Sunday, July 27, 2008

A Letter to King 5:

Recently, I received a Google news alert about a web article by the TV station King 5 on naturopathy.

This was my letter to them, in response [in green]:

In "Bastyr Camp Introduces Traditional Medical Students to Natural Medicine" by Jean Enersen

(per http://www.king5.com/health/stories/NW_072508HEB_bastyr_cam_camp_LJ.a832e4.html ),

King 5 News states:

"Bastyr camp introduces traditional medical students to natural medicine [...] the curriculum includes everything from nutrition to Chinese medicine to herbal medicine, all back[ed] up by science."

I know a little about Bastyr, naturopathy and science.

Bastyr claims that within what they call "natural health science" is both spiritism and vitalism (see http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/directory/brief/drmiss_22425_brief.php ). If this is in doubt, see OBNE (per http://www.oregon.gov/OBNE/Aboutnaturopathy.shtml ).

Again, you say this naturopathy approach is "all backed up by science;" and vitalism (see http://thevitalismofnaturopathy.blogspot.com/) and spiritistic supernaturalism (see http://naturopathicspiritism0000.blogspot.com/) are what defines naturopathy.

My request is this: can you share with me the science behind vitalism and supernaturalism [the essentially naturopathic]?

According to my studies, science neither includes nor supports vitalism (see http://novfsinscience.blogspot.com/) or the supernatural (see http://sciencerejectssupernaturalism0000.blogspot.com/) [in fact, science has rejected both -- for several decades and a few centuries, respectively].

To me, the claim that something is scientific when it isn't is flim-flam.

In fact, in the recently published article in the Guardian by Rose Shapiro, author of "Suckers: How Alternative Medicine Makes Fools of Us All" (ISBN 1846550289; 2008)

(see http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/jul/24/healthandwellbeing.radovankaradzic?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews),

the author states:

"could this be the moment when alternative medicine finally gets the reputation it deserves and is seen for what it is - a massive social and intellectual fraud? [...] alternative medicine is not only founded on lies and falsehoods, but it can be very bad indeed for your health [physical AND mental!!!]."

Do you see naturopathy's lies yet?

-Rob Cullen

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