Big prayer study flunks the test! I wonder what the explanation might have been if it had shown an opposite result. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 03-30-06, 09:37 PM revpo Well if there is someone up there they wouldnt have answered , they never have, all future is written and not changing. If prayer was used for all the storms last year would the destruction be eliminated?, no no one is there, the future is written.
revpo +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 03-31-06, 06:33 AM tsaeb There were confounding variables involved.
Telling folks that they are being prayed for might make them think that they are a lot sicker than they truly are or anxious as to who is saying what to God (or the air) in their behalfs. If the patients were less severely ill, they may have been enthusiastic about being in a study and skewed the results the other way for sure, which I think is the Hawthorne effect.
We also have no info as to whether prayer was welcomed or whether its recipients believed or disbelieved in it. Again, anxiety may have been increased.
We likely have a botched experiment with equally botched reporting of not necessarily the experiment's results, but simply the patients' conditions under additional stress. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 03-31-06, 06:57 AM Elexina
quote: Originally posted by frankvan: I wonder what the explanation might have been if it had shown an opposite result.
I think that's pretty much all I can think of as a response. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 04-23-06, 11:19 AM methos Regarding anxiety over being prayed for: That is probably at least part of the reason the prayed for group faired worse, but it doesn't address the identical performance of the two groups that were told there was only a chance they would be prayed for (one of which was, the other of which wasn't). It would have been interesting to have had a fourth group that was told they were prayed for but wasn't, but that would probably be an ethical violation. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 04-23-06, 11:47 AM Sherasi
quote: Originally posted by revpo: all future is written and not changing.
This comment really upsets me because I HATE the idea that all things are planned. So, it was written that my father beat the hell out of me? It was written that he should die on my 21st birthday after I gave him CPR? It was written that I have 2 Autistic sons prematurely and nearly die?
That is not acceptible.
Least of all, anytime a person commits a crime or an atrocity, if it was "Written" then.. it was inevitable that they should commit these crimes and therefore are not responsible for their actions.
That I can't buy. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 04-23-06, 11:49 AM babthrower So, let's see. According to Tsaeb, if you pray for someone and they find out about it, it could make them worse.
Hmmm. So much for those 'our prayers are with you' cards people who are in hospital get. Confused +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 04-24-06, 10:53 AM babthrower All I know is, I'll save my money in future! I didn't buy the 'praying for you' kind before, because they would be insincere, but now I won't buy any! Never thought of the implications of a 'get well' card before! Means you're sick!
Well, maybe a home made one. That says 'break leg'. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 04-24-06, 07:19 PM faber Tsaeb gives reasons why praying for someone might make them sicker. Does that mean we shouldn't? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 04-25-06, 06:48 AM Elexina That seems to be the results of the study. Perhaps you're better off asking the person if they want to be prayed for rather than just doing it.
I find it interesting that the study didn't have a group that was prayed for, but didn't know about it. I wonder what their results would have been. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 04-25-06, 07:41 AM methos That would also run into some ethical issues. The patients have to give informed consent to be a part of the study, which wouldn't be possible if they didn't know there was a possibility they would be prayed for.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,
