Prayer Research

There's a story in the NYT this morning about the controversy surrounding Federal funding of research into the healing power of prayer. Aside from the fact that on its face it seems like a sham (and the lead was about how one of the researchers has just plead guilty to fraud in an unrelated case), the article is interesting for the number of studies into the idea and for the resistance it gets from religious people. Both sides of the debate say that prayer has nothing to do with science and science has nothing to do with prayer. However, there have been a few studies that indicate something is going on. Studies of heart patients and infertile couples show benefits for patients for whom prayers are said. Some think that maybe there's other stuff going on, like subtle directed peer-to-peer energies or mind communication. That cheeses both the scientists and the churches off.