Is Prayer Measurable?

[POI]

Seems as though Christians make countless claims, that God answers prayer(s). Well, does He? If so, when exactly? Are these 'answered prayers' measurable in any tangible and/or objective kind of way? Please do not answer yet... Below, I will place forth an example....

On earth, we have many who are amputees, and/or have downs syndrome, and/or have cerebral palsy. I would imagine countless prayer requests have also been made on their behalf? If so, has God ever answered? Has God ever answered the call to reverse/remove such unwanted afflictions? If so, care to share?

To me, seems as though God ignores the call to such prayer requests, (to remove such conditions). Would you Christians agree?

[JoeMama]

[Replying to TRANSPONDER in post #9]

The prayer study I think you're referring to is the Harvard one by Dr. Herbert Benson (2006).

[POI]

[Replying to TRANSPONDER in post #9]

The prayer study I think you're referring to is the Harvard one by Dr. Herbert Benson (2006).

FYI, post #48 might reference the same study? 

[JoeMama]

I

I did read of a study of Prayer in a hospital. With a check of people Not prayed over. As I recall, there was no real difference and even a slight lacking of improvement in those prayed over. I might try to find it as it would be significant if true, but I haven't seen the claim for a long time.

Google "intercessory prayer, Dr. Herbert Benson

[JoeMama]

[Replying to TRANSPONDER in post #41]

Rare is the theists who will admit that they've lived and believed a lie. Lacking a cogent response to a skeptic's claim of biblical error, their only recourse is silence or obfuscation.

[Miles]

[Replying to TRANSPONDER in post #41]

Rare is the theists who will admit that they've lived and believed a lie. Lacking a cogent response to a skeptic's claim of biblical error, their only recourse is silence or obfuscation.

Assuming a theist who will admit that they've lived and believed a lie is no longer a theist, here's one such fellow who went from being a fundamentalist Christian to being an "evangelical atheist," Matt Dillahunty.


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[TRANSPONDER]

I

I did read of a study of Prayer in a hospital. With a check of people Not prayed over. As I recall, there was no real difference and even a slight lacking of improvement in those prayed over. I might try to find it as it would be significant if true, but I haven't seen the claim for a long time.

Google "intercessory prayer, Dr. Herbert Benson

Thank you.

"Perhaps because of the influence of fundamentalist Christians in the U.S., intercessory prayer has undergone much more study than other forms of faith healing. The results are not encouraging. A large-scale review of the available evidence failed to show medical utility to the practice.[3]

Several large, randomized controlled trials have showed little or no effect of prayer. A double-blind study published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet demonstrated no effect of prayer for patients undergoing heart surgery.[4]

Another study, supported by the Templeton foundation[5] in the respected American Heart Journal,[6] showed little effect. Furthermore, and somewhat disappointingly for the Foundation, the only effect noticed was a negative effect in respect of those patients who knew they were being prayed for. It has been speculated that this was the result of "performance anxiety" on the part of the prayees.[7]

When studies are designed well and double-blind, the effect of intercessory prayer disappears. This strongly suggests that any purported effects of prayer are due to placebo effects or poor research design." (Rationalwiki)

I looked up Bensonst study and i found (quickly) an apologetics article claiming evidence of the effect of prayer improving anxiety and therefore health. Even if that is so, then it is no more than Placebo and Buddhists could get the same benefit by calling in some monks to do some chanting.