tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251693339364322895.post6541878063888931164..comments2024-02-16T07:42:10.015-06:00Comments on SKEPTIC REFLECTIONS: THE EFFICACY OF PRAYERJOHN PHILLIPShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06357524637192990158noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251693339364322895.post-9613762417460309612013-10-15T18:42:40.782-05:002013-10-15T18:42:40.782-05:00Lisa,
I would be interested in finding out more a...Lisa,<br /><br />I would be interested in finding out more about your friend's study. Has it been published? If so, could you provide me with the cite? I'm not sure what you mean when you say the study was subjective. If it was a scientifically designed study, then there should have been certain design features, such as objective measures of outcome and steps taken to avoid experimenter bias or subject demand characteristics to make sure that the results were not "subjective."JOHN PHILLIPShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06357524637192990158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251693339364322895.post-22117299774372972982013-10-14T23:02:49.795-05:002013-10-14T23:02:49.795-05:00I don't pray the way you describe...I don'...I don't pray the way you describe...I don't believe praying for a ball team to win is relevant. I do pray for God to protect my children...but I also realize that we live in a wicked world and the story or demonstration of what evil is will play out to the end...bad things happen...but peace can be found in God, and trust that no matter when death comes we are safe in Him. It's understanding that when we are in a relationship with Him death is a sleep and it will seem like a moment, when we arise again, and then into newness of life...like Jesus when He arose. That is just my view of prayer. As to the study...my friend, who is a NP did her masters pager on the benefit of prayer and found a positive outcome in healing...But the prayers were on a personal level, patient and caregiver. I don't know the details. So I am sure there is research to support both since the study is subjective it is hard to say what really benefitted. I do believe God does intervene at times, but I don't question when it seems like He doesn't, because how can I judge what is best? I strongly disagree with the notion that someone's faith isn't "strong" enough if healing is prayed for and it doesn't occur!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17878921756248563809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251693339364322895.post-29643729141600578712013-10-13T16:08:38.004-05:002013-10-13T16:08:38.004-05:00Lisa,
In my essay I was referring to a particular...Lisa,<br /><br />In my essay I was referring to a particular kind of prayer, one by which the supplicant is requesting God's intervention and help, a miracle, if you will. Your comment doesn't seem to make any direct reference to that type of prayer. Are you saying that God doesn't intervene?<br /><br />I get the sense from your comment that a major function of prayer is to provide comfort to the individual and I can wholeheartedly agree with that. But the value of that type of prayer is dependent on believing that there is a God that hears our prayers. Since I don't believe in God, such prayer would be useless to me. That's not to say that I don't take counsel with myself (as well, of course, with others) to help me work through difficult situations. And perhaps that is another way of doing the same thing. JOHN PHILLIPShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06357524637192990158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251693339364322895.post-24551597234923405742013-10-12T22:17:48.183-05:002013-10-12T22:17:48.183-05:00What is prayer? Prayer is the opening of the heart...What is prayer? Prayer is the opening of the heart, it is for our benefit. It is saying to God I trust you came what may...the picture is much bigger than I can comprehend. My life is in your hands though I die now. It is giving God permission to intervene...since He never forces Himself on us. We are free to come to Him. Healing does't necessarily mean physical healing, but healing of the mind. No more fear of life or death, but peace and trust. Knowing that we rest in Him, and talking to Him in prayer is like sharing with your best friend your concerns, your desires and your needs, much like a child talks to a mother, and the mother does what in love is best for her child. Does the child always understand, no, but if the child is loved and cared for usually even in hard situations love and trust isn't broken....think for the child with leukemia, how resilient they are even though going through treatment that is almost unbearable in order to reach a cure. The parents didn't give them the disease but the world we live in is full of imperfections and God does everything He can to help us to trust Him to get us though to the other side.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17878921756248563809noreply@blogger.com