Can church be bad for your health?

[coadie]

Originally Posted by ILG

Pastors can't legally counsel unless they are a licensed counselor. They "give advice". However, most people listen to a pastor before they listen to a counselor. I see both as having been trained by a system and both might be willing to give advice just and good or bad as the other.

You have to be licensed to get reimbursement.
Rabbi's don't have to do Med school for circumcisions either.
There are lots of counseling jobs in jails, substance abuse, schools, churches and other applications that have not passed state board exams.

A Minnesota court ruled that it was barred by the first amendment from resolving a man's claim that his church and a denominational agency were responsible for the negligent counseling of his pastor that led to the breakdown of his marriage

Pastors have to abide by ethics rules and avoind misconduct. The states don't get very involved with church counseling.