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Give the gift that REALLY helps...
Race, Religion & Politics / 7:19 PM - Wednesday November 18, 2009

Give the gift that REALLY helps...

I hear a lot of "pray for so and so" and "pray for me" and "I'll pray for you". Well since Harvard University has proven that praying for someone does NOTHING...let's set new rules.

The next time someone asks for your prayers, ask them why. Encourage them to share their story, their grief, their frustration. Then, if there is a tangible way you can help, do so. When my best friend broke her ankle and couldn't work for 3 months, I didn't pray for her recovery. I gave her 500$ to help with the bills she was having a hard time covering because her insurance was only a fraction of her working income.

When a woman asked me to pray for her daugther who was having a surgical birth that morning, I instead went and copied some good info I had on C-section recovery and gave it to the mom to give to the daugther.

Instead of praying for the hungry people of the world, I go through my cupboards and give food to the food bank.

If a kind ACT was performed in place of every single prayer, the world would change dramatically.

Update: November 18, 2009.
Since so many people are convinced that prayer DOES work, why not make a compromise. NO prayers are to be said unless they are also accompanied by an act. Basically you have to pay for the prayer with a deed. That way religious folks can fufull their prayer needs/obligations, and the acts that accompany them change the world.

- Asked by girldownunder, A Life of the Party, Female, 29-35, Sydney, Medical / Dental

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I find good to do both.

- Response by frenchkiss49, A Thinker, Female, 56-65, Tampa, Who Cares?

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You're right on the money!!! Good for you!

- Response by pushkins, A Thinker, Female, 66 or older, Miami, Who Cares?

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Thats smashin, you should be so proud.. i oray its a lot cheaper

- Response by glasgowbelle, A Married Girl, Female, 46-55, Glasgow, Retired

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Praying does everything:

It gives people hope. It makes people feel like someone cares.

I am not religious. Not at all. When I say that I will pray for someone, it means that I take time out of my day to send positive thoughts their way. THAT makes them feel good. If someone is in need of prayer, that means they AREN'T feeling good. So I just made someone happy.

However, I think what you have done is excellent. It is easy to take 30 seconds to say a prayer. What you do takes much more time and effort.

I guess my point is that you shouldn't refuse someone if they ask you to pray. Humor them because it will lift their spirits.


- Response by myndseye711, A Hip Hop Girl, Female, Who Cares?, Cali, Farming

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Harvard University is not automatically right on everything.

I think the good deeds are important, but putting kind and good energy in the universe for someone might just make that someone FEEL better--they are in someone's thoughts. Which if you get right down to it...is what prayer is. Mindful thoughtfulness.

- Response by purrzn, A Thinker, Female, 46-55, Who Cares?

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Interesting perspective.

Not that I disagree -- I tend to do it that way myself -- I'm just curious as to why you would eliminate the prayer. I think prayers (or the concentration of sending positive energies) also help more than most realize.

- Response by buffalothighs88, A Hippie Chick, Female, 46-55, Hospitality

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The February 23, 2009 issue of TIME Magazine did an extensive writeup on faith and healing...I recommend its reading.

- Response by stillagoodguy1, An Intellectual Guy, Male, 46-55, Celebrity

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And how exactly did Harvard University prove something, when:

1) It is impossible to prove anything, ever

2) Praying is not a physical thing that can be quantified or qualified, it's not as if there's a definite action-reaction. If someone prays for something and it does not happen, that is not evidence against prayer, because any effects of the prayer are not evident.

Whatever this Harvard study was (and I notice you didn't post any link to it), it certainly goes contrary to a number of studies that have been done to show that prayer does have positive effects in cases of illness and recovery. The positive thought from prayer has a measurable effect on the brain, and in turn the body.

And when people ask someone to pray for them, or say that they will pray for something, that doesn't preclude taking action as well. Many churches hold prayer for starving children around the world, but they also support food drives and soup kitchens. We can't necessarily see the cause and effect of our prayers, but they certainly don't do any harm either.

- Response by avatar83, An Intellectual Guy, Male, 26-28, Teaching

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I read the Harvard study and nowhere does it talk about God's will. I think many people believe that if they pray for something that their prayers will be answered according to their request. Well this is not how prayer works. God does not always answer our prayers the way we want him to.

What are these people hoping to get from prayer? I think this is the question that needs to be asked.

Many people believe answered prayer is God granting a prayer request that is offered to Him. If a prayer request is not granted, it is understood as an "unanswered" prayer. However, this is an incorrect understanding of prayer. God answers every prayer that is lifted to Him. Sometimes God answers "no" or "wait." God only promises to grant our prayers when we ask according to His will. "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15).

I think most people that pray are also the same people that have caring hearts which means not only are they going to pray for you they will also offer any help they can. Some people are incapable of helping and thus choose to pray. What a wonderful gift! I think until you see prayer at work you will never understand it's power!



- Response by kdtxchic30, A Thinker, Female, 36-45, Dallas, Who Cares?

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i like your resolution. we should pray all the time though, and accompany it with action whenever we can. sometimes we CANT do anything except pray.

- Response by foonlord, A Creative, Male, 26-28, San Francisco, Internet / New Media

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