Praying for recovering heart surgery patients may have negative effects


A large-scale controlled randomized research study into the effects of intercessory prayer on reducing complications following heart surgery had a null result, i.e., intercessory prayer didn't help patient recovery.

The study was largely funded by the Templeton Foundation.

The Associated Press reported that "patients who knew they were being prayed for had a slightly higher rate of complications." The researchers had no explanation for this.

Perhaps Christians should reflect on the stupidity of prayer. An omniscient god would know what we need and want without being told. Telling him would be an insult to his omniscience. Since he would always act in the best possible manner without human advice or entreaty, that being part of his presumed nature, prayer can only serve to try to get him to do something other than what he knows to be best. Not only would that be futile, it would also be an insult to his supposedly supreme sense of justice and right.

Posted: Friday - March 31, 2006 at 09:36 AM          

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