Since prayer has been scientifically proven to be ineffective in healing, why do some still pray for the sick?

Question

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&articleID=000AFE22-9D1E-146C-9D1E83414B7F0000&colID=5

Answer 1

I love it - the only people to experience an effect were those who KNEW they were being prayed for - and they had a slightly HIGHER chance of complications..... Proves prayer doesnt work, right??

Doesnt matter - the faithful will still pray - under the false notion that what they are doing makes THEM feel better about themselves. Screw everyone else - if it makes me feel good, Ill do it. Even if it causes more complications! LOL!

Dont you just love responses from the feeble minded ones such as bbob up a few spots "your proof is a stupid article written by Heathens?" Uh bob, your proof is a stupid book written by stone age men living in the desert! And last time I checked, surgeons performing open hart surgery werent "stupid". And, why is it that none of those feeble minded people allow you to contact them via Y!A?? Because they are too afraid of coming in contact with a differing viewpoint. Scary shyte man!

Answer 2

Prayer isn't scientific it is way higher there has been MANY people healed by only prayer when doctors were out of options loved ones prayed and it worked. But its also up to God if that person survives. It may be there time to go doesn't mean the prays weren't herd. Just because some "smart guys" get together and do "research" doesn't prove anything!

Answer 3

Science has only proven that in those cases prayer did not apear to have an effect. There have been many other cases (admittedly mostly undocumented) that have other results. I have seen prayer be effective and I will continue to pray when neccessary and when asked for. There are also many "Medicines" that have been scientifically proven to be ineffective but that people still use and many even lobby for. Also lets not forget the "placebo" effect of prayers for many people simply knowing they are being prayed for gives them the strength to fight something that they may instead have given up on.

Answer 4

Actually, science has proven that prayer, and laughter, and just keeping your hopes up CAN help. Anything that makes you feel like you can survive what you're going through is supposedly supposed to help the healing process. Unless you're so sick you'll never get better.

And what I'm talking about is the person who is sick praying with other people they know. Praying for a stranger probably won't do anything.

And really...think about it....if there's a god who really wants people to be faithful, would he/she/it listen to the prayers of people who are only praying because they're getting paid for a study?

Answer 5

Maybe because doctors encourage prayer and then some will turn around around and say 'I don't know what happen but they are well...'. As for the power of prayer in healing, my grandson developed a cancerous tumor that grew to the size of basketball overnight and had to be medi-vacced to a hospital. People around the world prayed and he has not had a positive cancer test now in over a year so please don't tell me about the power of prayer. What I'd like to know, is why some people are so offended by it. If they think it's a bunch of hocus-pocus, are they being hurt by it? You don't see people get as offended by swearing and it is harmful in the sense it takes away from the innocence of childhood...Have you seen people war and slaughter each other over the Devil or over song lyrics??? Weird, huh???

Answer 6

There was another experiment done at a US medical school in a double blind study. The researchers studied the growth rate of multiple groups of bacteria contained in petrie dishes. They subjected each group to identical enviroments with no deviations. The only difference between any of the groups was that individuals outside the laboratory were asked to pray for certain groups of bacteria to grow. Surprisingly, the prayed-for groups multiplied faster than the non-prayed-for bacteria. The researchers also concluded that it made no difference the type of prayer used. Whether catholic, pentacostal, etc., and I believe that they also employed prayers from persons other than those of the Christian faiths. So, it concludes that while one study shows one set of results, another study contradicts those results.

Answer 7

What does God call it? Preach love too you? Lets see what God says, to do with you.

You have unbeliever's. Chaff, Scoffers.

An Atheist is a scoffer. The WORD of God, clearly tells you the filhty rags they are, and to stay away from them, and avoid them. We are NOT to plant seeds. God knows it is useless and that is why he tells us, "You stand firm against them" ( Jer.17:8 14:1 Iah 44:4) You disassociate them completely. Any Believer that does not abide in God's own Word, does not know God, according too God Himself. Atheists are "chaff" A simile of the wretchedness of the wicked. Chaff is carried away by the lightest wind, and it's removal brings about cleansing by extracting what is utterly useless. (Ruth 1:22). They will NOT stand in the judgment. They will NOT be able to withstand God's wrath when He judges.( Paslams 76:7 Exra 9:15). This is not my opinion, this is God's very own Words, in the Bible. You know, the BIble? The same Bible atheist scholars quote. There is a reason God, said this. Psalms.1.1-3 Jer. 17:8 14:1 12. 1-2 18:9-10 Prov1.10-19 (vs 5) scoffers:(atheists) those who ridicule God and definatley reject His Law. Prov 1.:22 Ruth 1:22 Jer 18:7 (pull down-destroy) 1:10 (evil-calamity) 18:11

Pslams 1:
godly wisdom here, declare the final outcome of the two "ways". The paths of "sinners" (unbelievers) and the "way of the righteous. he speaks progressively of assoociation with the ungodly and participation in they're ungodly ways.

God said it. End of Story. Jesus Himself said "Let the dead bury they're dead".

Use all the Internet and Dictionaries they want to and call themselves anything they wish. God "defined" what they are by His own words.

They can hang a dog tag* around they're neck in the pits if hell itself and separate each other by name categorically.

God's Word said it. By God's definition. There is NO opinion.

Hate? Where do you get hate? If God's TRUTH is hate too you, then, so be it. You and God, can and will discuss the means of your sciptural interpretation, consisting with a man-made defacto on a motion of plea bargin I guess. I dunno.

Answer 8

Because they feel helpless that they can physically do nothing, so prayer helps them feel better in that they are at least doing something (in their mind) to better the person's condition. For the person being prayed for, if nothing else, it often gives them comfort to know others are asking their (mythological) higher power to help and/or heal them...or just that they are being thought of and wished well.

Answer 9

it has not been "scientifically" proven. Probably a bunch of unbelievers tested another bunch of unbelievers. Metroplex Hospital in Killeen starts the day with prayer. My son was saved by prayer. Naturally if you don't believe you won't be healed, it takes faith.

Answer 10

For the same reason that many people who didn't believe in God for their entire lives, become religious when they are dying. We want to err on the side of caution. Just in case it might work, let's get a little prayer in there.