Science Friction since you are a person of "Science" maybe this will help with your question.

 

JAMA Network | JAMA Internal Medicine | A Randomized, Controlled Trial of the Effects of Remote, Intercessory Prayer on Outcomes in Patients Admitted to the Coronary Care Unit

 

 

This and many other studies have had the same or similar results. The fact that the patients didn't know they were part of the study and were not aware they were being prayed for kinda kills the placebo effect train of thought.

So you're saying that the number of intercessors matters as much as personal sincerity when petitioning the Lord?

So you're saying that the number of intercessors matters as much as personal sincerity when petitioning the Lord?

I didn't say anything, just gave the data from the study.

 

FWIW I do believe in prayer and the power of prayer.

Do you start threads about God just so you can mock peoples' personal beliefs? We get it - you don't believe in God.

I actually enjoy such discussions. It reminds me of religion classes in high school, where we were presented such questions and debated them. And of philosophy classes. It's good to defend beliefs. That's when you find out if you really understand what you believe and why. Essential practice, in my opinion.

I don't know. I've been asking Him for help with a certain problem for years but I don't think I've been heard.

 

The apostle Paul prayed for relief from (apparently) a physical problem (bad eyesight has been proffered) and the problem never went away. And he accepted that. The man considered the most incredible missionary ever asked for relief from something he considered a hindrance to his ministry. And God said, "No." And the affliction certainly didn't affect his ministry...at least negatively.

 

I've heard it said, God answers prayers with either "Yes", "No" or "not yet." If you believe in Him, whatever the answer it shouldn't affect your faith. Who can know His reasoning?

There were plenty of "cogent" answers in the God thread(s)...just not to you. That is your choice.

 

 

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around just exactly what you folks are praying to. Answers were all over the place. There was no consensus of agreement. Why is that?

I didn't say anything, just gave the data from the study.

 

FWIW I do believe in prayer and the power of prayer.

 

 

As do I. But that power comes from within you.

As do I. But that power comes from within you.

 

Then explain the study in which people being secretly prayed for did better than those not being prayed for.

BTW, I am glad you folks like these topics. I do as well. I love prompting people to think. Organized religion does the opposite. It tells you what to believe and encourages you NOT to question. Just have faith, religion says. No evidence, no science, just faith. Just believe what you are told from infancy and not question it. Organized religion is the opium of the masses. Spirituality is good; religiosity is bad.

Then explain the study in which people being secretly prayed for did better than those not being prayed for.

 

 

I will when I study the study.

BTW, I am glad you folks like these topics. I do as well. I love prompting people to think. Organized religion does the opposite. It tells you what to believe and encourages you NOT to question. Just have faith, religion says. No evidence, no science, just faith. Just believe what you are told from infancy and not question it. Organized religion is the opium of the masses. Spirituality is good; religiosity is bad.

 

Nothing could be further from the truth, I spend more time thinking about and studying my faith now than I ever have in my life. I wasn't saved and didn't accept Jesus until I was way past 40 years old. I too had questions, played Devils Advocate, mocked and questioned others just as you do.

 

Being a Christian is about Faith, you may ask me to prove that I am saved and all that I can say is that, I was there when it happened. I can't explain it in terms that you would understand or accept, but I knew it happened as clearly as taking a breath or flipping a light switch.

 

Science is continually "Evolving" (thought you'd like that) and developing new theories that disprove what had until then been accepted as fact. So when some say all answers are found in science, I say that science is and ongoing understanding and continued learning of what we know and don't know. It is very closed minded to not even consider that there is another answer and that the answer may be God.

BTW, I am glad you folks like these topics. I do as well. I love prompting people to think. Organized religion does the opposite. It tells you what to believe and encourages you NOT to question. Just have faith, religion says. No evidence, no science, just faith. Just believe what you are told from infancy and not question it. Organized religion is the opium of the masses. Spirituality is good; religiosity is bad.

 

I think that Organized religion CAN prompt one to think. But it depends on so many things, not the least of which is ones willingness to explore faith. As a cradle Catholic, I was first "indoctrinated" with Catechism classes from grades 1-8. Then, once I got to high school, we explored our faith. We tore apart the Church's positions on most issues, and were encouraged to openly discuss our disagreements. We explored what it meant to be Baptized at birth, what marriage means beyond the big ceremony and party, and what dying with dignity entails. We covered a lot in those 4 years. We spent a lot of time discussing social issues such as poverty and the responsibility of a Christian individual to others in society, regardless of faith. We spent a significant amount of time exploring other faiths, especially Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Mormonism and Atheist and Agnostic positions. But I had religion classes 5 days a week for 12 years. Not all people have that luxury.

Then explain the study in which people being secretly prayed for did better than those not being prayed for.

 

 

My first thoughts are why would "God" help those patients who were being prayed for in an experimental study and completely disregard the needs of those poor souls who were being neglected by the participants of the experiment. That would seem to be a mean ole God. Also, how do we know that the ones not being prayed for in the study weren't being prayed for by family and friends? Did God just say "to hell with those; only the ones in the study are getting my attention" ?There are so many ways a study like this could go astray.

My first thoughts are why would "God" help those patients who were being prayed for in an experimental study and completely disregard the needs of those poor souls who were being neglected by the participants of the experiment. That would seem to be a mean ole God. Also, how do we know that the ones not being prayed for in the study weren't being prayed for by family and friends? Did God just say "to hell with those; only the ones in the study are getting my attention" ?There are so many ways a study like this could go astray.

How else would you conduct the experiment? The question was does pray help, they did a blind study and the results showed that it did. But you disregard the scientific evidence and mock God again...

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around just exactly what you folks are praying to. Answers were all over the place. There was no consensus of agreement. Why is that?

 

Despite many religion's attempts, every person has their own relationship with God and since He is so far above our ability to really understand, I would expect answers to be all over the place. To do otherwise would make no sense.

BTW, I am glad you folks like these topics. I do as well. I love prompting people to think. Organized religion does the opposite. It tells you what to believe and encourages you NOT to question. Just have faith, religion says. No evidence, no science, just faith. Just believe what you are told from infancy and not question it. Organized religion is the opium of the masses. Spirituality is good; religiosity is bad.

 

The problem is that you make no attempt yourself when people on here try to prompt you to think. You have yet to explain the big bang theory of everything from nothing. That in itself requires faith.