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Prayer does not work
#19
RE: Prayer does not work

(November 18, 2013 at 9:32 am)max-greece Wrote: Jacob,

You are playing games with the word work. In the discussion "work" implies achieving something over and above the placebo effect.

Yes - prayer can have the same benefits as any placebo - but it can also make things worse - as in the case of the test described in the OP. People who knew they were being prayed for did worse than either of the other 2 groups.

If prayer has the same level of impact as a placebo, at best, then it does rather imply it is a pointless waste of time. Better to take a sugar pill and get on with things.
I'm not playing any games Wink. I'm taking the dictionary definition of "work". Viz (in this context)

(of a plan or method) have the desired result or effect."the desperate ploy had worked"

In which case whether prayer "works" is entirely contingent on what the "desired Result" is.

Refrain the statement. "prayer never has the desired effect". Doesn't work does it. What if I pray for a dying man to give him comfort. It does. It worked. It had the desired Result.

I'm interpreting "work" per the dictionary. You've generated your own definition of "have an effect beyond the placebo". So which one of us is playing games Wink?

Tell you what. Find me a dictionary which defines" work" as you are interpreting it, which includes not only that something has an effect but also HOW something has an effect and I'll concede the point Big Grin.

I'm commenting on what the thread title says. I can't comment on what you think it might infer because I don't know what that might be.

Oh And if you believe that placebos are a pointless waste of time, you've never worked in medicine!
"Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken."
Sith code
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Messages In This Thread
Prayer does not work - by Silver - November 17, 2013 at 5:48 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by The Valkyrie - November 17, 2013 at 6:16 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Esquilax - November 17, 2013 at 6:45 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by The Valkyrie - November 17, 2013 at 7:14 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Tonus - November 18, 2013 at 9:39 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by BrianSoddingBoru4 - November 17, 2013 at 6:57 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Walking Void - November 17, 2013 at 7:15 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Brian37 - November 18, 2013 at 6:00 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Fidel_Castronaut - November 17, 2013 at 7:03 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by freedomfromforum - November 17, 2013 at 7:24 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by pocaracas - November 17, 2013 at 7:25 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 18, 2013 at 7:46 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Bad Wolf - November 18, 2013 at 7:55 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 18, 2013 at 8:11 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Bad Wolf - November 18, 2013 at 10:25 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 18, 2013 at 10:45 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Silver - November 18, 2013 at 8:36 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 18, 2013 at 8:44 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Hoopington - June 4, 2014 at 5:50 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Zazzy - November 18, 2013 at 9:23 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by pineapplebunnybounce - November 18, 2013 at 6:08 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by max-greece - November 18, 2013 at 9:32 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 18, 2013 at 9:48 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by max-greece - November 18, 2013 at 11:50 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Darkstar - November 19, 2013 at 1:02 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 19, 2013 at 3:41 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Mania2 - November 18, 2013 at 9:44 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Bad Wolf - November 18, 2013 at 10:48 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 18, 2013 at 11:04 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Walking Void - November 18, 2013 at 2:16 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Minimalist - November 18, 2013 at 2:38 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 18, 2013 at 2:53 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Walking Void - November 18, 2013 at 5:48 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Zazzy - November 18, 2013 at 6:08 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 18, 2013 at 6:26 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Zazzy - November 18, 2013 at 7:29 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 18, 2013 at 6:22 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by The Reality Salesman - November 18, 2013 at 7:04 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Walking Void - November 18, 2013 at 6:09 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by The Valkyrie - November 18, 2013 at 6:10 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Walking Void - November 18, 2013 at 6:25 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Minimalist - November 18, 2013 at 7:01 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 19, 2013 at 7:02 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by My imaginary friend is GOD - November 18, 2013 at 7:06 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by The Reality Salesman - November 18, 2013 at 7:30 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 19, 2013 at 6:55 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Captain Colostomy - November 19, 2013 at 7:06 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 19, 2013 at 9:31 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Tonus - November 19, 2013 at 9:39 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 19, 2013 at 11:09 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Tonus - November 19, 2013 at 12:48 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 19, 2013 at 5:08 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by The Reality Salesman - November 19, 2013 at 11:43 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by LastPoet - November 19, 2013 at 7:02 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by pocaracas - November 19, 2013 at 9:44 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Minimalist - November 19, 2013 at 11:13 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Brian37 - November 19, 2013 at 5:57 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 19, 2013 at 6:23 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Brian37 - November 19, 2013 at 7:02 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Neo-Scholastic - November 19, 2013 at 1:54 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by MindForgedManacle - November 19, 2013 at 2:32 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Walking Void - November 19, 2013 at 3:11 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by The Reality Salesman - November 19, 2013 at 6:33 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 19, 2013 at 7:20 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Whateverist - November 20, 2013 at 12:07 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 20, 2013 at 3:52 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Brian37 - November 20, 2013 at 10:05 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Whateverist - November 20, 2013 at 12:05 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Polaris - November 20, 2013 at 12:06 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Cyberman - November 20, 2013 at 1:34 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Whateverist - November 20, 2013 at 11:37 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Brian37 - November 20, 2013 at 12:49 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Jacob(smooth) - November 20, 2013 at 1:00 pm
RE: Prayer does not work - by Brian37 - November 22, 2013 at 8:18 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by hppavilion - June 4, 2014 at 3:59 am
RE: Prayer does not work - by Cyberman - June 4, 2014 at 5:31 am

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