If a family member seems better after a blessing, does that make all the practitioner’s demands trustworthy?

No. A family member seeming more comfortable after a blessing does not make every later demand from the practitioner correct. A physical feeling is one matter. Asking you to undress or accept inappropriate touching is another. We need to distinguish these clearly.

We discussed a news story in which someone seeking help became more trusting of the practitioner because their mother seemed to improve. I pointed out that we did not know whether the improvement was related to the ritual. It could have been coincidental or a temporary feeling of relief. A family member saying they feel more comfortable does not establish that the practitioner’s methods are right.

Miao Yuan also reminded us that physical discomfort first needs a doctor to investigate the cause. If surgery is needed, that remains a doctor’s work. Worry and urgency about a family member are understandable, but make it all the more necessary to see clearly what the person is actually asking to do. Praying for a mother does not justify asking her daughter to undress or touching the daughter to make the mother better. Nor should we accept unreasonable demands because someone says the family will lose protection if we refuse.