The Power of Prayer

You didn't read any of the articles. I'm not going to take your word for it that a 30 second frantic google search proved your point.

Dude, listen to what I'm saying: these were articles, many journal articles, thousands of hits. You can verify YOURSELF. If you don't like Google Scholar use SciFinder if that is what you normally use.

I am saying there were a LOT of research hits on the topic.

Your frantic 30 second google searches are not evidence of anything.

Stop attacking the source, start debating the POINT. Jesus, are you really this dim?

STOP debating like a braindead toddler. Start debating like an adult. Stop this bullshit of attacking the source and start debating the POINT.
 
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Dude, listen to what I'm saying: these were articles, many journal articles, thousands of hits. You can verify YOURSELF. If you don't like Google Scholar use SciFinder if that is what you normally use.

I am saying there were a LOT of research hits on the topic.



Stop attacking the source, start debating the POINT. Jesus, are you really this dim?

STOP debating like a braindead toddler. Start debating like an adult. Stop this bullshit of attacking the source and start debating the POINT.

Excellent lesson in irony, Ob. Did you have help constructing it...or did you do it on your own?
 
My take on PRAYER is that it doesn't seem to be any more powerful or reliable than HOPING...which is to say that I see no power or reliability in either.

If there have been any studies attempting to evaluate the relative efficiencies of prayer and hope (or power versus hope)...I am unaware of them. If anyone knows of any such studies, I hope (!) you share them with us.
 
Dude, listen to what I'm saying: these were articles, many journal articles, thousands of hits. You can verify YOURSELF. If you don't like Google Scholar use SciFinder if that is what you normally use.

I am saying there were a LOT of research hits on the topic.



Stop attacking the source, start debating the POINT. Jesus, are you really this dim?

STOP debating like a braindead toddler. Start debating like an adult. Stop this bullshit of attacking the source and start debating the POINT.
You didn't read any of the articles, you just frantically Googled for 30 seconds and then dashed back here.

Google scholar didn't give you the slightest clue about what percentage of medical research and what ratio of grant money was used on studying prayer and the power of positive thinking.

I'm not going to take your word for it about articles you never read.


A real literature review by scientists and researchers takes weeks or months. A 30 second frantic google search earns nothing but roars of laughter
 
I don't think prayers to fix a spinal injury or cure blindness should be expected to work.

The remarkable thing is that we pray and mediate at all. There is nothing known about the laws of Darwinian biology that require us to seek transcendence.

Too many millions of Christian monks, Sufi mystics, Zen masters, Taoist monks seem to have experienced something meaningful to them, and too many scientific studies have shown real health and psychological benefits of meditation and prayer for me to write it all off as a con job.
darwin is not appropriate as a "worldview"
 
What study is that? I have seen several with the opposite conclusion. Often they believe it is the same as the placebo effect when they reach their conclusions. If they receive the prayer and believe it will help, often their outcome is positive, even when there was little hope for that positive outcome.
so believing helps one thrive.

this is the danger of nihilistic schools of thought.

it is the core of spiritual darkness.
 
You didn't read any of the articles, you just frantically Googled for 30 seconds and then dashed back here.

Google scholar didn't give you the slightest clue about what percentage of medical research and what ratio of grant money was used on studying prayer and the power of positive thinking.

I'm not going to take your word for it about articles you never read.


A real literature review by scientists and researchers takes weeks or months. A 30 second frantic google search earns nothing but roars of laughter
welcome to Artificial Stupidity.
 
My take on PRAYER is that it doesn't seem to be any more powerful or reliable than HOPING...which is to say that I see no power or reliability in either.

If there have been any studies attempting to evaluate the relative efficiencies of prayer and hope (or power versus hope)...I am unaware of them. If anyone knows of any such studies, I hope (!) you share them with us.
I've known hundreds of doctors over 50 years, and I went to a university with one of the best medical schools in the country. I never heard any doctor or med student say they were researching the medical benefit of prayer, meditation, hope, and the power of positive thinking.

To the extent research like that exists, it is undoubtedly insignificant and even fringe compared to all the conventional research on oncology, epidemiology, genetics, pharmaceuticals, etc.
 
The Black Plague, 25-50 million. One third the European population.

Which you blame on a god you pretend you don't believe in.

It was a virus, borne of parasites - fleas and lice.

Spanish Flu - up to 100 million.

Certainly, nobody prayed during those events, did they?

You also blame the god you pretend not to believe in?



I understand why you wish to avoid answering the questions about your god’s absence during this kind of human suffering. It’s an uncomfortable truth, isn’t it?

I understand that you have hate for the god I don't believe in at all.

No one hates that which doesn't exist, nor are the offended by fantasies.
 
Where was he during the Plague? Spanish Flu?

AWOL or just killing off a good portion of the world’s population? Or were those just the “unrighteous”?

Yes, you have hatred for god, whom you blame for the misery of your pathetic existence.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret, there is no god.
 
Which you blame on a god you pretend you don't believe in.

It was a virus, borne of parasites - fleas and lice.



You also blame the god you pretend not to believe in?





I understand that you have hate for the god I don't believe in at all.

No one hates that which doesn't exist, nor are the offended by fantasies.
Derp
 
You didn't read any of the articles, you just frantically Googled for 30 seconds and then dashed back here.

I know you are unable to address the POINT or the SUBSTANCE of a discussion but this constant ad hominem of attacking the source is getting tiring. It shows a distinct lack of actual skill or ability in debate.

Please do better.

Of course I didn't read the articles, I merely wanted to point out the obvious point that yes, people DO study this interaction. It's not an insubstantial thing. I've heard about the concept anecdotally for decades and I'm not in the health field. I simply verified that, indeed, there does appear to be a significant number of research projects related to the topic.

You are free to actually show me data that proves my point incorrect. I suggest you use whatever research tool you normally use if you don't like this one.

That is how one debates the topic. Not constant attacks on the source.


was used on studying prayer and the power of positive thinking.

Ummm, I NEVER Said there was a significant amount of research into the power of "prayer"...I noted there were SOME studies on that. But the question I was answering was your claim that there was little research on mental attitudes in relation to health outcomes.

Why are you incapable of debating my points HONESTLY? I am utterly fascinated at how often you misrepresent points. It indicates you are either not following the conversation or your hatred of me blinds you to the ability to read.
 
I've known hundreds of doctors over 50 years, and I went to a university with one of the best medical schools in the country. I never heard any doctor or med student say they were researching the medical benefit of prayer, meditation, hope, and the power of positive thinking.

To the extent research like that exists, it is undoubtedly insignificant and even fringe compared to all the conventional research on oncology, epidemiology, genetics, pharmaceuticals, etc.

Again, NO ONE ON HERE IS CLAIMING THAT THERE IS A LOT OF RESEARCH ON PRAYER. My claim was that there is a lot of research on MENTAL ATTITUDES AND HEALTH OUTCOMES.

Please try to be honest about the debate. Just once.
 
@Cypress : I want to make a point very clear because you are now starting your usual mischaracterization of the topic:

1. I NEVER claimed there was a lot of research on the power of prayer. I noted that there was some on that topic.

2. MY CLAIM was that there was a lot of research on the impact of mental attitude on health outcomes (which I verified with a quick scan of Google Scholar)


Now, let's reset and see if you can actually debate the point honestly.
 
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