Amen.

The American Heart Journal reports that prayer does nothing, and might even be bad for you, at least if you end up on the business end of it.

“Intercessory prayer itself had no effect on complication-free recovery from CABG [coronary artery bypass graft], but certainty of receiving intercessory prayer was associated with a higher incidence of complications.”

Bob Barth of Silent Unity kept his equanimity in the NY Times.

"A person of faith would say that this study is interesting," Mr. Barth said, "but we've been praying a long time and we've seen prayer work, we know it works, and the research on prayer and spirituality is just getting started."

Well, gosh, Bob. If we know it works, there’s not much point in more research, is there?

Far from giving aid and comfort to atheists, this study might actually swell the ranks of the religious. I, for one, have a special prayer—my first in years—ready for the next person who leaves a sex-hotline sticker on my scooter. If only I can figure out how to let him know…