Considering the Effects of Prayer

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The largest and most scientifically rigorous study of prayer's efficacy,
the 2006 STEP project, found no significant difference whether
subjects were prayed for or not, except some negative effects
among those who knew they were receiving prayers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efficacy_of_prayer

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I believe you should have said that "false" religions have done great harm.

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Can you give me some examples of anything that does not or cannot do any harm?

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Fascinating topic.

I'm heading out right now, but this is on my list for response in the morning.

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That is because of false teachers infiltrating the church as Jesus predicted they would do. It is up to us to be discerning and to search the scriptures to see if what they claim is so.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily , whether those things were so.

(Acts 17:11 KJV)

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"Do Atheists Pray? You better believe it." Published on September 25, 2013 by Christine Wicker in Pray for Me.

"Do atheists and agnostics pray? Yes, indeedy. Quite a bit it turns out. Six percent of them pray every day, we’re told by the Pew Research Center. And 11 percent pray weekly or monthly. If no one is there, you might ask, who are they praying to? Let me guess. The air. The universe. The self. Maybe.

Or theirs might be the kinds of prayer that don’t need a recipient. They could be a feeling of awe. A sense of the numinous. An upwelling of peace brought on by nature. A moment of transcendence in the presence of music or art. Or simply a moment of felt stillness. Their prayers might also be an overflowing of gratitude. A shout of joy brought on by being alive. A moment of connection with another human’s pain.

Or, of course, they could also be cries for help from people who can’t help crying out even though they don’t think anyone hears. Trees falling in the forest. The proverbial atheists in foxholes. Or just screamers, who voice their pain because they must and give it meaning because that’s what humans do. Once the options are outlined, it seems less surprising that atheists pray. But that brings up another question. How did I (and they, if my suggestions are actually what the study’s respondents mean by prayer) get the idea that prayer could take so many forms?

I did not grow up thinking such thoughts. I and everyone I knew believed that prayer was directed to God (or Gods if they were what we Baptists called poor heathens). Or Jesus, who is God. Or in the case of Catholics, Mary and the saints. Prayer was spoken—either aloud or silently. It consisted of praise, supplication, repentance, and thanks, except when delivered publicly. Then it might include quite a lot of telling God what he already knew and a goodly dose of preaching aimed at the listeners, held bowed and captive by the notion that God was in attendance. But prayer, like so much of American religious belief, has gone rogue. Now it can consist of all manner of things. Be directed toward all sorts of entities. Or none at all.

NEXT: PRAYING ATHEISTS II: The atheist who made a goddess, didn’t believe in her but prayed anyway from the Washington Post story. And what happened then. How William James would explain that."

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/pray-me/201309/do-atheists-pray

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I think you understand. 10% of the world probably thinks that the internet has done more harm than good, but its the 90% that will keep the internet going. Same with religion. People who think religion has done more harm than good are, in the minority and just not aware of the benefits because they deprive themselves of the experience of participating in something worthwhile. So they stay on the sidelines and complain.

The "serenity prayer" is worth a moment. One version:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.

The original, attributed to Niebuhr, is longer and has mention of Jesus.

This has the appearance of a prayer (a word yet to be defined here) but stands independently of that as a reminder/motivator to step back from a situation and consider one's real options. Practical advice.