May the Force be with the Man from Snåsa!

A healer has caught the attention of Norwegian media recently. Joralf Gjerstad is known as "the Man from Snåsa" (North of Trondheim) through a release of a book about him. This wizard has suddenly become a subject on everyones lips. It's not the first time it is written a book about his skills. But media didn't embrace the idea before now.



Many people support the idea that Gjerstad has helped them. There is absolutely something about him. He is certainly a respectable man. But does he really have healing skills? Science is based on probability. If healing really helps, it is like throwing a dice. Either you get low or high numbers. You'll never know. The outcome is equally high and low numbers over time. Science opens for coincidence. But science also opens for the Placebo effect. That is truly interesting. People that think they got real treatment, feel better condition than those who didn't get treatment (of any type).

Even Norwegian politicians have embraced this wizard. And the Minister of Health have been criticized for supporting his ideas. The defenders of healing have counter attacked the so called "arrogant" scientists. They claim that science can't explain everything. Discussing the healing science has been out of the question.

It's tempting for scientists to say that healing is complete rubbish. But science does not work this way, either. Science supports the idea of Placebo effect. You see? Who would actually tell a person with cancer that healing is complete rubbish? I would only feel sorry if I did. That would not make the ill feel better! "The man of Snåsa" is quite the opposite to this suggested lack of behaviour. He makes people feel better! And they thank him afterwards!

Personally, I do not think that tumors disappear by healing. On the other hand, healing can't hurt anyone. Unless healing replaces documentated treatment, which can be harmful (according to science). What really matters is that healers make people feel better.

Cheers!