ecco

Here’s a test for those who believe in the power of prayer:
- Make a list of ten items that you might consider being worthy of your prayer.
- Throw two darts at the list
- If both darts hit the same item, or either missed an item, start over
- Write down which dart, the first or the second, hit each item
- Roll a di. If an even number comes up, fervently pray for the first item only. If an odd number comes up, pray for the second item only.

Do this once a month for 12 month. Keep track of the results. Come back next December and let us know how it went.

For a more powerful example, ask many friends to help you pray for the randomly selected “PrayerWorthy�? item. Don’t tell them why. Don’t tell them it is just an experiment. Just tell them it’s very important to you.

jonesg

THere is a better test.
No darts required and it definately won't take 1 yr, 1 minute perhaps.

Pray yourself and see what happens, God likes to hear a strange voice now and then.
A suggested prayer ,just ask God that you might get over yourself.

Occams_Razor

Who needs a test?

Random but particularly painful disease: Bone Cancer

Number of children per year contracting in U.S.: 2,000

Percent who die: 30% (but the majority of the remainder had a limb or limbs amputated).

Given the number of believers in the population, many of these childrens parents prayed. Result: 30% died (but the majority of the remainder had a limb or limbs amputated).

Every bad things that happens to any praying theist is susceptible to the same simplistic analysis. Such is the value of prayer.

Epictetus

I am confused. Which god should I pray to? There are so many. What if I'm praying to the wrong god and the Right one gets pissed off at me? Perhaps He isn't answering me because I am praying to one of his junior competitors.

show_no_mercy

How many of those kids would've died without medical treatment and only prayer?

Occams_Razor

I'd hazard a much higher percentage.

Tay-Sachs: A fatal genetic disorder in children caused by the absence of a vital enzyme called hexosaminidase that causes progressive destruction of the central nervous system.

Percent who die: 100%, usually by the age of five.

Given the number of believers in the population, many of these childrens' parents pray for their child to be cured. Result: 100% death rate.

Schneibster

You know, I was gonna be nice and just leave this be, but since you opened the box:

I got a quicker one than that. Pray in one hand and shit in the other and squeeze it and see which comes true.

thebeave

Ooh, ooh!, :wave: I have the Christian fundie answer to that one! IIRC, Tay-Sachs is a genetic disease that is most common to Jews. And since the Jews don't believe Jesus Christ is the messiah, God doesn't answer their prayers... thus the near 100% death rate.

dshimel

Here's a test....

A Christian thinks he's having a heart attack.....
does he dial 9-1-1 for emergency medical, or his priest to receive healing prayer?

I think most Christians know the real power of prayer, and they'd much rather have a doctor than a priest.

melior

There have been numerous studies confirming this effect, but you misspelled it as 'prayer'; the scientific term for it is spelled p-l-a-c-e-b-o.