Ah, the randomness of prayer. When prayer 'works', people jump for joy and claim a miracle...even when just one guy survives a mining accident that kills a dozen others. When it doesn't work, they say, "God had other plans for him", "It wasn't God's will", etc. They can't lose the arguement.
What is really funny is when someone thinks their god had a hand in winning the ball game......
My take on prayer helping people is that it DOES work. It helps the person doing the pray-ing (much like meditation), and it makes the person who is being prayed for to feel good, if they know others are wishing well for them. But, so far a supernatural effect...I don't think so.
This study says it doesn't