doctor's orders

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Sep 11, 2009

 A researcher from the University of Ulster is presenting a paper to the British Psychological Society arguing that medical patients who put their faith in prayer may be jeopardizing their own recovery. As BBC explains, Dr. Tony Cassidy reasons that "some people who put their trust in faith healing may be less likely to adhere to medical advice."

Aha. But that argument would be a lot more compelling if we could be sure that the medical advice would indeed make the patients better. And that the prayers couldn't.

Perhaps the British Psychological Society should commission a second presentation, exploring the possibility that "some people who put their trust in medical advice may be less likely to persevere in prayer."