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Marc:

Very well stated. I think that you are exactly right about what might be possible to conclude, and what would not be possible to conclude from the study. I think that those involved in the study are likely, for the most part, to be on the same page. One needn't really assume that prayer is like a drug, though, but simply be about testing the conjecture that it might be like a drug. At the same time, popular accounts of such studies will typically fail to draw such fine distinctions. I think that such studies are interesting, provided one keeps clear about just what they can and cannot illuminate.

Marc,

I disagree. The study is not trying to prove which religion is correct. Rather, I think it starts about by not trying to assume which religion the test should be conducted under. So, it covers all the bases if you will.

This study is very interesting because it suggest that over a large population of people there is NO sign prayer healed anyone. Which puts into question religion itself.

Our faith is clear in the real possibility of physical healing. To prove that this does not happen with Science, well its raises eyebrows.

Statistically thinking this study is not representative. The numbers are too little.
Also there were not included all the varieties of religion.

Anyways, prayer is an alive relationship between man and God, between persons. We may pray for others, even strangers. And if we are Christians, then we do know that only God's mercy works.

Pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians, 5:17)

So...we are called to pray. To do God's will.

So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty. (Luke, 17:10)

We are called to be humble. But we do not like to be humble. Only by us, through our reason we try to understand the reasons of this shown world and existence.

If we would have true faith...Let us remember this :

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."
Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."
The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.

May our Lord Jesus Christ, Son and Word of the Living God, Who brought us to this light from nothing, drop in our inner hearts the myrrh of His mercy, softening our rocky hearts. Amin.

In Christ, Marian, just a soul

Of course, God answers prayers when they are sincere! No question! Maybe he doesn't give us exactly the answer we want, but He answers us. That's a matter of faith - you believe it or you don't, though. And sometimes we all question whether anyone is listening when we don't seem to get the answer we hope for or expect.

The Lord's Prayer, taught to us by Jesus Himself, is a list of petitions. Gimme this, gimme that, protect me from this that, lead me on the right path.... WHY would Jesus teach us a prayer full of gimmes if God didn't care enough to respond?

My brother is a doctor and routinely prays for the people in the hospital where he is on staff. So do some of his religious colleagues, including a guy who says a daily Rosary for the people he'll be helping to diagnose throughout the day. How on earth could a study account for unseen, sincere people like them and the people they pray for? Think about it for a second. Don't you pray for people you don't know or have never met sometimes, because you feel some kinship to them? Ever go to the emergency room and see people worse off than you and pray for them? I have a few friends who are doctors who pray for the sick people in their own hospitals daily. You cannot possibly quantify all the people who might be praying for any total stranger at any given time.

God certainly answers prayers, as I have good reason to know. But expecting to be able to demonstrate this "scientifically" is worthy only of a witch doctor.

Reminds me of some idiot in Montreal who tried analyzing the contents of the chalice after an (Anglican) service. He of course found nothing - as any normal Christian could have told him in advance.

Incognitus

About prayer...
let's listen to St. Paul:
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Prayer is not meant to be an "incantation" nor does it need to be held up to secular scrutiny.
The seculars will see it as a waste of time. We should see it as the best use of time.
God does answer prayers albeit, in His own good time.

Hi,

This is a subjective interpretation of the study results.

Well, this also could mean that people without anybody praying for them were no more likely to suffer a major complication, end up back in the hospital or die.

The way I see it, God's mercy takes care of us, even when others do not pray for us.

Regardless, let us pray for each other. Even if God doesn't need our prayers, we do; especially our prayers for others, they are a true school of charity.

Shalom,
Memo

Dear Marian,

I want to say that I rarely read through long posts but I did yours. It was the most beautiful and meaningful post I have ever read. You are certainly blessed by the Holy Spirit.

I have only one response though to the following:

" Why USA did not accept Kyoto's treaty, although it is oviously that our planet's ecology is in danger? And a lot of people live in sorrow every day, with less than one usd per day."

I think we did not accept the Kyoto treaty because of our economic system, although I believe President Bush is looking into doing a more simplified treaty.

When I say economic system, I mean that we have to tread cautiously so that we do not fall into a depression. If we do the whole world will fall into one also.

Now we won't starve but millions throughout the world will. Either that or they will attack their neighbors or something of that sort. It happened with Germany before World War II.

As for me, I think it is a terrible system and one that is bound to lead to the antichrist. Hopefully God will enlighten us someday so that we will not have to buy, buy, buy in order for people in other parts of the world to live.

I do hope dear Marian that I have explained a little bit of why our President would not accept the treaty. His burdens and responsibilities are so great because every move he makes or doesn't make could lead to a future catastrophy.

He is probably the only world leader that reads the Bible and prays everyday. Fortunately he has millions praying for him each day. I think that's the only thing that keeps him going.

In Christ,

Zenovia

This will sound very lame but here goes. I went to church tonight. We are fortunate at my parish to have a seminarian from Slovakia at our parish for the summer except lately he has been with our bishop. I knew that he would be leaving for Slovakia Wednesday and i wanted a chance to tell him goodbye and see him again. So i went up and lit a candle and silently prayed "Heavenly Father please bring Jaroslav back soon. And I almost fell over because as i said amen our seminarian walked out from behind the icon screen. I quickly said a prayer of thanksgiving and lit another candle. SO there God answers prayers even if they are the petty prayers of a 17 year old girl.

-Katie g