Difference between revisions of "Studies on prayer"
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== Praying atheists == | == Praying atheists == | ||
| − | The'' Huffington Post'' reported in an article entitled ''Atheist Prayer: Religious Activity Not Uncommon Among Nonbelievers'': "Among atheists and agnostics, 14 percent of said religion was "somewhat important" in their lives, while 17 percent said they took part in daily, weekly or monthly prayer."<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/25/atheist-prayer_n_3498365.html ''Atheist Prayer: Religious Activity Not Uncommon Among Nonbelievers''], ''Huffington Post'', 06/26/2013</ref> | + | The'' Huffington Post'' reported in an article entitled ''Atheist Prayer: Religious Activity Not Uncommon Among Nonbelievers'': "Among atheists and agnostics, 14 percent of said religion was "somewhat important" in their lives, while 17 percent said they took part in daily, weekly or monthly prayer."<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/25/atheist-prayer_n_3498365.html ''Atheist Prayer: Religious Activity Not Uncommon Among Nonbelievers''], ''Huffington Post'', 06/26/2013</ref> |
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| + | == Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer == | ||
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| + | A medical journal article entitled ''Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP) in cardiac bypass patients: a multicenter randomized trial of uncertainty and certainty of receiving intercessory prayer'' was published in 2006 in the ''American Heart Journal''.<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16569567 Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP) in cardiac bypass patients: a multicenter randomized trial of uncertainty and certainty of receiving intercessory prayer], Am Heart J. 2006 Apr;151(4):934-42.</ref> | ||
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| + | Using unsound reasoning, [[Atheism|atheist]] apologists often cite this study to attempt to show that prayer is ineffectual. As can be seen above, however, prayer and performing the miraculous is dependent on the type of person/person engaged in the activity. | ||
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| + | Furthermore, by failing to cite Dr. Habermas's studies/argument above, atheist apologists are engaging in the [[fallacy of exclusion]] (see also: [[Atheism and logical fallacies]]). | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
Revision as of 23:06, May 3, 2016
Atheism, as defined by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, and other philosophy reference works, is the denial of the existence of God.[2]
Because atheist deny the existence of God, they deny the miraculous power of Christian prayer.
The Christian Post reporter Stoyan Zaimov wrote:
| “ | Double-blind prayer experiments: where people pray for others with terminal illness. Habermas admitted that most such experiments have not worked, but the three that he knows of that have indeed worked were cases of orthodox-Christians praying for the sick.[3] | ” |
Praying atheists
The Huffington Post reported in an article entitled Atheist Prayer: Religious Activity Not Uncommon Among Nonbelievers: "Among atheists and agnostics, 14 percent of said religion was "somewhat important" in their lives, while 17 percent said they took part in daily, weekly or monthly prayer."[4]
Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer
A medical journal article entitled Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP) in cardiac bypass patients: a multicenter randomized trial of uncertainty and certainty of receiving intercessory prayer was published in 2006 in the American Heart Journal.[5]
Using unsound reasoning, atheist apologists often cite this study to attempt to show that prayer is ineffectual. As can be seen above, however, prayer and performing the miraculous is dependent on the type of person/person engaged in the activity.
Furthermore, by failing to cite Dr. Habermas's studies/argument above, atheist apologists are engaging in the fallacy of exclusion (see also: Atheism and logical fallacies).
See also
External links
- Atheist surprised when God answered his prayer, Christianity Today
Notes
- ↑ Christian Apologist: 10 Reasons for the Fall of Atheism by Stoyan Zaimov, Christian Post, October 14, 2013
- ↑ Multiple references:
- Smart, J. J. C. (August 8, 2011). "Atheism and agnosticism". The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.). Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- Sarfati, Jonathan, Ph.D. (23 June 2007). "Atheism is more rational?". Retrieved July 17, 2014. See Creation Ministries International, Jonathan Sarfati.
- Day, Donn R. (2007). "Atheism - etymology". Retrieved July 15, 2014.
- ↑ Christian Apologist: 10 Reasons for the Fall of Atheism by Stoyan Zaimov, Christian Post, October 14, 2013
- ↑ Atheist Prayer: Religious Activity Not Uncommon Among Nonbelievers, Huffington Post, 06/26/2013
- ↑ Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP) in cardiac bypass patients: a multicenter randomized trial of uncertainty and certainty of receiving intercessory prayer, Am Heart J. 2006 Apr;151(4):934-42.