NPR story... Power of prayer

[Eric1958]

Did you happen to catch the Sunday weekend edition story about the man convicted of rape and murder in 1988? Interesting story, he was convicted based on witness testimony and hair analysis. It seems that hairs examined under a microscope were considered to be a unique identifier (later found not to be true though). Based on this two men were found guilty and served 12 years. The interesting point in the story is where the man is describing how he is praying to god "god, you know I didn't didn't do this and didn't have anything to do with it. I have a 12 year old daughter that I am raising myself. Please get me out of here". But no, he is found guilty and serves 12 years of a lifetime sentence before dna evidence is examined and both he and the other man found guilty are released. Even then though, the prosecutor publicly states that he still thinks they're guilty and will try to reconvict.

Finally, after 2 more years go by, it is found out that the lead witness was the killer and is convicted.

How anyone can take the power of prayer seriously when a righteous man can be allowed to be convicted of a most heinous of crimes and taken from his family?

I do admit though, that I admire the fact that he says he is not bitter. For myself, I would be very bitter. Perhaps god was teaching him humility?

[aitm]

It is cases like this that infuriate me, prosecutors so against ever being wrong that they will continue to punish innocent people rather than risk being wrong. Fuck them.

[FlatEarth1024]

It's the cliche of every shitty Will Smith or Mel Gibson buddy-cop picture..."I got the mayor on my back you guys...get out there and crack this case.  I don't care what you gotta do just arrest someone!"

[stromboli]

I have a long history of witnessing the power of prayer. I have, for example, a nephew who is a High Priest in the LDS Church, a returned missionary, Temple worker etc. who is wheel chair bound because of a massive stroke he had, courtesy of his father's DNA; dad and older brother preceded him out the door. His oldest son is victim to a multitude of ills including ADHD, drug addiction, psychotic disorders and so on. Every type of healing prayer imaginable has been prayed over them, including by a General Authority of the LDS Church. Nada. Squat. My brother was prayed over before his death by a General Authority, and we were told he would live. Buried him a week later.

I am an atheist for a reason.

[SGOS]

Prayers seem to be answered in a way that oddly mirrors random chance.

[mephox]

It may be possible to compare prayer to a Skinner box, it operates on the principle of Operant Conditioning. Extra credits has an interesting video on this also.

Extra Credits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-RS80DVvrg
Pigeon Box: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-RS80DVvrg

Essentially the theory is, that if doing something with a specific intention (like prayer) gives a favorable result some of the time, as it has to do just out of pure probabilistic chance, then that behavior (prayer) will be reinforced.

Now say, if a highly religious person prays ALL the time for this and that in the course of their daily lives, then it is not an unlikely assumption that most of what they pray for will happen, because it's part of daily life and would happen regardless of whether or not a prayer was offered. This builds up a HUGE dissonant feeling that prayer is successful and God IS watching and helping them. Then when something doesn't go their way either it just doesn't register, or they claim "God is Mysterious."

We see this same thing in gambling addicts. Rubbing a lucky coin, wearing a lucky shirt, doing otherwise inane things that they claim help their luck. While religious folks would say these are not prayers, I contend that they are exactly that. Gamblers, especially compulsive gamblers, have a very demanding religion.

In the case of the man in the story... That's interesting. I respect the man's forbearance and calm in the face of this injustice... It may also be shock and later he'll get mad or bitter. I suspect that while he was in prison, he was praying every day to get through to the next, and every day he did so, it gave him hope that God was still watching and waiting. Hope is a powerful emotion. Then, when he did get released... Wow. This man will be a believer for life, I'm sure.

Note, I have nothing but respect and sympathy for this man. What he went through is one of the most horrific things I could imagine doing to an innocent man.

[Plu]

That's why I always say that believing in prayer is for people who don't understand statistics.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

All I can do is THANK GOD an innocent man served 12 years for a crime he didn't commit. If god were on the ball like he is in Texas he would have been executed and we wouldn't have to be arguing balls and strikes.