Perfect Prayer Experiment

Ben9275375@aol.com Ben9275375@aol.com
Sat, 25 Oct 1997 18:02:33 -0400 (EDT) (00877838553, 971025180232_1600508047@mrin43.mail.aol.com) 

In a message dated 97-10-25 15:20:50 EDT, you write:

<<  We all know that prayer does nothing.  Even as a Christian I was
skeptical
 of
  that.  Look at it this way.  When a whole church prays for someone, is it
 any
  different than one person praying?  Is praying for someone who has died
  really helping?  Consider a whole congregation prays for the deceased
 opposed
  to just one person.  What am I getting at?  I'm obviously having a hard
time
  saying it, but let me try this.  With a  little reason, any Christian can
  come to the conclusion that prayer does nothing,  but it makes them feel
  better.  Similar to not walking under a ladder.  So they continue to do it.
  
  Ben
  
  ==========================================
 You're exactly wrong on every single count, except for the part about your
 being skeptical as a Christian.  Prayer absolutely does work.  It gives
moral
 support to the person being prayed for, provided they are aware of the
 prayers; the more people praying, the greater the sense of being loved,
 needed, valued, and the greater is the will to get better.  Praying also is
 uplifting to the persons praying, so I'm told.  
 
 No rational person can come to the conclusion that prayer doesn't work.  It
 works.  This is obvious and requires no proof, though ample studies exist
 showing that prayer works.  Period.  It works in marginal ways, not
 miraculous.  Think about it.  Just saying, "Calm down" to a sick loved one
 will lower their blood pressure.  Praying for somebody will not cure their
 cancer, probably, unless their "cancer" is in an extremely early stage and
 perhaps can be overcome with proper diet and exercise and the will to win.  
 
 There are no studies which show that prayers work if the persons being
prayed
 for do not know, or suspect, that they are the object of prayers.  There is
 no evidence that the benefits of praying have nothing whatever to do with
 anything supernatural (god). >>



Let me rephrase.  Prayer does not in any way cause divine intervention to
occur.  Any person who thinks about this briefly will come to the same
conclusion.

Ben