Christian Acupuncture?

Dr Mahoney

I want to add to your understanding of acupuncture. I am a chiropractor and have studied acupuncture for ten years. I use acupuncture very successfully in my clinic. I have several medical physician patients and several routinely refer patients to my clinic. I also offer rehab, PT, massage and other treatment.

I do not use acupuncture in the way it is described by many traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) or new age practitioners. The approach I use could be called "clinical acupuncture". I do not concern myself with the flow of chi and all the traditional concepts of TCM. Instead, I have developed very successful techniques utilizing acupuncture needles in modern physiologic perspective. In my clinic, we treat pain, neurological problems, joint problems and some other problems extremely successfuly. Most often the patient experiences a lasting relief that they have not found with any other approach. It is not placebo or of the occult, it is a physiological methodology that works with anatomical structures and neurological processes. I agree with your concern about new age drifting of the Christian's understanding of God and man, however, I have found that some people have become so polarized because of a limited understanding of modern use of acupuncture. Often they gain this information from sources such as the internet. Just as I would have a very distorted concept of Christianity if my sole source of information was the internet, this sort of "research" can lead to a skewed concept of the entire field of acupuncture. Many medical researchers are implementing acupuncture with no regard to TCM or Taoist origins. I wanted you to be aware that medical or clinical acupuncture is a reasonable methodology that is no more based on Taoist philosophy than ordering chinese take-out. Ever notice that most Chinese restaurants have a statue of Buddha? Many Chinese Americans are Buddhist. Does that make Chinese food bad for Christians?

I do understand what you are warning about, but also please understand that acupuncture is a clinical methodology that can be used irregardless of religious intentions. There have been many patients that have found relief from my treatments that had already tried multiple doctors and medicines with little success.

Veterinary doctors are using acupuncture successfully without concern of their animal patient's views of philosophy or religion.

This message is not intended to be offensive in any way, but to be illuminating of aspects of acupuncture that are not related to Taoist beliefs.

I am Christian that was raised in a devout Christian home and have several fundamentalist Christian pastors in my family. I too am concerned about new age influences, but am aware that some people are higly polarized and paint everything they are unfamilar with using the same brush of suspicion.

Dr. Mark Kestner