# Is 'John of God' a Healer or a Charlatan? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 11, 2005, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-of-god-a-healer-or-a-charlatan/289491 "2005-02-11T00:42:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-of-god-a-healer-or-a-charlatan/289491/121 "2011-08-19T20:18:57Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Wait. Didn’t he die in like late 2006 or something? No? Definitely not. He’s still fighting the good fight, exposing psychic frauds and other bullshit artists. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-of-god-a-healer-or-a-charlatan/289491/122 "2011-08-19T20:26:57Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Definitely not. He’s still fighting the good fight, exposing psychic frauds and other bullshit artists. Whoosh. I was riffing off **devilsnew** ’s preditction that Randi would die of natural causes in late 2006. I guess **devislnew** did not pick up the million dollar prize in early 2007… ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-of-god-a-healer-or-a-charlatan/289491/123 "2011-08-19T20:53:09Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Yeah, but those doctors back in the 17th century had forgotten more than these kids today will. Partly because their brains decomposed, but also because they knew that the secret to being a good doctor is to get that bad blood out, even if it means letting half of the 4 gallons of blood in your body out. I firmly believe half of the dead doctors in John’s head are positively fuming 24/7, because nobody else but them knows how to drain the goddamn cholic humour any more. What the FUCK do they teach in academies these days ?! LEECHES AND ENEMAS, PEOPLE ! It’s not brain surgery ! And that’s illegal anyway ! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-of-god-a-healer-or-a-charlatan/289491/124 "2011-08-19T21:10:00Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Whoosh. I was riffing off **devilsnew** ’s preditction that Randi would die of natural causes in late 2006. > > I guess **devislnew** did not pick up the million dollar prize in early 2007… I see. Well played. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-of-god-a-healer-or-a-charlatan/289491/125 "2011-08-19T21:25:34Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > See that term ‘of God’? That translates to con man. Or insane. Probably a con man in this case though. ---
**Author:** ![Plumbkrazy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Plumbkrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumbkrazy)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-of-god-a-healer-or-a-charlatan/289491/126 "2011-08-19T21:45:39Z")
> [@](#): > > “John of God” claims his hands are guided by the spirits of more than 30 dead doctors, some of whom have been dead for centuries. Just what I want. My surgeon’s hands being guided by some fuckwad who would literally worship my smartphone. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-of-god-a-healer-or-a-charlatan/289491/127 "2011-08-19T22:10:14Z")
I am sure that some people’s sanity can not possibly get worse with a trepanation. I vote we find out, I have a drill… ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-of-god-a-healer-or-a-charlatan/289491/128 "2011-08-19T22:13:53Z")
As I stared at the copy of Self Trepanation For Dummies in one hand and the broken power drill in the other I thought “Damn! I need this like a need a- WAIT! I DO need a hole in the head. So what do I do now?” ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-of-god-a-healer-or-a-charlatan/289491/129 "2011-08-20T04:07:33Z")
I won’t start another stupid thread like the ICP thread to I’ll just add this to this thread. [http://dailypicksandflicks.com/2011/08/18/mexican-man-claims-he-captured-fairy-video/](http://dailypicksandflicks.com/2011/08/18/mexican-man-claims-he-captured-fairy-video/) Now let have a lunacy contest. But then, hey, you’ve got to give credit to a peasant that can think up a scam like this. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-of-god-a-healer-or-a-charlatan/289491/130 "2011-08-20T04:47:54Z")
> [@R.P.McMurphy](#): > > I won’t start another stupid thread like the ICP thread to I’ll just add this to this thread. > > [http://dailypicksandflicks.com/2011/08/18/mexican-man-claims-he-captured-fairy-video/](http://dailypicksandflicks.com/2011/08/18/mexican-man-claims-he-captured-fairy-video/) > > Now let have a lunacy contest. But then, hey, you’ve got to give credit to a peasant that can think up a scam like this. You know, it just miiiiight be a real fairy, and not a plastic figure in a jar that is making a bunch of money for this guy. Let’s keep an open mind, mkay? ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-of-god-a-healer-or-a-charlatan/289491/131 "2011-08-20T05:14:28Z")
> [@thomaskouns](#): > > However, as I experienced for myself things that defied my understanding and comprehension and witnessed more, I realized that what goes on there is beyond our understanding. > … > Since returning from my trip, I was attacked physically and mentally for the last several years in ways that defy explanation to most people. Protests that something “defies explanation” are not a substitute for actual description. Go buy a damn dictionary. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-of-god-a-healer-or-a-charlatan/289491.md?page=6)