Atheists, if people who were prayed for were 20 times as likely to be cured of stage 4 cancer, would you believe in the power of prayer?

Question

I mean, that doesn't happen and prayer has been shown to be about as effective as random chance, but what if it DID do something for the first time in history? Would you believe in the power of prayer then?

Answer 1

Stage 4 cancer is terminal and miracles do not happen with stage 4 cancer. I've nursed 2 family membesr through stage 4 cancer with the help with wonderful people from hospice. The biggest lie of medicine is to give stage 4 cancer victims hope by offering treatment. The doctors understand that these treatments are only to control pain and symptoms or to give a few more days of life, but patients think it means there is a chance the treatments will cure them. So, to answer your question. No, at that point, prayers are of no value and I would not believe in the power of prayer.

Answer 2

Atheists, if people who were prayed for were 20 times as likely to be cured of stage 4 cancer, would you believe in the power of prayer?

I mean, that doesn't happen and prayer has been shown to be about as effective as random chance, but what



~~~ All you have is your "but what if!" Meaningless BS!

Answer 3

Who are these people praying to? You didn't say. There's more than one deity to which people pray, just so you know. And what are these people praying for? You also didn't say.



It's pretty unlikely that a Christian would pray to Vishnu, or that a Muslim would pray to Chuck Norris. My one friend is Jewish, and he celebrates Christmas. Because Jesus and his mom were Jews, and so were all those apostle guys, which (he says) means Christianity is a Jewish religion. Plus he's not really that Jewish, he's only been in a synagogue three or four times and he was usually drunk the whole time. But let's get to the other thing.



Praying for what? World peace? General guidance on the path of life? Someone else's soul, enlightenment, a million dollars, revenge? You can pray for anything you want. On a regular basis, I pray for rum, strippers, the ability to not be such a douche bag all the time, and all sorts of stuff. And world peace. But I'm a devout Pastafarian, so it's okay to pray for stuff like that without offending my god.

Answer 4

If it had cured my grandmother, and aunt, and sister, then yes. I've lost two out of the three so far, and a stepfather, and my sister's outcome isn't looking good. And I've another friend who may yet die from it. 20 times as likely would have assured that most of them had survived, if not all. So, what's your point? Would I believe in prayer if all the people I knew with cancer who had been prayed for completely recovered? Probably. But 60% of those I've known that had cancer to this day have died from it.

Answer 5

It would merit more study. And technically, prayer isn't the same as random chance. Depending on how the prayer is done, it can cause a placebo effect. Which in some circumstances, like pain relief, can have some positive effects. But only when the underlying disease or injury is being treated, reliance on placebos (especially prayer) also delays people from getting real life medical attention for serious conditions, resulting in more negative outcomes, including avoidable death.

Answer 6

You are as out of touch with answered prayer as the rest of the people on

here. God has healed many people of stage 4 cancer and many other things that man ran out of treatments for. Minister Andrew Wommack's

son died and Andrew prayed for him and he came back to life 4 hours

later, and is alive and well many years later. Answered prayer comes

through faith. If there is unbelief present, prayer doesn't work.

Answer 7

I am not an atheist, but the son of a couple at my church was diagnosed with Stage 4 Prostate Cancer three years ago. He, his family, and several churches began to pray for him regularly. 5 months ago he was declared by his doctors to be "cancer-free." So, I believe in the power of prayer. And this man is just one of several on our prayer list that have been healed of many things.

Answer 8

with the power of prayer, it does seems that you are attempting to put the medical doctor and the psychiatrists out of business. science is at such a beginning stage in its development that it might be another 1000-years before we are free from the threats of cancer.

even when religion and science are different areas of study, it would seem that both can evolve. religion for instance is a study of human nature and people living in communities. an evolved religion would have cured all of the people in the middle ages, and would have ended the great wars through their prayers, instead of simply executing all of those people.

show us that you can cure cancer through prayer.

Answer 9

Even if people who were prayed for had increased odds of being cured of stage 4 cancer, that would only be the result of doctors paying increased attention to them due to the seemingly insane family members.



If that weren't the case, and 'God' did it, then your all-powerful God has the same odds of working as a slot machine...



Hm.

Answer 10

Of course; if the efficacy of anything can be demonstrated I would be compelled to accept it. That does not require belief at all. Indeed I would likely not remain an atheist if this were true.



I would want to investigate your example further. Do you produce the same results if people don't know they are being prayed for? What if they think they're being prayed for but aren't? Is this distinguishable from the placebo effect?

Answer 11

Your facts here about the effectiveness of prayer does not account for the fact that God does not heed the prayers of those who reject His laws (Proverbs 28:9) -- and the vast majority of Christianity has accepted Liberation theology (also known as antinomianism), a false doctrine that teaches that they are free from God's 10 Commandment laws. This came about in the Catholic Church first, then spread through the Reformed churches when the seventh-day Sabbath truth was rediscovered, but they rejected it in keeping Rome's Sunday sacred.

Answer 12

"I mean, that doesn't happen and prayer has been shown to be about as effective as random chance, but what if it DID do something for the first time in history? Would you believe in the power of prayer then?"



If it was only happening now for the first time in history I would be wanting to know what god has been doing for the millions of years he hasn't been helping people with cancer.

Answer 13

If prayers or anything can prove that its has a power then been atheists is no problem to believe its power.



People become Atheists (Majority are born in families who believe God) because there is no evidence or prof that the religion teachings are correct. And those religion leaders also fail to justify their religion.



Therefore if this can prove (That will never happen) then yes Atheists will believe.

Answer 14

I am a Christian and for me God did not answer the prayer for healing from cancer. What we affirmed during her illness was her salvation in Jesus Christ. The cause of her death was not just the cancer as we surmised later on. Her body had health issues even before I met her. Her body was not healthy to take on the chemo. That is no one's fault and certainly not God's fault for not answering prayer.



But do I believe in prayer? You bet I do. Just because God doesn't answer all my prayers in important times? Doesn't mean he won't answer others when I do pray. There are reasons for unanswered prayer. And we'll understand it all, all by and by.

Answer 15

They can and do heal people at times.



Usually we have no idea that it happened.



They even save our lives sometimes but how could we have known right? We could never know something like that because a problem was averted, we had no idea a problem was going to happen.



They will say heal a person if they wish for him to be busy doing something that suits their purposes. They will not heal though if he is not a healer himself. They will not heal me for instance, why in the **** would they?



The definition of prayer is asking them what they want, why they want it, you align with them and not the other way around. It is not asking for a new car or a pile of cash so you can run around using people.

Answer 16

I would certainly take a long hard look at prayer and religion in general. I would also say it warrants more study. Some earlier studies on prayer for example, were not double-blind. When they started doing double-blind studies, they found that prayer has no effect whatsoever in measurable medical outcomes. So actually your scenario has been studied and found to not be true.



Does that make you question your faith? Why not? Or at least question whether prayer does any real good?

Answer 17

Prayer is nothing more than meditation with words. If you are saying intense meditation can cure cancer, OK. But prayer does not mean there is a god. If you are saying god cured the cancer, that's a little harder to believe in.

Answer 18

Atheist " IF " ( to imply a POSSIBILITY" ) people who were prayed for were 20 times as likely to be "CURED " ( relieved of the SYMPTOMS of a disease or a condition ) of stage 4 cancer would you "believe " ( accept as true ) in the power of prayer ?



. so a SCENARIO question . You omitted a vital part of the question. Does the person being prayed for KNOW they are being prayed for ?



So the question also have a element one has NOT addressed the HUMAN MIND and how thought . just like Anger depression fear is a direct causative agent to stimulate the production of enzymes . hormones and body chemicals we KNOW that some depression is a result of Sun light as in Seasonal effective disorder . also related to sleep patterns which is the human body's down time for repair and restorative processes



We also know nutrition plays a role and drugs and chemical agents as well as ones lymph and white blood cells manufacturer and environmental forces and elements carcinogens in the environment are consumed or inhales or absorbed . one would have to eliminate ALL other factors to demonstrate that the Use of CHANTING words did anything .



Now if one takes the definition of CURE to be relieved of SYMPTOMS in that sense Death itself is a CURE one would no longer display symptoms . the cancer itself would die .



That also does not demonstrate a "GOD" one could chant to a peach tree or a racoon or a golden calf See prayer is defined as a solemn request for help or expression of thanks to a god or a OBJECT of worship so a shaman or voodoo queen or witch doctor religious human or animal sacrifice all such rituals would be equally effective because they all elicit a request for help to have something happen



So if we cut a Chickens head off chant some desires it Should would work just as well its ALL prayer . Why did one pick stage 4 cancer ? Cancer is defined as an overgrowth of ABNORMAL cells as a result of damaged DNA.so it is Biological



Did one know the Egyptians were the first know to document Cancer in and is established in skeletons that are 4200 year old .That Ancient Egyptians were ADVANCED in providing MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS to their people through their understanding of the human body and Mummification spurred by to a afterlife concept .. in CONTRAST to their Neighbors maintaining the Hocus pocus faith healing and laying on of hands and the power of chants . Funny how the HEBREW god disliked them so in 1500 BC ( Moses) when they were the one of the most advanced people



No i believe in the power of ones own BODY in combination of the Human mind and actual Biological chemical relationship .and Medical intervention See SCIENCE is investigating exploring and discovering the minds ability and relationship to the whole package of biology and being human .



Think of it the mind and body connection is the REALITY and religion and prayer is the displayed MAGIC show for ATTENTION to elicit WOOW and AHHS and belief in its illusions and promoting delusion



a GREAT TOOL Google the Baloney detection kit



READ the TEMPLETON study about prayer less effective than non prayer the prayed for were less improvement google it

Answer 19

When you prove it then I will consider it



However-

How would prayer prove the existence of a "god"



you are doing what theists repeatedly do - you are assuming something you cant explain is due the existence of a "god"



Even worse- you are also assuming that "prayer" is the thing that resulted in the cure



And the most stupid thing

Its an hypothetical question - "IF" it happened



My response -

prove somebody was cured of cancer as the result of prayer, and ONLY prayer, THEN prove "goddidit"

cos until you do its just a stupid question

Answer 20

Sadly no.



My much loved Aunt has just been taken by Cancer. She was a committed Christian and I know that people prayed for her to no avail.



I also know of someone who is atheist and has now come back twice from Cancer with out any help of Prayer.



Unfortunately Cancer is indiscriminate and if it gets you no amount of pleading to your god will help. If it is your time then it is time to go.

Answer 21

Believing in the power of prayer is not the same as believing in God. I think it was Kierkegaard who said that prayer has more effect on the person praying than upon the actions of a deity.

Answer 22

The thing is, proof tends to be concrete. If prayer measurably increased the odds of curing cancer, yes, I would advocate praying. I'd also want to know why and how it worked.

Answer 23

So many unlikely good outcomes have happened recently after I prayed that it's hard to #believe# in a hypothesis prayer doesn't work. It works for me over and over. But one thing....I'm actually doing what Christ instructed for prayer. That would matter.... Believer should be aware He gave several crucial teachings on prayer, not just one or two.

Answer 24

If that were shown to be a fact there would be much to discuss. I am an atheist and it would be a marvelous thing to think about. Why, because if it were shown to be clearly demonstrated and reviewed by impartial observers I would listen.



On the other hand, despite all solid evidence, you deny that evolution of all life on earth has occurred.



Atheists have open minds. You don't.

Answer 25

As a Christian, if that were the case (if you objectively proved that if you prayed 20 times it would stack up 'prayer points' in favour of whatever you're praying for actually happening) it would actually make me dismantle my belief in the power of prayer.



Why? Because prayer isn't a fricking cosmic slot machine service.

Answer 26

It's comforting to believe such things....but it can't happen.



Mo University Lecturer Atheist with degrees in Theology, Comparitive Religious Studies and Philosophy of Religion

Answer 27

A bunch of Stage 4 cancer cures would be impressive.





Regrowing a severed limb would be more impressive, since NOBODY prays for starfish or lizards, and some species of them do it as a normal part of their ordinary lives.

Answer 28

As soon as you start with "IF",

all becomes irrelevant. Assemble 20 people with visible deformities, hands missing, legs missing and so on. Split the 20 people in to 2 groups ten each, group a and group b. Group a will be prayed for, group b will not be prayed for. What kind of out come would you expect?

Answer 29

I believe in the power of suggestion, the ability of the human mind and body which has been proven by the placebo effect and the self fulfilling prophecy concepts but none of the thousands upon thousands of gods mankind has created and worshipped through our history have ever existed. I don't require a god to tell me that I am fare more than they tell me I am and fare more capable then they want me to find out!

Answer 30

Well of course. But it doesn't. So why speculate about it? But I would wonder about the ones prayed for that didn't make it. What was difference? What crieria was God using to answer some and not others?

Answer 31

Did you find it interesting that many atheists would at least examine the evidence? On the other hand, the "true believer" dismisses any and all evidence that counters the usefulness of prayer. This is the age-old dilemma of dogma vs. science.

Answer 32

If you really believe prayer actually works.. Then why even go to the doctor at all?? Does God need the doctors help?? Funny.. when it's life or death.. you tend to rely on doctors AND Jesus.. not just Jesus.. and amazingly.. non-believers are healed just as often by doctors alone!! wonder why that is??

Answer 33

Only if that data is objective, verifiable and validatable and derived from good experimental design. To date, we have good clinical data that says just the opposite. The effectiveness of prayer on outcome of heart patients undergoing surgery has been determined to be ineffective, and slightly (although insignificantly) negative. See source for the synopsis.

Answer 34

Sure, because that (if verified and tested) would be an example of credible, observable evidence of the power of prayer.



Unfortunately for you, no such evidence currently exists in the real world. Sorry.

Answer 35

For cure to be 20 more times as likely with prayer, cancer would have had to have been cured more than "the first time ever," as "the first time ever" is no more than chance.

Answer 36

I believe praying is like self meditation, you talk to 'someone' while you're actually listening to yourself, getting your emotions out, telling yourself what is most important. I wouldn't believe in prayer, but I would believe in self mediation

Answer 37

Only if atheists were 20 times more likely to get struck by lightning. Since religiots routinely pray for God to smite us.

Answer 38

First you'd have to prove a connection between the prayer and the improved conditon.

Answer 39

It would qualify as evidence, yes. We could study it, and perhaps it would lead to knowledge of the efficacy of prayer. That could prove to be evidence of something, but it would require further study.



Since we don't need anything in particular to be true, we are free to actually find out.

Answer 40

Call me when that happens and we'll talk about it, ok?



Oh, just an aside:

Assume you pray, and a person is cured.



What evidence would you have that is was by your god, or someone else's god, or pixies, or frogs farting?

Answer 41

Yes, yes I would believe in the power of prayer if it had a statistically significant effect.

Answer 42

No. If anyone was cured of cancer, I would give all the credit to where it really belongs, the hard working, highly trained medical professionals.

Answer 43

Well, yes, I would.

This is because it was proven to NOT work that makes the whole point moot.



Now mine: If you described the proof that would convince you that there is no god, and that I would present it to you, would you quit believing silly religion?

And what is the proof that you'd want?

Answer 44

LOL. Prayer has never worked for anything. Even if we pretend your god myth is real prayer is still useless. If your magical sky fairy god changed his plan because of a prayer then it obviously wasn't a perfect plan. Check and mate theist trash.

Answer 45

Of course to. There is no provable cause and effect.



If I stood outside and prayed for rain, and it rained, would you attribute the rain to my praying or to a big storm that had been on its way?



Praying, in either case, had nothing to do with the result.



Unless you can PROVE it, please stop embarrassing yourself in front of thousands of people with idiotic arguments like this.

Answer 46

The only thing I am interested in is evidence. Like you said, prayer doesn't work.

Answer 47

No. I would however, like to know the real reason(s) for this cure before giving up and saying it was magic.

Answer 48

Sure. That's pretty strong evidence that prayer helps. It doesn't mean there is a god though.

Answer 49

Praise Zeus!

Answer 50

Most if them still wouldn't. Its not that atheist do t have evidence they just don't have evidence they accept. If you ask most what evidence they would accept they would not give you a straight answer.

Answer 51

I'd believe people who believed other people cared about their welfare had a better chance of recovery than those who didn't.

Answer 52

Well, Christians have had 1800 years to try this experiment, and guess what... the result is there have been virtually no examples of it happening.

Answer 53

Whether you believe it or not, there are well documented stories of people being healed by prayers.

Answer 54

I would definitely look into the reason why and do further studies, but I would never just assume it was the work of a god.

Answer 55

religious person, you're asking the wrong question the wrong way. the majority of atheists are beaten to death by your religion. God is against religion. Isaiah verse "7 women grabbed hold of one man & begged him to wed them but also to let them provide for themselves, wear their own robes just take their wrongs away." those are the religions of the world, basically asking Him to let them speak for themselves, wear their own religious clothes. rabbis with their robes Catholic priests' robes & conical Babylonian priest inspired hat. Mennonite, Amish, Mormon.



they want to preach w/out understanding His word & instead love taking it out of context for years, decades, centuries. they cast judgement & condemnation & promises of glory by stages & steps, idolatry & repetitive prayers, fasting, whipping, babbling, snake handling & spasmodic behavior. Gods' real truth & salvation is FREE & WITHOUT QUESTION OR ABERRATION. all you have to do is ask & He gives hence "ask and ye shall receive".

Answer 56

I'd be convinced that either prayer is one hell of a placebo, or that the statistics are crappy. However, they're not, so your point is????

Answer 57

LET us know when and if it happens,meanwhile don't hold your breath,you lot have been waiting now for two thousand years for the second coming,and you are still waiting right.?

Answer 58

No. I would believe ONLY if every prayer were answered,

Answer 59

first of all according to cycologist a disease is cured by 40% of meedicine and 60% of good hope

and second jesus saves us from that when we are good people according to bible

Answer 60

Perhaps. I don't leave my Atheist views without good reason.

Answer 61

Miracle Exist that why I believe in God

Answer 62

"Every prayer reduces itself to this: 'Great God, grant that twice two be not four'." — Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883)

Answer 63

No they wouldn't

Answer 64

If you can prove with legitimate, non-biased, scientific evidence that proves it beyond reasonable doubt, then yes I would, but until that happens, no

Answer 65

yes i believe in this power Self-healing

Answer 66

Trust me, Jesus performed many miracles and healed many of all illnesses but he was still rejected.

Answer 67

If it was that easy, 100% of the earth would be Christian!

Answer 68

If my invisible pink unicorn came along and kicked your butt, would you believe that it exists?

Answer 69

Nope.. if God could cure it, he then created it.. he is a monster!

Answer 70

It wouldn't hurt to see it.

Answer 71

Show me your data.



Luck

Answer 72

I would be somewhat swayed, but your point is moot, as that is not the case.

Answer 73

no, i'd understand the placebo effect

Answer 74

Maybe

Answer 75

Nope. I'm not that much of an idiot.

Answer 76

No. Correlation is not causation.

Answer 77

I spose

Answer 78

Lol

Answer 79

Are you a bible thumper?

Answer 80

Still no.

Answer 81

Im calling you on this one. Would you cite your references please.

Answer 82

No.

Answer 83

Atheists, if people who were prayed for were 20 times as likely to be cured of stage 4 cancer, would you believe in the power of prayer? NATO will nuke Ukraine to blame Russia for it; then NATO will nuke Russia from Scandinavia. China will attack Russia; but will not get past Ural Mountains. Russia will destroy Turkey and America. China will have a hole across the whole country to the abyss. Only Eurasia and Alaska (both without coasts) will remain after demons blow up Antarctica (which surrounds the flat earth) and Greenland melts. Move to Ural Mountains or inland Alaska. Sionists want war between Russia and Germany over Serbia from June to October on their holidays because (666 times 3)+(6 times 3) = 2016 (in their twisted logic).

Tube people = demons. Clones = demons. Human costumes that demons wear = demons. Dinosaurs and 666ed people have triple stranded DNA; normal person can't swallow 666ed food (designed for 666ed people). Demons live inside clones. Bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin (who discovered Bubonic plague) is depicted on the Shroud of Turin. There is another shroud on which blasphemer Yosef (who was crucified on a pole in 1066 AD) is depicted. Menachem Mendel Schneerson, Lenin (el=deity in Hebrew, nine = no in German; so, when chanted repeatedly is blasphemy against the Creator), and Yosef were possessed by Azazel; now, Rico Cortes is possessed by Azazel.

WW3 happens; 7% of people will be left; after people are tired of war, they will elect the antichrist as one world leader; don't vote. ISIS stands for Israeli Secret Intelligence Service. Next false flag: Statue of Liberty in order to attack Iran. Move away from coasts as nukes will go off in the ocean (at where tectonic plates meet; result: megatsunamis 1km high).

Wear natural clothing so that if a bomb goes off it won't stick to the body as fast as synthetic clothes. All metal will be burned for fuel; so, save knives, crowbars, shovels, wood-burning stoves, etc. Also, save cloth/fabric/textile to cover the wounds and diseases.

Eat natural food because nanochips, cells of aborted fetuses, bug DNA, and other poisons are in food that is commonly sold. Seraphim of Sarov and Sergij of Radonezh will be resurrecred after WW3 for a short time; Seraphim of Sarov will show the new Ruski Tsar who will fight the antichrist for about 2 years and 8-10 months.

Earth is flat; stands on 3 pillars (the Most Holy Trinity); pillars stand on water at zero Kelvin. Zodiac is planetary prison of demons; don't believe in horoscopes or you'll exhibit the traits of the trapped demons. Most thoughts and dreams are from demons; demons never do good. Sleep fully clothed; pray the Jesus prayer. Pray to your guardian angel to have normal sleep.

Humans were created about 7525 years ago. Ruski Orthodox Christian Vyacheslav Krasheninnikov was the last prophet before Enoch and Elijah return to preach against the antichrist.

Birds participate in time creation. It's a sin to kill birds. Dinosaurs live under our level. They will get out through sinkholes and lakes. To kill them, go for their nerves. Save the birds; but kill the dinosaurs. First dinosaur will come out of Volga River in Russia.

Demons grow human skin (from a sample taken during abduction) and put it on so as to look like us. Demons will invite people to be healed inside their UFOs; those who go will be like zombies after. Gov't provides demons with diamonds and allows demons to abduct people. If you're being abducted, slowly pray the Jesus prayer.



Don't panic. Demons use diamonds and souls to power their UFO craft. The bigger the diamond, the more it lasts. Demons have 4 UFO bases: 1)Moon 2)Inside fake mountain Kailash in Tibet 3)In lake Baikal in Russia 4)In Atlantis which is underneath the Mariana Trench in Pacific Ocean. There are no aliens. Nobody lives on other planets.

Airplanes that go down are hit by demons because they need the airspace to fight Jesus. Antichrist is pale with red eyes. He's possessed by Satan since he's 12 years old. He flies. He wears gloves to hide long nails. He's surrounded by demons who appear as angels of light.



Don't go into a UFO to be healed by demons. Green 666 is given by isotope rays on wrist or forehead when people stretch hands to receive small plastic grey card with no name on it (World Passport). Police will microchip and isotope ray people on highway. Microchipped people will be influenced by computers to take grey plastic card; but when they do, 666 is given. Food stores will isotope ray people too. Antichrist will also release prisoners to mark people. Reject 666 at all cost because it leads to permanent hell.

If you're about to be marked, pray the Jesus prayer. Hide with Orthodox Christians to escape 666; leave all electronics behind so that antichrist's minions can't track you. Give to charity in the name of Archangel Michael; he rescues people from temporary hell twice a year (or brings them up a level, that is, to a level with less punishment; eventually, people are freed). Feed the pigeons; when pigeons bow down, people are saved from temporary hell. Forgive me.



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