Prayer, faith and healing

The discussion on this thread here, yielded an interesting situation regarding healing. I'd like to hear anybody's thoughts regarding healing and if faith is required.
According to most christian denominations, a person has to believe that the healing will take place (claim it). But I contend that it should not be relevant, for if I go to the doctor, I need not believe in him as a medical practitioner for him to heal me. The healing should be based on his ability as a doctor, not my belief that he is a qualified doctor.
Any believers that can explain this would be appreciated.

So, then the healing is contingent on whether or not the person recieves the healing? I guess that makes sense, in accordance with the doctor/prescription analogy. Then the question remains, why doesn't god heal ALL the believers, since faith "should" be present in all believers.
Thanks for your input, Rrhain.

Are you suggesting that there no bible believing christians, )that exercise faith) are not sick or injured?

We are referring to physical (or mental) healing. Obviously, as John pointed out, it would be very easy to seperate the "true" christians from the not true christians if a unhealthy/sick/injured person claimed salvation. Not to mention it would also be a great witnessing tool; if I were convinced that once I believed, I would never catch a cold, have to wear contacts again, suffer from a broken bone, then I would convert this second!
On a side note, absolute physical healing as proposed by some christians (total physical healing as well as total spiritual healing) is not a possibility, since old age itself is an incurable disease that, at the very least, all of us will eventually die from.

Raha, I agree with you, but what I meant was, my 'faith' in a doctor to, say, set a broken bone, has no bearing on his talent/skill/ability. While the benefits of the placebo effect has been effectively demonstrated, I'm not really refering to a pill or a hex/curse or positive thinking. If a person goes in for Lasik, he/she only has to do what the doctor instructs them to do (hold yer head still and don't blink!) and the doctor can then perform his job, whether or not the patient even 'believes' in the procedure (as long as the procedure was performed correctly then person will enjoy better uncorrected eyesight); but a bible believing christian that subscribes to supernatural healing has to only believe (claim it) in order to receive it. I find it hard to imagine christians whom believe that god has rescued them from sin, hell, death and what have you, cannot believe that this same all powerful god cannot heal them of a disease unless they believe he can. They believed in salvation, the healing of a sin-sick soul; why is it more difficult to believe in the healing of the body?

messenjaH, how can you say what I would/would not believe if the evidence were compelling enough?

Hi, Proph!Yes, according to Christianity, Jesus is the focus. However, this thread is regarding physical healing, and why aren't all Christians healed after they are saved.

doyle, you just described the way I used to believe. I was a fundie for years and while I have witnessed a few things that I cannot explain (not to say there is no explantion for them), I have never seen any evidence that healing is happening anywhere. Faith healers that have glasses, and/or are over-weight or just old age seem to not enjoy the healing that they dole out. I have heard actual modern day (in the past 20 years)resurrections preached from the pulpit. A church out east in Columbus Ohio (that is nationally syndicated) boasts of healings everytime the doors are open! You'd think that the hospitals in Columbus would be empty
I heard it said that even if a person that was healed submitted proof, that unbelievers still would not believe.
I am fairly certain that if such evidence existed, I for one would be very close to believing again.