DH writes: “I am planning on attending a healing service with Dr. Issam Nemeh next Saturday, July 24th. I am currently reading the book [about Dr. Nemeh] entitled, Miracles Every Day, written by Maura Poston Zagrans and there are a few passages I have come across that are causing me to be cautious. One comes from page 72 – “Another theme noted by many people who have written letters to the Nemehs is the out-of-body sensations experienced by patients during appointments with the doctor.”
DH continues: “I have kidney cancer and wanted him to pray over me. I was wondering if you know anything about him. He is on youtube and a priest endorses him. Knowing and having read a few of your booklets on New Age has given me reason to be concerned.”
There is so much conflicting information about Dr. Nemeh that I would not risk attending one of his healing sessions until his background becomes more clear.
In addition to the out-of-body sensations DH references in her e-mail, this article posted in 2005 on the Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/11928/not-everyone-is-believer-in-popular-faith-healer contains much information about the Cleveland-based Nemeh that I find troubling. Even though I do not agree with the skepticism about faith healing that is reflected in this article, I am dismayed by the accounts of his apparent greed and his use of other questionable medical practices.
This article by attorney Ernest Miller includes information about other problems relating to Dr. Nemeh’s history as a physician that I also found troubling especially because they are being recounted by a lawyer. http://importance.corante.com/archives/evolution/
In addition, I found it disturbing to read that Nemeh, who is said to be a devout Catholic, is a former anesthesiologist who quit his practice to take up an unconventional form of acupuncture known as Meridian Regulatory Acupuncture that uses an electrically charged needle.
On the other hand, Dr. Nemeh is apparently able to conduct many of his services in Catholic Churches where he claims to pray the rosary and recite the Chaplet of Mercy every hour during a typical service. One of his services was attended by Bishop Anthony Pilla of the Diocese of Cleveland who appeared to approve of it (see http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1350542/posts)
In my experience, however, whenever I encounter this much contradiction about a person’s background, I make it a point to stay away until it all sorts itself out – which it inevitably does. Better safe than sorry.
But I’m grateful to DH for bringing him to our attention. Let us all keep DH in our prayers and implore the Lord to come to her aid in this time of need!
