# The Power of Prayer

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-power-of-prayer/189731>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [July 20, 2003, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-power-of-prayer/189731 "2003-07-20T12:06:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![elfje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19b73/32.png) [@elfje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfje)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-power-of-prayer/189731/21 "2003-07-21T12:29:06Z")

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[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/485268.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/485268.stm)

New age theory is that it’s something like reiki.  
Praying for the sick, I mean.

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-power-of-prayer/189731/22 "2003-07-21T13:10:32Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \*  
> **I read about a study once that observed the responses of four sample groups:**

Even then I wonder how accurate such a test could be. In the groups where people were not prayed for, how can the researchers know for sure that no one at all prayed? They’d pretty much have to make a demand on every single person that possible _could_ pray, including family, hospital staff, and nearby churches.

Seems to me that nearly any data that results from such tests is next to meaningless.

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**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-power-of-prayer/189731/23 "2003-07-21T19:43:09Z")

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**Handsome** , first you ask:

> [@](#):
>
> Does prayer help sick people get better?

Then later you say

> [@](#):
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> No, the healing power of prayer is well known.

Why ask the question if you’ve already decided what you think? You really should have just started by saying “I believe prayer helps with healing, here’s why…” then given the quote. As it is, you come off (to me anyway) as kind of a guerilla poster.

Plus, after reading that article I have to say there wasn’t any real information on how the study was conducted, if the prayers were standardized, what the denominations of the prayers were, or anything else.

I agree with **tdn** , it’s hard to say _nobody_ prayed for the people in the other group. Are they suggesting that only coordinated, controlled prayer works?

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**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-power-of-prayer/189731/24 "2003-07-21T22:48:45Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor \*  
> \*\*  
> **handsomeharold** – we’ve _covered this_, you and I. The facts don’t change just because they don’t fit into your worldview. \*\*

I _should_ add, considering the Oposter, that re-stating the question in another forum doesn’t change the facts either.

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