A Journey Into Prayer: Pioneers of Prayer in the Laboratory: Agents of Science or Satan? [Paperback]

Bill Sweet (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

ABOUT A JOURNEY INTO PRAYER

One of the most predictable consequences of exploring the bridge between science and religion is that the simple act of questioning authority, on either side of that bridge, is guaranteed to evoke furious emotions in those who believe they already know the "truth." Bill Sweet's Journey into Prayer is the story of a father and son who courageously risked everything to explore the power of prayer, an overview of what they discovered, and a poignant reminder of the risks faced by all true pioneers.
--Dean Radin, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Institute of Noetic Sciences, Author of The Conscious Universe and Entangled Minds, interviewed in the movie What the Bleep: Down the Rabbit Hole

The name Spindrift is synonymous with what at first seems an oxymoron--the scientific study of prayer. This group's ground-breaking work, which has been part of an enormous shift in consciousness, was brought forth at great personal cost--the apparent suicides of the father-son research team. Bill Sweet's meticulous account reads like a mystery--one that may never be solved. But regardless of the tragedy, the Spindrift research is an important part of the bridge between science and Spirit. May all the good these researchers have done return to them as an enduring blessing of peace.
--Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., Author, Seven Paths to God and A Woman's Journey to God cofounder and former Director of the Mind-Body Clinic, Harvard Medical School


This book describes the work of some original thinkers, supported by over 20 years of meticulous experimental and analytical research of ingenious design. It bears on the nature of prayer and of healing, and of powers of the human mind little appreciated by most people. Because the philosophical background and the experimental work differs from the mainstream, the research and its important implications for all of us has been largely overlooked. Bill Sweet's homely and disarming writing style presents the material in a personal way that is easily accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Read it, enjoy it, and save your judgment until you have finished and pondered it a while.
--Theodore Rockwell, nuclear engineer and Author of The Rickover Effect and Creating The New World

About the Author

Bill Sweet has always been interested in how consciousness and prayer relate to science and religion. A natural connection between like-thinking people resulted in his involvement in the research of prayer and consciousness at Spindrift. Bill became a president of Spindrift, Inc.

Brought up on the North Shore of Chicago, Bill graduated from New Trier High School and Illinois State University with a major in communications. He founded and was president of an entertainment booking agency in Chicagoland.

Bill's avocations include being an investor, an audiophile, and a ham radio operator. He resides in Mount Prospect, Illinois.

Product Details

• Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris Corporation (January 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401091490
• ISBN-13: 978-1401091491
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,066,938 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mystifying, July 15, 2004

By 

Michael E. Tymn (Kailua, Hawaii) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Journey Into Prayer: Pioneers of Prayer in the Laboratory: Agents of Science or Satan? (Paperback)

Bill Sweet, the author of this book, probably greeted the recent news about medical researchers at Duke and Harvard collaborating with popular spiritual author Deepak Chopra and Unity president Tom Zender to form a center for prayer research with a bewildered but satisfying smile and shake of the head. Such a reaction would have resulted from the fact that the article, which appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, ignored the pioneering research concerning the effectiveness of prayer carried out by Bruce and John Klingbeil, the father-son team founders of the Spindrift organization, beginning in 1969 and continuing until their strange deaths in 1993. Sweet's book is about the Klingbeils and Spindrift.

As Sweet, a former president of Spindrift, explains, it is now politically correct to research prayer, but it wasn't politically correct when the Klingbeils were conducting their research, between 1969 and their strange deaths in 1993.

The two men had become full-time researchers in 1975 and found little financial support in their endeavor. For lack of financial support, they were forced to move from Illinois to Salem, Oregon. But it wasn't only a lack of financial support that frustrated and depressed the Klingbeils. According to Sweet, Bruce Klingbeil's name was removed from the Christian Science Journal listing of practitioners in late 1983, devastating him and putting him out of work. He had been a full-time practitioner, his primary duty being to pray for people to heal. His motivation to pursue prayer research was a result of seeing people drift away from the spiritual approach to healing and life in general. Meanwhile, John Klingbeil was so dedicated to his father's work in prayer research that he passed up a full math scholarship to Northwestern University so he could devote full time to working with his father.

"With few exceptions, theologians and laity alike have felt Spindrift's prayer testing was irreverent, and some even thought it was anti-Christian," Sweet explains, going on to opine that even spiritual people become your enemy when laboratory science is offered to support the anecdotal evidence underlying faith.

The Klingbeils developed some 70 different tests of thought and prayer, many of which strongly suggested that prayer forms "subtle mental imprints" on the physical world and creates a certain order in the physical universe. Their objective was to prove and explain the relationship between prayer and healing. Their focus was botanical experiments, as praying for plants did not involve the conscious or subconscious variables that might influence results with humans.

Sweet saves a summary of the experiments for the appendix of the book. The main body of the book is more about the dedication and devotion along with the trials and tribulations of the Klingbeils. As their research successes mounted, so did their frustrations, eventually leading to a double suicide. As it was definitely contrary to their deep religious and spiritual beliefs, the suicides were particularly mysterious. While foul play was ruled out, Sweet concludes that some kind of negative energy was behind the suicides.

The Spindrift story is a very interesting, informative, and intriguing read, especially with regard to the negative reaction of religion in a pursuit that supposedly lends itself to its cause. The book does not offer organized religion an opportunity to directly voice its opposition, and we are left to conclude, as Sweet puts it, that "what made the Klingbeils so controversial was that they actually tested some sacred powers in the laboratory."

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pray for Science, June 8, 2004

By 

Charles R. Atkins (Savoy, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Journey Into Prayer: Pioneers of Prayer in the Laboratory: Agents of Science or Satan? (Paperback)

Once I picked up A Journey Into Prayer, I couldn't put it down. While reading it, I experienced a wide range of emotions - much of it anger and dismay. I was also inspired. This book is a masterpiece that reads in parts like a novel. But this book is not fiction; it's a documentary on Spindrift, the prayer research organization that dared to investigate the science behind prayer and healing. Between the lines, I perceived the fear of religionists and scientists. It seemed that both had a vested interest in keeping the truth obscured. For the church, to attempt to test prayer is heresy - to study it scientifically is foolhardy. But the evidence speaks for itself - there is a measurable influence between prayer and healing. I hope courageous religionists and scientists will take up the task of fully exploring this vital area. If they do, it is clear that they will be reviled, criticized, persecuted, sanctioned, and scorned. But the cat's out of the bag now. Bruce and John Klingbeil sacrificed their lives to prove a point. And what a point they proved - prayer and consciousness can affect living things locally and nonlocally. Prayer can heal. Healing through prayer and meditation is part of every religious tradition. It is ironic then, that religious people so strongly objected to Spindrift research and persecuted Bruce and John Klingbeil.

I hope a major publisher picks up the rights to this book. It should be required reading for every college student with a science or philosophy major. The persecution Spindrift endured is not unique for controversial issues. The scientific establishment and academia are often guilty of being fully vested in the traditional order, squashing new ideas when they conflict with entrenched theory. Religion has much to lose if it is determined that their way is not the only way. Bruce and John ran head first into that buzz saw.

Many thanks to author, Bill Sweet, for making this book come to life. It should be a call to arms for those still possessing a seeking mind for the truth, no matter where it might lead us. This book is a somber reminder that even though we live in an age with computers and space flight, our emotions and desires are not so highly evolved. Prayer is mysterious and it is powerful. Why does it work? Like it or not, we're going to find out.

Charles Atkins, Author
Modern Buddhist Healing

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tough subject, gripping story, August 8, 2005

By 

Roger Baker "Methodist Clergy & MS patient" (Burke, Virginia (USA)) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Journey Into Prayer: Pioneers of Prayer in the Laboratory: Agents of Science or Satan? (Paperback)

Bill Sweet manages to give you a feel for the idealistic and tragic story of the Klingbiels, two Christian Science believers who decided to attempt rigorous field tests of prayer. Sweet's love for the protagonists allows him to treat their foibles, moments of inspiration, and occasional discouragement with a gentle hand.

The story is well presented but not an "easy read"; the topic is so personal and the story so engaging you'll want to digest it slowly. Buy the book and take a few days to consider ot carefully.