Christians - Do you think praying helps?

Question

All the studies conducted prove otherwise.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/health_science/articles/2005/07/25/a_prayer_for_health/

Where does this leave the church?

Answer 1

''Prayer is definitely working," said the Rev. Linda J. Knight, a chaplain at Massachusetts General Hospital. ''They're trying to put the scientific blessing on it.

Prayer does not need the "blessing" of science.  Neither does Faith.  They both have the blessing of God.

Answer 2

God will only honer honest prayers from true Christians. And many times his answer is no because he will not change his plans because of what we pray for. He has a reason for everything.  

Answer 3

Not "all the studies," as there are studies that show psychological benefits to prayer, though not in getting what you want, so much as living a longer, happier life.  

Answer 4

it does ****

Answer 5

Yes prayer does help, and I'm not sure about the studies you are reading but most studies that I have read state that prayer does help.  Just becuase the Lord does not answer your prayers the way you think He should does not mean that he hasn't answered them.

Answer 6

You did not read the article did you?

in the article it says Krucoff cautioned against concluding that prayer doesn't work based on his study.

Yes prayer does work.

It helps the person going through the procedure while it may not produce a miracle.  

Answer 7

Yes, when you do the will of God Mark 16 : 15 - 18, you will see thoses miracles by God when you lay your hands on the sick and they will recover.  Many times I have laid hands on the sick and the spirit of God goes through them, it could be a spiritual healing.  A few times I had people drop to the floor by the power of God.  You do it in faith that he can heal but it is up to Him if that person will be healed or not.  Most of the time when it is a life and death situation, they will be healed but it is up to him.  The doctors are always baffled at this because they gave the patients days live and after we laid hands on that individual they were 90 - 10 percent healed.

http://www.mylordmysavior.com

Answer 8

sometimes it does help and sometimes it doesn't .  it really depends on the outcome of the prayer.

Answer 9

What studies? Studies by whom? By people? Surely not the studies of God. We pray by faith that God hears us. His Word says He does, so therefore, we believe.

How can anyone question their Creator?

Answer 10

I know it does (lol.)

Answer 11

Absolutely it helps.Scientist say studies show ......might.........I always found those headlines funny.

Answer 12

Yes, certainly.

My own simple experiences tell me prayer is extremely beneficial. Let me state simply how i benefit from it:

1. Every time i pray it makes me calm.

2. When i am calm, i can think matters through from correct perspective. It leads to good decisions.

3. Most important, prayer helps me draw close to the One whom i owe my life. Makes me happy all the time!

I cannot imagine life without the privilege of prayer.

Answer 13

When I was Atheist, I thought it was a bunch of bologna. Then I did YEARS of research. I found GOD PRAYERS have come true!

EDIT* I don't read links, never have trusted them. EVEN IF it was Christian. I don't want a virus.

Answer 14

I dont have to click on your link to know the problem with the so called studies is they are attempting to approach God and spiritualality from a scientific/material a perspective.

No, if you want to understand God and spiritual things your going to have to have to have a spiritual approach; and that requires faith,at least for the good spiritual things; for the evil spiritual things all you need to do is slip deeper and deeper into sin.

Answer 15

At the very least, it can be of a psychological benefit. Call it a positive thinking technique, or a placebo effect.

Answer 16

You did read the entire article, right?

''Nobody has built a prayer-proof room and we would think it unethical to tell patients or relatives not to pray," he said. ''So, you cannot have a zero prayer control group."

I think the article sited only 5 studies that were so funded not "All" studies, as you so blithely state in your detail.

Answer 17

studies don't nullify God's word. and He taught us to pray. of course it helps, did you know God doesn't do thing one aside from His people praying for it? prayer is the greatest weapon in the universe, can be sent from anywhere, and it can't be intercepted... and God answers ALL prayer. perhaps not to your liking but according to His will they are answered. how ironic that victory comes when we sink to our knees and fall prostrate before God.  

Answer 18

Prayer Can Change Things.

Answer 19

Prayer does indeed help but it ultimately up to us to help ourselves since God gave us free will.  

You can't just pray for a million bucks and it will drop down from the sky.  It simply doesn't work that way.  You pray AND try to save money so you can get hte million dollars.

You need to make sure you are saved before judgement day comes.  After that, it doesn't matter how much you beg for forgiveness or repent.  You just missed the oportunity to be forgived.  In time I hope that yoru heart will soften and you will learn to love.  I love you and God loves you too!

Answer 20

Don't know where there info. came from,  but it's wrong. I prayed, and was freed from a stuck seat belt to avoid drowning in my truck, turned sour milk to fresh, allowed my truck to get home so I wasn't stranded, many people miraculuosly healed in weeks, when doctors said it would be long periods, if at all. So, I will choose to believe what I've actually seen, not some payed for study. God is God, and that's just the way it is.

Answer 21

yes  I do  and no study  proves  any think.

Answer 22

No. That's how the monks in China were killed. Instead of using their crazy ninja-style buddha's palm fighting techniques, they sat down and prayed.

Real help requires DOING something.

Answer 23

"Scientists attempt to measure what religions accept on faith"

All this article said that studies have commenced. One study doesn't amount to a hill of beans and you know it.

Also, God does not answer all prayers, as nobody knows the mind of God.

"none of you clicked onto the link."

Usually I do not, either. I am sacred of a bad web site. This has happened here before -- where my computer locked up.

Finally, my mom is 86 and is being treated for heart condition.

Really, the only thing my family prays for is that if anything happens, it will be peaceful.

All the best my friend! Nice try

Answer 24

Yes of course it does, if only to give yourself some inner peace.

Answer 25

yes very much!!!!!!!!1111

Answer 26

"Krucoff cautioned against concluding that prayer doesn't work based on his study." directly from your link. There are too many intangibles to be able to say definitively that prayer works or doesn't work in a scientific study. There have been some studies which show the opposite. I KNOW that prayer helps me. Prayer is a conversation with God which helps me to see things from His perspective and to get His wisdom. Prayer is not just about getting things and manipulating my circumstances.

Answer 27

I prayed...

For a worthy cause!!

Nothing happened.. no signs either...

Answer 28

I know it does. There is yet a study on the studies. Showing it does work. We can site studies back and forth for ever.

Seventy-nine of the nation's 125 medical schools now offer courses on prayer and spirituality. A decade ago, only three medical schools offered such classes.

200 scientific studies on prayer and health. About two-thirds of these studies have shown positive results in patients with chest pain, heart attack and AIDS.

One of the most impressive studies is being conducted by researchers at Duke University Medical Center. The research, which will soon be published in the American Journal of Cardiology, shows how prayer affects heart patients.