If you had tried everything you could think of to help a family member of friend to fight cancer, would you pray even if you didn't know what to or whether anything existed?

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Didge Doo Profile
Didge Doo answered

Of course not. What would be the point?

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Didge Doo
Didge Doo commented
I've been very close to death a number of times. Never thought of asking an imaginary being to help out. Sorry.
Perry Nuttal
Perry Nuttal commented
Maybe it's different when it's someone else dying. For me I think what have I got to lose. Thanks for answering
Perry Nuttal
Perry Nuttal commented
Was you afraid when you were close to death Didge Doo?
Darik Majoren Profile
Darik Majoren answered

I wouldn't pray, but you should if that gives you comfort.

I believe in the power of positive thinking . . .

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Perry Nuttal
Perry Nuttal commented
Darkmajinn I was talking from the mothers perspective. If the mother took the view of a non believer her babies life and death, her life and death would have no meaning. She doesn't have the luxury of Western civilisation, bearing that in mind I'd give them a pass for belief regardless of my stance.
Darik Majoren
Darik Majoren commented
I agree, they are not mentally equipped to deal with the reality of what really happened, and the indoctrination is too ingrained in their culture to deviate from their "Belief" system. It is not that they are not smart, it is they cannot mentally cope with an alternate way of thinking especially during the grieving process . . .

Think of it another way Pea Nuts - How more outspoken and ardent would people and law enforcement be, if all of our societies and Culture embraced that Death is permanent . . . it is final and there is not better place or no perfect plan for WHY this happened? . . . I can tell you a lot of people would start treat life with far more respect.
Perry Nuttal
Perry Nuttal commented
Maybe not Dark Majinn, for instance for all we know people would take more advantage of others without fearing a consequence. If the law and police, and the banking system etc when down the toilet tomorrow do you think there would be rioting and looting? I do, therefore we are not as admirable as we like to think, if the system that watches us 24/7 on the internet, on CCTV, etc, suddenly ended then many people would take advantage of that. It isn't conscience that keeps people from behaving badly, it is a prison and an entertainments system that distracts them and keeps them in check whilst maintaining that they work. Society is different now, it is more violent than the past, it is based on vanity, pride, arrogance, not simply survival. We like to think that we've come along way we haven't.
Zack -  Mr. GenXer Profile

I don't need to pray to help someone who has cancer. It never works.

dragonfly forty-six Profile

My daughter recently told me that she prays for comfort. Being that that precious one has been through so much, if that works for her, so be it.

Jann Nikka Profile
Jann Nikka answered

I would pray for and with them. You can too. But But But if YOU don't have faith. Don't pray. Prayer can be for healing, healing comfort and peace with a terminal illness🙇🙏. I find daily prayer a comfort, healing and a joy. I set side daily prayer time.

If you believe in prayer and have FAITH, but don't know what to say you can say "Lord GOD you know what's needed for  _________please give them what is need and comfort them,  in your son our savior Jesus Christ name, I pray Amen". GOD knows what's needed💖.

otis campbell Profile
otis campbell answered

my father died of cancer in 1995 i went to doctors with him and chemo and radiation all i wanted for him was no pain

John McCann Profile
John McCann answered

No, I would not pray for this person, nor would I interfere if the person wanted to pray for himself.

In study after study intercession praying has been show to have no effect or a negative effect. I'm sure you could think of a actual thing you could do for this person.

Call me Z Profile
Call me Z answered

I can't think of many activities as inherently futile as prayer, I'd rather resort to voodoo. If modern medicine has no remedy, how can folding my hands and talking to myself be expected to succeed? 

Futility is a common cause of desperation, a fool addresses desperation with more futility.

Virginia Lou Profile
Virginia Lou answered

Dear Pea Nuts,

Maybe...I would be guided by the person's wishes. If someone asks for prayers, I do say yes.

Also however, a person facing death may want to do some "finishing up:" organizing family photos, a last trip to a favorite destination...and helping them tie loose ends is something that can help.

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Virginia Lou
Virginia Lou commented
Dear Pea Nuts, at one time I felt my knowledge was quite current, but its been a really long time since I studied Buddhism closely.
Yes the nagas are a wonderful part of Buddhist mythology, but I always understood them as something like we would think of fairies, elves...yes many believe they do exist, but not as gods.

I suppose there actually could be Buddhists who accept Hindu deities as gods, but I was drawn to the Tibetan traditions and they do not.
Perry Nuttal
Perry Nuttal commented
As I've read they do differ. Thank you Virginia
Virginia Lou
Virginia Lou commented
As I think about it Pea Nuts, in China, Quan Yin is considered a goddess, at least by some...not sure, but some of those folks could be Buddhist...
Tom  Jackson Profile
Tom Jackson answered

Well, I've never been in the position of wondering whether God actually existed or who He was, so I can't answer from that perspective.

But if I was injured and at the bottom of a canyon, if my cellphone indicated there was "no signal," what would I have to lose by placing the call?

Besides, since we don't know precisely how "positive thinking" works, aside from helping the body to heal itself, perhaps it might somehow boost the cell phone signal.

And one response indicated that "intercession praying has been show to have no effect or a negative effect."

Who's out there making sure praying is negatively conditioned?

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Call me Z
Call me Z commented
Tom, while I can't speak for those who would pray, and I certainly have no stake in any of these studies, could the instance of (especially mass) prayer failing to prevent the victim from dying create the effect of a negative perception of the value of such prayers? That's how I read the comment.
Call me Z
Call me Z commented
As an aside, I would assert that prayer of this intercessional nature tends to be more for the benefit of the living than of the dying.
Perry Nuttal
Perry Nuttal commented
I just searched the benefit of pray and it appears it does have things in common with meditation and that people tend to live longer and have better piece of mind, here is the article
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-schiffman/why-people-who-pray-are-heathier_b_1197313.html
Walt O'Reagun Profile
Walt O'Reagun answered

Nope.
I mean, I see those sort of requests all the time of Facebook.
I either ignore them ... Or if the person is being pushy about it, I tell them to get off their knees and actually DO something, 'cause the chances of God answering their prayer is the same as a genie granting me 3 wishes.

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Walt O'Reagun
Walt O'Reagun commented
I wasn't aware they were scams.
I just thought ... think ... it's stupid to share or type something, in the name of "helping" someone - rather than actually DOING something that helps them.
Tris Fray Potter Profile

My grandma had cancer.  She prayed.  She went to church every Sunday, volunteered as long as she could.  It didn't help her much.  I've never believed much in the power of prayer (I'm a strict Aethiest), but that just solidified my beliefs in science.  But at least she had God to comfort her.

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