The next time some faithhead offers to pray for you best be on the safe side and try and convince them not to. The scientific study summarised
here demonstrates that: if you don't know that they are praying for you it doesn't make any difference; but if you do know they are, it can actually make things worse. True this has only been investigated for patients recovering from a cardiac bypass, and one can find oneself the subject of offers of prayer for all kinds of reasons, but why take any chances. . . .?
Psycho-babble all of it.
ReplyDeleteBut it's completely obvious that a belief in your own recovery is one of the best things you can do for yourself. And that has nothing at all to do with belief in any superstition.