Does Prayer Work?

As a devout atheist, I will allow that people praying for themselves will lend a certain amount of mind-over-matter influence over their own illnesses. But I do doubt that other people's prayers on their behalf will do the same, particularly if the sufferer doesn't know that anyone is saying a prayer for them. If the sufferer knows about the other's prayer, it may offer the same benefit as self-prayer.

Does prayer work? All the time. God gives three answers: Yes, No, and Wait. Our will and what we ask is not necessarily in God's sovereign plan. However, sometimes it is, and sometimes we must wait for the right time for Him to answer "Yes" or "No."

Wellness is how people cope with their health. To those who believe in prayer, prayer is a way to positively look at life (not to mention it is our main way to communicate to God).

As a Witch, I would have to say that my prayers do work. I've tried praying to the Christian God and never once received an answer. So my answer would be that prayer works, depending on who you're praying to.

Does anyone remember that shortly after 9/11 President Bush entreated the country to pray to create a shield around the U.S.? I don't remember his exact words, but it sounded as if he were asking for a religious version of an anti-missile system. Do we think this might have worked?

It seems to me that if one of the gods people on this earth pray to is real and the rest of the gods are not (and of course, most of the most popular religions are set up so that the god or gods in question are the only real ones), then the followers of the real god or gods, through prayer, would be clearly more lucky, more victorious, and lead much better lives than the non-believers. This isn't the case, though. Can we take this as evidence that none of the gods exist, or that praying to them is ineffective, or can we worm our way out of it while still believing in the god or gods of our choice?

In answer to your question, Ned, it can't hurt and might help.

I would be nice to mention how distorted meta-analysis can be. It is not experimentation, it is interpretation...it finds significance when desired.

-rc.

Been there and done that. Prayer that is.
So do I still believe it works? I guess it all depends on what you wish to accomplish with prayer. Certainly it is not magic, nor a way to wield power or influence in circumstances where we have none. Prayer of course is all about the person doing the praying, the god/God being supplicated, and the prayer itself.
I suspect we have all prayed at one time with mixed results. If the results had not been mixed, we would all be praying all the time!

I still think the greater work in prayer is the change that comes to the one who prays. So maybe the experiments are looking in all the wrong places!

I spent many years investigating and reading about the issue of prayer effectiveness and reliability.
Initially I believed whole-heartedly in prayer.
Until I noticed the randomness of the "yes" replies.
Then I got annoyed with the trite "yes/no/wait" response to questions of WHY some prayers weren't answered. Seemed to be just an excuse to keep people from questioning why the reality isn't the same as the religious teachings. I've not encountered any religious teachings that actually state the randomness of prayer. For example, the Cristian Bible says "ask and you'll receive". It never says "ask and you might get a yes, a no, or a maybe".
So then I wondered if there were a few individuals who had an exceptional personal ability, using some of that large percentage of unused brain power most of us supposedly never use. If those few people could actually affect the physical world somehow, then if they were in your prayer circle it would appear prayer worked. That would be enough to ignite the hopeful into believing in "the power of prayer".
But now I tend to believe the act of prayer can have an effect on an individual's health and well-being but only in the way meditation, hope, or humor can have an effect. My meditation helps me, but not you. However, my being with you when you are ill, supporting you, and trying to cheer you can sometimes have an effect as it lessens your anxiety. That's seems less the power of prayer and more the power of chemicals and body chemistry.
As for whether prayer can induce some supernatural being into affecting body cells or the physical world? I doubt that.

Just to let you know....Prayer isn't something to just do whenever you are in need of something, prayer takes something more, which is a relationship with God (faith). You can't expect God to answer yes to you when you only talk to Him when you want or need something, that's asking way to much. That's like asking a relative that you only talk to once every 2 years for a million dollars. You should have a relationship with God, have faith in Him. Prayer takes faith as well. You have to believe that God can heal someone and that he is capable. God can do anything.

Sounds like people that suggest a relationship with god, are people whom talk to themselves. Prayer is powerful, but only if you believe it. I am in no way preaching religion (Atheist), but I do believe that sometimes physical changes can be accomplished through a strong sense of urgency or "power of will".