S
SeanTom
Guest
THE VALIDITY OF PRAYER
Some time ago there was an article in the paper about a study that was made to show whether or not prayer had an effect on those prayed for. The study indicated that they could not find where prayer had helped or not helped. The study indicated that in THEIR study, prayers made no difference. This study was financed by the Templeton Foundation, which supports research into science and religion, and one participating hospital
Please note the following:
Scientific:
The study attempted to have a control group of people who were not prayed for, and a controlled group who WERE prayed for. This is flawed because people in that first group may have prayed for themselves, their relatives may have prayed for them and other people have certainly prayed for them. Our congregation regularly prays for all sick people. From a scientific point of view the control group is not really a control group because they received the same “treatment” in a different way.
The second group, those who were prayed for, can also be misleading. Those who were picked to do the praying may not have had their heart and soul into the prayer since they did not know, personally, who they were praying for. They may even be praying as if reading the prayer from a script. This could invalidate both studies.
Philosophically:
If a study would show that remote intercessory prayer is efficacious, it would amount to the scientific proof of existence of the supernatural agent - God. God has chosen not to provide scientific proof of his existence. (Compare CCC 31:
The proofs for the existence of God are not in the sense of proofs in the natural sciences) God wants us to make a decision in faith for Him, not a decision based on scientific fact. If He could be scientifically proven, no free decision in faith would be necessary anymore, just acceptance of the scientific fact. A higher being who has designed the relationship to humans to be a relationship of faith cannot be expected to cooperate in a scientific experiment that would change that relationship to a simple scientifically proven certainty which would devalue the faith of “those who have not seen and have believed” John 20:29 What was the intent of this study? To honor the Father or to test His usefulness as an instrument of healing? Was it a submission under His will or a test of God?
The biggest issue I have with this study is that prayer, which is holy by it’s very nature, was profaned by making it a part of a secular study. Deut 6:16: “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test, as you did at Massah“.
In summary, the results are not surprising to me. I am convinced that prayer works. God will give us what is best for us, if we ask with a humble and faithful heart. The power of prayer has been shown to us many times. I feel certain that many of our healing miracles came to us through the result of our prayers asking for these healings. Many of our Saints had miracles attributed to them through healings brought about by our prayers to them. Even Jesus prayed in Gethsemane. He said: “Father, all things are possible to thee: remove this cup from me; yet not what I will, but what thou wilt”.
There are many instances in Scripture telling us to pray. Prayer studies by various institutes DO NOT prove the non-validity of prayer. God answers our prayers as He so Wills, and He knows what is best for us. Faith, spiritual and physical healings and miracles can not be proven by scientific studies.
Some time ago there was an article in the paper about a study that was made to show whether or not prayer had an effect on those prayed for. The study indicated that they could not find where prayer had helped or not helped. The study indicated that in THEIR study, prayers made no difference. This study was financed by the Templeton Foundation, which supports research into science and religion, and one participating hospital
Please note the following:
Scientific:
The study attempted to have a control group of people who were not prayed for, and a controlled group who WERE prayed for. This is flawed because people in that first group may have prayed for themselves, their relatives may have prayed for them and other people have certainly prayed for them. Our congregation regularly prays for all sick people. From a scientific point of view the control group is not really a control group because they received the same “treatment” in a different way.
The second group, those who were prayed for, can also be misleading. Those who were picked to do the praying may not have had their heart and soul into the prayer since they did not know, personally, who they were praying for. They may even be praying as if reading the prayer from a script. This could invalidate both studies.
Philosophically:
If a study would show that remote intercessory prayer is efficacious, it would amount to the scientific proof of existence of the supernatural agent - God. God has chosen not to provide scientific proof of his existence. (Compare CCC 31:
The proofs for the existence of God are not in the sense of proofs in the natural sciences) God wants us to make a decision in faith for Him, not a decision based on scientific fact. If He could be scientifically proven, no free decision in faith would be necessary anymore, just acceptance of the scientific fact. A higher being who has designed the relationship to humans to be a relationship of faith cannot be expected to cooperate in a scientific experiment that would change that relationship to a simple scientifically proven certainty which would devalue the faith of “those who have not seen and have believed” John 20:29 What was the intent of this study? To honor the Father or to test His usefulness as an instrument of healing? Was it a submission under His will or a test of God?
The biggest issue I have with this study is that prayer, which is holy by it’s very nature, was profaned by making it a part of a secular study. Deut 6:16: “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test, as you did at Massah“.
In summary, the results are not surprising to me. I am convinced that prayer works. God will give us what is best for us, if we ask with a humble and faithful heart. The power of prayer has been shown to us many times. I feel certain that many of our healing miracles came to us through the result of our prayers asking for these healings. Many of our Saints had miracles attributed to them through healings brought about by our prayers to them. Even Jesus prayed in Gethsemane. He said: “Father, all things are possible to thee: remove this cup from me; yet not what I will, but what thou wilt”.
There are many instances in Scripture telling us to pray. Prayer studies by various institutes DO NOT prove the non-validity of prayer. God answers our prayers as He so Wills, and He knows what is best for us. Faith, spiritual and physical healings and miracles can not be proven by scientific studies.