So who saw that programme last night 'Does Prayer Work?'. It was about the Mantra Study in the US held over 3 years in 9 hospitals. The study took 750 people undergoing major heart surgery and 12 prayer groups prayed for 50% of them (double blinded the participants and the doctors didn't know who was being prayer for). Their health was monitored 6mths after their surgery.

The 12 prayer groups chosen included Christian mothers, a Buddhist group, an Islamic group (Sufi's in fact), Jews and a lone Christian.

The resulting stats on 5th September 2003, measured no significant difference between the health of the group prayed for and the group that were not BUT during the experiment another level of prayers were added in that another 12 prayer groups prayed for the original groups...this made a difference to the health of the participant 'double' prayed for!

Another finding of the study was that the use of MIT (music, imagery and touch therapy) reduced patient distress significantly but gave no long-term medical benefit (and in fact may have reduced the patients chance of survival).

The most interesting thing about the study was the reaction of the groups to each other and also the effect of September 11th.

The Christian Mother's and a Christian preacher were the most bigoted bunch of bastards! The preacher wanted religions assessed as to their effectiveness and the mother's disregarded any prayers but the Christian ones.

One man however said, "prayer is prayer - it's not the words, it is the intention and sincerity of the person reciting the prayers" and that prayer was "connecting to and using the divine energy, the life force". A wonderful, positive person.

After September 11th enrolment for study dropped dramatically...people didn't want Muslims praying for them...

Then I watched 'Lock Up Your Sons'. Teenage boys fighting...upsetting and also very funny...twats.