'The God Experiment' by Russell Stannard

john kavanagh

New Blood
J
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Aug 17, 2005
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anybody read this book?

also has the results come back from the 'prayer experiment'? i'd bet my last m&m it didn't make any difference but just wondering?

also it's pretty obvious the author is a believer

"like many others, i reckon the central core of intercessory prayer has more to do with blah blah blah"

never ceases to amaze me that someone like this guy who's a name in the field of science and obviously understands the scientific process/critical thinking and yet does not have the emotional maturity/strength to apply this to everything :(
 
The prayer thing

The whole prayer thing never made any sense to me even as a kid. If the notion that one is petitioning God to do something for you a number of questions arise. First and most obvious is wouldn't an all knowing God already know what it is we want and why should we have to mouth the words for him to "hear". Second, it seems incredibly egocentric to suppose that God would change his plan for the grand scheme of things (and any shift God were to make in a given life would have all sorts of other implications - in a butterfly effect sort of way) to suit your desires. If you accept the premise that the purpose of prayer is to "praise the lord" one would have to ask what the hell does this God need praising for from us piddling little creatures? And, again, doesn't an almighty God already know what is in our hearts without our having to spell it out for him. Prayer is for retards, in the genuine sense of the word.
 
great link, thanks :)

good points billy - i too always found it hard to believe the Almighty one could be so powerful....but also so insecure :rolleyes:

i remember a great Simpsons' episode where Homer becomes a missionary spreading the word of God and he says something to the effect of "God is Almighty...but in constant need of our reassurance" can't remember the exact quote but v.funny:D
 
RichardR said:
Well, numerous studies have shown that prayer doesn't work.
Click to expand...

No, prayer doesn't work. However, believers are stricken with statistical anomoly-itis. And, if ONE person survives through a life-threatening ordeal and they and/or the people around them prayed profusely they attribute it to god. Not to the scores of medical and emergency professionals who actually did the work, but to a mythical figure who didn't do a damn thing. :hit:
 
john kavanagh said:
great link, thanks :)
i remember a great Simpsons' episode where Homer becomes a missionary spreading the word of God and he says something to the effect of "God is Almighty...but in constant need of our reassurance" can't remember the exact quote but v.funny:D
Click to expand...

That's probably the same episode where Homer speaks one of my favorite lines. He's on the plane, yet to take off, that is taking him to the island where he's going to be a missionary. He's begging the pilot not to take him there and says, "I don't even BELIEVE in Jeebus!"

The pilot ignores him and the plane lifts off. Homer runs to the door and looks out and screams, "Help me Jeebus!"
 
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