Pushing it too Far (prompt #1)

Stupid writing prompts...

In the world of medicine there are many studies trying to prove that use of the mind can effect a physical change, in other words, "Mind over matter." As Christians, we know that this type of "mind over matter" would be the power of prayer. We also know that sometimes God answers "no" to our prayers. Study the following quotes:

One can believe intellectually in the efficacy of prayer and never do any praying. --Catherine Marshall

When I pray, coincidences happen, and when I don't pray, they don't. --William Temple

Those who do not believe do not pray. This is a good functional definition of faith. Faith prays, unbelief does not. --John A. Hardon

Assignment:
In 25 minutes, without the use of outside materials, please write a focused essay explain the validity of ONE of the findings below.

Long-Awaited Medical Study Questions the Power of Prayer
By BENEDICT CAREY
Published: March 31, 2006, The New York Times
"One conclusion from this is that the role of awareness of prayer should be studied further," said Dr. Charles Bethea, a cardiologist at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City and a co-author of the study.
Other experts said the study underscored the question of whether prayer was an appropriate subject for scientific study.
In other words:
Do you believe that this is an appropriate scientific study? Why or why not?


"When I pray, coincidences happen, and when I don't pray, they don't." William Temple's view on prayer is clear. However, can one study prayer? Is it possible to use science to explain spiritual matters?

Prayer is indeed a spiritual matter. There is absolutely no other way to classify it that would allow it to retain its definition. Prayer is a petition to a greater power, from a human. As such, it would be very odd to try to use science to explain it. How could the scientists know the earnesty of someone's prayer without actually being the person? How could they gauge the effects? After all, everyone is individual and everyone has a different mental reaction to different stimuli. Prayer comes from the mind and the soul; how are we to understand it? We barely even understand the human brain, the physical counterpart of our immaterial mind; and the soul has not even been touched upon in science.

Then again, prayer does have physical reactions. Whether because of one's mental state or one's spiritual state has yet to be determined. Prayer is calming and sometimes, after prayer, odd things happen; miracles happen. When we get to the bottom of it, we can't even explain these physical changes, let alone their cause.

In essence, prayer is an unexplainable human communication to higher spiritual powers, namely, god(s). In order to study prayer as something apart from just thinking or speaking, as something spiritual, one has to first acknowledge that there is something spiritual to pray to. In order to use prayer as a valid scientific study, one must first scientifically prove one of two things. Either God exists or he doesn't. There is no scientific way to prove that god does not exist, so option A is out of the question. Proof by lack of evidence is not only illogical, it is unscientific. As regards to the other option, I don't believe there will ever be any "scientific proof" that God exists. There is evidence everywhere, but no proof.

In conclusion, we find that, for the moment at least, prayer is an inappropriate scientific study. There could possibly be a study about the mental effects of what we call "prayer", but even that would be pushing it too far.