And the "Well, DUH!" Award for Scientific Studies goes to...

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

Harvard Medical School!

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/03/31/no_benefit_of_prayer_found_after_surgery?mode=PF

No benefit of prayer found after surgery
Some question science of heart patient study

By Rob Stein, Associated Press | March 31, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Praying for other people to recover from an illness is ineffective, according to the largest, best-designed study to try to examine the power of prayer to heal strangers at a distance.

The study of more than 1,800 heart bypass surgery patients found that those who had other people praying for them had as many complications as those who did not. In fact, one group of patients who knew they were the subject of prayers fared worse.

The long-awaited results, the latest in a series of studies that have failed to find any benefit from ''distant" or ''intercessory" prayer, came as a blow to the hopes of some that scientific research would validate the popular notion that people can influence the health of people even if they don't know someone is praying for them.

[YankeyMCC]

1. In a related study

it was found that spitting into the wind can result in a damp and unpleasant sensation.

"So where did you find subjects for your study?"

"Well there was this other study next door on praying for sick people..."

[Boojatta]

2. Did they assume that at least five percent of all praying has an impact?

If we started from the hypothesis that a prayer might be answered depending both on the specific prayer request and on difficult-to-measure qualities of the person who prays, then would we expect a statistical study to provide evidence that prayer is effective?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

5. Why would you start from such a hypothesis?

:shrug: Seems pretty random to me.

[Boojatta]

6. Given a hypothesis, how do we give it a randomness rating? e.o.m.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

7. Forgive me, but are you being serious?

I can't tell.

[Boojatta]

8. I think I'm being serious, but I can't be certain. e.o.m.

[Robb]

3. Conclusion: praying to the wrong god

...and is Vishnu pissed about it. :D

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

4. Blasphemy!! FSM will NOT stand for this!!

Be prepared for a noodly-appendage spanking later tonight! :spank: