by Eunice J Minford, MBChB MA FRCS Ed.  Glenarm, N. Ireland

Dear Michael,

I have submitted a short ‘letter to the editor’ through the online system, but I feel to write to you personally to expand on that letter in regards to the article written by Josh Robertson and Liam Walsh entitled “New age ‘medicine’ of Serge Benhayon leaves trail of broken families”.

The interesting thing about this story and the aspect which the journalists have seemingly failed to explore and report is: why are ‘mainstream medical’ doctors referring clients to a clinic where the healing practices were established by a man who freely admits he has no medical qualifications whatsoever?

Continue reading “Letter to the Courier Mail: Profound Understanding of Life” →

by Golnaz Shariatzadeh, UK

To the Editor – Courier Mail: A response to a recent article

Re: “New age ‘medicine’ of Serge Benhayon leaves trail of broken families”

In a society…

• Where the rate of illness and disease is forever increasing;

• Where I am forever hearing people say they are exhausted;

• Where it is accepted to drink alcohol although your body throws it up;

• Where it is accepted to smoke, although the initial response of the body before it became numb was to violently cough;

• Where it is accepted to eat anything, although we feel bloated, lethargic or wired-up afterwards;

• Where it is accepted to act in a way that damages our body, and we are proud to ‘defeat’ the body’s limitations, although we would never be as disregarding to our car or another prize item;

• Where people are so numb to their feelings that they are happy to win at the expense of another, and not feel the bad taste in their mouths;

• Where people are so used to drowning their heart with the voice in their head, that they will harm and even kill others as long as some convenient ‘justified reason’ is provided for the fight;

• Where pornography has become a norm, to an extent that it is easily accessed by anyone, and even school kids are experiencing peer pressure to get involved;

• Where people have given up on the innocent joy and the immense love of everyone they might have had when young – to the extent that it is deemed stupid to even try;

…I am astounded that instead of following up any of the headings above – to bring more light and clarity to the predicament our world is in – your article sets about to discredit a group of people who are trying to explore and experiment in their own lives to find another way. Continue reading “A Response to the Courier Mail Editor: In a Society…” →

by Sarah Cloutier, Melbourne, Australia

To the Editor – Courier Mail/News.com.au/Perth Now/News Corporation

Re: “New age ‘medicine’ of Serge Benhayon leaves trail of broken families”

As General Manager of a film and television company in Melbourne, I expect a level of commitment from my team to research and investigate new technology to ensure we have all our facts straight before proceeding with any commitment that could impact on the success of the business.

As the Editor/s, and manager/s of a team of journalists, and a member of a national news network, I am surprised that neither yourself, Josh Robertson or Liam Walsh, did any real investigation or research into Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon; and as such you call into question the true intelligence of women such as myself – and in fact, all women. Continue reading “A Response to the Courier Mail Editor: Researching the Facts – Writing the Truth” →

by Adrienne Ryan, Fairfield, Australia

Re: “New age ‘medicine’ of Serge Benhayon leaves trail of broken families”

I was disappointed to see the slandering of Serge Benhayon and such a bias towards the disgruntled few, in light of the many MEN and women throughout the world whose lives have been deeply enriched by the simple presentations of Serge and Universal Medicine.

Ironically, it was in your paper last weekend where I read of not one, but three diets to support people to bring back their vitality, energy and quality of life – all of which recommended removing or reducing sugar, gluten, caffeine, alcohol and dairy from the diet and advocated getting regular exercise and rest. Continue reading “Letter to the Courier Mail: What is Going on?” →

by Dr Rachel Hall B.Ch.D (Uni Leeds), LDSRCS(Eng), MACNEM, Member IAOMT, Dental Surgeon, Brisbane, Australia

Re: “New age ‘medicine’ of Serge Benhayon leaves trail of broken families”

Josh, I find it incredulous that after having spent an hour in my company where I was very honest, open and candid, that you and your paper still chose to run with the cult angle and daub me as a follower of Serge Benhayon. That implies that I am brainwashed and incapable of making decisions for myself based on my own free will. As you know, I talked to you at length about health, science, research and statistics which show that certain foods impact detrimentally on health and wellbeing and that, based on my knowledge, background, education and understanding I had already before meeting Serge Benhayon, I had started to implement many lifestyle changes so as to ensure my own health and vitality and to be able to better care for my patients from all walks of life whom I care about deeply.

You missed a great opportunity to present facts and the truth because instead, which I knew was always a possibility, you chose to go for a story so as to be able to sensationalise what was presented and sell newspapers. Very very disappointing. Continue reading “Letter to a Journalist at the Courier Mail: You Missed a Great Opportunity” →

by Alan Johnston, Pottsville NSW, Australia

In my late twenties I gained a degree in Biological Science and a Diploma in Secondary Education. Thirty years later, halfway through a degree in photography, I switched into a Master of Visual Arts. As part of my social documentary photography studies I was on the editorial team of the Australian Photojournalist Magazine (APJ).

At the time, David Hicks was the villain ‘du jour’ for the Australian media and I wrote an analytical article for the APJ on how the media, particularly the tabloid Murdoch press like the Herald Sun and the Courier Mail, were portraying David Hicks, who was then still incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay.

From the outset, attached to many stories about David Hicks’ capture in Afghanistan, next to headlines like ‘True Blue Terrorist’, was an infamous photograph of him holding a rocket propelled grenade launcher. This photograph had nothing to do with Afghanistan – it was taken in Albania three years earlier, and, as I wrote then:

‘In 1998 David Hicks signs up to train with (the KLA in Albania) a US-backed group, gets snapped posing ineptly with an unloaded, borrowed weapon on his first day, never gets anywhere near a fight, and is back home in South Australia six weeks after he left.’  Continue reading “Tabloids ‘shaping of the facts’ to fit biases and prevailing prejudices” →

by Shannon Everest, Bangalow, Australia

As a woman (aged 33) I am somewhat astounded by an article printed in the Courier Mail today titled “New age ‘medicine’ of Serge Benhayon leaves trail of broken families”, by Josh Robertson and Liam Walsh. There are many things I could speak about in relation to this article that are simple un-truths. I feel to focus on one point only that particularly represents all women in its expression, not just women who have attended courses or sessions with Universal Medicine practitioners. Under a title of ‘beliefs’ you state: “After breast massage, clients are told to use Universal Medicine cream to deter bad energy, and to not allow their partners to touch them without permission”.

Are you suggesting that a man should be able to do whatever he likes with and to the body of the woman whom he lives with or is married to? Continue reading “Letter to the Courier Mail: I am somewhat Astounded” →

The following letter was sent to the Courier Mail Brisbane, Australia, in response to their article published on 8^th September 2012.

I have just read the article titled “New age ‘medicine’ of Serge Benhayon leaves trail of broken families” in which the journalists report that clients are told “not to allow their partners to touch them without permission”.

Are your journalists suggesting that it is ok for a person to be touched without permission? Continue reading “In response to the denigration of women by the press” →

by Katherine Jones, Brisbane, Australia

8 September, 2012

Dear Josh Robertson, Liam Walsh and the editors of the Courier Mail,

I am writing in regards to the article published in today’s Courier Mail about Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine, titled “New age ‘medicine’ of Serge Benhayon leaves trail of broken families”.

As a sometimes resident of Brisbane, and as someone who up until two years ago lived in Brisbane and read the Courier Mail almost daily, I am well aware of the style and journalistic approach you take in publishing your paper. Sometimes it’s newsworthy, sometimes it’s beat up rubbish. Most of the time I give the public the benefit of the doubt, and the truth comes to light. Most of the time your paper presents the story in an honest and open way, and is enjoyable to read. I hope you realise you’re not giving Brisbane the whole story in this article and have sold Brisbane short, which is a shame as your paper has a long and lovely history as a part of my hometown city’s lifeblood and day to day way of operation. Continue reading “Letter to the Courier Mail submitted to the online editorial section” →

This just posted on the Universal Medicine Website:

It is safe to say that millions of relationships and families have been destroyed as a result of alcohol consumption, drug addiction and emotional abuse. We can write that without even having to look up the stats. This state of affairs is so entrenched in our society that it goes largely unexamined, and sadly, it has become an accepted fact of life.

But present that perhaps we can live a lifestyle free of these kinds of things and a fascinating study of human behaviour ensues.

• Present that alcohol is harming to you and your loved ones, that you can eat healthy foods and go to bed early, and actually feel more vital as a result, and expect to be painted as a dangerous profiteering cult leader by the Press, so it seems.
• Present that you can bring a greater love and responsibility to relationships, (and be relatively successful doing it, as a result of the high demand for it) and expect that the irresponsible are going to want to throw some mud.

Continue reading “The medicine of a life lived well – apparently cause for alarm” →