Will you read this article?

Question

The New York Times has published an article of some importance. Will you take a few minutes to read it and comment?

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/31/health/31pray.html?ex=1301461200&en=4acf338be4900000&ei=5088

To all God-believers: You ought to feel obligated to grant this imposition since it is a request which is quite similar to those you frequently make of non-believers, i.e., to read the text of your holy scriptures. You will be happy to know that this two-pager is not nearly as great a task as reading the old or the new testament, the Curan or another similar "holy" text. So... I'll be looking for your responses, then.

Thanks.
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Answer 1

Wow, some folks are going to disagree perhaps vehemently with that. Prayer is nice however the skill of the Doctors and the care given to the patient are more important. I have no real problem with prayer however, why is the government spending our tax dollars on this. What i also found interesting is this part :

" And patients who knew they were being prayed for had a higher rate of post-operative complications ...".

An abstract from the article:

The New York Times , March 31, 2006
Long-Awaited Medical Study Questions the Power of Prayer
By BENEDICT CAREY
Prayers offered by strangers had no effect on the recovery of people who were undergoing heart surgery, a large and long-awaited study has found.

And patients who knew they were being prayed for had a higher rate of post-operative complications like abnormal heart rhythms, perhaps because of the expectations the prayers created, the researchers suggested.

Because it is the most scientifically rigorous investigation of whether prayer can heal illness, the study, begun almost a decade ago and involving more than 1,800 patients, has for years been the subject of speculation.

The question has been a contentious one among researchers. Proponents have argued that prayer is perhaps the most deeply human response to disease, and that it may relieve suffering by some mechanism that is not yet understood. Skeptics have contended that studying prayer is a waste of money and that it presupposes supernatural intervention, putting it by definition beyond the reach of science.

Have a pleasant day.

Answer 2

I think it is interesting. It doesn't say what the condition of the heart patients was compared to the other patients. They may have had the same procedure, but were they all in the same condition otherwise? What other factors could have contributed to a lower result in this study? If they faired better would that make you believe in God? The study didn't consider those who prayed on their own.

I would also add that the rigid prayer is an incorrect way to pray. Prayers like this should be addressed to our Father in Heaven, we should then thank him for our blessings, then ask for the things we need and then close in the name of Jesus Christ. No set verbiage is appropriate. The subject should be the same, but it should be up to the sincere prayer of the individual doing the praying to determine what they will say.

Answer 3

nicely, if a reproduction is at my community library i will study it supplied that they have not got my well-known action picture magazine... music clever is a humorous tale. Australia has its very own Rolling Stones, or perhaps regardless of the undeniable fact that i'm now no longer into metallic, I comprehend that it extremely is a humorous tale. To them, there is just one Australian metallic band and that's throughway rigidity. and that's the single metallic band they grant coverage to. Their are a lot greater metallic bands in Sydney and each and each guy or woman knows of that. additionally, i'm sure each and each guy or woman knows of this, yet while Nirvana's Nevermind was revealed they gave it 3 stars or perhaps regardless of the undeniable fact that that's it seems that the seventeenth suited album of all time. humorous, they gave a Limp Bizkit album a much better assessment and that i do no longer see that on the checklist (i'm now no longer prepared on them by the way) Rolling Stones, are quickly, people-pleasers. Their political articles are basically a humorous tale, in basic terms an excuse to stay vital. God they're unhappy. final year, on the canopy of the magazine, that they had Miranda Kerr (what's her contribution to music), woman Gaga, etc nude on their cover. So I guess I are no longer waiting to take them severely. BA: i've got desperate the Rock and dad section is definitely adequate for discovering present bands. As for interviews, i'm uncertain even regardless of the undeniable fact that maximum bands have a youtube channel so which you would be waiting to bypass thorugh those.

Answer 4

As a Christian that frequently prays, I don't think that scientists need to do a study on prayer. I think it is unnecessary to do so. If they just read the Word, they could save a lot of time and money. God answers prayer. I know that for a fact. Yes, I suppose studies can prove that those who are injured and in a hospital where there is not much prayer going on will not have as good as results as if they did have prayer. All I can say that it's all in His perfect timing.

Answer 5

I am a God believer and I don't read a bible,but I can say that prayer works,you will have to want to be healed .and I absolutely do not push my religion on someone else.It's you,yourself who will have to make the decision of whether you want to have something to believe in and to help you though life.It doesn't do any good if you don't want it.
I don't mention my religion unless someone ask me.The way it looks to me,is that you are trying to find out the truth by posting this question.if people are hounding you tell them what I said it does not do any good if you don't believe in it.I think being a hypocrite is the worse sin there is according to most religions.

(Many blessings)

Answer 6

I read the article- and as people like you say- I do not believe in what it says- you say that about our Bible. But I will tell you why I don't believe and what I don't believe. I am not saying that the 59% of the people who knew they were prayed for had complications as opposed to the 51% who were not sure. First of all we cannot tell God what to do. If it is His will to heal He will. This type of survey reminds me of the fact that we are testing God. God cannot be tested. He will do what He will do, because He is God and we are not. Prayer is not getting God ready to do our will, it is God getting us ready to do His. I know prayer works, however I also know that God does not always work, or most of the time work, according to my time frame. Sorry what ever this article says, I choose to believe in the power of prayer- not because prayer is powerful, but because of the Power of the God I pray too.

Answer 7

Interesting.

Answer 8

To pray
No medium agent is required.

God is with me always
So near
Whenever I talk with myself
The listener is .....HE

Answer 9

There are two distinct ethics in operation in the world. Demon derives from the word daio - to distribute. It means a distributor of fates and fortunes. Angel means messenger. According to the Bible, not only does God not use "luck" or expect his servants to believe in it, he doesn't look for "volume" when it comes to prayer. The necessity for personal prayer is found in both the Old Testament and New Testament - Psalm 109:4 says: "In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer." 1 Peter 4:7 says: "The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray."

Prayer by others also helps, but volume is still not important. James 5:14-16 says: "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." According to Jesus, there aren't that many righteous people around. Matthew 7:13, 14 says: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Saying prayers over and over again isn't good either. Matthew 6:7, 8 says: "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

In regards to destinies, Isaiah 65:11, 12 says: "But as for you who forsake the Lord and forget my holy mountain, who spread a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, and you will all bend down for the slaughter; for I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me." Christianity has a lot of not-very-nice stuff in it. 1 Corinthians 5 and 11 and James 2 and 5 talk about this, among other places. In Isaiah 1:13-17 shows God's displeasure towards prayers that come from those whose hands are full of blood. "Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."

I'm not really too sure about modern medicine in the first place. Not that I would want to avoid sensible treatment, but 1 Corinthians 11 says that Christians get sick because they don't respect the Lord's Evening Meal. Verses 29 and 30 say: "For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep." However, Jesus did come for the sick, not the healthy, so there's certainly help for sick people, but lifestyle changes help. Mark 7:17-22 also indicates that health problems could stem from moral issues, which is not an area that medicine likes to go, probably because doctors aren't Jesus. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him 'unclean'? For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.") He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' [a word that means "to make common" or "profane"] For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'""

Metaphorically, the seas represent wicked people in the Bible. Isaiah 57:20. However, Jesus has living water and directs his followers to consider themselves the "salt of the earth." (Matthew 5:13) I've been pretty sick in my life and I'm healthy now and I can tell you that funny stuff was happening in my life and Christianity can get past the weirdest thing you could think of. As Nietzsche said, it has made people sick so as to make them well. With hypnosis alone you can affect a person's health quite drastically. In some countries, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, public displays of hypnosis are banned due to the health risks. There's reactions to death, murder, blame, dob-artistry, sexual abuse, attitudes towards just about any subject under the sun, and yet the Bible is comforting despite how much Christianity likes to push it under the carpet and say their own ideas. Jesus likened the people of his day to "sheep without a shepherd" in that they were "skinned and thrown about." (Matthew 9:36)

Hard hearts are mentioned more than once in the Bible. Joseph Campbell says that the messages of mythology leap from brain to brain and sink down where they find a home, or something like that. It seemed similar to what the Bible says about gossip (derived from "God-sib") - it's like a choice morsel that sinks down to a man's inmost parts. Proverbs 26:22. When traditional mythology fails to provide the signs and symbols applicable to an individual (that they are used to?), that individual has the choice of becoming a creative mythologist or continuing on with a "living death." James 3:14 says that selfish ambition and envy reside in the heart. The "vy" in "envy" means "seeing" or "vision." It's got to do with "looking" enviously. I know that mythology makes use of psychic images of public behaviour as if it's liturgical mime to the god of money, but 2 Timothy 4:3, 4 doesn't actually mention the visual aspect of mythology.

I'm still working on these ideas and I trust that prayer and Bible study are good for you, because God cares for those who are his. 1 Peter 5:6, 7 talks about throwing anxieties onto God in prayer. "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." This is a similar thought to Luke 21:34 which says that anxieties "weigh down" your heart. Anxious is related to anguish and anger, which derives from enge - narrow or painful. The Bible says that a sad face is good for the heart. Ecclesiastes 7:3 - "Frustration [anger, vexation, provocation, grief] is better than laughter, because a sad [badness, evil, wilfulness, sadness] face is good for the heart." The thought seems to be that maintaining control over your own facial expressions is good for your heart. Smiling and laughter, as words, have to do with ideas that suggest possible embarassment, or derision. The Bible obviously does not agree that laughter is good for the heart. The previous verse says that death is the destiny of every man and the living should take this to heart. Again, there's the idea of using a sense of personal accountability to oneself for one's future prospects in God's sight, rather than the "shared heartbeat" of a nation, for example, to determine one's personal attitude towards wickedry.

All up, prayer alone is often practised in an insufficient sense, according to the Bible. When used along with gossip and laughter, it's not the combination that the Bible recommends for healing.