In the lives of others?  No, there is no statistically significant effect to prayer.  Good things and bad things happen to people, independent of whether they are prayed for or not.

In your own life?  Nothing beyond what can be demonstrably achieved through meditation, introspection, yoga, or any other mind-calming persuit.

To provide a slight twist to this broad question, here is an answer to a related question posed to Christopher Hitchens:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18503995/site/newsweek/

How do you measure a difference?

Personal experience.

To me, prayer made the difference between being a mundane person living in a mundane world to becoming a divine person living in a divine world.

We are divine children living a divine life in a divine world.

-Rumi

I think it depends on what you call a "difference".

Does prayer make a difference to a person's situation that is measureable by current methods, i.e. miraculous healings? There is no objective evidence that it does.

Does prayer make a difference in a person's spiritual outlook in a measurable fashion? There appears to be some measureable results to show that it can, however whether that is the effect of an outside agency responding to prayer, or the effect that the act of prayer has on the individual doing the praying cannot be determined at this time.

My personal belief is that prayer can make a difference, in both respects.

Our friend Rita says it makes an incredible difference in her life.  Our other friend Chansen says it's not so, but the list of benefits Rita describes are powerful arguments against Chansen's claim.  Chansen is right in a purely scientific sense.  There is no empirical evidence regarding the effects of prayer.  But obviously  Rita's answer to the question, "Does prayer make a difference?"  is an emphatic yes!  If it has made a difference in Rita's life, and in mine, then the answer to the question is yes, for us prayer does make a difference.

I absolutely believe prayer has a powerful effect in lives. Would I take it upon myself to say it's any moreso than, as Chansen said, any other activity designed to clear minds and relax the soul? I don't know. I do, however, know from experience it helps in times of loneliness, to feel like I have someone who's always there, a partner, even when those I would usually rely on - husband, parents, etc. - might otherwise be occupied. At a minimum, it has created an opportunity to be mindful and thoughtful, which I think is invaluable.

I have a stone in my hand.  If you buy this stone from me and hold it for 5 minutes every day, you will be cured of all diseases, find everlasting love, and you car will not break down.

A list of claims means nothing without something to back it up.  I agree wholeheartedly that prayer, meditation or other techniques are very beneficial.  I get similar benefits from riding my bike.  Whether you involve prayer to any god or not, has nothing to do with this.  If it did, religious groups would be all over this.  They aren't.

But, again, it matters not who or what you pray to.

For lonely people in nursing homes, for people facing death, for people in extreme crisis situations, eg., a natural disaster - an oncoming hurricane, devastating floods such as in Pakistan, the miners trapped underground in Chile to cite a few examples....yes, I believe prayer can offer comfort and hope.

Sometimes our prayers are selfish -  then we diminish ourselves and the prayer.

My prayers last about 4 seconds,,,consists of "Thank you" and directed to God/Guardean Angel, or who ever contributed in that for which I am thankful.

Generally it is is for "This day" - existance itself is a fine gift!

Absolutley it makes a great difference in so many ways. I think the foremost is that it's easier to stay connected to GOD if we talk to HIM every day.

If you're relying on the "track record of Christianity", are you sure you wouldn't be better off with the stone?

Hello iWonder@Cafe,

Prayer makes a difference to me.

Prayer can calm me in times of worry or trouble.

Prayer can challenge me to do more for those who need more.

Prayer allows me the opportunity to direct praise and admiration to the one I think is most deserving of such praise and admiration.

Prayer anchors me in the midst of uncertainty.

Prayer shapes what I am about to embark on by shaping my frame of reference for why I am about to embark.

It is my experience that prayer does make a difference.  It is also my experience that I cannot always dictate what kind of difference any prayer will make.

Grace and peace to you.

John

Hi revjohn,

That was a beautiful post.   I almost thought I was reading the back of a bulletin ;-)

God bless,

Indeed.

Hi Chansen,

You wrote:

"I was referring to the fact that there is no track record for Christian prayer being any more or less effective than the prayer to any other God, or no prayer for that matter."

My answer was reflective of the initial question:  "Does prayer make a difference?"  In answering the question I wasn't trying to identify "Christian" prayer as some kind of winner over other forms of prayer or meditation that people use to come close to God, or the divine. 

You also wrote:

" The stone was a fecetious example, but if you meditate, or pray to Allah, or Vishnu, or whatever calming action you want to take, you're just as well off.  The point is, you don't need to believe in any god to get this effect.  If you're conditioned to believe in God, then yes, perhaps nothing else will do.  But you can't go around saying that prayer to God has any effect that can't be achieved through other non-religious means."

If you look at my posts closely you will see I wasn't  trying to negate the benefit of postivie thinking or any other secular panacea.   Again, I will refer to the question, "Does prayer make a difference?"  Obviously many posters on this thread - 14 to be exact - say that it does.  Can the benefits of prayer be found through other means?  Perhaps for others, but not for me.  The fact remains that for 14 of us on this thread, prayer does make a difference. 
 

Hi Brett A

You wrote:

"And I gather there are many cases where the one who is praying finally figures out - say through the death of the one who is being 'prayed for' - that Chansen's right and there is no effect of prayer outside the one who prays.  I know people who've abandoned their religion completely just because of this."

Now I thought you atheist folks were sticklers for facts - real  facts - versus generalizations.  I think the words "And I gather there are many cases..." is a blatant generalization.  Can you come back with any statistics about the number of people who have abandoned their faith because they felt their prayers didn't go their way?

I'd rather see the stastics on Athiests that hang out on forums that promote Theism. If this is the only life you've got, shouldn't you be out there living life. because according to you" times a ticking" and this is all you've got.

Shouldn't this be just as much a waste of time as praying, to you?

Well, we could always start with the stats you have first hand knowledge of, since you have claimed that your statement is correct.  How many, exactly, do you, personally, know?

Right on, Stevie, I fully agree.

I have personally experienced and observed the healing effects of prayer/meditation.

Dave,

If I am honest Dave, I think Byrd's study and others like it on intercessory prayer (prayer for others) come with some serious flaws from a science angle, because those praying are not praying for all the people and all are not equals. So, from a scientific standpoint, it can be another variable. They did however find that people fared better, less ventilator assistance, shorter stays, etc...

That said, the others I mentioned, on MRI's and heart rhythms, showed that mental status, stress levels improved upon the patient themselves praying, praying the rosary or doing yoga meditation. Anxiety goes down. This can cause a change in people's perceptions. This, in turn, means breathing rates and regularity of breathing improves, etc.

I am with you, Dave, that it is not a Christian superior thing or even the need for a theistic basis for it.

Then again, I will address my own bias, as I am abeliever and  practioner of certain alternative healing modalities.

Jesus gives lessons on prayer? (i believe Jesus has many many many on prayer throughout M,M,L,J) see Luke chapter 11 and Matthew chapter 6..

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5And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

6For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

7And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

8I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

9And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
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seperate verse references.
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5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

I not only believe that prayer makes a difference I have been a recent beneficiary of prayer.

 Just this week, a Toronto man who had been falsely accused and convicted of killing his infant child 20 years ago, had his conviction overturned, because of new documentation.  Here is the story:

www.thestar.com/news/article/925085--a-father-s-20-year-battle-for-exoneration

I heard him interviewed on CBC Radio, and he said he had prayed to the gods, he is Hindu, to clear his name.  Then, he tearfully said "My prayers came true."  

arminius, you are all over the map, consistency is not your 'forte' is it?