Comment by Freek on September 13, 2011 at 12:56pm

Well, you have to admit. This was one answered prayer :)

Prayer will 'work' if the statistics are in its favor (pray enough times for a six when throwing dice and you can bet on it to happen :P). Couple that with confirmation bias (the other prayers were apparently not answered, but I hear no mention of that) and you've got yourself a miracle.

Basically, the demand 'Give me an example of one answered prayer' is silly. Of course there are 'answered' prayers. Only resulting in you having to move the goalposts because you put them way too close in the first place.

In any case, why not try the other way around and ask people whether they would 'bet' prayer will work: let them pray for a specific something and see if that comes true. At least it will deal with the confirmation bias.

"But God doesn't work that way," will be the first an foremost response. Of course not, if he did, we'd have seen it by now.

So yeah, in hindsight, prayer seems to work pretty neat. And you're practically not allowed to set it up (in a skeptical way, at least). So you can't really win this one.

that's my two cents.

Comment by Troy C on September 13, 2011 at 10:35pm

That doesn't seem like a prayer to me, more like.. common sense being realized. ha

Comment by matt.clerke on September 14, 2011 at 7:22pm

ooh Freek, I have a great idea about getting theists to bet that their prayers will work:

Step 1: give me $10

Step 2: pray to recieve $20

Step 3: if prayer works, the theist has just doubled their money, if it doesn't work they lost the bet and their money is mine....(their money is mine either way really :D prayer is great!)

Comment by Rebecca Shockley on September 16, 2011 at 10:02am

Oh yes, god answers prayers remember? yes, no, and wait? So does my doormat. So stupid. This person didn't consider that everyone else was probably hot too and somebody finally got off their ass and opened a door...hall-e-lujah :/

 

People pray for things they want and subconsciously you will work toward those things, then most of the time that is their "yes." Many times when I was in religion when you get a "no" you learn not to even question because they convince you that you don't deserve it. Don't underestimate fear tactics and self-esteem sabotage by these groups.

Comment by Fennir Luiviana on March 1, 2012 at 3:48pm

One of those rare occasions I hope for a troll.

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