Prayers found ineffective in speeding recovery

[evil twin]

Article.

[cambraceres]

The most interesting thing about this article is the reason for it's being written.

[gamblore99]

I can't believe people belonging to the sceintific community actually spent the time, effort and money to do this. Its kind of depressing

[guesswest]

There's a huge missing piece of information there, namely whether the third group who were being prayed for believed in prayer.

[MidGe]

[ QUOTE ]
There's a huge missing piece of information there, namely whether the third group who were being prayed for believed in prayer.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah! Yes, the placebo effect!

[DougShrapnel]

I think it's important to realaize that the sceintific community wastes alot of time, effort, and money debating sceinticfic ideas with religious fundementalists. This study, could answer a very important question, and provide evidence of a God. How is answering an imortant question a waste of time, effort and money?

[guesswest]

Doug - I don't think it's a waste of time and money either, because I think it's pretty interesting stuff.

But I think it's use is very limited in terms of convincing the religious right of anything, the reality is that studies with findings like these will be ignored completely. Religious interests do not apply scientific principles to the evaluation of these studies, they will cherry pick. To that end it could be argued that any such studies are detrimental, because only the ones that validate religion will be considered.

[cambraceres]

[ QUOTE ]
Doug -

But I think it's use is very limited in terms of convincing the religious right of anything, the reality is that studies with findings like these will be ignored completely. Religious interests do not apply scientific principles to the evaluation of these studies, they will cherry pick. To that end it could be argued that any such studies are detrimental, because only the ones that validate religion will be considered.

[/ QUOTE ]

Guesswest, I can't agree that the placebo effect is interesting in the context of this study, but the rest of your post is golden.

[Green Kool Aid]

lol i cant wait for someone to die and go to heaven for the following conversation

Dead guy: God! Im only 45 years old. WTF!
God/Jesus/Allah/I dont know whoelse: Your family didn't pray for you. Take it up with them. What was I supposed to do?

[DougShrapnel]

[ QUOTE ]
But I think it's use is very limited in terms of convincing the religious right of anything, the reality is that studies with findings like these will be ignored completely. Religious interests do not apply scientific principles to the evaluation of these studies, they will cherry pick. To that end it could be argued that any such studies are detrimental, because only the ones that validate religion will be considered.

[/ QUOTE ] I'm not sure I willing to concede that the speculative uses of a study are grounds to deny oursleves the knowledge gained by doing the studies. Information is becoming and will become more of an ethical issue. People have the right to have correct information, what they do with it is mostly thier own business.