While the ability of science and the ability of prayer to cure colds, the flu, and even many cancers is about the same, most people believe in the science with such a faith as to make the most fundamentalist Christians blush.
If religion tried to force payments for prayer the way President Obama forced payments for medical "science" it would be resoundingly dismissed as the unconstitutional establishment of religion.
A much overused phrase is, "a new study shows." Perhaps there are times it should be used though. A new study shows people without God become totalitarians. A new study shows people without God are the most gullible believers.
Although it has for some long time been increasingly clear there was likely some intelligent designer of life on Earth, few people, even many so called "religious" people, seem ready to acknowledge it.
The dull witted, artless, pedestrian approach to life often characteristic of atheists and others might contribute to the delay in learning that life on Earth indeed required an intelligent designer. Even the word "complexity" seems beyond their grasp. With the art of religion lost, many are just not ready to depend on it again. A surviving notion about God is that if there were such a thing it would let us do anything we want and have everything we want regardless of bad choices. That God is recognized by no disciplined, established religion. A god who might instill, if not fear, at least circumspection might better serve the needs of people these days, and has the support of established religion.
Some versions of "Christianity" have what is called an "outreach" to the lost beyond the usual outreach most religions have. It appeals to atheist notions about God and encourages a study it is expected will lead to a deeper understanding of God and ultimately the circumpection characteristic of believers of the truth. Lately many of those outreaching have lost the art of it and become lost themselves though. Perhaps there should be more care not to make the exceptions the rule.
William Shakespeare
"The Tempest" Act 4 Scene 1
As people find they do need to return to religion they might at first be uncomfortable with the art of it. Having previously become accustomed to such pedestrian applications of text as atheism prefers it might be overwhelming how artful and responsible people who had no automobiles or airplanes were.