Atheist (and everyone). What about prayer

[We Never Know]

Something I read on another thread gave birth to this thread.

If a christian has a sick family member or friend they pray they get better.

If a christian has a family member or friend going into war they pray they make it home safe.

If a christian hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they pray they aren't hurt bad/fully recover.

If an atheist has a sick family member or friend they....?

If an atheist has a family member or friend going into war they.....?

If an atheist hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they....?

What do you do since you don't pray?

Hope?
Wish?
Nothing?
Anything?
.............?

 

[Revoltingest]

Prayer can benefit similarly to the placebo effect.
Or not, eg, imprecatory prayer.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Something I read on another thread gave birth to this thread.

If a christian has a sick family member or friend they pray they get better.

If a christian has a family member or friend going into war they pray they make it home safe.

If a christian hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they pray they aren't hurt bad/fully recover.

If an atheist has a sick family member or friend they....?

If an atheist has a family member or friend going into war they.....?

If an atheist hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they....?

What do you do since you don't pray?

Hope?
Wish?
Nothing?
Anything?
.............?

There's only a morale benefit not unlike positive thoughts and outlooks.

It does not effect outcomes that would be regarded as unique or distinctive.

 

[firedragon]

Something I read on another thread gave birth to this thread.

If a christian has a sick family member or friend they pray they get better.

If a christian has a family member or friend going into war they pray they make it home safe.

If a christian hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they pray they aren't hurt bad/fully recover.

If an atheist has a sick family member or friend they....?

If an atheist has a family member or friend going into war they.....?

If an atheist hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they....?

What do you do since you don't pray?

Hope?
Wish?
Nothing?
Anything?
.............?

I think a twisted Pascal's wager would be a decent answer to this.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Something I read on another thread gave birth to this thread.

If a christian has a sick family member or friend they pray they get better.

If a christian has a family member or friend going into war they pray they make it home safe.

If a christian hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they pray they aren't hurt bad/fully recover.

If an atheist has a sick family member or friend they....?

If an atheist has a family member or friend going into war they.....?

If an atheist hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they....?

What do you do since you don't pray?

Help them, generally.

I can't wave my hand and make someone's cancer go away, but I can visit them when they're sick to try to cheer them up or, say, mow their lawn when they're not feeling up to doing it themselves.

I can't go back in time to stop a car crash from happening, but I can try to connect them with a used car, or help them navigate dealing with insurance, or carpool with them.

 

[Heyo]

Something I read on another thread gave birth to this thread.

If a christian has a sick family member or friend they pray they get better.

If a christian has a family member or friend going into war they pray they make it home safe.

If a christian hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they pray they aren't hurt bad/fully recover.

And it doesn't change anything, except the mental state of the praying person.

If an atheist has a sick family member or friend they....?

If an atheist has a family member or friend going into war they.....?

If an atheist hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they....?

Help.

What do you do since you don't pray?

Hope?
Wish?
Nothing?
Anything?
.............?

Meditate, think, plan.

 

[Valjean]

Double blind studies of the effectiveness of prayer produce results consistent with chance.

 

[Banach-Tarski Paradox]

Something I read on another thread gave birth to this thread.

If a christian has a sick family member or friend they pray they get better.

If a christian has a family member or friend going into war they pray they make it home safe.

If a christian hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they pray they aren't hurt bad/fully recover.

If an atheist has a sick family member or friend they....?

If an atheist has a family member or friend going into war they.....?

If an atheist hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they....?

What do you do since you don't pray?

Hope?
Wish?
Nothing?
Anything?
.............?

"Prayers"

kinginstitute.stanford.edu

"Prayers"​

Main content start
Author: King, Martin Luther, Jr.
Date: July 5, 1953 to September 6, 1953?
Location: Atlanta, Ga.
Genre: Sermon
Topic: Martin Luther King, Jr. - Career in Ministry

Details​

King begins this collection of prayers with a radio announcement regarding services and ministries at Ebenezer, indicating he prepared them for radio broadcast.1 Most of these handwritten prayers would serve the function of confession or repentance in a worship service.

 

[RestlessSoul]

That religious people pray for outcomes, is based on a misconception of the purpose of prayer, I think. Take the following as an example; we are not praying for solutions for specific problems, but rather for God's support in being helpful to our fellows.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is error, the truth;
where there is doubt, the faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

​

 

[danieldemol]

That religious people pray for outcomes, is based on a misconception of the purpose of prayer, I think. Take the following as an example; we are not praying for solutions for specific problems, but rather for God's support in being helpful to our fellows.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is error, the truth;
where there is doubt, the faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

​

I believe you are only speaking for yourself here, I've known plenty of religious types who prayed for outcomes eg to get healed and other things.

 

[Banach-Tarski Paradox]

I believe you are only speaking for yourself here, I've known plenty of religious types who prayed for outcomes eg to get healed and other things.

Historically, being skilled in magic and healing could save your life.

You’ll probably see more than one answer, here, given the wide diversity of human cultures.

 

[ChristineM]

What do you do since you don't pray?

Actually help in any way i can. That help depends on the situation.

My view...
Although prayer can help the person praying to feel better it does not help the "victim"

 

[Nimos]

Something I read on another thread gave birth to this thread.

If a christian has a sick family member or friend they pray they get better.

If a christian has a family member or friend going into war they pray they make it home safe.

If a christian hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they pray they aren't hurt bad/fully recover.

If an atheist has a sick family member or friend they....?

If an atheist has a family member or friend going into war they.....?

If an atheist hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they....?

What do you do since you don't pray?

Hope?
Wish?
Nothing?
Anything?
.............?

Hope or wish I would say

 

[danieldemol]

Historically, being skilled in magic and healing could save your life.

You’ll probably see more than one answer, here, given the wide diversity of human cultures.

Agree with the healing part, not sure what you mean by magic being able to save one's life.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Something I read on another thread gave birth to this thread.

If a christian has a sick family member or friend they pray they get better.

If a christian has a family member or friend going into war they pray they make it home safe.

If a christian hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they pray they aren't hurt bad/fully recover.

If an atheist has a sick family member or friend they....?

If an atheist has a family member or friend going into war they.....?

If an atheist hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they....?

What do you do since you don't pray?

Hope?
Wish?
Nothing?
Anything?
.............?

Abstract​

Background: Intercessory prayer is widely believed to influence recovery from illness, but claims of benefits are not supported by well-controlled clinical trials. Prior studies have not addressed whether prayer itself or knowledge/certainty that prayer is being provided may influence outcome. We evaluated whether (1) receiving intercessory prayer or (2) being certain of receiving intercessory prayer was associated with uncomplicated recovery after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.
Methods: Patients at 6 US hospitals were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: 604 received intercessory prayer after being informed that they may or may not receive prayer; 597 did not receive intercessory prayer also after being informed that they may or may not receive prayer; and 601 received intercessory prayer after being informed they would receive prayer. Intercessory prayer was provided for 14 days, starting the night before CABG. The primary outcome was presence of any complication within 30 days of CABG. Secondary outcomes were any major event and mortality.
Results: In the 2 groups uncertain about receiving intercessory prayer, complications occurred in 52% (315/604) of patients who received intercessory prayer versus 51% (304/597) of those who did not (relative risk 1.02, 95% CI 0.92-1.15). Complications occurred in 59% (352/601) of patients certain of receiving intercessory prayer compared with the 52% (315/604) of those uncertain of receiving intercessory prayer (relative risk 1.14, 95% CI 1.02-1.28). Major events and 30-day mortality were similar across the 3 groups.
Conclusions: Intercessory prayer itself had no effect on complication-free recovery from CABG, but certainty of receiving intercessory prayer was associated with a higher incidence of complications.

Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP) in cardiac bypass patients: a multicenter randomized trial of uncertainty and certainty of receiving intercessory prayer - PubMed

Intercessory prayer itself had no effect on complication-free recovery from CABG, but certainty of receiving intercessory prayer was associated with a higher incidence of complications.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[RestlessSoul]

Actually help in any way i can. That help depends on the situation.

My view...
Although prayer can help the person praying to feel better it does not help the "victim"

View attachment 92231

False dilemma. Why does is have to be it either/or?

 

[ChristineM]

False dilemma. Why does is have to be it either/or?

Because it's either pray or don't pray,.
simples

Unless you have an alternative to put forward?

 

[Stonetree]

Agree with the healing part, not sure what you mean by magic being able to save one's life.

If I know someone who expresses that they are religious and suffering loss, I promise some prayer for their needs. When I'm facing an insurmountable problem I do pray......It does help the one praying....IMO

 

[LuisDantas]

Something I read on another thread gave birth to this thread.

If a christian has a sick family member or friend they pray they get better.

If a christian has a family member or friend going into war they pray they make it home safe.

If a christian hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they pray they aren't hurt bad/fully recover.

If an atheist has a sick family member or friend they....?

If an atheist has a family member or friend going into war they.....?

If an atheist hears a family member or friend has been in a wreck they....?

What do you do since you don't pray?

Hope?
Wish?
Nothing?
Anything?
.............?

Answer to rhe thread title: prayer can sometimes spur emocional benefits in certain people. That is sometimes a good thing. It can also be a very bad thing.

As for the other questions, I try to consider the concrete options. Sometimes that involves some form of communication, which may or may not come with a risk evaluation.

Most situations call for a quick, simple statement of acknowledgement and sympathy.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Because it's either pray or don't pray,.
simples

Unless you have an alternative to put forward?

You think people who pray don’t also donate?