Statistics show us that the results of prayer are insignificant when analyzed against control groups who do not engage in prayer, regardless of deity. That being said, there may be inherent placebo effects at play that may cause general 'good' feelings about prayer. The questions are: Is this enough to justify prayer, and if so, is it delusional to engage in prayer when no statistical benefit can be determined? Is the placebo effect enough?

Prayer: Useful or Useless?

Depends what the purpose of prayer is? Prayer is mainly about about communication with God not about asking and getting things.

People who see prayer as asking and getting things trivialize it's purpose.

I have seen people who were told by their doctors to go home and die, because there was nothing medical science could do to save them, who were then prayed over and subsequently were healed.

I have known people who were told they were going to die and could feel, from their hospital beds miles away, when prayers of healing were said, and could tell that their healing had started.

I have even used prayer to take away the pain from my own broken tooth. The moment I finished my healing prayer, my pain was gone.

I have known people whose lives were riddled with chaos and vice, completely out of control, but then turned their life around only after praying for peace in their lives.

But you know, prayer is not something that easily lends itself to scientific testing. For one thing, a scientific test has a time limit. After an arbitrary amount of time, he decides whether or not the test was passed. But as any of the faithful will tell you, the Lord is on His own schedule. So, is it truly a failed test if the answer comes after you've stopped looking for it?

For another thing, an answered prayer doesn't always come in the form we expect. For example, after my ex left me (by ripping my heart out, stomping it into the ground and setting it on fire), I prayed to "find someone to love again." Most people would only consider it a successful test of that prayer if found another girlfriend within a few months. The only problem is, it wasn't answered that way. That prayer was answered 5 years later-by restoring the friendship I had with her before we started dating. Is it an unanswered or ineffective prayer if the answer is something you wouldn't recognize?

Prayer is most definitely useful, just maybe not in the way you expect.

Regardless how people feel about prayers...they certainly can't do any harm.

And yes...prayers in my opinions can be of great benefit to anyone even if it is just as Rick Sprinfield's song suggests..."just to speaking to the sky". It can be very therapeutic for the soul.

Prayer is a special comuninication with God...even if we don't recieve an answer right away or years later...he is listening....he wants us to talk to him no matter how we are feeling during the day.

Sometimes we may not want the answers we get from time to time...but he does answer our prayers most often the answers come from friends, nieghbours or simply strangers. God knows what it is best for us. Recently a young girl lost her struggle with heart problems among other things...it was a sad time for all...especially for her parents but they were comforted with the support/love from family and friends and in thier faith that it was the Lord's will...that thier daughter was free from mortal infirmaries and struggles....her mortal mortal work was done...and she was in a far, far better place and someday they will be reunited with her.

"If you want to save your child from polio, you can pray or you can inoculate....Try science. " [Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World

I don't see any harm in hope; I certainly want to believe that everything will turn out for the best because I am a good person making a reasonable request of a benevolent deity. Psychologically, it's very comforting.

But that's not the way to bet.

DLH, you've made it abundantly clear that you have nothing but contempt for religion, so why do you keep coming here looking for a fight?

First, don't confuse contempt for pity. When I see a church, I don't feel angry. I feel sad that so much effort is put into something so incredibly worthless. My rhetoric can be very acerbic at times, and I'll freely admit that. But it's not rooted in anger, it takes purchase in frustration and sadness. Sadness not for myself, but for those that spend so much time looking up, and so little time looking around.

But to answer your question as to why I keep coming here,


Four reasons:

1. Maybe one day someone will post that can back up their beliefs with more than mysticism, tradition or fantasy.
2. Maybe one day someone will see a compelling argument, decide to embrace an agnostic outlook and liberate themselves from restrictive dogma.
3. Related to #2: when a person rids themselves of religion, they're finally able to evolve to a higher state of consciousness where they can free themselves from primitive superstitions and embrace a reality where they're finally able to appreciate our place in the universe and we can grow together as a unified species.
4. I get bored easily

Rather than anecdotes, I would love to see a documented case where prayer has helped when medical science couldn't. I mean that without sarcasm.

Trust me, DLH, I don't need your pity or sadness... but I'll be happy to pray for you if you'd like me to!

I like it when people pray for me. It has the same effect as "I'll be thinking about you". Which is flattering.