Prayer may do more harm than good

[The Judge]

There have been previous articles / research cited on this topic, but I just received an alert to the latest published paper on this topic.

From Conclusion:
Intercessory prayer itself had no effect on complication-free recovery from CABG , [coronary artery bypass graft] but certainty of receiving intercessory prayer was associated with a higher incidence of complications.

I'm sure theists would come up with some bullshit like the patients weren't deemed worthy of "god's" help because they didn't believe or were heretics or some such shit, but the FACT remains that prayer doesn't work.....and it may even be harmful.

I am now somehow reminded of Scathach's post about some xian loon in her class who found this conclusion out the hard way.

Reality obtrudes, you can't get past it forever. Wouldn't it be nice if everybody of a religious persuasion read that, and realized that prayer is mostly detrimental? As if. I am extremely lucky to not have received the deep brainwashing!

[Gnosital]

The Judge wrote

I'm sure theists would come up with some bullshit like the patients weren't deemed worthy of "god's" help because they didn't believe or were heretics or some such shit, but the FACT remains that prayer doesn't work.....and it may even be harmful.

I am now somehow reminded of Scathach's post about some xian loon in her class who found this conclusion out the hard way.

I haven't updated that thread, but I did give the student yet ANOTHER chance, and after several tutoring sessions (I am indeed a glutton for punishment!), the student took one more test, and wrote this on it: "Dear jesus lord, i pray that you may help me pass this test so i can get my degree, thank you in the lords name"

The score? A whopping 60%

The evidence might indicate
A) jeebus can't do stats
B) jeebus has some 'issues' with this particular student
C) intercessory prayer doesn't work OR may even make things worse (if said student had spent more time studying rather than going to church, for example)

BTW, this student sent me an email today to tell me that I am a blessing.

[Choobus]

I guess the student whose paper I was grading the other day is an atheist because she wrote on the front "to whoever grades this, don't bother to read it, just slap a fat zero on it because my brain froze up and I could not remember anything" then there was a sad face.

why?

If I was going to write messages to graders it would be "give me an A you cunt" or something like that. It's superliminal suggestion

[Gnosital]

Pathetic, but not quite so pathetic as praying for grades on paper so your teacher can read it because you think she's a nice person so of course she must be a jeebus fan.

[Choobus]

yeah, if you feel the need to write anything other than answers to the questions you're a fucking loser (unless you write "give me an A you cunt", in which case you are probably awesome. Especially if you deserve an A, because then you can taunt them.