Harvard Medical study finds prayer ineffective - What's your reaction?

Question

Please watch this vidio question:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-egPod0meE

The text news release can be found here:
http://focus.hms.harvard.edu/2006/040706/research_briefs.shtml#benson

The text of the "Miricale study" can be found here:
http://www.csicop.org/si/2004-09/miracle-study.html

Additional "Miracle Study" fraud news can be found here: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-163153273.html

Answer 1

How is prayer measured? It's like trying to measure how large the universe is or how strong a faith is, or how deep is one's love.

Not everything can be explained by science.

Answer 2

Yeah, this is talked approximately as the placebo effect and can on occasion have some very weird and wonderful outcomes. A placebo has a 50/50 shot of being efficient. They paintings properly in basic terms because of the fact the guy taking them somewhat believes that they are actual some sort of drugs. Prayer is largely a similar theory. a guy or woman believes that it's going to paintings lots that they practice indicators of progression. yet in in simple terms very uncommon and remoted circumstances has a guy or woman recovered strictly on placebos/prayer.

Answer 3

Duh!


Pray, v. To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner, confessedly unworthy.
— Ambrose Bierce

Christians say that – without exception – their God answers all of their prayers; it's just that He sometimes says "yes" and other times "no," "maybe," or "wait." Of course the same could be said of the rain-god,"Bob."
— Rev. Donald Morgan

This doctrine of the material efficacy of prayer reduces the Creator to a cosmic bellhop of a not very bright or reliable kind.
— Herbert J. Muller

To imagine that God wants prayers and hymns of praise is to make him out to a sort of oriental potentate; while praying for favors is an attempt to get him to change his allegedly all-wise mind.
—Barbara Smoker

"A tendency to drastically underestimate the frequency of coincidence is a prime characteristic of innumerates, who generally accord great significance to correspondences of all sorts while attributing too little significance to quite conclusive but less flashy statistical evidence."
— John Allen Paulos

I remember when the Columbine tragedy struck and they interviewed a mother of one of the girls that escaped a barrage of bullets unscratched. Her girl was a devout Christian and the mother beamed that God was looking out for her daughter. I kept thinking what about all the other DEAD kids? Were they somehow not deserving? When you start thinking this imaginary being is directly responsible for what is nothing more than blind luck, it’s a slippery slope on the climb down from the throne of self-righteousness.

A great many men believe in providence until they get caught in a railroad accident.
— Lemuel K. Washburn

The idea that He would take his attention away from the universe in order to give me a bicycle with three speeds is just so unlikely I can't go along with it.
— Quentin Crisp, (1908-1999)

Answer 4

Luckily, I dont consult Harvard Medical School when I pray.
They also know nothing about who anyone prays to or what the results are. Why in the world would they waste their highly educated selves on prayer-good results or not. Is that how they spend their time?

Answer 5

Here's a guiding star " Luke 9.60"
Ever wonder who kick the butts of living human kind living in misery in praying and praying with nothing good happen to them.
Look at the living examples of the mess expose in Tak Bai, Thailand and Iraq too.
Luke 6.39-40, 41-45, 46-49

Answer 6

Why do you pray? & when?
If you're the sort who prays "for something" then you've got something to learn.
I've learnt that prayer is, very simply put, just talking to God.
(God could be your Higher Power, your Creator or just your friend). Why do you chat with your friend? For comfort & guidance. So basically, prayer to me is chatting with my good friend who guides me to the right path. I pray for the grace & courage to accept what He has in store for me & am happy to say that He has never let me down. Try it. Find a quiet place & sit & listen to your inner voice for thats where you will find Him. God will speak to you... if you are open minded & brave enough to listen.

Answer 7

Prayer is the elevation of the mind and heart to God:
+ In praise of his glory
+ In petition for some desired good
+ In thanksgiving for a good received
+ In intercession for others before God

Through prayer the Christian experiences a communion with God through Christ in the Church.

"For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy." (St. Thérèse of Lisieux)

"Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." (St. John Damascene)

But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? (Psalm 130:1)

He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God."

With love in Christ.

Answer 8

I don't have much "faith" in the scientific community studying the effects of prayer when so much of the scientific community are atheists.

Answer 9

Science is a transient falsifiable theory -- not doctrines...

They can not exsist in the same place at the same time

Answer 10

Should I be surprised by this "discovery." Oh well, at least now there's a study to back my argument.