RE: prayer and healing

It's too bad they didn't have a fourth group where they actually did
what the Bible says to do: "Is any sick among you? let him call for the
elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil
in the name of the Lord" (Jas 5:14).
 
Dick Fischer
Dick Fischer, Genesis Proclaimed Association
Finding Harmony in Bible, Science, and History
www.genesisproclaimed.org <http://www.genesisproclaimed.org/>
 
 If the increase in complicaions in the third group is real, perhaps it
will
be cited as scientific confirmation of the command to pray in secret
(Matt.
6:6).
__
Louise M. Freeman, PhD
Psychology Dept
Mary Baldwin College
Staunton, VA 24401
540-887-7326
FAX 540-887-7121
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: "jack syme" <drsyme@cablespeed.com>
To: <asa@calvin.edu>
Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2006 15:06:50 -0500
Subject: prayer and healing
 
> There are some interesting findings in a large study on the effects of

> distant prayer on healing in today's "American Heart Journal":
>
> 1800 patients were randomized into three groups. One group was told
> they
> "might" be the object of distant prayer, and they were. Another group
> was
> told the same thing, but they were not. And the third group was
> promised it
> would receive prayer and did.
>
> The findings were interesting. Not only did distant prayer not help,
> but
> being told they were being prayed for seemed to increased
> complications, the
> most common complication being atrial fibrillation.
>
> The first two groups had the same complication rates, about 50%. The
> third
> group had a complication rate of 59%. The authors were not sure this
> increased complication rate is real, and did little speculation on the

> cause.
>
 
Received on Fri Mar 31 20:13:07 2006