Study: Prayer doesn't affect heart patients
Push to shock!
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,583
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From: Palo Alto, CA
Kinda late, but whatever
As far as the study goes, the article is published in the American Heart Journal, which is peer reviewed. Meaning that a board of doctors from across the country (not just this one) believe that the data is collected correctly and the statistical correlation is significant, and the journal is willing to stake its reputation on the data; it's almost impossible to have such a high level of deception into this. Ultimately, a study like this is just like any other alternative health remedy study, whether it be acupuncture, or ginseng tea, or, in this case, prayer, and the goal is to figure out what makes the patient well.
I think in this case, it's whatever makes the patient comfortable, so long as it doesn't interfere with the treatment. If the patient wants to put his hands in God, and it keeps him from hyperventilating or flailing around while I'm trying to splint him, so much the better.
[QUOTE=ISP James]its time for us to stop letting doctors and politicians decide what's best for us. if i want to put my life in the hands of "God" that is my business. What's next, people wont be able to request DNR's cuz doctors determine its not best for them? Laying there knowing you're gonna die instead of saying "God will have his way, my hope is that i pull through and i pray for that" is any better than laying there and saying "sure hope this doctor fixes me right, i dont worry about human error" i think not. if im laying there anyway, i'm praying for the best outcome.[QUOTE]
I'll just start off by saying your argument is vaguely pro-choice. That said, nobody is taking away your choice for medical treatment, nor are they suggesting. By law, as long as you're mentally competent (basically, you'd have to be either unconscious or clearly out of your mind to be not mentally competent), you're the boss. No doctor or care provider can touch you without your consent, even if you're dying.
But, for every person that makes it through this "miracle", there's one that doesn't and ends up in the morgue. During high school, I volunteered at the Children's Hospital and I got to know some patients in the oncology unit who were there for the "long term" ie in different stages of chemo or radiation therapy, who, for the most part, are in severe pain and are just waiting to die. And, as far as medical records will let us know, they did. So, for each of those "miracles" patients, there's one that dies a painful death.
As far as the study goes, the article is published in the American Heart Journal, which is peer reviewed. Meaning that a board of doctors from across the country (not just this one) believe that the data is collected correctly and the statistical correlation is significant, and the journal is willing to stake its reputation on the data; it's almost impossible to have such a high level of deception into this. Ultimately, a study like this is just like any other alternative health remedy study, whether it be acupuncture, or ginseng tea, or, in this case, prayer, and the goal is to figure out what makes the patient well.
Originally Posted by redgoober4life
My guess is that too much prayer gives people the impression that their outcomes are completely external and they think that "luck" or "faith" alone is going to pull them through. They get an attitude of "why bother, God will have his way!" This is an unhealthy way to be motivated, especially to live.
[QUOTE=ISP James]its time for us to stop letting doctors and politicians decide what's best for us. if i want to put my life in the hands of "God" that is my business. What's next, people wont be able to request DNR's cuz doctors determine its not best for them? Laying there knowing you're gonna die instead of saying "God will have his way, my hope is that i pull through and i pray for that" is any better than laying there and saying "sure hope this doctor fixes me right, i dont worry about human error" i think not. if im laying there anyway, i'm praying for the best outcome.[QUOTE]
I'll just start off by saying your argument is vaguely pro-choice. That said, nobody is taking away your choice for medical treatment, nor are they suggesting. By law, as long as you're mentally competent (basically, you'd have to be either unconscious or clearly out of your mind to be not mentally competent), you're the boss. No doctor or care provider can touch you without your consent, even if you're dying.
Originally Posted by GenXer
Amazing stories...
Although I haven't experienced medical healing of the miraculous kind, I know of people who have. Many doctors are men of faith too, in part due to those kinds of things. I notice that people often renew or begin their faith once mortality stares them in the face. That kinda stuff makes you sit down and really think about things.
Although I haven't experienced medical healing of the miraculous kind, I know of people who have. Many doctors are men of faith too, in part due to those kinds of things. I notice that people often renew or begin their faith once mortality stares them in the face. That kinda stuff makes you sit down and really think about things.