Prayers answered? Good Luck? Mind over matter?

Nadia · 06-18-2010, 12:23 PM

I think the Harvard experiment, along with the many others of it's type, would count as proof of the failings of prayer on a physical level, but it doesn't touch the issue on a psychological level, because no amount of positive thinking can, say, cure cancer, or get $1000 into their bank account.

I am an atheist, but I do think the act of prayer can sometimes help motivate a person, as some people said earlier in the thread - it is the acknowledgement of the problem which helps people, not a supernatural being, and once a problem has been vocalised, the person will feel more motivated to solve the problem.

06-18-2010, 12:23 PM	#25 (permalink)
Nadia Groupie Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: nowhere near you Posts: 45	I think the Harvard experiment, along with the many others of it's type, would count as proof of the failings of prayer on a physical level, but it doesn't touch the issue on a psychological level, because no amount of positive thinking can, say, cure cancer, or get $1000 into their bank account. I am an atheist, but I do think the act of prayer can sometimes help motivate a person, as some people said earlier in the thread - it is the acknowledgement of the problem which helps people, not a supernatural being, and once a problem has been vocalised, the person will feel more motivated to solve the problem.