Question for People who pray?

Question

There have been a number of double-blind scientific tests to determine the effectiveness of prayer.

The results found that in fact that praying for the sick showed no benefit over not praying for them at all.

In fact, the group who were prayed for had slightly more complications than those who were not prayed for.

What do you think about this? Do you think God realised that he was being tested, so intentional stopped using His powers to make prayers work?

Here's the link so you can read for yourself...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/30/health/main1458679.shtml

FISH: "Even doctors tell you that prayer works. "

Do they???

RKIRBY133 : "I have seen God respond directly to prayers for physical healing many times."

Have you really, care to expand?

JANEJANE: "I believe the prayers were answered in ways the people didn't understand."

PMSL, it wasnt that prayers weren't answered, it was that people didnt "understand" the way in which they were answered.. Interesting , thanks for that.

"Teresa" :

I'd like to explain it, but I skipped the middle bit because the first line mentioned something about fairies...

"Get A Grip" : It works does it.... then I suggest you contact "The James Randi Educational Foundation"

because they've put up $473,000 to anyone who can prove supernatural powers, and by the sounds of it you have a damn good chance of winning it!!!!

SDTerp: thanks for the links, good point well made, I will be looking at those sites shortly.!

NJuniee:

Hmm so it's a hit and miss system depending on Gods will?

Ok...

So what about Amputees? (as sdterp pointed out)

Why has not one single amputee been "cured" by prayer, even ones who have the faith, not one, zero, zilch, not once in recorded history... as the website suggests: Why does God hate amputees???

SHERIEBOB...

One word.....gibberish.

crystalcl...:

So you pray knowing that scientifically it will not achieve anything, but you do so anyway? Interesting

Answer 1

If god answers prayers (and many on Y!A have claimed that he does) then why does god hate amputees? Never in recorded history has an amputee regenerated a lost limb after praying? Now, I know that many claim that god's answer isn't always yes, but of ALL the amputees who have prayed in all of hisotry, not one deserved a yes?

I believe the people who pray and believe in the power of prayer do so because they expect god to say yes, no or not now. With this expectation, god can't lose. All outcomes are correct. I've believed this for a long time but someone made a video that very clearly expresses my thoughts on the matter and I love 'em for it.

Now, I'm not against people who pray, I just don't want anyone to expect me to pray and rather they not think I owe them something because they prayed for me.

Answer 2

For whatever reason they always feel they have to put the bible to scientific testing.. Regardless of what this double blind test showed, it has nothing to do with prayer either way . The results were God's decision, and His reason for these people to improve or worsen lies only in His understanding and is not for us or science to question.
Prayer is used as a means to pray that the Lord be present for those we pray for and if it is His calling see to it that the problem or concern goes away.
If each prayer were answered in a positive way, no one dear to us would die would they...

Answer 3

I have seen god heal supernaturally many times. Some of the time is with prayer and without prayer. God is not prejudiced. God loves each and everyone of us. I am going to continue to pray. God has answered many prayers for many people. Don't let Worldly research clutter your thinking about God. The World doesn't understand how God works so these scientist try figure out God Supernatural Powers. We are not to analyze God. We are to focus on God.

Answer 4

Until Jesus returns, we must all die. The Church has the Sacrament of Anointing the Sick to heal the persons soul; not the body. Certainly, when I do pray fro the sick, I pray for their recovery if it is God's will ("Thyn will be done"), I pray for the family who's surround the sick, and I pray for their souls to be healed by God. Here's what I'm taught as a Catholic:

1500 Illness and suffering have always been among the gravest problems confronted in human life. In illness, man experiences his powerlessness, his limitations, and his finitude. Every illness can make us glimpse death.

1501 Illness can lead to anguish, self-absorption, sometimes even despair and revolt against God. It can also make a person more mature, helping him discern in his life what is not essential so that he can turn toward that which is. Very often illness provokes a search for God and a return to him.

1532 The special grace of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects:
- the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church;
- the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age;
- the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of Penance;
- the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul;
- the preparation for passing over to eternal life.

Answer 5

I think you can't conduct a scientific experiment over some things that happen. For instance, when I was younger one of my favorite things was fairies. The idea was just something I liked a lot. And I later discovered my ancestors had a fairy flag, which had three wishes on it, but two have been used to help with a war. I would have shrugged this off as a coincidence, except my mother was a big fan of seals, and she discovered a photo of that same ancestral castle where seals sunbathed on the surrounding rocks. And adding in that my mother's whole family values silver over gold because it can be described as moonlight, which is also strongly Scottish/Irish in view... Explain that.

Answer 6

Having been involved in many scientific tests, I can tell you that even scientific tests can be skewed.

I believe God takes care of His people in the way that is best for them. Sometimes He does what we ask Him, sometimes He does what we really want Him to do. I don't believe the prayers weren't working. I believe the prayers were answered in ways the people didn't understand.

Answer 7

Prayers do work. Some times prayers may not be heard, because of unconfessed sin in a person's life. Also, sometimes prayers may not be heard because it may not be God's will that the person be healed. We ourselves, may never know the reason, until we reach heaven, and maybe not even then.

For me, I do know that prayer works.

Answer 8

I have seen God respond directly to prayers for physical healing many times.

At the risk of sounding like a cop-out I believe and trust in God's will - because that is the way we should always pray. Ask for what you want - but that what he wants is done - then it is in his hands.
Then we also get the rest in our hearts that we need.

Answer 9

well for one reason it depends on the people who were doing the praying. They have to have faith and actually belive what they were praying. prayer is not ment to do scientific test. How dare humans test God. We can't study God

Answer 10

Even doctors tell you that prayer works. He answers my prayers so I'm going to keep on praying.