The study was funded by the Templeton Foundation, which has in its mission statement
Quote:The John Templeton Foundation was established in 1987 by renowned international investor, Sir John Templeton, to encourage a fresh appreciation of the critical importance ?- for all peoples and cultures ?- of the moral and spiritual dimensions of life. The Templeton Foundation seeks to act as a critical catalyst for progress, especially by supporting studies which demonstrate the benefits of an open, humble and progressive approach to learning in these areas.
their official statement on the results
Quote:OFFICIAL STATEMENT
The Largest Study of Third-Party Remote Intercessory Prayer Suggests
Prayer Not Effective in Reducing Complications Following Heart Surgery
The John Templeton Foundation was the major funder of the study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP). This project applied a large-scale controlled randomized research model to contribute to a growing number of scientific studies about prayer. Previous studies had attracted widespread public attention and discussion due to claims of positive health outcomes for distant intercessory prayer in which patients were unaware of being prayed for in the context of a research study.
Analysts, however, had pointed to methodological weaknesses calling these results into question. In view of both the empirical uncertainties and the potential significance of a non-null result, the Foundation's advisory board advocated that substantial resources be put forth in order to advance methodological rigor in the design and execution of a new "blue ribbon standard" study. The results of the STEP project document the results of this experimental effort in a peer review journal.
The Foundation supports scientific rigor in all of its research-sponsorship endeavors and fully supports the findings as an example of the value of employing rigorous methodology in research on spiritual topics. Issues relating to the interpretation of the findings are discussed in an overview document which has been posted on this website since October 2002:
http://www.templeton.org/spirituality_and_health/spirituality_programs.asp.
The Foundation encourages journalists and other interested persons to consider the various interpretive issues in depth. Prayer research is a fascinating topic and may well continue in additional modes to that presented as the outcome of the STEP project. However, the null results obtained by the methodologically rigorous STEP experiment appear to provide a clear and definitive contrasting result to an earlier published finding (Byrd study) of a positive effect for patient-blind distant intercessory prayer in a prayer experiment involving recovery of patients in a cardiac care unit.* Result: The STEP project did not confirm these findings.
* Note: The Byrd study also involved randomization to receive or not receive patient-blinded distant intercessory prayer.
http://www.templeton.org/index.asp
huh
another mission statement on that page
One thing which continues to bug me . . . if they are studying "distant intercessory prayer" of which the objects are unaware, does the physician just let the patient rot while the prayer goes on? How does one determine that prayer, and prayer alone, provided any significant benefit?
The assumption is that all patients receive quality medical care. By measuring the number of patients who experience complications from similar treatments one can identify other causes and influences. Treatment is obviously confounded with other factors, such as physician and surgical team, but the analysis would have been designed to account for those factors.
Uh huh . . . sure . . .
Don't take me so seriously, J_B, i was just hoping to get a rise of somebody . . . anybody . . . i don't care . . .
uh huh
sure
always trying to start a party, that fella
ten years and cost $2.4M......what a waste.
P
Chai Tea wrote:ehBeth wrote:Don't pray, don't tell.
really.
if you want to pray, go ahead...but as soon as you have to talk about it, it's not about the sick or suffering person, it's about how great you are.
kinda like a funeral, it's doesn't have a thing in the world to do with the dead person...it's either comforting the attendees or showing how wonderful you are for honoring them.
Just leave me out on the curb in a hefty bag on bulky trash day.
Can you clarify, CT? What about all the expressions of sympathy/support/prayer on A2K? Is it all about the
members expressing those thoughts, in your view? Those that contribute those kind of posts are only doing so to make themselves feel better, or show everyone else how great they are?
Or are you setting expressions of prayer apart from expressions of sympathy or support? (and if so, why?)
Phoenix32890 wrote:
Since I do not believe in an afterlife, I did not slip into complacency, and was very proactive in dealing with my illness. Through a combination of very advanced medical intervention, with a dash of new age mumbo jumbo, (which can be very helpful) I was able to maximize my chances of hanging on to the only life that I had.
For those who care: 3/28/06 was my 16th anniversary!
Precisely, and Happy Anniversary, Phoenix.
This article is about prayer.. From Qur'an interpretation...
We frequently offer supplications, but they are not accepted. But the verse is general, it states that every supplication is answered.
The Answer: To answer is one thing, to accept is something quite different. Every supplication is answered, but its being accepted and exactly what was sought being given is dependent on Almighty God's wisdom. For example, if a sick child calls the doctor, saying: "Doctor! Doctor!", and he replies: "Here I am, what do you want?", and the child says: "Give me that medicine!", the doctor will either give him exactly what he asks for or something better and more beneficial for him. Or knowing that medicine is harmful for his illness, he will give him nothing.
Thus, since Almighty God is all-present and all-seeing, He responds to the supplications of His servants. Through His presence and response, He transforms the desolation of loneliness and solitude into familiarity. But He does this, not in accordance with man's capricious and importunate demands, but in accordance with the requirements of dominical wisdom; He gives either what is sought or what is better than it, or He gives nothing at all.
Also, supplication is a form of worship and recognition of man's servitude to God. The fruits of this pertain to the hereafter. The aims pertaining to this world are the times of a particular sort of supplication and worship. For example, the prayers and supplications for rain are a form of worship. Drought is the time for such worship. Worship and supplications of this sort are not in order to bring rain. If they are performed with that intention alone they are not worthy of acceptance, for they are not sincere worship. Sunset is the time of the evening prayers. And eclipses of the sun and moon are the times of two particular prayers known as salat al-kusuf and salat al-khusuf. That is to say, with the veiling of the two luminous signs of the night and day, God's tremendousness is proclaimed, so Almighty God calls his servants to a sort of worship at those times. The prayers are not so that the sun and moon will be revealed (whose appearance and how long the eclipses will continue have anyway been reckoned by astronomers).
In just the same way, drought is the time for the prayers for rain, and the visitation of calamities and infliction of harmful things the times of certain supplications when man realizes his impotence and through his supplication and entreaty seeks refuge at the Court of One Possessing Absolute Power. Even if the calamities are not lifted despite many supplications, it may not be said that they were not accepted. It should rather be said that the time for the supplication is not yet over. If through His graciousness and munificence Almighty God removes the calamity, light upon light, then the time for that supplication is over and done with. That is to say, supplication has the meaning of worship and man's acknowledging his servitude to God.
As for worship and servitude to God, it should be purely and sincerely for God's sake. Man should only proclaim his impotence and seek refuge with Him through supplication, he should not interfere in His dominicality. He should leave the taking of measures to Him and rely on His wisdom. He should not accuse His Mercy.
Indeed, what is in reality established by the Qur'an's clear verses is that just as all beings offer their own particular glorification and worship, so what rises to the Divine Court from all the universe is supplication. This is either through the tongue of innate ability like the supplication of plants and animals, through they seek forms from the Absolute Bestower and to display and manifest His Names. Or it is through the tongue of innate need. These are the supplications for all their essential needs ?-beyond their power to obtain?- offered by animate beings. Through this tongue, the animate beings seek certain things from the Absolutely Generous One for the continuance of their lives, like a sort of sustenance. Or it is supplication through the tongue of exigency, through which all beings with spirits who find themselves in some plight or predicament make supplication and seek urgent refuge with an unknown protector; indeed, they turn to the All-Compassionate Sustainer. If there is nothing to prevent it, these three sorts of supplication are always accepted.
The fourth sort of supplication is the most well-known; it is our supplication. This too is of two sorts: one is active and by disposition, and the other, verbal and with the heart. For example, having recourse to causes is an active prayer. To gather together causes is not in order to create the effect, but through the tongue of disposition to take up an acceptable position in order to seek the effect from Almighty God. To plough a field is to knock at the door of the treasury of mercy. Since this sort of active supplication is directed towards the Absolutely Generous One's Name and title, it is accepted in the great majority of cases.
The second sort is to offer supplication with the tongue and the heart. It is to seek certain wishes which the hand cannot reach. The most important aspect, the most beautiful aim, the sweetest fruit of this is this: "The one who offers the supplications knows that there is Someone Who hears the wishes of his heart, Whose hand can reach all things, Who can bring about each of his desires, Who takes pity on his impotence, and answers his poverty."
O impotent, needy man! Do not neglect a means like supplication, which is the key to the treasury of mercy and to an inexhaustible strength. Cling to it! Rise to the highest peaks of humanity! Include in your supplications those of all the universe, like a king! Say, From You alone do we seek help,8 like a servant and deputy representing all the universe! Be on the Most Excellent Pattern of creation!
23. word 5.point
And the relevance to the study of that screed would be?
Phoenix--
Happy Anniversary.
Ticomaya wrote:Chai Tea wrote:ehBeth wrote:Don't pray, don't tell.
really.
if you want to pray, go ahead...but as soon as you have to talk about it, it's not about the sick or suffering person, it's about how great you are.
kinda like a funeral, it's doesn't have a thing in the world to do with the dead person...it's either comforting the attendees or showing how wonderful you are for honoring them.
Just leave me out on the curb in a hefty bag on bulky trash day.
Can you clarify, CT? What about all the expressions of sympathy/support/prayer on A2K? Is it all about the
members expressing those thoughts, in your view? Those that contribute those kind of posts are only doing so to make themselves feel better, or show everyone else how great they are?
Or are you setting expressions of prayer apart from expressions of sympathy or support? (and if so, why?)
Yes, sure I can clarify.
I see a difference between expressing sympathy/support and praying for someone.
It's a matter of the moment. If you told us you are coming down with a case of the flu, I could say "Oh man, I'm sorry you're going to have to go through all that....hope you feel better" I'm acknowledging you're going to have a rough couple of days, and perhaps letting you know that I've been through that too, so you know you're not alone, and others have made it through. I'm fully aware that my hoping you'll feel better will not do a thing with making it so. I'm just indicating that it would be a good thing to get better. You know my hoping won't do anything either, but it might be nice to know in that moment.
Support? If I lived near you I could say, "Would you like me to go to the store for you?" on the internet I could do something useful like say "Would you like me to send you an article about this?" or "here's a link to some fun mindless games to play while you're recovering." Something practical in both cases.
If the situation were reversed, and you said you hope I feel better soon, I'm thinking "that nice of him" but it's all in that moment. I know that 2 minutes from now you're most likely thinking of something else.
If you said you were going to pray for me, I'm thinking "jeez, It's bad enough I'm sick, now I've got to be responsible for the fact he's taking all this time out of his day, who knows how many times and for how long, to spend time begging God for something that will resovle itself either way over the course of time?
I believe if you're praying for someone close to you, it's just a replacement for the concept of worrying.
I've been there. I recall following an ambulance to the hospital one night and saying "oh God, this is too soon, don't let him die now.....Then, I immediatley thought...."But this might be what's in the cards right now....thy will be done....help me to deal with it if that's what your plans are"
Then, I left it in the hands of medical science, one of Gods tools.
oh....and yeah sure, I'll admit it, sometimes when I've said 'hope you feel better' to someone here.....I do mean it...but it makes me feel better too for throwing my two cents in too.
dlowan wrote:And the relevance to the study of that screed would be?
Yes I accept it is so long.. Briefly we ve to open one hand for pray and use other hand to work.. They r together.. Medicine and pray r twinbrother..
You say this in the face of a study suggesting prayer can be harmful?
Did you read the study, or understand what the thread was about?
I red the study and also thread .. But I red again more carefully.
Moses (Peace be upon him) shows a lot miracles with his baton.. (or stick).. he dies.. One man came whose name is Moses takes baton and throw it for miracles.. Another man says baton is same baton but Moses is not same Moses..
So pray changes up to person who does it.
Another example one beloved man said to me ''everybody pray for rain but God didn't give.. Also I prayed He didn't showered.'' When I got out I said Oh My God .. shower for the sake of name of this man.. And God showered only one drop on to my hand..
