Q&A: Regarding the Rabbi’s Claims About Prayer
Regarding the Rabbi’s Claims About Prayer
Question
I already asked this in a comment on one of the questions or posts, but I can’t find it, so I’ll ask again here.
Rabbi Michael Abraham argued there that we do not see differences between a place where people pray and a place where they do not, and he added a claim of this sort, for example, that we have not seen doctors in their studies subtract the added chances of recovery supposedly caused by prayer, and so on.
It seems to me that these are not valid arguments, because we have never lived in a place without prayer. There has always been, and there always will be, prayer around us, and therefore prayer has no real meaning in relation to our personal impressions or to medical studies.
Perhaps one could apply to this the midrash (I think) about a father and his son who were walking in the desert, and the son became tired, so the father carried him on his shoulders, and after some time the son wondered, “Where is my father?”
Thanks in advance..
Answer
It seems to me that you should think a bit before posting a question. You write bundles of questions that have no substance. Check the recovery of people who were prayed for versus people who were not. That’s all.
Discussion on Answer
That really was not written to insult. I simply remarked in one of your responses about your stream of comments, that you hadn’t put thought into them and you were firing them off and expecting me to respond. This is a remark for your benefit, not an insult. And I’m repeating that remark again.
I have to note that there is a professor from the University of Haifa who proves in dozens of studies that prayer is helpful. Here is a link… https://youtu.be/334bBEabQPM
I hope the Rabbi is aware that I think exactly the opposite:
that I’m the one making a careful argument here, and the Rabbi is the one answering without reflection.
Certainly, but the Rabbi also didn’t check. The Rabbi’s claim was: a) that we don’t see a difference, and b) that doctors do not subtract this added factor in their studies.
And to that I argued that these are not proofs, since there always was and always will be prayer, and people who pray are mixed in among us.
I appreciate the insult.