In
another thread, Percy referenced some studies on prayer and health outcomes. I followed his links, as well as googling a bit, and I found these studies far more interesting than I expected.
1. In
a study of just Eastern Orthodox and Lutheran men, the researchers concluded "Our findings indicate that mortality risk varies substantially by religious affiliation, and this variation cannot be attributed to differences in measures for a wide variety of health, behavioural, socioeconomic, biological, social, and other characteristics."
3. However, for religious affiliation in general
this article says, "Numerous investigators have demonstrated that persons who participate regularly in religious activities live longer compared with others with less religious involvement." Of course, this is most true of "conservative religious groups with a strict lifestyle, particularly Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Seventh-Day Adventists, Amish, and Hutterites," who "generally show longer survival rates along with lower age-specific rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer."
This study, for example, says active LDS members have lower mortality than the general population.
Although these questions don't necessarily follow from the two points I just mentioned. I'd like to ask these questions about comments made on studies made directly on prayer:
1.
This extract states: "Whilst the outcomes of trials of prayer cannot be interpreted as 'proof/disproof' of God's response to those praying, there may be an effect of prayer not dependent on divine intervention. This may be quantifiable, making this investigation of a most widely used health care intervention both possible and important."
Do you think it's true that the outcomes of trials of prayer cannot be interpreted as 'proof/disproof' of God's response to those praying, but could only show an effect of prayer not dependent on divine intervention? If so, why?
2.
This response to an abstract questions the validity of prayer studies at all, based on 1. the need to obtain informed consent ruins the reliability of the study, 2. a conscientious religious person should pray for the control group as well as the prayer group, and 3. the researchers and intercessors have to take opposing approaches to the study, correlation-first vs. causation-first, respectively.
Do you think prayer studies or health outcome studies can validly determine the effect of prayer? Do you think they should have any applicability to choice of lifestyles?
Two comments: A. Please don't answer that last question with comments about legislating lifestyles; I'm talking about personal decisions. This is not a political thread. B. This last question would be helped by studies I found on suicide, neurosis, and psychosis according to religious affiliation, but let's stick to physical health or the topic will be too wide.
I'd prefer "Is it Science," but maybe "Faith and Belief" is better.
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