The drugs HIV patients take does not kill them faster it is an immunological boosting drug to prevent them from developing AIDS, before the introduction of people would allways die a few years after development people can now go on to live over 20 years which is technically about a 400-500% increase on before
The origin of disease is not exactly ''extremely'' vague.
There is the theory of endosymbiosis including the origins of oxygen on the Earth; this explains the possibility of living protists coming from non-living 'things'. It's a rather difficult theory to explain so I'd suggest you just look it up. :)
I rather meant the vague nature because of the many different types of disease, not all of them are pathological and caused by external organisms, many can be caused environmentally, genetically and psychiatrically
Thank you, Rusalka, for expanding on what I meant. It appears a post you replied to has been deleted, though. 0_o
To expand further:
Being sick, or having an illness (whether inherited, or caught) has very little to do with how good of a magical practitioner one can be. If one can overcome an illness and still work magic in an effective way, I would dare say they are a BETTER practitioner than one who has no obstacles. To be able to overcome physical illness (even psychiatric illness) and be a productive magic worker is a miracle in itself.
Why of course there are psychiatric "diseases" but those are just from hindrances of the personality.
As for environmental illnesses those can be caused by varying things; varying meaning falling under caused by prokaryotes, eukaryotes or harmful/toxic substances which those are all spoken for.
Toxic substances comes from chemical compounds of toxic elements that cause erosion or decay somewhere in the body.
Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes may be thought about with what I suggested earlier by the theory of endosymbiosis; yes the pathological ones.
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Disregarding my neurotic personality I agree with Aelwyn. :)
Of course some sicknesses are caused by virus, infection, toxins, etc. Some sicknesses, however, are a physical manifestation of spiritual problems or imbalances. These can be caused by emotional/physical trauma, abuse, substance abuse, or a myriad of things. There are many ways to heal ourselves. Pharmaceuticals are one way, and the necessary way for many sicknesses or disease. Many of our drugs are derived from plants and herbs, they are just processed synthetic versions of the alkaloids that occur naturally in the plant. I seek spiritual healing first, and even if it isn't a spiritual problem, my body can heal itself and respond to treatment much better if my spirit is clean.
Icaros: I agree that one can heal if one is in the correct mindset. My specialist is SHOCKED at how far I've come in the past year--most of his patients DON'T because they give up or don't want to get better (yep, that does happen).
But chocking illness or disease up to simply energy or magic smacks of the Evangelical Christian belief that illness and disease is a demon.
I used to feel that way myself Aelwyn. I was raised in a household that were such conservative Christians we couldn't even watch television because too much sin was displayed there. We were taught to see devils behind every bush. I left this belief system because of their flaky teachings and putting spiritual significance in every misfortune in life. Since I have been apprenticed to a Native Medicine Man, I have seen some incredible healings performed by Shamanic techniques. Recently, a man in our clan was healed of heart disease, much to the shock and disbelief of his Cardiologist, by correcting a problem within one of his four spirits. (We are taught that every person has four separate spirits that inhabit four different parts of the body.) I guess my raising and Shamanic training is to blame...
Icaros: Yes, SOME people can be sick due to a "spiritual" illness, or even a psychic attack or spell...but for the most part, it's merely illness...a biological requirement because we are human, we age, and nature is trying to cull our numbers.
