Does prayer work?

Question

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1844076.stm

Extract:

The trials would typically take a group of hundreds of patients recovering from heart surgery, randomly divided into two groups, one of which is prayed for. None of the patients would know they were or weren't being prayed for.

"The findings are quite staggering," he says. "Studies show that patients in hospital who are being prayed for (even when they do not know they are being prayed for) are more likely to recover."

But according to Dr David Laws of the University of Manchester the kind of prayer which asks God to do something is only relevant if you have a particular understanding of God.

Answer 1

God answers prayers! He is faithful as we are faithful to pray.
Prayer works and draws us closer to God.

Answer 2

All that you have shown is an article that quotes a conservative theologian from an obscure conservative theological Welsh college who claims that he has done this.

However, when you do a literature search, (which I took the time to do after researching Bangor college) you find that he has published no such paper. If he hasn't published in a peer reviewed journal, with his methods and data....it didn't happen. This is only anecdotal evidence....which is what the Alternative Medicine crowd thrive on.

The largest randomized control study of intercessory prayer was published last year in The Lancet...a prestigious British medical journal.....and showed no effect at all. (groups of cardiac patients were prayed for or not, and some were told and some were not. Ironically, the group that was told they were being prayed for had slightly more complications)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4681771.stm

If you want to learn just how much prayer does...or does not
...ask yourself why god has never...EVER....healed an amputee??

EVER!

http://www.whywontgodhealamputees.com

EDIT
JET? ya you're right...prayers do work but only if you pray for something that is possible under the known laws of nature.

Try praying for something impossible next time., and get back to me.

Answer 3

Prayers do work...especially if what you have prayed for is not against the will of God. Sometimes we become frustrated because what we prayed for did not materialize...then, we realize that there are better ways - God's way - that we never really thought of possible. Truly, God works in a way that in the end would be better for us. Recovery or healing from the power of prayer is really amazing. Lots of people even get cured from cancer because of the miracle of prayer. Nevertheless, there are others who never recovered and eventually died - that's what ultimate healing is all about - death.

Answer 4

You are quoting from a biased source. The guy who reports "staggering" is an Anglican Priest. Check the studies from Mayo Clinic, Duke University, and the most rigorous, the American Heart Journal. All showed that prayer does not work.

Answer 5

Does prayer work isn't quite the right question. I think what you are asking is 'Does God do what we pray for?' While God answers all prayers, it is not always what we want. It is always best to understand this and to not get discouraged when things do not turn out the way you wanted.

Answer 6

My belief is that though there are certain phenomena that appear to be interrelated to things such as faith, it all comes down to the MIND.

If someone is praying for themselves, they still believe and hope they can rehabilitate and pull through whatever situation they are in, but with a negative attitude, your body's inclined to giving up, and you're inclined to dying. A person's psychological condition is crucial.

Answer 7

Many trials have actually shown precisely the opposite: often times, those being prayed for actually fared less well. Skeptic Magazine describes several of these tests, all with that same outcome.

Answer 8

I believe that prayer or "spiritual healing" does in fact work. The Bible says that when two or more believers agree on something and bring it to God in prayer he will answer it.

Although sometimes the answer we get is not the one we were looking for.

Answer 9

Before we go on to ask --does prayers work? Let ask ourselves--WHAT IS PRAYER?? Prayer is a channel of communication between you and God. It is so special relationship between yourself and God, Our Heavenly Father. Some prayers are taught --like OUR FATHER while others are composed by ourselves" deep within us"--- asking and pleading to God Almighty !!! Prayer is like an intimate conversation you have with someone whom you put all your hope and trust unto HIM!!! Someone bigger than life itself!!! No-one who called upon THE MERCY OF GOD has been disappointed or brought TO SHAME !!! TRUST IN GOD in everything concerning your life and BELIEVE HE WILL HELP YOU !! All our miseries,difficulties in life and problems CAN BE SOLVED IF ONLY WE ALLOW ED OURSELVES TO PLACE OUR TRUST IN GOD's GOODNESS !!!! Patience is a virtue to learn and in order to see if prayers work---everyday we must pray" God, I trust in you !!! Believe in Him that everything will be fine and when your problems are solved-- WHAT MUST YOU DO ??? PRAY TO GOD AND SAY-- A BIG THANK YOU !!! Many people FORGET TO DO THAT--and yet dare to say that prayers do not worked !!! HOW UNGRATEFUL can one gets !!!

Answer 10

Prayer for the purposes of healing is one of those things in life that can't hurt the process, but may not help it. You should rely on medicine and science for healing first, and religion as a backup.

God helps those who help themselves.