Tsathoggua9 Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 Well, I have been asked to pray for a family member. The person asking knows that I'm not a believer. I just said, "Sure, I will send some good vibes her way!" Does any one else on the board ever have this experience? Just wondering..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted November 19, 2020 Super Moderator Share Posted November 19, 2020 It's a matter of respect, for me. If the person knows I don't believe and asks anyway, they are disrespecting my feelings and disregarding my values. I'll repay in kind. If they don't know, then I might utter a generic collection of relevant syllables directed at no particular diety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted November 19, 2020 Super Moderator Share Posted November 19, 2020 "No, I don't do that but if there's any way I can help please let me know." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
◊ Weezer ◊ Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 It is normally thought of in religious terms, but praying for something doesn't have to be religious. In legal terms it is simply asking for something. HA! So let yourself out of a sticky situation on a technicality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted November 20, 2020 Super Moderator Share Posted November 20, 2020 11 hours ago, Weezer said: It is normally thought of in religious terms, but praying for something doesn't have to be religious. In legal terms it is simply asking for something. HA! So let yourself out of a sticky situation on a technicality. I pray you are correct. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted November 20, 2020 Super Moderator Share Posted November 20, 2020 1 hour ago, florduh said: I pray you are correct. No more bad jokes, I pray you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsathoggua9 Posted November 20, 2020 Author Share Posted November 20, 2020 Well, thanks to the doctors, my aunt is now better. If my religious relatives want to think that god helped out, then I'm fine with that. I just know that if she were not getting better, there is no way in hell that they would blame their deity for it. "Hey, he works in mysterious ways, he needs her in heaven, or sumthin like that." But, hey! I'm glad that the operation went well. Hooray! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsathoggua9 Posted November 20, 2020 Author Share Posted November 20, 2020 I think that it is just hard for some people, especially religious conservatives, to fully comprehend that some people, even people they know pretty well, just don't have the same beliefs as they do. Even after you have told them repeatedly! Thick skulls, an' all that.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted November 20, 2020 Super Moderator Share Posted November 20, 2020 1 hour ago, TheRedneckProfessor said: No more bad jokes, I pray you. I prithee, what bad jokes? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted November 21, 2020 Super Moderator Share Posted November 21, 2020 15 hours ago, Tsathoggua9 said: But, hey! I'm glad that the operation went well. In situations like that, I often say, "I wish you the best medical science has to offer." And then take them a casserole or something. Seems more useful than magical incantations. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 On 11/19/2020 at 12:34 PM, Tsathoggua9 said: Well, I have been asked to pray for a family member. The person asking knows that I'm not a believer. I just said, "Sure, I will send some good vibes her way!" Does any one else on the board ever have this experience? Just wondering..... Today I read your thread and I thought about prayer, which seems to have mixed scientific experimental results... I'll just say mostly negative results. Then I thought about the placebo effect and how there is good scientific evidence about how it is helpful. So I googled prayer and placebo effect and happened upon 'psychoneuroimmunology.' https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/305921 Several articles mentioned that a reduction in stress had a positive physiological effect on the immune system. In the 1980s neurons were discovered as part of whatever organs are responsible for the immune response. Basically the brain does actually communicate to organs associated with the immune system. Of course the idea that reducing stress makes you healthier is nothing new. And the placebo effect is nothing new. So, maybe when a doctor gives a patient a sugar pill and says it is a new miracle medication, perhaps it is the patient's psychoneuroimmunological response that helps heal him. What would be the effect of a doctor giving a patient a sugar drip in his IV without his being aware of it? Probably about the same effect as praying for them without them knowing it. Zero effect. But praying with someone who is a believer or at least is open to prayer and open to being prayed for, could have a positive impact on their healing. And not because Jesus is involved, but because their belief helps to reduce their stress and improve their immune response somewhat. The TL/DR : If someone thinks Jesus will heal them, and know they are being prayed for, they may actual heal themselves...somewhat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 A casserole might help their psychoneuroimmune response as well...not the green bean casserole, though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
◊ Weezer ◊ Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 For what it is worth, (nothing?) speaking of "scientific" studies on prayer, I attended an IONS (institute of noetic sciences) conference about 20 years ago. They set up an experiment where they planted 2 patches of grass in identical conditions, using identical seed, and gave them identical care. They had some people in another state pray for one patch as they were growing, but not the other, and measured the growth. They said the patch that was prayed for, grew slightly better. HA! I immediately started praying for the grass in my pasture! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsathoggua9 Posted November 23, 2020 Author Share Posted November 23, 2020 9 hours ago, Weezer said: For what it is worth, (nothing?) speaking of "scientific" studies on prayer, I attended an IONS (institute of noetic sciences) conference about 20 years ago. They set up an experiment where they planted 2 patches of grass in identical conditions, using identical seed, and gave them identical care. They had some people in another state pray for one patch as they were growing, but not the other, and measured the growth. They said the patch that was prayed for, grew slightly better. HA! I immediately started praying for the grass in my pasture! Interesting! I was once a member of IONS, about twenty years ago, and would attend local meetings. I was going through a "New Age" phase at the time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
◊ Weezer ◊ Posted November 26, 2020 Share Posted November 26, 2020 On 11/23/2020 at 10:00 AM, Tsathoggua9 said: Interesting! I was once a member of IONS, about twenty years ago, and would attend local meetings. I was going through a "New Age" phase at the time. I went to two of their national conferences. The first one was pretty good, but the second one had some far out dudes as presenters. The local group lacked leadership and eventually folded. You and I went through the phase about the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConsiderTheSource Posted November 26, 2020 Share Posted November 26, 2020 On 11/19/2020 at 3:28 PM, florduh said: "No, I don't do that but if there's any way I can help please let me know." ^^^^ What Florduh said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsathoggua9 Posted November 30, 2020 Author Share Posted November 30, 2020 On 11/25/2020 at 9:48 PM, Weezer said: I went to two of their national conferences. The first one was pretty good, but the second one had some far out dudes as presenters. The local group lacked leadership and eventually folded. You and I went through the phase about the same time. Yeah, I had been reading that type of material since the early 1970s, but it wasn't until much later that I started palling around with people with New Age type tendencies. An interesting crowd, and likeable, but generally not very critical. Too eager to accept bullshit! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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