| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Dr. Jai Maharaj" |
| Date: |
10 Apr 2005 03:38:21 PM |
| Object: |
PRAY FOR YOUR WELL-BEING |
Pray for your well-being
By Ajit Bishnoi
Op-Ed
The Pioneer
Monday, April 11, 2005
A close relative doing his duty in a war-zone; a patient
undergoing operation; a child being delivered; someone
waiting for the results of medical test - these are some
of the situations where we find ourselves quite helpless.
There could be five different types of responses from us:
Think of the worst, which is most common; make the mind
blank, that is difficult to do; divert ones attention by
engaging in something else, which is not always possible;
stay positive, which requires great control over the
mind; and finally, pray for well-being, which is an easy
and practical solution.
Then why don't we pray? Why do we speculate endlessly
thinking of the worst possible scenarios? This is because
we are habituated to speculate, considering this to be
superior intelligence. Also, we are too proud to seek
help considering this to be a sign of weakness. Still one
needs to have faith in the existence of God. One should
be knowledgeable abut His relationship with us, possible
response from Him, acquaintance about His merciful
disposition and, most importantly, know that prayer is a
practical weapon in our armoury to live well in this
world.
God really helps if we pray. He helps because praying is
a form of surrender, in which we humbly accept the fact
that we are small and quite helpless. Prayer with a
feeling of repentance reforms; prayer with a feeling of
remorse purifies. We are also better prepared to face the
adversities of life by having faith in the justice of
God. Lord Krishna stated in the Bhagavad Gita that "some
suffering is inevitable in this material world and one
must be prepared to tolerate the same (2.14)".
One who prays with faith is never helpless. Hopeless
people suffer from mental breakdowns, and if they pray
God will help to find solutions. The Lord states in the
Bhagavad Gita, "From Me come memory and knowledge (15.7).
Further, "One who is in My consciousness is able to cross
all impediments (18.58)". The Lord also promises to
condone our sins if we genuinely surrender to Him - which
is what a true prayer is. And, prayers with faith are
assuring.
A question may be raised whether praying is an escape
from facing reality? In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna
lays emphasis on being active, that is, to always act in
an appropriate manner. And what is this appropriate
manner? "Let the scriptures be your guide (16.24)", says
the Lord. The scriptures indicate God-consciousness, that
is, seeking His help and guidance which forms the basis
of proper actions and genuine prayers. Having done
whatever one can possibly do, one is best advised to
leave the results in the hands of God. He has this
authority in the first place.
How should one pray? The first requirement is humility.
God does not respond to orders which we give Him; for
instance we often ask "do this for me or do that for me".
There should be a mood of surrender, and a strong feeling
of repentance for past mistakes, otherwise forgiveness is
unlikely to be granted. Let us put ourselves in God's
place. Would we forgive someone who tries to brazen it
out? One should seek forgiveness with a great deal of
sincerity in one's prayers while requesting for undoing
the troubles one is in.
One should also sincerely express gratitude for all the
past help given by God. By this, one is sure to please
the Almighty and get his attention quickly. Prayers
should be reasonable, that is, based on reality and not
be outrageous like asking for immortality. One should
also be deserving of what one is seeking. One must always
remember that God helps those who help themselves. God
supplements our efforts and inspires us to act correctly,
if we pray properly and sincerely. One needs to come
clean with God since He knows what is in our heart.
Trying to outwit God is unlikely to help. If one follows
such guidelines, one can seek all reasonable help and the
same are likely to be granted.
Prayers could be said silently or spoken aloud. There is
no restriction on when one can pray. Whenever one is
worried or in the grip of fear, prayers provide immediate
relief. Prayers are the best antidote for anxieties,
panic situations and over-speculative tendencies.
Praying is not a sign of our weakness. It is a very
effective way to confront a situation which is beyond our
control when no solution appears feasible. It is not just
an emotional response but a very smart way to supplement
our actions.
More at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
Hindu Holocaust Museum
http://www.mantra.com/holocaust
Hindu life, principles, spirituality and philosophy
http://www.hindu.org
http://www.hindunet.org
The truth about Islam and Muslims
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
The terrorist mission of Jesus stated in the Christian bible:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not so send
peace, but a sword.
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in
law.
"And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
- Matthew 10:34-36.
o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the educational
purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of this post may not
have been authored by, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the
poster. The contents are protected by copyright law and the exemption for
fair use of copyrighted works.
o If you send private e-mail to me, it will likely not be read,
considered or answered if it does not contain your full legal name, current
e-mail and postal addresses, and live-voice telephone number.
o Posted for information and discussion. Views expressed by others are
not necessarily those of the poster who may or may not have read the article.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This article may contain copyrighted material the use of
which may or may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. This material is being made available in efforts to advance the
understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic,
democratic, scientific, social, and cultural, etc., issues. It is believed
that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title
17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without
profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included
information for research, comment, discussion and educational purposes by
subscribing to USENET newsgroups or visiting web sites. For more information
go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes of
your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the
copyright owner.
Since newsgroup posts are being removed
by forgery by one or more net terrorists,
this post may be reposted several times.
.
|
|
| User: "pastor chip,high god of humans!" |
|
| Title: Re: PRAY FOR YOUR WELL-BEING |
10 Apr 2005 07:16:16 PM |
|
|
"Dr. Jai Maharaj" <usenet@mantra.com> wrote in message
news:ZaOhA2579EWLzA@HneOr...
Pray for your well-being
By Ajit Bishnoi
Op-Ed
The Pioneer
Monday, April 11, 2005
A close relative doing his duty in a war-zone; a patient
undergoing operation; a child being delivered; someone
waiting for the results of medical test - these are some
of the situations where we find ourselves quite helpless.
There could be five different types of responses from us:
Think of the worst, which is most common; make the mind
blank, that is difficult to do; divert ones attention by
engaging in something else, which is not always possible;
stay positive, which requires great control over the
mind; and finally, pray for well-being, which is an easy
and practical solution.
Then why don't we pray? Why do we speculate endlessly
thinking of the worst possible scenarios? This is because
we are habituated to speculate, considering this to be
superior intelligence. Also, we are too proud to seek
help considering this to be a sign of weakness. Still one
needs to have faith in the existence of God. One should
be knowledgeable abut His relationship with us, possible
response from Him, acquaintance about His merciful
disposition and, most importantly, know that prayer is a
practical weapon in our armoury to live well in this
world.
God really helps if we pray. He helps because praying is
a form of surrender, in which we humbly accept the fact
that we are small and quite helpless. Prayer with a
feeling of repentance reforms; prayer with a feeling of
remorse purifies. We are also better prepared to face the
adversities of life by having faith in the justice of
God. Lord Krishna stated in the Bhagavad Gita that "some
suffering is inevitable in this material world and one
must be prepared to tolerate the same (2.14)".
One who prays with faith is never helpless. Hopeless
people suffer from mental breakdowns, and if they pray
God will help to find solutions. The Lord states in the
Bhagavad Gita, "From Me come memory and knowledge (15.7).
Further, "One who is in My consciousness is able to cross
all impediments (18.58)". The Lord also promises to
condone our sins if we genuinely surrender to Him - which
is what a true prayer is. And, prayers with faith are
assuring.
A question may be raised whether praying is an escape
from facing reality? In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna
lays emphasis on being active, that is, to always act in
an appropriate manner. And what is this appropriate
manner? "Let the scriptures be your guide (16.24)", says
the Lord. The scriptures indicate God-consciousness, that
is, seeking His help and guidance which forms the basis
of proper actions and genuine prayers. Having done
whatever one can possibly do, one is best advised to
leave the results in the hands of God. He has this
authority in the first place.
How should one pray? The first requirement is humility.
God does not respond to orders which we give Him; for
instance we often ask "do this for me or do that for me".
There should be a mood of surrender, and a strong feeling
of repentance for past mistakes, otherwise forgiveness is
unlikely to be granted. Let us put ourselves in God's
place. Would we forgive someone who tries to brazen it
out? One should seek forgiveness with a great deal of
sincerity in one's prayers while requesting for undoing
the troubles one is in.
One should also sincerely express gratitude for all the
past help given by God. By this, one is sure to please
the Almighty and get his attention quickly. Prayers
should be reasonable, that is, based on reality and not
be outrageous like asking for immortality. One should
also be deserving of what one is seeking. One must always
remember that God helps those who help themselves. God
supplements our efforts and inspires us to act correctly,
if we pray properly and sincerely. One needs to come
clean with God since He knows what is in our heart.
Trying to outwit God is unlikely to help. If one follows
such guidelines, one can seek all reasonable help and the
same are likely to be granted.
Prayers could be said silently or spoken aloud. There is
no restriction on when one can pray. Whenever one is
worried or in the grip of fear, prayers provide immediate
relief. Prayers are the best antidote for anxieties,
panic situations and over-speculative tendencies.
Praying is not a sign of our weakness. It is a very
effective way to confront a situation which is beyond our
control when no solution appears feasible. It is not just
an emotional response but a very smart way to supplement
our actions.
More at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
Hindu Holocaust Museum
http://www.mantra.com/holocaust
Hindu life, principles, spirituality and philosophy
http://www.hindu.org
http://www.hindunet.org
The truth about Islam and Muslims
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
The terrorist mission of Jesus stated in the Christian bible:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not so send
peace, but a sword.
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in
law.
"And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
- Matthew 10:34-36.
*****..
.
|
|
|
|
| User: "Steve" |
|
| Title: Re: PRAY FOR YOUR WELL-BEING |
10 Apr 2005 06:02:34 PM |
|
|
"Dr. Jai Maharaj" <usenet@mantra.com> wrote in message
news:ZaOhA2579EWLzA@HneOr...
Pray for your well-being
By Ajit Bishnoi
Op-Ed
The Pioneer
Monday, April 11, 2005
A close relative doing his duty in a war-zone; a patient
undergoing operation; a child being delivered; someone
waiting for the results of medical test - these are some
of the situations where we find ourselves quite helpless.
There could be five different types of responses from us:
Think of the worst, which is most common; make the mind
blank, that is difficult to do; divert ones attention by
engaging in something else, which is not always possible;
stay positive, which requires great control over the
mind; and finally, pray for well-being, which is an easy
and practical solution.
Then why don't we pray? Why do we speculate endlessly
thinking of the worst possible scenarios? This is because
we are habituated to speculate, considering this to be
superior intelligence. Also, we are too proud to seek
help considering this to be a sign of weakness. Still one
needs to have faith in the existence of God. One should
be knowledgeable abut His relationship with us, possible
response from Him, acquaintance about His merciful
disposition and, most importantly, know that prayer is a
practical weapon in our armoury to live well in this
world.
God really helps if we pray. He helps because praying is
a form of surrender, in which we humbly accept the fact
that we are small and quite helpless. Prayer with a
feeling of repentance reforms; prayer with a feeling of
remorse purifies. We are also better prepared to face the
adversities of life by having faith in the justice of
God. Lord Krishna stated in the Bhagavad Gita that "some
suffering is inevitable in this material world and one
must be prepared to tolerate the same (2.14)".
One who prays with faith is never helpless. Hopeless
people suffer from mental breakdowns, and if they pray
God will help to find solutions. The Lord states in the
Bhagavad Gita, "From Me come memory and knowledge (15.7).
Further, "One who is in My consciousness is able to cross
all impediments (18.58)". The Lord also promises to
condone our sins if we genuinely surrender to Him - which
is what a true prayer is. And, prayers with faith are
assuring.
A question may be raised whether praying is an escape
from facing reality? In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna
lays emphasis on being active, that is, to always act in
an appropriate manner. And what is this appropriate
manner? "Let the scriptures be your guide (16.24)", says
the Lord. The scriptures indicate God-consciousness, that
is, seeking His help and guidance which forms the basis
of proper actions and genuine prayers. Having done
whatever one can possibly do, one is best advised to
leave the results in the hands of God. He has this
authority in the first place.
How should one pray? The first requirement is humility.
God does not respond to orders which we give Him; for
instance we often ask "do this for me or do that for me".
There should be a mood of surrender, and a strong feeling
of repentance for past mistakes, otherwise forgiveness is
unlikely to be granted. Let us put ourselves in God's
place. Would we forgive someone who tries to brazen it
out? One should seek forgiveness with a great deal of
sincerity in one's prayers while requesting for undoing
the troubles one is in.
One should also sincerely express gratitude for all the
past help given by God. By this, one is sure to please
the Almighty and get his attention quickly. Prayers
should be reasonable, that is, based on reality and not
be outrageous like asking for immortality. One should
also be deserving of what one is seeking. One must always
remember that God helps those who help themselves. God
supplements our efforts and inspires us to act correctly,
if we pray properly and sincerely. One needs to come
clean with God since He knows what is in our heart.
Trying to outwit God is unlikely to help. If one follows
such guidelines, one can seek all reasonable help and the
same are likely to be granted.
Prayers could be said silently or spoken aloud. There is
no restriction on when one can pray. Whenever one is
worried or in the grip of fear, prayers provide immediate
relief. Prayers are the best antidote for anxieties,
panic situations and over-speculative tendencies.
Praying is not a sign of our weakness. It is a very
effective way to confront a situation which is beyond our
control when no solution appears feasible. It is not just
an emotional response but a very smart way to supplement
our actions.
More at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
Hindu Holocaust Museum
http://www.mantra.com/holocaust
Hindu life, principles, spirituality and philosophy
http://www.hindu.org
http://www.hindunet.org
The truth about Islam and Muslims
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
The terrorist mission of Jesus stated in the Christian bible:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not so send
peace, but a sword.
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in
law.
"And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
- Matthew 10:34-36.
o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the
educational
purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of this post may
not
have been authored by, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the
poster. The contents are protected by copyright law and the exemption for
fair use of copyrighted works.
o If you send private e-mail to me, it will likely not be read,
considered or answered if it does not contain your full legal name,
current
e-mail and postal addresses, and live-voice telephone number.
o Posted for information and discussion. Views expressed by others
are
not necessarily those of the poster who may or may not have read the
article.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This article may contain copyrighted material the use of
which may or may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. This material is being made available in efforts to advance the
understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic,
democratic, scientific, social, and cultural, etc., issues. It is believed
that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with
Title
17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without
profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
included
information for research, comment, discussion and educational purposes by
subscribing to USENET newsgroups or visiting web sites. For more
information
go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes of
your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the
copyright owner.
Since newsgroup posts are being removed
by forgery by one or more net terrorists,
this post may be reposted several times.
There is no supporting evidence for your assertion that pray helps in any
way whatsoever except maybe in the mind of the prayee(?) - a delusion if you
will.
Your a Dr of what exactly ?
net terrorists .... hehe.... what next ?
Steve
----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----
.
|
|
|
| User: "" |
|
| Title: Re: PRAY FOR YOUR WELL-BEING |
11 Apr 2005 04:17:08 AM |
|
|
Dear Steve,
Prayer has been scientifically proven to help people.
My family has personal experience that it saves life too. My sister's
son had pneumonia, meningitis and 3 brain abscesses (3 operations to
drain them) but he survived relatively unscathed when doctors didn't
think he had the slightest chance of living.
Doctors take it very seriously as an aid to healing and for doing their
work.
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/search?loct=ehom&andorexactfulltext=and&resourcetype=1&disp_type=&sortspec=relevance&author1=&fulltext=prayer&volume=&firstpage=
In Christ's love
Carol T
"Still one needs to have faith in the existence of God. One should be
knowledgeable abut His relationship with us, possible response from
Him, acquaintance about His merciful disposition and, most importantly,
know that prayer is a practical weapon in our armoury to live well in
this
world." (Quote from the start of this thread, Ajit Bishnoi)
.
|
|
|
| User: "Peacenik" |
|
| Title: Re: PRAY FOR YOUR WELL-BEING |
11 Apr 2005 06:04:37 AM |
|
|
<cteasd5941@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1113211028.168589.56130@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
Dear Steve,
Prayer has been scientifically proven to help people.
Only if the prayee knows he/she is being prayed for. It's called the placebo
effect.
Under controlled tests where the prayee does not know, there is no effect.
The few studies that said there is an effect in such a case have been
debunked.
My family has personal experience that it saves life too. My sister's
son had pneumonia, meningitis and 3 brain abscesses (3 operations to
drain them) but he survived relatively unscathed when doctors didn't
think he had the slightest chance of living.
That's simply good luck. Spontaneous recoveries do happen, with or without
prayer.
.
|
|
|
|
|
| User: "Dr. Jai Maharaj" |
|
| Title: Re: PRAY FOR YOUR WELL-BEING |
10 Apr 2005 06:21:41 PM |
|
|
In article <4259ae8c_5@127.0.0.1>,
"Steve" <kmbs57@hotmail.com> posted:
Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:
Pray for your well-being
By Ajit Bishnoi
Op-Ed
The Pioneer
Monday, April 11, 2005
A close relative doing his duty in a war-zone; a patient
undergoing operation; a child being delivered; someone
waiting for the results of medical test - these are some
of the situations where we find ourselves quite helpless.
There could be five different types of responses from us:
Think of the worst, which is most common; make the mind
blank, that is difficult to do; divert ones attention by
engaging in something else, which is not always possible;
stay positive, which requires great control over the
mind; and finally, pray for well-being, which is an easy
and practical solution.
Then why don't we pray? Why do we speculate endlessly
thinking of the worst possible scenarios? This is because
we are habituated to speculate, considering this to be
superior intelligence. Also, we are too proud to seek
help considering this to be a sign of weakness. Still one
needs to have faith in the existence of God. One should
be knowledgeable abut His relationship with us, possible
response from Him, acquaintance about His merciful
disposition and, most importantly, know that prayer is a
practical weapon in our armoury to live well in this
world.
God really helps if we pray. He helps because praying is
a form of surrender, in which we humbly accept the fact
that we are small and quite helpless. Prayer with a
feeling of repentance reforms; prayer with a feeling of
remorse purifies. We are also better prepared to face the
adversities of life by having faith in the justice of
God. Lord Krishna stated in the Bhagavad Gita that "some
suffering is inevitable in this material world and one
must be prepared to tolerate the same (2.14)".
One who prays with faith is never helpless. Hopeless
people suffer from mental breakdowns, and if they pray
God will help to find solutions. The Lord states in the
Bhagavad Gita, "From Me come memory and knowledge (15.7).
Further, "One who is in My consciousness is able to cross
all impediments (18.58)". The Lord also promises to
condone our sins if we genuinely surrender to Him - which
is what a true prayer is. And, prayers with faith are
assuring.
A question may be raised whether praying is an escape
from facing reality? In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna
lays emphasis on being active, that is, to always act in
an appropriate manner. And what is this appropriate
manner? "Let the scriptures be your guide (16.24)", says
the Lord. The scriptures indicate God-consciousness, that
is, seeking His help and guidance which forms the basis
of proper actions and genuine prayers. Having done
whatever one can possibly do, one is best advised to
leave the results in the hands of God. He has this
authority in the first place.
How should one pray? The first requirement is humility.
God does not respond to orders which we give Him; for
instance we often ask "do this for me or do that for me".
There should be a mood of surrender, and a strong feeling
of repentance for past mistakes, otherwise forgiveness is
unlikely to be granted. Let us put ourselves in God's
place. Would we forgive someone who tries to brazen it
out? One should seek forgiveness with a great deal of
sincerity in one's prayers while requesting for undoing
the troubles one is in.
One should also sincerely express gratitude for all the
past help given by God. By this, one is sure to please
the Almighty and get his attention quickly. Prayers
should be reasonable, that is, based on reality and not
be outrageous like asking for immortality. One should
also be deserving of what one is seeking. One must always
remember that God helps those who help themselves. God
supplements our efforts and inspires us to act correctly,
if we pray properly and sincerely. One needs to come
clean with God since He knows what is in our heart.
Trying to outwit God is unlikely to help. If one follows
such guidelines, one can seek all reasonable help and the
same are likely to be granted.
Prayers could be said silently or spoken aloud. There is
no restriction on when one can pray. Whenever one is
worried or in the grip of fear, prayers provide immediate
relief. Prayers are the best antidote for anxieties,
panic situations and over-speculative tendencies.
Praying is not a sign of our weakness. It is a very
effective way to confront a situation which is beyond our
control when no solution appears feasible. It is not just
an emotional response but a very smart way to supplement
our actions.
More at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
There is no supporting evidence for your assertion
that pray helps in any way whatsoever . . .
You have not been keeping up with
scientific knowledge -- I posted the
following post in 2003:
[ Subject: NEW STUDY SHOWS PRAYER HAS POSITIVE EFFECT ON HEALTH
[ From: Dr. Jai Maharaj
[ Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2003
New Study Shows Prayer Has Positive Effect on Health
By Meredith Buel
Washington
The Voice of America
Saturday, September 20, 2003
Can praying be good for your health? A decade ago, most
doctors and scientists would have dismissed any
connection between prayer and medicine. However, recent
studies drawing a positive connection between faith and
healing have sparked new debate in the United States over
the issue.
A recent Gallup poll shows that 95 percent of the
population of the United States believes in God, and
nearly 80 percent of people over 65-years-old are members
of a church.
A number of studies have shown that individuals who pray
regularly and attend religious services stay healthier
and live longer than those who rarely or never go to a
[temple,] church, synagogue or mosque.
Duke University recently released a study of 4,000 women
and men of different faiths. All the participants were 65
or older.
The study found that the relative risk of dying was 46
percent lower for those who frequently attend religious
services.
A study by the same group says those who pray regularly
have significantly lower blood pressure than those who do
not.
It also found that those who attend religious services
have healthier immune systems.
Dr. Harold Koenig of Duke University is the director and
founder of the Center for the Study of Religion,
Spirituality and Health.
Dr. Koenig says, when he first opened the center in the
1990's he was afraid, as he puts it, "of being run out of
town for practicing voodoo medicine."
But he says his own research and recent studies by other
universities have convinced him that prayer, much like
exercise and diet, has a connection with better health.
"A religion-medical connection is not new or unnatural,"
he said. "Many patients are religious, and use it to cope
with illness. Religion is related to mental health,
social support and health behaviors. Better mental
health, in turn, better social support, better health
behaviors are related to better physical health. Thus
religion should be related to physical health, and when
you examine it, it is."
Studies at several medical centers conclude that prayer
and faith help in the recovery from heart attacks, drug
addiction, stroke, alcoholism and depression.
At the University of Miami, research showed AIDS patients
who became long-term survivors were more frequently
engaged in religious worship and involved in volunteer
work.
Cynthia Cohen is a senior researcher at the Kennedy
Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University in
Washington.
"So far, the studies seem to show that prayer, in
particular, seems to work on some patients," said Ms.
Cohen. "There are studies that show that prayer has
apparently been associated with improved healthcare
outcomes for a high proportion of patients in certain
studies. However, there are other studies that show that
prayer doesn't seem to have the same degree of
effectiveness."
Dr. Richard Sloan is a professor of behavioral medicine
at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia
University in New York.
Dr. Sloan questions how the research linking prayer and
good health is being done, and says evidence is not
convincing.
"Most of those studies have significant methodological
flaws, which render their conclusions wrong," he said.
"Now, there are some relatively good studies recently.
But by and large, the body of evidence is weak and
inconclusive linking religion and health."
Dr. Sloan argues that involving physicians with a
patient's religion could lead to ethical problems.
He says some doctors might treat patients differently
because of their faith, or even attempt to convert them
to a specific religion during a difficult time of life.
"The principal concern is a threat to the patient's
religious freedom," said Mr. Sloan. "The patient should
be as religious or not religious as they choose without
interference from physicians. Physicians should not make
recommendations that suggest to patients that they ought
to behave in one way or another religiously, either more
or less religiously. Patients ought to behave
religiously, as they see fit, without interference from
physicians. So there are substantial ethical questions
raised by involving religion with medicine."
Also controversial is whether intercessory prayer or
prayer seeking divine help to improve the health of
others, actually works.
At nine medical centers around the country, hundreds of
patients with severe heart problems participated in a
survey of long distance healing.
The names of half the patients were given to Buddhist
monks, Carmelite nuns, Sufi Muslims and Christian
congregations who prayed for their recovery.
The results are expected to be released next month, but
in a similar pilot survey prayer recipients had
significantly fewer medical complications.
Listen to Meredith Buel's report (RealAudio)
http://www.voanews.com/mediastore/buel_prayer_health_20sep03.ram
Bueal report - Download 574k (RealAudio)
http://www.voanews.com/mediastore/buel_prayer_health_20sep03.rm
Source -
http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectid=1A7E1BA1-5538-4F7A-9E924CDD6A13840D&title=New%20Study%20Shows%20Prayer%20Has%20Positive%20Effect%20on%20Health&db=current
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
Hindu Holocaust Museum
http://www.mantra.com/holocaust
Hindu life, principles, spirituality and philosophy
http://www.hindu.org
http://www.hindunet.org
The truth about Islam and Muslims
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
The terrorist mission of Jesus stated in the Christian bible:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not so send
peace, but a sword.
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in
law.
"And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
- Matthew 10:34-36.
o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the educational
purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of this post may not
have been authored by, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the
poster. The contents are protected by copyright law and the exemption for
fair use of copyrighted works.
o If you send private e-mail to me, it will likely not be read,
considered or answered if it does not contain your full legal name, current
e-mail and postal addresses, and live-voice telephone number.
o Posted for information and discussion. Views expressed by others are
not necessarily those of the poster who may or may not have read the article.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This article may contain copyrighted material the use of
which may or may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. This material is being made available in efforts to advance the
understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic,
democratic, scientific, social, and cultural, etc., issues. It is believed
that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title
17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without
profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included
information for research, comment, discussion and educational purposes by
subscribing to USENET newsgroups or visiting web sites. For more information
go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes of
your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the
copyright owner.
Since newsgroup posts are being removed
by forgery by one or more net terrorists,
this post may be reposted several times.
.
|
|
|
| User: "Steve" |
|
| Title: Re: PRAY FOR YOUR WELL-BEING |
10 Apr 2005 10:54:15 PM |
|
|
"Dr. Jai Maharaj" <usenet@mantra.com> wrote in message
news:DuEPU9812ulSQU@RdeAh...
In article <4259ae8c_5@127.0.0.1>,
"Steve" <kmbs57@hotmail.com> posted:
Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:
Pray for your well-being
By Ajit Bishnoi
Op-Ed
The Pioneer
Monday, April 11, 2005
A close relative doing his duty in a war-zone; a patient
undergoing operation; a child being delivered; someone
waiting for the results of medical test - these are some
of the situations where we find ourselves quite helpless.
There could be five different types of responses from us:
Think of the worst, which is most common; make the mind
blank, that is difficult to do; divert ones attention by
engaging in something else, which is not always possible;
stay positive, which requires great control over the
mind; and finally, pray for well-being, which is an easy
and practical solution.
Then why don't we pray? Why do we speculate endlessly
thinking of the worst possible scenarios? This is because
we are habituated to speculate, considering this to be
superior intelligence. Also, we are too proud to seek
help considering this to be a sign of weakness. Still one
needs to have faith in the existence of God. One should
be knowledgeable abut His relationship with us, possible
response from Him, acquaintance about His merciful
disposition and, most importantly, know that prayer is a
practical weapon in our armoury to live well in this
world.
God really helps if we pray. He helps because praying is
a form of surrender, in which we humbly accept the fact
that we are small and quite helpless. Prayer with a
feeling of repentance reforms; prayer with a feeling of
remorse purifies. We are also better prepared to face the
adversities of life by having faith in the justice of
God. Lord Krishna stated in the Bhagavad Gita that "some
suffering is inevitable in this material world and one
must be prepared to tolerate the same (2.14)".
One who prays with faith is never helpless. Hopeless
people suffer from mental breakdowns, and if they pray
God will help to find solutions. The Lord states in the
Bhagavad Gita, "From Me come memory and knowledge (15.7).
Further, "One who is in My consciousness is able to cross
all impediments (18.58)". The Lord also promises to
condone our sins if we genuinely surrender to Him - which
is what a true prayer is. And, prayers with faith are
assuring.
A question may be raised whether praying is an escape
from facing reality? In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna
lays emphasis on being active, that is, to always act in
an appropriate manner. And what is this appropriate
manner? "Let the scriptures be your guide (16.24)", says
the Lord. The scriptures indicate God-consciousness, that
is, seeking His help and guidance which forms the basis
of proper actions and genuine prayers. Having done
whatever one can possibly do, one is best advised to
leave the results in the hands of God. He has this
authority in the first place.
How should one pray? The first requirement is humility.
God does not respond to orders which we give Him; for
instance we often ask "do this for me or do that for me".
There should be a mood of surrender, and a strong feeling
of repentance for past mistakes, otherwise forgiveness is
unlikely to be granted. Let us put ourselves in God's
place. Would we forgive someone who tries to brazen it
out? One should seek forgiveness with a great deal of
sincerity in one's prayers while requesting for undoing
the troubles one is in.
One should also sincerely express gratitude for all the
past help given by God. By this, one is sure to please
the Almighty and get his attention quickly. Prayers
should be reasonable, that is, based on reality and not
be outrageous like asking for immortality. One should
also be deserving of what one is seeking. One must always
remember that God helps those who help themselves. God
supplements our efforts and inspires us to act correctly,
if we pray properly and sincerely. One needs to come
clean with God since He knows what is in our heart.
Trying to outwit God is unlikely to help. If one follows
such guidelines, one can seek all reasonable help and the
same are likely to be granted.
Prayers could be said silently or spoken aloud. There is
no restriction on when one can pray. Whenever one is
worried or in the grip of fear, prayers provide immediate
relief. Prayers are the best antidote for anxieties,
panic situations and over-speculative tendencies.
Praying is not a sign of our weakness. It is a very
effective way to confront a situation which is beyond our
control when no solution appears feasible. It is not just
an emotional response but a very smart way to supplement
our actions.
More at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
There is no supporting evidence for your assertion
that pray helps in any way whatsoever . . .
You have not been keeping up with
scientific knowledge -- I posted the
following post in 2003:
[ Subject: NEW STUDY SHOWS PRAYER HAS POSITIVE EFFECT ON HEALTH
[ From: Dr. Jai Maharaj
[ Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2003
New Study Shows Prayer Has Positive Effect on Health
By Meredith Buel
Washington
The Voice of America
Saturday, September 20, 2003
Can praying be good for your health? A decade ago, most
doctors and scientists would have dismissed any
connection between prayer and medicine. However, recent
studies drawing a positive connection between faith and
healing have sparked new debate in the United States over
the issue.
A recent Gallup poll shows that 95 percent of the
population of the United States believes in God, and
nearly 80 percent of people over 65-years-old are members
of a church.
A number of studies have shown that individuals who pray
regularly and attend religious services stay healthier
and live longer than those who rarely or never go to a
[temple,] church, synagogue or mosque.
Duke University recently released a study of 4,000 women
and men of different faiths. All the participants were 65
or older.
The study found that the relative risk of dying was 46
percent lower for those who frequently attend religious
services.
A study by the same group says those who pray regularly
have significantly lower blood pressure than those who do
not.
It also found that those who attend religious services
have healthier immune systems.
Dr. Harold Koenig of Duke University is the director and
founder of the Center for the Study of Religion,
Spirituality and Health.
Dr. Koenig says, when he first opened the center in the
1990's he was afraid, as he puts it, "of being run out of
town for practicing voodoo medicine."
But he says his own research and recent studies by other
universities have convinced him that prayer, much like
exercise and diet, has a connection with better health.
"A religion-medical connection is not new or unnatural,"
he said. "Many patients are religious, and use it to cope
with illness. Religion is related to mental health,
social support and health behaviors. Better mental
health, in turn, better social support, better health
behaviors are related to better physical health. Thus
religion should be related to physical health, and when
you examine it, it is."
Studies at several medical centers conclude that prayer
and faith help in the recovery from heart attacks, drug
addiction, stroke, alcoholism and depression.
At the University of Miami, research showed AIDS patients
who became long-term survivors were more frequently
engaged in religious worship and involved in volunteer
work.
Cynthia Cohen is a senior researcher at the Kennedy
Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University in
Washington.
"So far, the studies seem to show that prayer, in
particular, seems to work on some patients," said Ms.
Cohen. "There are studies that show that prayer has
apparently been associated with improved healthcare
outcomes for a high proportion of patients in certain
studies. However, there are other studies that show that
prayer doesn't seem to have the same degree of
effectiveness."
Dr. Richard Sloan is a professor of behavioral medicine
at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia
University in New York.
Dr. Sloan questions how the research linking prayer and
good health is being done, and says evidence is not
convincing.
"Most of those studies have significant methodological
flaws, which render their conclusions wrong," he said.
"Now, there are some relatively good studies recently.
But by and large, the body of evidence is weak and
inconclusive linking religion and health."
Dr. Sloan argues that involving physicians with a
patient's religion could lead to ethical problems.
He says some doctors might treat patients differently
because of their faith, or even attempt to convert them
to a specific religion during a difficult time of life.
"The principal concern is a threat to the patient's
religious freedom," said Mr. Sloan. "The patient should
be as religious or not religious as they choose without
interference from physicians. Physicians should not make
recommendations that suggest to patients that they ought
to behave in one way or another religiously, either more
or less religiously. Patients ought to behave
religiously, as they see fit, without interference from
physicians. So there are substantial ethical questions
raised by involving religion with medicine."
Also controversial is whether intercessory prayer or
prayer seeking divine help to improve the health of
others, actually works.
At nine medical centers around the country, hundreds of
patients with severe heart problems participated in a
survey of long distance healing.
The names of half the patients were given to Buddhist
monks, Carmelite nuns, Sufi Muslims and Christian
congregations who prayed for their recovery.
The results are expected to be released next month, but
in a similar pilot survey prayer recipients had
significantly fewer medical complications.
Listen to Meredith Buel's report (RealAudio)
http://www.voanews.com/mediastore/buel_prayer_health_20sep03.ram
Bueal report - Download 574k (RealAudio)
http://www.voanews.com/mediastore/buel_prayer_health_20sep03.rm
Source -
http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectid=1A7E1BA1-5538-4F7A-9E924CDD6A13840D&title=New%20Study%20Shows%20Prayer%20Has%20Positive%20Effect%20on%20Health&db=current
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
Hindu Holocaust Museum
http://www.mantra.com/holocaust
Hindu life, principles, spirituality and philosophy
http://www.hindu.org
http://www.hindunet.org
The truth about Islam and Muslims
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
The terrorist mission of Jesus stated in the Christian bible:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not so send
peace, but a sword.
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in
law.
"And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
- Matthew 10:34-36.
o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the
educational
purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of this post may
not
have been authored by, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the
poster. The contents are protected by copyright law and the exemption for
fair use of copyrighted works.
o If you send private e-mail to me, it will likely not be read,
considered or answered if it does not contain your full legal name,
current
e-mail and postal addresses, and live-voice telephone number.
o Posted for information and discussion. Views expressed by others
are
not necessarily those of the poster who may or may not have read the
article.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This article may contain copyrighted material the use of
which may or may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. This material is being made available in efforts to advance the
understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic,
democratic, scientific, social, and cultural, etc., issues. It is believed
that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with
Title
17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without
profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
included
information for research, comment, discussion and educational purposes by
subscribing to USENET newsgroups or visiting web sites. For more
information
go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes of
your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the
copyright owner.
Since newsgroup posts are being removed
by forgery by one or more net terrorists,
this post may be reposted several times.
On this basis we should worship placebos - as they have a benefical effect
Like i said - pray only effects the pray maker - the delusion has a positive
effect on them - much like yoga i suspect. This does not confirm the
existance of a god or gods.
"Dr. Sloan questions how the research linking prayer and
good health is being done, and says evidence is not
convincing." correct !
Regarding the nine medial centres conducting research - which ones and when
? Nice that you imply that research is being carried out but forget to
details so that this can be checked. And if it is the one i think it is it
has failed to show any link.
Steve
----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| User: "Peacenik" |
|
| Title: Re: PRAY FOR YOUR WELL-BEING |
11 Apr 2005 06:05:19 AM |
|
|
"Dr. Jai Maharaj" <usenet@mantra.com> wrote in message
news:ZaOhA2579EWLzA@HneOr...
Pray for your well-being
You do realize this is an atheist NG, don't you?
.
|
|
|
| User: "Mark K. Bilbo" |
|
| Title: Re: PRAY FOR YOUR WELL-BEING |
11 Apr 2005 09:26:12 AM |
|
|
In our last episode <d3dllc$frd$1@news.seed.net.tw>, Peacenik pirouetted
gracefully and with great fanfare proclaimed:
"Dr. Jai Maharaj" <usenet@mantra.com> wrote in message
news:ZaOhA2579EWLzA@HneOr...
Pray for your well-being
You do realize this is an atheist NG, don't you?
Yes he does. Early on, he declared his intentions to troll.
(At which point I fired up the plonker)
--
Mark K. Bilbo - a.a. #1423
EAC Department of Linguistic Subversion
Group website at: http://www.alt-atheism.org
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Religion is regarded by the common people as true,
by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful."
-- Seneca the Younger
.
|
|
|
|
|
| User: "MarkA" |
|
| Title: Re: PRAY FOR YOUR WELL-BEING |
11 Apr 2005 06:44:54 AM |
|
|
On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 20:38:21 +0000, Dr. Jai Maharaj wrote:
Pray for your well-being
....but don't stop taking your Lipitor, just in case He is busy elsewhere...
*****.
--
MarkA
(still caught in the maze of twisty little passages, all different)
.
|
|
|
|
| User: "Secular Fundamentalist" |
|
| Title: Re: PRAY FOR YOUR WELL-BEING |
11 Apr 2005 09:26:02 AM |
|
|
The gates of alt.atheism slowly swung open, and there stood
usenet@mantra.com (Dr. Jai Maharaj),who intoned thus:
Pray for your well-being
By Ajit Bishnoi
Op-Ed
The Pioneer
Monday, April 11, 2005
A close relative doing his duty in a war-zone; a patient
undergoing operation; a child being delivered; someone
waiting for the results of medical test - these are some
of the situations where we find ourselves quite helpless.
There could be five different types of responses from us:
Think of the worst, which is most common; make the mind
blank, that is difficult to do; divert ones attention by
engaging in something else, which is not always possible;
stay positive, which requires great control over the
mind; and finally, pray for well-being, which is an easy
and practical solution.
Then why don't we pray? Why do we speculate endlessly
thinking of the worst possible scenarios? This is because
we are habituated to speculate, considering this to be
superior intelligence. Also, we are too proud to seek
help considering this to be a sign of weakness. Still one
needs to have faith in the existence of God. One should
be knowledgeable abut His relationship with us, possible
response from Him, acquaintance about His merciful
disposition and, most importantly, know that prayer is a
practical weapon in our armoury to live well in this
world.
God really helps if we pray. He helps because praying is
a form of surrender, in which we humbly accept the fact
that we are small and quite helpless. Prayer with a
feeling of repentance reforms; prayer with a feeling of
remorse purifies. We are also better prepared to face the
adversities of life by having faith in the justice of
God. Lord Krishna stated in the Bhagavad Gita that "some
suffering is inevitable in this material world and one
must be prepared to tolerate the same (2.14)".
One who prays with faith is never helpless. Hopeless
people suffer from mental breakdowns, and if they pray
God will help to find solutions. The Lord states in the
Bhagavad Gita, "From Me come memory and knowledge (15.7).
Further, "One who is in My consciousness is able to cross
all impediments (18.58)". The Lord also promises to
condone our sins if we genuinely surrender to Him - which
is what a true prayer is. And, prayers with faith are
assuring.
A question may be raised whether praying is an escape
from facing reality? In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna
lays emphasis on being active, that is, to always act in
an appropriate manner. And what is this appropriate
manner? "Let the scriptures be your guide (16.24)", says
the Lord. The scriptures indicate God-consciousness, that
is, seeking His help and guidance which forms the basis
of proper actions and genuine prayers. Having done
whatever one can possibly do, one is best advised to
leave the results in the hands of God. He has this
authority in the first place.
How should one pray? The first requirement is humility.
God does not respond to orders which we give Him; for
instance we often ask "do this for me or do that for me".
There should be a mood of surrender, and a strong feeling
of repentance for past mistakes, otherwise forgiveness is
unlikely to be granted. Let us put ourselves in God's
place. Would we forgive someone who tries to brazen it
out? One should seek forgiveness with a great deal of
sincerity in one's prayers while requesting for undoing
the troubles one is in.
One should also sincerely express gratitude for all the
past help given by God. By this, one is sure to please
the Almighty and get his attention quickly. Prayers
should be reasonable, that is, based on reality and not
be outrageous like asking for immortality. One should
also be deserving of what one is seeking. One must always
remember that God helps those who help themselves. God
supplements our efforts and inspires us to act correctly,
if we pray properly and sincerely. One needs to come
clean with God since He knows what is in our heart.
Trying to outwit God is unlikely to help. If one follows
such guidelines, one can seek all reasonable help and the
same are likely to be granted.
Prayers could be said silently or spoken aloud. There is
no restriction on when one can pray. Whenever one is
worried or in the grip of fear, prayers provide immediate
relief. Prayers are the best antidote for anxieties,
panic situations and over-speculative tendencies.
Praying is not a sign of our weakness. It is a very
effective way to confront a situation which is beyond our
control when no solution appears feasible. It is not just
an emotional response but a very smart way to supplement
our actions.
More at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
Hindu Holocaust Museum
http://www.mantra.com/holocaust
Hindu life, principles, spirituality and philosophy
http://www.hindu.org
http://www.hindunet.org
The truth about Islam and Muslims
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
The terrorist mission of Jesus stated in the Christian bible:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not so send
peace, but a sword.
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in
law.
"And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
- Matthew 10:34-36.
o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the educational
purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of this post may not
have been authored by, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the
poster. The contents are protected by copyright law and the exemption for
fair use of copyrighted works.
o If you send private e-mail to me, it will likely not be read,
considered or answered if it does not contain your full legal name, current
e-mail and postal addresses, and live-voice telephone number.
o Posted for information and discussion. Views expressed by others are
not necessarily those of the poster who may or may not have read the article.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This article may contain copyrighted material the use of
which may or may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. This material is being made available in efforts to advance the
understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic,
democratic, scientific, social, and cultural, etc., issues. It is believed
that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title
17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without
profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included
information for research, comment, discussion and educational purposes by
subscribing to USENET newsgroups or visiting web sites. For more information
go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes of
your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the
copyright owner.
Since newsgroup posts are being removed
by forgery by one or more net terrorists,
this post may be reposted several times.
I prayed for my well being, but my well still isn't.
David Silverman F.L.A.H.N.
aa #2208
Mistabit doesn't work in mysterious ways, people just don't pay attention.
.
|
|
|
|
|
Related Articles |
|
|
