[ExI] Capitalizing on "Life Extension"

[spike]

>...On Behalf Of Damien Broderick
> ...
> that does seem to suggest this; double- or triple-blinded 
> tests that appear to show effects going beyond placebo or 
> self-induced immunity augmentation, etc. At least one recent 
> study claimed that patients prayed for *did statistically 
> worse* than controls. Bad stats? Let's hope so...
...
> Damien Broderick


Prayer for the sick only works if you believe.  Of course it is much easier
to believe if you get better.

The person doing the prayer must also be a believer, according to scripture.
I would volunteer to be a placebo, for I am not personally a believer in the
supernatural, but I can assure you I can still recite a prayer that will
fool *everyone* in the room.

To do a true double blind experiment, I suppose we would need a person who
does not know if she is a believer, an agnostic in the truest sense.  Or
perhaps a person who fervently believes in a god but isn't sure that god
exists.

According to scripture, the fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth
much.  For that reason, we might assume the fervent prayer of the
unrighteous availeth little, or perhaps opposite.  So those praying in
Damien's study should perhaps pray for the patient to perish?  

spike