New research disputes healing powers of prayer

By Jeremy Manier
Chicago Tribune
Posted March 31 2006
 
Praying for a sick cardiac patient may feel right to people of faith, but it doesn't
 appear to improve the patient's health, according to a new study that is the 
largest ever done on the healing powers of prayer.

And with that simple statement she has completely undermined organized religion, for if God's methods are a mystery then we don't need prayer, we don't need religious "instruction", we don't need religion.

Because if God's ways are a mystery then there's no guarantee that a virtuous life will lead you to heaven and sins to hell, no guarantee that prayer will heal you or win you the lottery, and no guarantee that the screaming or smiling priest, imam, or rabbi won't convince you to drink kool-aid, wear a special vest, or stay late for "special blessings".

That is to say we shouldn't abandon ethics and morality. It's just that we don't need a religious basis for them. That we live in a world that is getting smaller, more crowded, with fewer resources means we have to learn to live together with ethics, morality, and compassion simply to enjoy a life with no violence and reduced stress.

The alternative is chaos and, as we see in Iraq, religion is no guarantee of reduced chaos.

Now about evolution...