Study finds that prayer does not heal the sick

[Bill3000]

Praying for the health of strangers who have undergone heart surgery has no effect, according to the largest scienfic study ever commissioned to calculate the healing power of prayer.

In fact, patients who know they are being prayed for suffer a noticeably higher rate of complications, according to the study, which monitored the recovery of 1,800 patients after heart bypass surgery in the US.

The findings of the decade-long study were due to be published in the American Heart Journal next week, but the journal published the report on its website yesterday as anticipation grew.

The power of intercessory prayer has been studied by doctors for years in America, but with no conclusive results. This $2.4 million study, funded in large part by the John Templeton Foundation, which seeks "insights at the boundary between theology and science", was intended to cast some clear light on the matter.

Link
Not suprising. Probably going to be a lot of excuses similar to those done by psychics and other forms of pseudoscience to "refute" this study. I don't see why prayer should not work when it is being observed scientifically.

Besides, the power of science does not work on the strong willed. People will still pray to heal regardless of the fact if they know that it does not actually do anything. I don't have a problem with that, though; what I do have a problem is with people who would believe that prayer would actually heal, and that it cannot be scientifically observed. It's called correlation, people.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

I agree. Although I believe in the power of prayer, in the sense that if God is willing and the prayer is sincere, it will be answered in one way or another, I think God is too unpredictable by our standards for a study to be useful. I think the original study involved praying over petri dishes - as though God really cared that much about whether one particular bacterial culture or another thrived.

 

[Masquerouge]

Link
Not suprising. Probably going to be a lot of excuses similar to those done by psychics and other forms of pseudoscience to "refute" this study. I don't see why prayer should not work when it is being observed scientifically.

So much money wasted on something so obvious.

 

[ybbor]

I agree. Although I believe in the power of prayer, in the sense that if God is willing and the prayer is sincere, it will be answered in one way or another, I think God is too unpredictable by our standards for a study to be useful.

ditto. While prayer is certainly advantageous, I really doubt that it has any studiable (it's a word down here in australia ) benefits on health.

 

[Mirc]

This study isn't telling me anything. What if a study says: "51% of the people from all over the world believe that the Earth is flat". Would you believe?

 

[Riesstiu IV]

Was this study even necessary?

 

[El_Machinae]

as though God really cared that much about whether one particular bacterial culture or another thrived.

But he cares for baby birds in a nest, if I recall. Allegedly. Just not enough to DO something about it.

Why should God answer prayers at all? Either something is His Will or it isn't. I can't see how our opinion on the matter makes a difference.

 

[Rik Meleet]

Actually I am a bit surprised it doesn't work. I expected to see some kind of placebo-effect or a Positivism-helps effect.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Was this study even necessary?

Yes, to refute an earlier study that claimed that prayer would help patients recover - using groups of recovering surgery patients, as well as bacterial cultures, that seemed to indicate that prayer would help recuperation.

 

[Mirc]

8 posts in 4 minutes!

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

But he cares for baby birds in a nest, if I recall. Allegedly. Just not enough to DO something about it.

Why should God answer prayers at all? Either something is His Will or it isn't. I can't see how our opinion on the matter makes a difference.

As far as that goes, this is my perspective on prayer:

God does care about the baby birds, and the bacteria too, in the sense that He pays attention to what happens to them. He will not, however, make one bacterial culture thrive just to make a study get certain results. Sometimes it is His will that it lives, sometimes that it dies.

As far as other forms of prayer, I think that there are sometimes several outcomes that can be 'His will'. The ultimate goal of human life is to become closer to God while at the same time gaining experience and knowledge. Sometimes He will cause something to happen as opposed to something else (say a loved one recovering from a disease as opposed to dying) not because one or the other outcomes was more His will, or because it was just a reward for the person who prayed, but because prayer is one of the best ways to come closer to God.

 

[Sahkuhnder]

Actually I am a bit surprised it doesn't work. I expected to see some kind of placebo-effect or a Positivism-helps effect.

I think the reason for the lack of placebo effect was the way it was performed. If I understand correctly, all of the subjects were told someone may be praying for them but they didn't know if they were in the group where people really were praying, or in the control group without prayers.

The placebo effect would apply to all the subjects equally and could then be removed as a factor.

 

[nonconformist]

Is anyone surprised?

 

[Che Guava]

In other shocking news: rain can cause wetness, and timeshares may not be a wise investment...

 

[Rik Meleet]

Is anyone surprised?

Read. I am.

 

[nonconformist]

Read. I am.

Let me rephrase: is anyone surprised that no miracle happened?

 

[Sidhe]

Actually I am a bit surprised it doesn't work. I expected to see some kind of placebo-effect or a Positivism-helps effect.

Same here Dr's for years have been espousing positive mental attitude in helping to get over all sorts of chronic ilnesses, I am as shocked as you are.

Hold on if you read the link it says the patients have no knowledge of the positive attitude of the prayers so that makes sense. Seemingly it is only disputing the miraculous not the overall positive effects a religion could have on a patient. Trust me I know people who make a career out of easing the suffering with religion, and there work is apreciated and makes a difference. Anything that lifts a patients spirits be it religion or a visit from firends is good for patient health. Depression has long been linked with a weakened immune system and positive mental attitude with increased speed and chance of recovery.

 

[Ramius75]

If praying is suppose to affect one health ? Will cursing someone cause them to die early ??? Bush still around thou...

 

[Che Guava]

Maybe the patients who did have people praying for them knew they only had a prayer's chance anyhow...?

 

[Yeeek]

Has any recent serious study been carried to prove God(s) doesn't exist? Surly it must have been. Like what created life on earth ect to confront whatever is written in the Bible, Tanakh, Qur'an, Shruti ect..