure out Americana, reading a bumper sticker with this message: "Sorry, my kar-ma ran over your dog-ma". I chuckled over the pun and the double entendre, but thought that somewhere between being clever and sounding philosophical the message had fallen through the cracks to become incomprehensible! The concept of karma, unfortunately, has become or...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

David Waters 2010-01-20T15:39:52Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2010-01-20:/onfaith/healthcentral2010/01/is_there_such_a_thing_as_karma.html

Q: Is there such a thing as karma? By Wendy Cadge Karma is the idea that our actions have consequences. The idea comes from classic Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh teachings that say we are part of an endless cycle of birth, death and reincarnation or rebirth. It is our karma - the sum of all our actions in this life - that influences how we will be reborn in our next life. People whose...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

David Waters 2010-01-19T17:49:13Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2010-01-14:/onfaith/healthcentral2010/01/how_do_you_talk_to_god.html

Q: How does one "talk" to God? By Anne C. Brower There are many people who talk to God. For example: "I'm having a bad day--could You let up a little?" or "I need a parking place close to the grocery store because I can't walk very far--could You find one for me?" Actually, "talking" to God is a form of prayer. There are basically four forms of prayer: 1) ritual prayer, which many denominations...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

David Waters 2010-01-14T19:45:44Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2009-12-21:/onfaith/healthcentral2009/12/when_you_stop_believing_--_a_c.html

Q: I've recently come to realize that I no longer believe in God. Does this make me a bad person? By Albert Scariato I suppose a helpful way to respond to this question is to ask, "If I believe in God does that make me a good Person?" As someone who is around many people who claim to believe in God, the answer is, "No, belief in God--by itself--does not make someone a good person."...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

David Waters 2010-01-14T19:46:21Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2009-12-19:/onfaith/healthcentral2009/12/when_you_stop_believing_--_a_h.html

Q: I've recently come to realize that I no longer believe in God. Does this make me a bad person? By Ramesh Rao God, the Divine, Brahman, Allah, Paramatman, Yahweh, Lord, Shiva, Ishwara, Vishnu, Bhagavan - which of these terms have I used to label the Supreme, and which of them don't I believe in now? And if I reject all of these terms for the "Supreme" or "Divine," am I rejecting the concept of...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

David Waters 2010-01-14T19:47:02Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2009-12-17:/onfaith/healthcentral2009/12/why_you_need_a_community_of_su.html

Q: Do you see any difference in the health of people who belong to organized religions/churches compared to those who say they are spiritual but don't belong to a particular church? Let me know what you think. By Connie Domino Several research studies have discovered that people who belong to religious organizations or spiritual communities report better health and more happiness. I believe this doesn't mean that this religion or that religion or some other...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

David Waters 2010-01-14T19:47:48Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2009-12-16:/onfaith/healthcentral2009/12/why_do_the_holidays_depress_us.html

Q: Why do I always get depressed around the holidays? By Erica Brown The holidays can be a very lonely time for people precisely because we freight them with so much expectation: family dinners where we don't gain any weight, rosy cheeked, well-behaved children who show deep appreciation for all their presents, living rooms filled with tinsel and good friends enjoying each other's company. Our consumer society has created visual and mental images of what...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

David Waters 2010-01-14T19:48:27Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2009-12-11:/onfaith/healthcentral2009/12/why_doesnt_prayer_heal_everyon.html

Q: Studies have shown that prayer does help heal people, but not all the time. Why? By Anne C. Brower The real question is not the one above, but why does prayer not always lead to a cure. Prayer for healing will always be granted. So the difference between the two terms --"cure" and "healing"-- must be understood. "Cure" is returning your body to the same state it was in before it was attacked by...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

David Waters 2010-01-14T19:49:20Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2009-12-10:/onfaith/healthcentral2009/12/when_prayer_doesnt_seem_to_wor.html

Q: What do you do when you're depressed and your prayers don't seem to be answered? By Ramesh Rao When we are well, and happy, the sun seems to shine even when it is cloudy outside. But when the world troubles us, when our head and heart hurt, and when our prayers seem to fall on deaf ears what can we do? What should we do? The first and most important act would be to...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

David Waters 2010-01-14T19:50:23Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2009-12-09:/onfaith/healthcentral2009/12/does_god_only_give_us_what_we.html

Q: I have heard some people say that they loathe the statement that "God only gives you what you can handle." I have to say that I am not fond of this statement myself as there are people who feel that they may not be able to "handle" what is currently going on in their life. And then they feel unworthy of God. But for others this statement brings comfort. Can you tell us from...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

David Waters 2010-01-14T19:51:01Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2009-12-08:/onfaith/healthcentral2009/12/does_faith_ensure_happiness.html

Q: Some people say that if you have a connection with God that you will be happy. Does a belief in God automatically ensure happiness? By Erica Brown Too many people believe in God as a quick fix for happiness. While there is much evidence that people of faith lead happier, healthier lives, this is due to many factors working together: being part of a faith community with all of its benefits, enjoying membership in...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

David Waters 2009-12-15T20:44:33Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2009-12-07:/onfaith/healthcentral2009/12/our_faith_and_health_experts.html

The Rev. Dr. Anne C. Brower is senior chaplain and director of the Healing Ministry at the Washington National Cathedral. She is a graduate of Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons and was honored in 1997 by the American Association of Women Radiologists as "The Most Outstanding Woman Radiologist" in the nation. Dr. Erica Brown is the Director for Adult Education at The Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning and consults for The...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

David Waters 2009-12-07T16:03:34Z tag:washingtonpost.com,2009-12-04:/onfaith/healthcentral2009/12/about_healthcentralon_faith.html

HealthCentral, the leading collection of online condition-specific consumer health and wellness experiences, and On Faith, The Washington Post's special online feature on religion, are collaborating on a new daily feature exploring the relationship between faith and healing. HealthCentral/On Faith gives HealthCentral's users the ability to pose their questions on faith to an On Faith panel of religion experts, who will give their unique perspectives on real issues regarding spirituality and health. Each week, HealthCentral will...Please click on the title to continue reading this entry.

David Waters