Praying Won't Affect Heart Patients

[cardaway]

http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/wireStory?id=1788550

The researchers also said they didn't know why patients who knew they were being prayed for had a higher rate of complications than patients who only knew that such prayers were a possibility.

 

[Maleficent13]

Am I the only one who thought:

"They spent $2.4 million on this? A study with no actual measurable benefits?"

I am in the wrong line of work.

 

[Free4Life11]

The Bible DOES say to pray for your enemies

Honestly what a waste of money. Are people going to stop praying? No.

 

[Barb D]

God is not a variable in a science experiment.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

When my dd was a baby and had her heart issues, she had people praying for her all over the place. It really was very nice and meant something to us.

 

[grlpwrd]

Well, I dug up some background on the major funder of this study, the Templeton Foundation at www.templeton.org . Interesting.

I really think you can't quantify the power of prayer and I am surprised that a gentlemen such as Sir Templeton would fund such a study when he is a Presbyterian who has always encouraged prayer. Maybe he's just a bored rich dude now?

 

[luv2nascar]

Yeah did you ever stop to think that more people are praying for the more serviously ill people. thus the higher complications rate. Most people don't start praying until it's really bad. Sad but true.

 

[goofygirl]

I saw something else on the news that said extra vitamins don't really do anything either.

Makes me think, "Why bother trying?"

 

[auntpolly]

I love all those stupid studies. Carbs are healthy, carbs aren't healthy, carbs are healthy again. Get into the sun but get out of the sun. Sun screen is a must but sunscreen doesn't do much good. Drinking is bad for you, but people who have a glass of wine with dinner are healthier.

I think I'll keep praying, thanks!

 

[Disney Ella]

Prayer makes the people who are praying feel they are doing something (whether they are or not) about a situation that no one has any control over. It also makes those being prayed for know that people care about them. It doesn't surprise me, a non-religious person, that prayer has no measurable benefit, but I know my very religious mother would disagree and finds great comfort in prayer. What a big waste of money for a study when there are so many serious diseases that need to be researched!

 

[Sylvester McBean]

God is not a variable in a science experiment.

that's a disturbing statement.

 

[Ub_Iwerks]

I read an article about this study the other day. The study looked at two prayer groups (one Catholic and the Unity) that were given names of heart patients to pray for. The article interviewed health care workers and mentioned other studies that talked about benefits from prayers by the patients themselves and people who know the patients. The study looked at praying by people who did not know the patients.

 

[Chicago526]

I'm not religious, but I've always felt you should always cover all your bases. If prayer makes the patient and/or the family feel better emotionally, then that still counts for something. And maybe the prayers will be answered...you just never know.

 

[Disney Doll]

Well, if I were sick, it would make me feel better to know people cared enough to pray for me.

Maybe it wouldn't cure my disease. But then again, maybe it would. Maybe it depends on the faith of the pray-ers and the pray-ees.

 

[Free4Life11]

I love all those stupid studies. Carbs are healthy, carbs aren't healthy, carbs are healthy again. Get into the sun but get out of the sun. Sun screen is a must but sunscreen doesn't do much good. Drinking is bad for you, but people who have a glass of wine with dinner are healthier.

You and me both! People clearly have far too much time on their hands to be studying some of this nonsense. There are way too many contradictory studies these days.

NASA is spending $50 million (of OUR money I might add) to study ketchup. They want to find out why it is that when it's in a glass bottle sometimes it doesn't come out and other times it flows out. Here's an idea, BUY A PLASTIC BOTTLE!

 

[Barb D]

that's a disturbing statement.

Why do you find that disturbing? Do you think that God IS a variable in a science experiment?

 

[cardaway]

Yes, there are too many senseless studies, but I doubt people would feel the same way had the conclusion been the opposite. Money well spent at that point.

 

[cats mom]

"Experts called it the largest and best-designed study ever to test the medical effects of intercessory prayers praying on behalf of someone else. That's different from studying the effect of a person's prayers and spiritual practices on his or her own health; many studies of that have shown a positive effect."


And this is a good thing? They're proud to have spent 2.4 million on this??
Sheesh!

 

[cats mom]

Yes, there are too many senseless studies, but I doubt people would feel the same way had the conclusion been the opposite. Money well spent at that point.

Do you really think so?

I guess for me it's just a common sense thing.
If you're a believer - get on every prayer list out there. (regardless of what some over funded study says)
If you're not - don't bother.

I doubt this study would change anyones beliefs one way or the other... no matter what the outcome was.

I've just seen too many pleas for money to fund studies that at least IMHO have a much better chance of actually helping people than this one.

 

[In a hurry]

Actually I am impressed they did it for 2.4. But, I think that a massive number of "studies" are a total waste of money, whether I agree with the findings or not. They are just a way to finance research jobs, and for University's etc., to gain bragging rights and obtain more grant money for more stupid studies.