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* This is essentially the position taken by ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedOdyssey'' with regards to the prayer-based medical treatments of Ancient Greece, and is contrasted with the historical figure of Hippokrates, who is considered the Father of Medicine. It's not entirely malicious, though: the game is set during the Peloponnesian War, before medical science as we know it really existed, and many healers in the world of the game are well-meaning but simply don't know any better. Naturally, it turns out that the Cult of Kosmos (read: the Ancient Greek Templars) are behind the parts of it that really ''are'' malicious, including efforts to stymie Hippokrates' research and teaching under the pretense of impiety.
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* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1985'': In "The Trance", Don becomes the business manager of a supposed faith healer in Panama after the strange voice in control of Leonard Randall exposes their claims about being able to channel the ancient warrior Delos as a scam.
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* ''Literature/{{Patternist}'': One of the titular {{Psychic|Powers}}s is a variant -- the faith is fake but the healing isn't. She's a [[VampiricDraining psychic vampire]] who draws in crowds with a charismatic preacher act, harvests their energy in a way that satiates her without harming anyone individually, and uses the excess to [[HealingHands work genuine miracles of healing]].
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* ''Literature/{{Patternist}'': ''Literature/{{Patternist}}'': One of the titular {{Psychic|Powers}}s is a variant -- the faith is fake but the healing isn't. She's a [[VampiricDraining psychic vampire]] who draws in crowds with a charismatic preacher act, harvests their energy in a way that satiates her without harming anyone individually, and uses the excess to [[HealingHands work genuine miracles of healing]].
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* ''Literature/{{Patternist}'': One of the titular {{Psychic|Powers}}s is a variant -- the faith is fake but the healing isn't. She's a [[VampiricDraining psychic vampire]] who draws in crowds with a charismatic preacher act, harvests their energy in a way that satiates her without harming anyone individually, and uses the excess to [[HealingHands work genuine miracles of healing]].
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* On ''Series/RoswellNM'', Max and Michael chase one down in Texas when they see she's using their alien symbol, thinking that she is an alien like them (as several of them have HealingHands). She's completely unapologetic about it, saying that if people already dehumanize her as a MagicalNativeAmerican and NubileSavage she might as well get money from it. [[spoiler: She knows nothing about aliens, but her mother does, as the tribe hid an alien on their reservation for decades until she died.]]
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* On ''Series/RoswellNM'', ''Series/RoswellNewMexico'', Max and Michael chase one down in Texas when they see she's using their alien symbol, thinking that she is an alien like them (as several of them have HealingHands). She's completely unapologetic about it, saying that if people already dehumanize her as a MagicalNativeAmerican and NubileSavage she might as well get money from it. [[spoiler: She knows nothing about aliens, but her mother does, as the tribe hid an alien on their reservation for decades until she died.]]
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* On ''Series/RoswellNM'', Max and Michael chase one down in Texas when they see she's using their alien symbol, thinking that she is an alien like them (as several of them have HealingHands). She's completely unapologetic about it, saying that if people already dehumanize her as a MagicalNativeAmerican and NubileSavage she might as well get money from it. [[spoiler: She knows nothing about aliens, but her mother does, as the tribe hid an alien on their reservation for decades until she died.]]
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Note that this still counts as a con even if the person believes in their own powers. Fooling yourself doesn't mean you're not fooling people.
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Note that this still counts as a con even if the person believes in their own powers. Fooling yourself doesn't mean that you're not fooling people.
others.
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* One of these is featured on ''Series/1000WaysToDie''. Before one "show", he grabs an ungrounded mic while standing in water and gets electrocuted.
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* One of these is featured on ''Series/1000WaysToDie''.''Series/OneThousandWaysToDie''. Before one "show", he grabs an ungrounded mic while standing in water and gets electrocuted.
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* One of these is featured on ''Series/1000WaysToDie''. Before one "show", he grabs an ungrounded mic while standing in water and gets electrocuted.
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The Fake Faith Healer, who combines elements of the SinisterMinister and the PhonyPsychic, is one of the most vile types of ConMan. Most con artists [[ViolinScam target the greedy]], but this fellow targets the hopeless and desperate.
The Fake Faith Healer will usually claim to heal through [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve the power of faith]] and [[HealingHands laying on hands]]. The most vile will offer PsychicSurgery services. At best, they'll take your money. At worst, they'll persuade you to forgo conventional treatment--and die.
The Fake Faith Healer will usually claim to heal through [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve the power of faith]] and [[HealingHands laying on hands]]. The most vile will offer PsychicSurgery services. At best, they'll take your money. At worst, they'll persuade you to forgo conventional treatment--and die.
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The Fake Faith Healer, who combines elements of the SinisterMinister and the PhonyPsychic, is one of the most vile vilest types of ConMan. Most con artists [[ViolinScam target the greedy]], but this fellow targets the hopeless and desperate.
The Fake Faith Healer will usually claim to heal through [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve the power of faith]] and [[HealingHands laying on hands]]. Themost vile vilest will offer PsychicSurgery services. At best, they'll take your money. At worst, they'll persuade you to forgo conventional treatment--and die.
The Fake Faith Healer will usually claim to heal through [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve the power of faith]] and [[HealingHands laying on hands]]. The
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* In ''Literature/SunglassesAfterDark'', the primary antagonist, Catherine Wheele, is a rich and powerful evangelist and faith healer. She is [[NotSoPhonyPsychic actually an extremely powerful psychic]] with MindControl powers, but she doesn't have a ''bit'' of healing power--that part is pure con.
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* In ''Literature/SunglassesAfterDark'', the primary antagonist, Catherine Wheele, is a rich and powerful evangelist and faith healer. She is [[NotSoPhonyPsychic actually an extremely powerful psychic]] with MindControl powers, but she doesn't have a ''bit'' of healing power--that power -- that part is pure con.
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* ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'', episode "[[Recap/LittleHouseOnThePrairieS6E10TheFaithHealer The Faith Healer]]": A faith healer named Reverend Danforth comes to town, and everyone is very impressed by his claims and his apparent faith, until a young boy that he is supposed to have healed ends up dying. Even with that, Danforth still maintains his grip on Hero Township until late in the episode, when Charles -- along with several prominent Walnut Grove residents (Dr. Baker, Rev. Alden and Mercantile owners Nels and Harriet Oleson) -- successfully hatch a plain to expose Danforth as a fraud at another of his tent revivals.
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* ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'', episode "[[Recap/LittleHouseOnThePrairieS6E10TheFaithHealer The Faith Healer]]": A faith healer named Reverend Danforth comes to town, and everyone is very impressed by his claims and his apparent faith, faith until a young boy that he is supposed to have supposedly had healed ends up dying. Even with that, Danforth still maintains his grip on Hero Township until late in the episode, when Charles -- along with several prominent Walnut Grove residents (Dr. Baker, Rev. Alden and Mercantile owners Nels and Harriet Oleson) -- successfully hatch a plain plan to expose Danforth as a fraud at another of his tent revivals.
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* In ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', "[[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1521 SCP-1521]] - The Most Holy Bank of His Holiness Pope Leo the Tenth, Saint in Waiting" some AmbiguouslyHuman entities works in a Roman style building that's only visible to certain people. They use things like faith, prayers and a bath in holy water to help people. [[spoiler: It's all a scam and the treatments don't work.]]
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* In ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', "[[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1521 SCP-1521]] - The Most Holy Bank of His Holiness Pope Leo the Tenth, Saint in Waiting" some AmbiguouslyHuman entities works work in a Roman style Roman-style building that's only visible to certain people. They use things like faith, prayers and a bath in holy water to help people. [[spoiler: It's all a scam and the treatments don't work.]]
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* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E11FaithOff Faith Off]]", the family run into a faith healer who slaps people to "cure" them, and is believable mostly because everyone presents minor ailments (like smoking) heavily subject to the placebo effect. He and Bart successfully remove a glued-on bucket from Homer's head, making Bart genuinely think himself to having faith healing powers (Lisa attributes this to the hot tent melting the glue and expanding the bucket). He realizes he doesn't when he tells [[BlindWithoutEm Milhouse]] his eyes are fixed, causing him to get in an accident.
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* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E11FaithOff Faith Off]]", the family run runs into a faith healer who slaps people to "cure" them, them and is believable mostly because everyone presents minor ailments (like smoking) heavily subject to the placebo effect. He and Bart successfully remove a glued-on bucket from Homer's head, making Bart genuinely think himself to having faith healing powers (Lisa attributes this to the hot tent melting the glue and expanding the bucket). He realizes he doesn't when he tells [[BlindWithoutEm Milhouse]] his eyes are fixed, causing him to get in an accident.
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* ''Series/Carnivale'' has the titular carnival setting up one of these to turn a profit in a town where their usual acts would get them thrown out, having one of them act as a minister and "heal" another member of the carnival hiding in the crowd. Ironically enough the guy they pick for the minister actually does have HealingHands abilities, they just require him to [[EquivalentExchange drain the life from something nearby]]. [[spoiler:In the series finale, they set it up again and actually heal people in order to drain life from the villain nearby.]]
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* ''Series/Carnivale'' ''Series/{{Carnivale}}'' has the titular carnival setting up one of these to turn a profit in a town where their usual acts would get them thrown out, having one of them act as a minister and "heal" another member of the carnival hiding in the crowd. Ironically enough the guy they pick for the minister actually does have HealingHands abilities, they just require him to [[EquivalentExchange drain the life from something nearby]]. [[spoiler:In the series finale, they set it up again and actually heal people in order to drain life from the villain nearby.]]
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* ''Series/Carnivale'' has the titular carnival setting up one of these to turn a profit in a town where their usual acts would get them thrown out, having one of them act as a minister and "heal" another member of the carnival hiding in the crowd. Ironically enough the guy they pick for the minister actually does have HealingHands abilities, they just require him to [[EquivalentExchange drain the life from something nearby]]. [[spoiler:In the series finale, they set it up again and actually heal people in order to drain life from the villain nearby.]]
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* ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'': In "Revival", Ezra Burnham travels the US with his revival preaching the word of Main/{{God}} to a different congregation each week. He claims to be able to sense people's pain and [[HealingHands heal them]] through the power of God's love. In reality, his daughter Sarah takes down the information of various people in the congregation and feeds it to him through an earpiece. Ezra then calls the relevant people up on stage and puts on a big song and dance about healing them. If they ever do feel better afterwards, it has to do with the power of suggestion rather than any supernatural powers on Ezra's part. Luke, who later joins Ezra's revival, can heal people but that is because he is an alien as opposed to him possessing any God-given powers.
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Compare SnakeOilSalesman, who offers similar fake healing, but without the religious overtones.
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Compare SnakeOilSalesman, who offers similar fake healing, but without the religious overtones. \n If the religious overtones are kicked up a notch, on the other hand, it may result in a ScamReligion.
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* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E11FaithOff Faith Off]]", the family run into a faith healer who slaps people to "cure" them, and is believable mostly because everyone presents minor ailments (like smoking) heavily subject to the placebo effect. He and Bart successfully remove a bucket from Homer's head, making Bart genuinely think himself to having faith healing powers. He realizes he doesn't when he tells [[BlindWithoutEm Milhouse]] his eyes are fixed, causing him to get in an accident.
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* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E11FaithOff Faith Off]]", the family run into a faith healer who slaps people to "cure" them, and is believable mostly because everyone presents minor ailments (like smoking) heavily subject to the placebo effect. He and Bart successfully remove a glued-on bucket from Homer's head, making Bart genuinely think himself to having faith healing powers.powers (Lisa attributes this to the hot tent melting the glue and expanding the bucket). He realizes he doesn't when he tells [[BlindWithoutEm Milhouse]] his eyes are fixed, causing him to get in an accident.
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The Fake Faith Healer, who combines elements of the SinisterMinister and the PhonyPsychic, is one of the most vile types of {{Conman}}. Most cons [[ViolinScam target the greedy]], but this fellow targets the hopeless and desperate.
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The Fake Faith Healer, who combines elements of the SinisterMinister and the PhonyPsychic, is one of the most vile types of {{Conman}}. ConMan. Most cons con artists [[ViolinScam target the greedy]], but this fellow targets the hopeless and desperate.
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* One episode of ''Series/FridayThe13thTheSeries'' has a fake faith healer who finds a magical glove that temporarily gives him ''real'' healing powers. Unfortunately, it's one of the artifacts the team has to reclaim.
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* One episode of ''Series/FridayThe13thTheSeries'' has a fake faith healer who finds a magical glove that temporarily gives him ''real'' healing powers. Unfortunately, it's one of the artifacts the team has to reclaim.reclaim, and much like the other artifacts in the series, it carries an ''ugly'' price.
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* In ''Series/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E11FaithOff Faith Off]]", the family run into a faith healer who slaps people to "cure" them, and is believable mostly because everyone presents minor ailments (like smoking) heavily subject to the placebo effect. He and Bart successfully remove a bucket from Homer's head, making Bart genuinely think himself to having faith healing powers. He realizes he doesn't when he tells [[BlindWithoutEm Milhouse]] his eyes are fixed, causing him to get in an accident.
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* In ''Series/TheSimpsons'' ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E11FaithOff Faith Off]]", the family run into a faith healer who slaps people to "cure" them, and is believable mostly because everyone presents minor ailments (like smoking) heavily subject to the placebo effect. He and Bart successfully remove a bucket from Homer's head, making Bart genuinely think himself to having faith healing powers. He realizes he doesn't when he tells [[BlindWithoutEm Milhouse]] his eyes are fixed, causing him to get in an accident.
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Compare SnakeOilSalesman, who offers similar fake healing, but without the religious overtones.
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On the other hand, the PlaceboEffect suggests that phony healing treatments can sometimes actually improve people's health, since YourMindMakesItReal-- to an extent.
Compare SnakeOilSalesman, who offers similar fake healing, but without the religiousovertones.
overtones.
Compare SnakeOilSalesman, who offers similar fake healing, but without the religious
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* ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'', episode "[[Recap/LittleHouseOnThePrairieS6E10TheFaithHealer The Faith Healer]]": A faith healer named Reverend Danforth comes to town, and everyone is very impressed by his claims and his apparent faith, until a young boy that he is supposed to have healed ends up dying, at which point the scales fall from everyone's eyes.
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* ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'', episode "[[Recap/LittleHouseOnThePrairieS6E10TheFaithHealer The Faith Healer]]": A faith healer named Reverend Danforth comes to town, and everyone is very impressed by his claims and his apparent faith, until a young boy that he is supposed to have healed ends up dying, at which point dying. Even with that, Danforth still maintains his grip on Hero Township until late in the scales fall from everyone's eyes.episode, when Charles -- along with several prominent Walnut Grove residents (Dr. Baker, Rev. Alden and Mercantile owners Nels and Harriet Oleson) -- successfully hatch a plain to expose Danforth as a fraud at another of his tent revivals.
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* In ''Series/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E11FaithOff Faith Off]]", the family run into a faith healer who slaps people to "cure" him, and is believable mostly because everyone presents minor ailments (like smoking) heavily subject to the placebo effect. He and Bart successfully remove a bucket from Homer's head, making Bart genuinely think himself to having faith healing powers. He realizes he doesn't when he tells [[BlindWithoutEm Milhouse]] his eyes are fixed, causing him to get in an accident.
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* In ''Series/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E11FaithOff Faith Off]]", the family run into a faith healer who slaps people to "cure" him, them, and is believable mostly because everyone presents minor ailments (like smoking) heavily subject to the placebo effect. He and Bart successfully remove a bucket from Homer's head, making Bart genuinely think himself to having faith healing powers. He realizes he doesn't when he tells [[BlindWithoutEm Milhouse]] his eyes are fixed, causing him to get in an accident.
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The Fake Faith Healer, who combines elements of the SinisterMinister and the PhonyPsychic, is one of the most vile types of {{Conman}}. Most cons target the greedy, but this fellow targets the hopeless and desperate.
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The Fake Faith Healer, who combines elements of the SinisterMinister and the PhonyPsychic, is one of the most vile types of {{Conman}}. Most cons [[ViolinScam target the greedy, greedy]], but this fellow targets the hopeless and desperate.
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* In ''Series/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E11FaithOff Faith Off]]", Bart believes he has faith healing powers after successfully removing a bucket from Homer's head. He realizes he doesn't when he tells [[BlindWithoutEm Milhouse]] his eyes are fixed, causing him to get in an accident.
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* In ''Series/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E11FaithOff Faith Off]]", Bart believes he has the family run into a faith healing powers after healer who slaps people to "cure" him, and is believable mostly because everyone presents minor ailments (like smoking) heavily subject to the placebo effect. He and Bart successfully removing remove a bucket from Homer's head.head, making Bart genuinely think himself to having faith healing powers. He realizes he doesn't when he tells [[BlindWithoutEm Milhouse]] his eyes are fixed, causing him to get in an accident.
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[[AC:Web Original]]
* In ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', "[[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1521 SCP-1521]] - The Most Holy Bank of His Holiness Pope Leo the Tenth, Saint in Waiting" some AmbiguouslyHuman entities works in a Roman style building that's only visible to certain people. They use things like faith, prayers and a bath in holy water to help people. [[spoiler: It's all a scam and the treatments don't work.]]
* In ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', "[[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1521 SCP-1521]] - The Most Holy Bank of His Holiness Pope Leo the Tenth, Saint in Waiting" some AmbiguouslyHuman entities works in a Roman style building that's only visible to certain people. They use things like faith, prayers and a bath in holy water to help people. [[spoiler: It's all a scam and the treatments don't work.]]
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[[AC:Web Original]]
* In ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', "[[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1521 SCP-1521]] - The Most Holy Bank of His Holiness Pope Leo the Tenth, Saint in Waiting" some AmbiguouslyHuman entities works in a Roman style building that's only visible to certain people. They use things like faith, prayers and a bath in holy water to help people. [[spoiler: It's all a scam and the treatments don't work.]]
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[[AC:Web Original]]
* In ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', "[[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1521 SCP-1521]] - The Most Holy Bank of His Holiness Pope Leo the Tenth, Saint in Waiting" some AmbiguouslyHuman entities works in a Roman style building that's only visible to certain people. They use things like faith, prayers and a bath in holy water to help people. [[spoiler: It's all a scam and the treatments don't work.]]
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* In ''Series/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E11FaithOff Faith Off]]", Bart decides to become a fake faith healer after successfully removing a bucket from Homer's head.
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* In ''Series/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E11FaithOff Faith Off]]", Bart decides to become a fake believes he has faith healer healing powers after successfully removing a bucket from Homer's head.head. He realizes he doesn't when he tells [[BlindWithoutEm Milhouse]] his eyes are fixed, causing him to get in an accident.
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* In ''Literature/SunglassesAfterDark'', the primary antagonist, Catherine Wheele, is a rich and powerful evangelist and faith healer. She is actually an extremely powerful psychic with MindControl powers, but she doesn't have a ''bit'' of healing power--that part is pure con.
to:
* In ''Literature/SunglassesAfterDark'', the primary antagonist, Catherine Wheele, is a rich and powerful evangelist and faith healer. She is [[NotSoPhonyPsychic actually an extremely powerful psychic psychic]] with MindControl powers, but she doesn't have a ''bit'' of healing power--that part is pure con.
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* ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'', episode "[[Recap/LittleHouseOnThePrairieS6E10TheFaithHealer The Faith Healer]]'' is, unsurprisingly, focused on this trope. A faith healer named Reverend Danforth comes to town, and everyone is very impressed by his claims and his apparent faith, until a young boy that he is supposed to have healed ends up dying, at which point the scales fall from everyone's eyes.
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* ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'', episode "[[Recap/LittleHouseOnThePrairieS6E10TheFaithHealer The Faith Healer]]'' is, unsurprisingly, focused on this trope. Healer]]": A faith healer named Reverend Danforth comes to town, and everyone is very impressed by his claims and his apparent faith, until a young boy that he is supposed to have healed ends up dying, at which point the scales fall from everyone's eyes.
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'''Indexes:''' {{Conman}}, HealingAndCuringTropes, {{Villains}}, ReligionTropes, CharactersAsDevice
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'''Indexes:''' {{Conman}}, HealingAndCuringTropes, {{Villains}}, ReligionTropes, CharactersAsDevice
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The Fake Faith Healer, who combines elements of the SinisterMinister and the PhonyPsychic, is one of the most vile types of {{Conman}}. Most cons target the greedy, but this fellow targets the hopeless and desperate.
The Fake Faith Healer will usually claim to heal through [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve the power of faith]] and [[HealingHands laying on hands]]. The most vile will offer PsychicSurgery services. At best, they'll take your money. At worst, they'll persuade you to forgo conventional treatment--and die.
Usually found traveling in a tent, but the most successful will have their own churches and will visit large arenas.
Note that this still counts as a con even if the person believes in their own powers. Fooling yourself doesn't mean you're not fooling people.
Compare SnakeOilSalesman, who offers similar fake healing, but without the religious overtones.
Sadly, this trope is very much TruthInTelevision. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_healing Faith healing]] is a controversial practice with little to no scientific evidence in support of it, and has led to deaths in situations where it was used in place of conventional medical treatment, such that many skeptics have a low opinion of it. But since we're here to document fiction, well...Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease
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!!Examples:
[[AC:Film]]
* ''Film/LeapOfFaith'' is about a cynical fake faith healer who starts to develop sympathy for the people of a small town when he gets stuck there.
* In ''Film/RedLights'', a fake faith healer named Leonardo is debunked in a scene which closely follows the real-life debunking of faith healer Peter Popoff by stage magician and skeptic James Randi.
* The film adaptation of ''Literature/TheDayOfTheLocust'' adds a scene where Faye and Homer take Harry to a scammer/fake faith healer called Big Sister, who is purely in it for the money.
[[AC:Literature]]
* Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/{{Revival}}'', Pastor Charles Jacob decides to become a fake faith healer ''after'' losing his faith.
* In ''Literature/SunglassesAfterDark'', the primary antagonist, Catherine Wheele, is a rich and powerful evangelist and faith healer. She is actually an extremely powerful psychic with MindControl powers, but she doesn't have a ''bit'' of healing power--that part is pure con.
[[AC:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'', episode "[[Recap/LittleHouseOnThePrairieS6E10TheFaithHealer The Faith Healer]]'' is, unsurprisingly, focused on this trope. A faith healer named Reverend Danforth comes to town, and everyone is very impressed by his claims and his apparent faith, until a young boy that he is supposed to have healed ends up dying, at which point the scales fall from everyone's eyes.
* In one episode of ''Series/HoudiniAndDoyle'', the pair investigate a faith healer, and eventually establish that the faith was real, but the healing was not.
* In an episode of ''Series/DrQuinnMedicineWoman'', Quinn challenges a fake faith healer, who weasels out of the test by insisting that they should ''combine'' Quinn's medicine with his prayer.
* One episode of ''Series/FridayThe13thTheSeries'' has a fake faith healer who finds a magical glove that temporarily gives him ''real'' healing powers. Unfortunately, it's one of the artifacts the team has to reclaim.
* The ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' episode "Careless" has the rare sympathetic version. Not only does he believe in his own powers, but he also believes he's responsible for the death of a child--and he's wrong about that too.
* In ''Series/Hasamba3G'', Elimelech's brother Zerah, a former embezzler, is now a fraudulent "energetic healing" guru known as "The Microwave".
* ''Series/MyNameIsEarl'' featured a rather young one after Earl fell into a coma. It turns out that when Earl was bad, he and Joy had gone to him for an injured leg and a facial blemish. After the kid cures those, Earl and Joy pull off a robbery that would have been impossible if they hadn't been cured, leading the boy to quit faith healing. Randy convinces him to come out of retirement to cure Earl's coma. [[spoiler: It's then revealed that the boy doesn't actually have any healing powers and Earl and Joy were hired by his father to pose as clients.]]
* One episode of ''Series/HouseMD'' has a teenage faith healer who seemingly manages to cure one of Wilson's cancer patients. It later turned out that the faith healer just happened to have an infection that he transmitted to the cancer patient, and the infection attacked the cancer cells in the patient's body.
* One episode of ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' involved Logan and Barack investigating a young woman who appeared to be able to cure people with voodoo. They managed to prove that she was a fraud, though not before she nearly convinced Logan that she'd put a curse on him.
[[AC:Music]]
* "Evangeline" by Music/DanielAmos is about how God can use even a fake faith healer to accomplish good.
* The televangelist from the Music/InsaneClownPosse song "Hellalujah" is a con artist of this type. He wheedles six thousand dollars from his loyal followers in order to "heal" a kid with a twisted neck, tangled legs, and a crooked spine, and when the healing doesn't actually do anything, he then tries to assuage his followers by saying that the boy's ''spirit'' has been healed.
[[AC:Theatre]]
* One SettingUpdate staging of ''Theatre/CosiFanTutte'' has Despina appear as one (in the original, she's disguised as a doctor throwing around loads of TechnoBabble).
[[AC:Video Game]]
* ''Videogame/NeverwinterNights'': When the city of Neverwinter is hit by the Wailing Death plague, several cultists working for the BigBad infiltrate the city disguised as priests. They hide amongst the priests and healers that are trying to provide legitimate help, and offer "blessings" which they claim will protect people from the plague, but are actually helping to spread it.
[[AC:Western Animation]]
* In ''Series/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E11FaithOff Faith Off]]", Bart decides to become a fake faith healer after successfully removing a bucket from Homer's head.
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The Fake Faith Healer, who combines elements of the SinisterMinister and the PhonyPsychic, is one of the most vile types of {{Conman}}. Most cons target the greedy, but this fellow targets the hopeless and desperate.
The Fake Faith Healer will usually claim to heal through [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve the power of faith]] and [[HealingHands laying on hands]]. The most vile will offer PsychicSurgery services. At best, they'll take your money. At worst, they'll persuade you to forgo conventional treatment--and die.
Usually found traveling in a tent, but the most successful will have their own churches and will visit large arenas.
Note that this still counts as a con even if the person believes in their own powers. Fooling yourself doesn't mean you're not fooling people.
Compare SnakeOilSalesman, who offers similar fake healing, but without the religious overtones.
Sadly, this trope is very much TruthInTelevision. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_healing Faith healing]] is a controversial practice with little to no scientific evidence in support of it, and has led to deaths in situations where it was used in place of conventional medical treatment, such that many skeptics have a low opinion of it. But since we're here to document fiction, well...Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease
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!!Examples:
[[AC:Film]]
* ''Film/LeapOfFaith'' is about a cynical fake faith healer who starts to develop sympathy for the people of a small town when he gets stuck there.
* In ''Film/RedLights'', a fake faith healer named Leonardo is debunked in a scene which closely follows the real-life debunking of faith healer Peter Popoff by stage magician and skeptic James Randi.
* The film adaptation of ''Literature/TheDayOfTheLocust'' adds a scene where Faye and Homer take Harry to a scammer/fake faith healer called Big Sister, who is purely in it for the money.
[[AC:Literature]]
* Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/{{Revival}}'', Pastor Charles Jacob decides to become a fake faith healer ''after'' losing his faith.
* In ''Literature/SunglassesAfterDark'', the primary antagonist, Catherine Wheele, is a rich and powerful evangelist and faith healer. She is actually an extremely powerful psychic with MindControl powers, but she doesn't have a ''bit'' of healing power--that part is pure con.
[[AC:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'', episode "[[Recap/LittleHouseOnThePrairieS6E10TheFaithHealer The Faith Healer]]'' is, unsurprisingly, focused on this trope. A faith healer named Reverend Danforth comes to town, and everyone is very impressed by his claims and his apparent faith, until a young boy that he is supposed to have healed ends up dying, at which point the scales fall from everyone's eyes.
* In one episode of ''Series/HoudiniAndDoyle'', the pair investigate a faith healer, and eventually establish that the faith was real, but the healing was not.
* In an episode of ''Series/DrQuinnMedicineWoman'', Quinn challenges a fake faith healer, who weasels out of the test by insisting that they should ''combine'' Quinn's medicine with his prayer.
* One episode of ''Series/FridayThe13thTheSeries'' has a fake faith healer who finds a magical glove that temporarily gives him ''real'' healing powers. Unfortunately, it's one of the artifacts the team has to reclaim.
* The ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' episode "Careless" has the rare sympathetic version. Not only does he believe in his own powers, but he also believes he's responsible for the death of a child--and he's wrong about that too.
* In ''Series/Hasamba3G'', Elimelech's brother Zerah, a former embezzler, is now a fraudulent "energetic healing" guru known as "The Microwave".
* ''Series/MyNameIsEarl'' featured a rather young one after Earl fell into a coma. It turns out that when Earl was bad, he and Joy had gone to him for an injured leg and a facial blemish. After the kid cures those, Earl and Joy pull off a robbery that would have been impossible if they hadn't been cured, leading the boy to quit faith healing. Randy convinces him to come out of retirement to cure Earl's coma. [[spoiler: It's then revealed that the boy doesn't actually have any healing powers and Earl and Joy were hired by his father to pose as clients.]]
* One episode of ''Series/HouseMD'' has a teenage faith healer who seemingly manages to cure one of Wilson's cancer patients. It later turned out that the faith healer just happened to have an infection that he transmitted to the cancer patient, and the infection attacked the cancer cells in the patient's body.
* One episode of ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' involved Logan and Barack investigating a young woman who appeared to be able to cure people with voodoo. They managed to prove that she was a fraud, though not before she nearly convinced Logan that she'd put a curse on him.
[[AC:Music]]
* "Evangeline" by Music/DanielAmos is about how God can use even a fake faith healer to accomplish good.
* The televangelist from the Music/InsaneClownPosse song "Hellalujah" is a con artist of this type. He wheedles six thousand dollars from his loyal followers in order to "heal" a kid with a twisted neck, tangled legs, and a crooked spine, and when the healing doesn't actually do anything, he then tries to assuage his followers by saying that the boy's ''spirit'' has been healed.
[[AC:Theatre]]
* One SettingUpdate staging of ''Theatre/CosiFanTutte'' has Despina appear as one (in the original, she's disguised as a doctor throwing around loads of TechnoBabble).
[[AC:Video Game]]
* ''Videogame/NeverwinterNights'': When the city of Neverwinter is hit by the Wailing Death plague, several cultists working for the BigBad infiltrate the city disguised as priests. They hide amongst the priests and healers that are trying to provide legitimate help, and offer "blessings" which they claim will protect people from the plague, but are actually helping to spread it.
[[AC:Western Animation]]
* In ''Series/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E11FaithOff Faith Off]]", Bart decides to become a fake faith healer after successfully removing a bucket from Homer's head.
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