Does prayer work in the sense that it can noticeably increase the rate of things?

Prayer: What Does The Science Say?

Lobdell names pastors who will not oppose the evil of Benny Hinn

• Benny Hinn makes 90 million dollars a year.
• TBN makes 200 million a year and 70 million of that is profit.
• Lobdell names Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, Robert Schuller, Greg Laurie, Joel Osteen.  
• All of these pastors are in the top 10% of income earners. [1] [2] [3]  However Benny Hinn earns many times more than they do.  The point is not that pastors should not earn more than 90% of the population.  The point is that pastors who make that much should stand up to Benny Hinn.  It is what they are paid for.

Text of Cranston West prayer banner

Our Heavenly Father,
Grant us each day the desire to do our best,
To grow mentally and morally as well as physically,
To be kind and helpful to our classmates and teachers,
To be honest with ourselves as well as with others,
Help us to be good sports and smile when we lose as well as when we win,
Teach us the value of true friendship,
Help us always to conduct ourselves so as to bring credit to Cranston High School West.
Amen [1]

Four Florists Refused to Send Flowers to an Atheist

The Freedom From Religion Foundation tried to send flowers to Jessica Ahlquist, because she has received violent threats and condemnations.[1]   Ridiculousness ensued.

CRANSTON, R.I. -- Jessica Ahlquist, the 16-year-old student who fought to remove a prayer banner at Cranston High School West, will get a dozen roses Thursday.

But they won't come from a Cranston florist. Three refused to deliver the flowers, saidAnnie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a group based in Madison, Wis.

"Our jaws dropped" after two florists refused to deliver the flowers and a third said the shop was closed, Gaylor said.

A Warwick florist, Greenwood Flower & Garden,agreed to make the delivery, said Gaylor, who said the foundation would file a complaint with the state Commission for Human Rights.

"We are a national group and we've never seen anything like this in recent history," she said. [2]

This is how FFRF described it.

Late yesterday, the local florist called FFRF’s office to report she had struck out at three Cranston florist’s shops, including at Twins Florist, which responded to the order in writing with this statement: “I will not deliver to this person.” The other two shops mysteriously produced unusual excuses for refusing the order. Gaylor said when she heard this news, “My jaw literally dropped. Everyone is stunned by the bigotry.” [3]

But then...

WARWICK FLORIST WON’T DELIVER: The Warwick florist whose business was asked to deliver flowers to Jessica Ahlquist said Thursday he would not do so because of what he calls “negative publicity.”

“No matter what I do, I get punched in the face,” said Daryal Romano, the owner of Greenwood Flower & Garden. Romano said he decided to nix the delivery to Ahlquist after customers who heard about the delivery threatened to stop doing business with him.

Instead, Glimpse of Gaia in Putnam, Conn., has agreed to deliver the flowers this afternoon, said Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Glimpse of Gaia’s owner, Stephanie Ewart-Condon, confirmed the delivery.

“I deliver to people of all faiths and non-faiths,” Ewart-Condon said Thursday. [2]

FFRF is filing a Civil Rights complaint against the florist who said, “I will not deliver to this person.”  [4] Like with the Gelato Man incident, the florist broke the following section of Civil Rights Act.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 Title II Sec 201

All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, as defined in this section, without discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin.[5]

Police investigate threats against student in banner case

Police said Friday they were investigating threats made against a 16-year-old student who fought for and won the removal of a prayer banner at Cranston High School West.

Jessica Ahlquist has faced harassment both in person and online. She said the court battle has cost her friends and that she doesn't know if she'll return to the school.

A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the prayer banner in the school auditorium is unconstitutional and must be removed. School officials covered it with a green tarp while they decide whether to appeal.

But debate over the banner hasn't been silenced.

"I think it's been a distraction to the kids in the school. I'll be glad when it's over, things blow over," said parent Kristen Ciacciarelli.

Online, the discussion is far from blowing over. Hateful posts hit Facebook, Twitter and other blogs. Threats have been aimed directly at the 16-year-old Ahlquist, a self-proclaimed atheist.

"It's been very disappointing to read many of the comments being made, not only by students but also the public at large. It's been a difficult time for Jessica and her family as well as the district," Ray Votto, the chief operating officer of Cranston.

Cranston school officials said they are working with police to help protect the teen. NBC 10 has learned that one Cranston public school student has been disciplined because of an online post.

"Police and school personnel are definitely cracking down on it. They see the effects of it and they will take legal action against it," said Amanda Hannon of Stop Bullying Now RI.

School officials said the student who made a post does not attend Cranston West and was not suspended. They wouldn't go into further detail. [1]

Feds spent 666,000 dollars to see if distant prayer cured AIDs

A couple of months ago, I shared a story that I dubbed a Prayer Fail.  Three people died when they went off of their medication, because they were convinced that God healed them of their AIDs.  (In fairness, the mother church teaches that people should not go off their medication and that people should only consider themselves healed when medical tests prove their healing.)

The prayer failed in that it did not heal their AIDs like they believed.  Interestingly, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM, tested "distant prayer" as a cure for AIDs.  It also failed.  Medicine is more reliable than prayer, because medicine operates according to naturalistic principles.  Prayer relies on God who may or may not (depending on His desires) heal you.

...With $666,000 in federal research money, scientists examined whether distant prayer could heal AIDS. It could not....

...Briggs, a respected NIH researcher and physician who has headed NCCAM for nearly four years, said in an interview that she is dedicated to evidence-based medicine and that the center, under her leadership, is committed to rigorous scientific studies.

The center's recently adopted strategic plan focuses on studies of supplements and other natural products along with the effect of "mind and body" therapies like yoga, massage and acupuncture on pain and other symptoms. In fiscal years 2008-11, NCCAM funded more than $140 million in grants involving mind-and-body therapies, including $33 million for pain research in fiscal 2011.

The new strategic plan "reflects real change or an evolution in our mission," Briggs said. "We are not your grandmother's NCCAM."

Studies of energy healing or distant prayer probably would not get funded by NCCAM today, she said....[1]

Rick Perry will put prayer and Christmas back in school

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a Christian, but you don’t need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there’s something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.

As President, I’ll end Obama’s war on religion. And I’ll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage.

Faith made America strong. It can make her strong again.

I’m Rick Perry and I approve this message.


Something comes to mind.

If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. ~ West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette[1]

Wallace v Jaffree

Just as the right to speak and the right to refrain from speaking are complementary components of a broader concept of individual freedom of mind, so also the individual's freedom to choose his own creed is the counterpart of his right to refrain from accepting the creed established by the majority. At one time, it was thought that this right merely proscribed the preference of one Christian sect over another, but would not require equal respect for the conscience of the infidel, the atheist, or the adherent of a non-Christian faith such as Islam or Judaism. [n36] But when the underlying principle has been examined in the crucible of litigation, the [p53] Court has unambiguously concluded that the individual freedom of conscience protected by the First Amendment embraces the right to select any religious faith or none at all. [n37] This conclusion derives support not only from the interest in respecting the individual's freedom of conscience, but also from the conviction that religious beliefs worthy of respect are the product of free and voluntary choice by the faithful, [n38][p54] and from recognition of the fact that the political interest in forestalling intolerance extends beyond intolerance among Christian sects -- or even intolerance among "religions" -- to encompass intolerance of the disbeliever and the uncertain. [n39][p55] As Justice Jackson eloquently stated in West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624, 642 (1943):

If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.

The State of Alabama, no less than the Congress of the United States, must respect that basic truth.[1]

Prayer Fail: Three London Women Died, Because Churches Convinced Them They were Healed.

Church HIV prayer cure claims 'cause three deaths'

By Andy Dangerfield BBC News, London

At least three people in London with HIV have died after they stopped taking life saving drugs on the advice of their Evangelical Christian pastors.

The women died after attending churches in London where they were encouraged to stop taking the antiretroviral drugs in the belief that God would heal them, their friends and a leading HIV doctor said.

Responding to the BBC London investigation, Lord Fowler, the former health minister responsible for the famous Aids awareness campaign of the 1980s, condemned the practice.

"It's just wrong, bad advice that should be confronted," said the Tory peer, who chaired last month's House of Lords committee into HIV.

Jane Iwu, 48, from Newham, east London, described one case, saying: "I know of a friend who had been to a pastor. She told her to stop taking her medication - that God is a healer and has healed her."

"This lady believed it. She stopped taking her medication. She passed away," said Ms Iwu, who has HIV herself.'Irresponsible' advice

BBC London spoke to a second woman from east London who told of a friend who died after taking advice from her pastor who told her to stop taking her antiretroviral drugs.

Meanwhile, the director of a leading HIV research centre in east London said she had dealt with a separate case in which a person with HIV died as a result of advice from a pastor.

"I've only seen that once, but it has happened," said Prof Jane Anderson, director of the Centre for the Study of Sexual Health and HIV, in Hackney.

"We see patients quite often who will come having expressed the belief that if they pray frequently enough, their HIV will somehow be cured," she added.

"We have seen people who choose not to take the tablets at all so sometimes die."

Lord Fowler condemned pastors giving this advice, saying: "It's dangerous to the public and dangerous in terms of public health."

"It's irresponsible," he said, suggesting pastors should instead "come off the air on it, look at things much more seriously, and not give this completely wrong advice to the public".

A woman from east London says her friend died after her Evangelical Christian pastor told her to stop taking HIV medication

HIV prevention charity African Health Policy Network (AHPN) says a growing number of London churches have been telling people the power of prayer will "cure" their infections.

"This is happening through a number of churches. We're hearing about more cases of this," AHPN chief Francis Kaikumba said.

AHPN said it believed the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN), which has UK headquarters in Southwark, south London, may be one of those involved in such practices.

The church is headed by Pastor T B Joshua, Nigeria's third richest clergyman, according to a recent Forbes richlist.

When approached by BBC London, leaders of the church described themselves as Evangelical Christian pastors.

The church's website, which was set up in Lagos, Nigeria, shows photos of people the church claims have been "cured" of HIV through prayer.HIV-Aids healing

In one example, the church's website claims: "Mrs Badmus proudly displays her two different medical records confirming she is 100% free from HIV-Aids following the prayer of Pastor T B Joshua."

According to SCOAN's website, by using anointing water "you are positioned for healing"

"HIV-Aids healing" is listed on the church's website among "miracles" it says it can perform.

"Cancer healing" and "baby miracles" are also advertised.

The church's UK website promotes a monthly "prayer line" for which it says: "If you are having a medical condition, it is important you bring a medical report for record and testimony purposes."

It has posted videos on the internet showing its services in south London, in which participants who claim to have arthritis, asthma and schizophrenia say they have been healed after being sprayed with "anointing water" provided by the church.

Mary Buhari, 44 , from central London, told the BBC she had had a phone conversation with a representative of the church, in which she was told she could be cured of HIV.

"I was told they can cure any illness on Earth through prayer, including HIV," she said.

However, when asked by BBC London if it claimed its pastors can cure HIV, SCOAN responded: "We are not the healer. God is the healer. Never a sickness God cannot heal. Never a disease God cannot cure.

"We don't ask people to stop taking medication," the church added. "Doctors treat; God heals."

The recent House of Lords committee report into HIV awareness said faith groups' approaches to supporting people with HIV had improved but more needed to be done.

"It is essential that faith leaders engage with HIV as an issue and provide effective and truthful support and communication around the subject," it said.

A Department of Health spokesman responded to the report saying: "Over 60 recommendations were made and we will be responding to Parliament in the next few months."[BBC]