I'm a doc (podiatrist). Faith mentioned Jonathan Edwards. Edwards did an expert job of psycho-analyzing perhaps a hundred (or so) *emotional* Christian converts and of discerning *true religion* per se. I know of no physician(s) who have such expertise. Albeit, Freud, Jung, and other psychiatrists have touched on personality traits and such.
My take is that 90%+/- of current docs are hyper-specialists and are totally aloof of *spiritual* and *evo* matters. Many are business-specialists within PPO and/or HMO frameworks. They are inept to give spiritual advice and often avert the subject i.e.,... when someone speaks about God healing and/or speaking to them.
This topic, Brian, seems pointless and I think you realize it. Most Physicians aren't even research scientists (as per Shraf) let alone Charismatics. Or ask their malpractice carriers to what extent they're *allowed* to disdain "freedom of religion" in their practices.
Imagine a dentist, MD, podiatrist, or such giving spiritual advice to a Charismatic! Surely (at least for malpractice purposes) I'd better play the idiot when I delve into another person's psyche and salvation or risk losing my insurance.
Psychiatrists might seem *credible* at giving spiritual advice; but, alas, most are inept, they ...
1) are at the bottom of their classes
2) don't believe there's a devil
3) are held in highest disdain by Alabama fundies
Surely, I utterly respect my patients that state: "God's healing is perfect", "By his stripes we are healed", and so on. I’m only their public servant, called to practice medicine.
Persons seem to me as created beings that often groan in pain, and require healing by God, not by puny-practitioners. At any rate their souls (psyches) seem beyond any physician's qualifications and services.
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