Jul 2, 2012 -- 4:19AM, Daldianus wrote:

Religious people often claim that it's the prayers that keep them alive or make them healthy again. Yet, if they REALLY believe this then why don't they refuse medical aid when sick?

And if it's the medicine that heals them then why claim it's the prayers!?

Medicine AND prayers...the serenity prayer..as well as James 1 might explain better.

Jul 2, 2012 -- 6:51AM, Daldianus wrote:

Jul 2, 2012 -- 6:06AM, miknik5 wrote:

Medicine AND prayers...the serenity prayer..as well as James 1 might explain better.

But the prayer won't affect the illness, or will it? If yes, why take medicine in the first place?

Oh...I don't know about that, Mr. D...it did...affect the illness.  But, it took some time before the prayer to discover that I wasn't doing everything else in my ability to do...and so, once I understood than yes...prayer took over and still does...

Take the medicine....and pray.  And keep praying...

It is afterwards that you begin to understand the very Our Father...give us each day our daily bread and prayer becomes every day "bread"...along with the medicine...

Until, no longer the need for medicine...and still the NEED FOR PRAYER!

btw...sorry, I should have said James 2...for if one sees another in need of physical comfort and well-being and does not supply it when it is in their ability to do so, how does that appear?  How can one say I'' pray for you, how can one offer spiritual "food", but neglect the physical needs?

We are to do what is in our ability to do and still pray...

Medicine is to heal the body (assuming the doctor can prescribe the right stuff and you're not allergic).  Prayer is to calm the mind (assuming, as some studies suggest, prayer doesn't make you focus on your bad situation and freak out even more).  Calming the mind reduces stress which improves the healing process.  It's not particularly necessary, as there are meds for anxiety as well, but anti-anxiety meds don't share the same social support mechanism that prayer is supposed to express.

Jul 2, 2012 -- 8:09AM, Iwantamotto wrote:

Medicine is to heal the body (assuming the doctor can prescribe the right stuff and you're not allergic).  Prayer is to calm the mind (assuming, as some studies suggest, prayer doesn't make you focus on your bad situation and freak out even more).  Calming the mind reduces stress which improves the healing process.  It's not particularly necessary, as there are meds for anxiety as well, but anti-anxiety meds don't share the same social support mechanism that prayer is supposed to express.

Ok, but in that case it's the brain comforting the body. Which is different from how believers explain praying. According to them it's their god doing some magic on the body.

Jul 2, 2012 -- 8:12AM, Daldianus wrote:

Jul 2, 2012 -- 8:09AM, Iwantamotto wrote:

Medicine is to heal the body (assuming the doctor can prescribe the right stuff and you're not allergic).  Prayer is to calm the mind (assuming, as some studies suggest, prayer doesn't make you focus on your bad situation and freak out even more).  Calming the mind reduces stress which improves the healing process.  It's not particularly necessary, as there are meds for anxiety as well, but anti-anxiety meds don't share the same social support mechanism that prayer is supposed to express.

Ok, but in that case it's the brain comforting the body. Which is different from how believers explain praying. According to them it's their god doing some magic on the body.

When my daughter was sick, my brain could not comfort me...in fact my brain became my worst enemy...because all the things that I imagined, I did not want...but could not stop myself from imagining them...and then...then I left it to GOD.

Once in a while, I do have thoughts of what if down the road...but I can't control everything and I have to trust even my children to HIM...

I always want to control things...but in this situation, I found no...I don't have any control over my health or that of my childrens'...that this too is a gift from GOD...