Quote:
Originally Posted by Tobra
Perhaps it was the simple fact that their family was with them, could not prove to your satisfaction, but have seen it on many occasions. They just did better when they had someone with them, maybe it had more to do with having someone sitting there. An infant will be more likely to thrive if you hold them, nurture them, did you know that? Could quote you studies if I wanted to devote that much time. Perhaps it is the human touch that does it, no gods necessary.
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"...no gods necessary..." Now you're talking. In a time of need like a stressful medical situation, people want to believe that there is someone else in control. They want to believe that some higher power is really steering the ship and that there is meaning and purpose to the awful situation they (or a loved one) are in. Why did this happen to me? Why did this happen to my daughter? Why do bad things happen to good people? They want answers where there are none.
If one is able to stand back (like these scientific studies on the efficacy of prayer are able to do) and objectively look at the situation, there is no evidence that prayer is helpful or that supernatural intervention is taking place. People may think they see it (prayer working), but it's really no more than seeing the shape of a teddy bear in the clouds - it looks like a teddy bear, but it's really not. Like Steve mentions, the one woman whose car wasn't crushed by the collapsing bridge hails her survival as a miracle (and many people nod in agreement), but we humans neglect the many "failures" right behind her in the rubble.