New scientific study PROVES the power of prayer!!!!?

Question

Ok, now that I have your attention, Ill tell you the bad news - Im pulling your leg.

In fact a study performed last year and published found that intercessory Prayer performed for open heart surgery patients had absolutely no discerable affect - other than to have an increase in complications for those that were informed they were being prayed for...

Now, I understand that the going "excuse" for these results is that you "cannot test God." OK, no problem.

Now, my question has nothing to do with these results. Instead, I ask a hypothetical question:


WHAT IF the results of this study had indeed proven that God answers prayers?
Would Christians continue to deny the results as they are doing so now?
Would you still say that science cannot test God?

Fellow Atheists - please allow THEM to respond - do not respond for them. You can, however, say how it might affect you if this hypothetical situation were true. Thanks for the respect.

FIREBALL - thanks AGAIN for failing to answer the question. WTF is your malfunction?????

WHAT THE FU(K PEOPLE??? 20 responses, and yet only ONE person answered respectfully?? Why cant you people answer a simple freaking question??????? You Christians are daft. I ask - you cant respond.

Answer 1

I think it would fall into a "i told you so" sort of thing.

Answer 2

There are no studies showing intercessory prayer having any effect on patients at all. Furthermore, there are about 50 studies (even some carried out by Liberty University) that show intercessory prayer has the same effect as a placebo - that is, no effect. These studies were carried out by religious organisations, so I cannot see any potential bias. In other words, there is no evidence that God ever intervenes. However, this is fitting with the conclusion that there is no God.

Answer 3

People who pray just to get what they want...aren't really praying...those are wishful thinkers..

I pray and I feel better...almost as if I am talking out loud, venting to someone I think understands. I also rely on my friends and family to talk to, vent to, and spend time with.

Prayer only works if you believe and allow yourself to feel as if it works. Most think prayer is some instant message service to God...in truth if he does not answer, it is probably because he does not need to, or he answers in a different way. I cannot speak for all Christians.

If a family member of mine is undergoing surgery, I would say to them...good luck and I will be praying for you. The truth is that person knows that we are not praying for an instant miracle...we pray that God helps the surgeons perform the surgery...and to be with our loved one during the surgery.

Prayer does good, only if you do not expect instant answers, and for things to always go your way.

If a Christian thinks that prayer alone will perform miracles...it does not...that may be where the fault lies...not with the people who pray...but the way they pray and the results they want.

Answer 4

I will talk about myself. I had some rocks in the kidneys several years ago. I was sedate all the time; because there was a huge pain. Sometimes I couldnt to walk or to sleep. I lost 20 pounds (89 pounds) and I gone to the church.
A friends of mine prayed for me and my health and I felt a warm sensation into my body. After that; one of them told me: you will not need medicine or pills anymore. Throw out and live as a normal woman. I did it and days ago when I made the X ray, the rocks wasnt there. The rocks were big; so they couldnt dissolve in a few days. I do not take any medication; just drink water.

So, I live it, I experimented and I can tell about the power of the pray and the faith in my life.

Answer 5

LOL. I don't need a scientific study to tell me if prayer works or not. From experience, I know it does, for a fact, work. Do you also know that there have been many other scientific studies that prove prayer does indeed work? These so-called studies will always contradict each other. So don't get too excited.

Answer 6

What is more, isn't the simple act of prayer on ANY occasion, regardless of control groups etc, a test of God? In which case God would be obliged to ignore ALL prayers whatever they were for. Either way, prayer is worthless.

Answer 7

I am so sorry, you are still looking for your answers from man, and you will get a negative report everytime.
I believe 100% without a doubt in the power of prayer, in the power of God, in the power of Jesus' name.
Prayers are tried and true in my life. Not discredited by some person taking a poll.

Answer 8

IF you came up with a statistically valid set of results, you would still have to show that it was an outside agency (god if you want) rather than a placebo effect.

Answer 9

I'm not really sure I understand your question but IF your example is true then the results are confusing. "no discernable effects" and "increase in complications". Christians have been seeing the (good) effects of prayer for centuries.

Cheers :-)

Answer 10

Stop for a moment your walking alone one day, and a man appears out of what had been empty space, claims that there is a god and he is watching you and doesn't like the way you and your fellow companions are doing things by denying him, then you wake up a few hours later! What would you think?

Answer 11

Pray once, God is not hard of hearing. Pray twice and you don't believe God heard you or you want a different answer.
Pray three times for the same thing and you may just get what you ask for but it won't be what you wanted.