Retroactive prayer

July 6, 2002

We have all read discussions about how closed minded scientists are

when it comes to discussing matters of faith.

As a surprise departure from that assumed "Dr Know it all" position,

the British medical journal in its December 2001 christmas issue

published a bunch of articles and studies dealing with the occult and

the other.

(i hope this cut and paste link would work)

maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&titleabstract=retro+active+pr

ayer&searchid=1025973333525_3559&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcet

ype=1,2,3,4,10

This article available on the web deals with praying for about 3393

patients with blood stream infection.

The patients who were all admitted in the year 1990-96 to the

hospital with documented blood stream infection were randomly divided

into two groups. One group recd prayer in the year 2000 and the other

group did not. And the group which recd prayer had a shorter course

of illness and better recovery than the other group. This was found

to be statistically significant.

This is interesting that the paper goes on to talk about how time

does not progress linearly and prayers done retro actively can have

positive effect.

One wonders astrologically speaking, the group that did well were

perhaps astrologically indicated to recieve prayer.

The paper ends with a quote "when James Lind, by clinical trial,

determined that lemons and limes cured scurvy aboard the HMS

Salisbury in 1753, he not only did not know about ascorbic acid, he

did not even understand the concept of a `nutrient.' There was a

natural explanation for his findings that would be clarified

centuries later, but his inability to articulate it did not

invalidate his observations"

It also quotes another review which found a cure rate of 57%

associated with remote prayers.

Comments from the learned group.

kumar

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