The topic of scientific study of metaphysical claims came up in our Critical Thinking class as the instructor has been called upon a few times to "verify" the authenticity of such claims. He didn't describe the incidents in a bragging sort of manner but more along the lines that science can be used to evaluate physical manifestations of spiritual claims even if the underlying spirituality cannot be scientifically verified.
As part of that class discussion this study Largest Study of Third-Party Prayer Suggests Such Prayer Not Effective In Reducing Complications Following Heart Surgery
by the Templeton Institute was brought up. I found it amazing that the Institute would publish these negative findings but my regard for the Institute is considerably higher because they did.
I won't repeat the details but the end result of the study was that people who knew they were being prayed for did worse regarding complications following heart surgery than those who didn't know or those who weren't the subject of the focused prayers given as part of the study. Two theories that were advanced in our class were (1) those who knew they were being prayed for might have made the assumption that they were worse off and therefore despaired more about their condition; and (2) those who knew they were being prayed for adopted an "it's out of my hands now" attitude rather than doing all they could on their own mental and physical improvement. There was also an opinion offered the "God doesn't work that way!" and implying that God somehow felt it important to punish those who were prayed for as a lesson to them and to those conducting the survey. Most of the class didn't think that God worked THAT way.
So what was the variation between those who were being prayed for but didn't know it, and those who were not being prayed for? I wish I could remember the details, but I have heard of another similar study in which hospital patients who were being prayed for (by people on the other side of a wall) did better than those who were not, but I can't recall what the metrics they used were.
ReplyDeleteAs I read the study there were three groups: 1) the participants were prayed for by name and were aware that they were being prayed for; 2) the participants were not prayed for (in the study) and knew they weren't being prayed for; and 3) a control group who knew nothing about the study and weren't being prayed for. All other variables were controlled for. Groups 2 and 3 results were statistically identical. Group 1 did statistically significantly worse on post operative recovery.
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