prayer...what is it good for?

M

mario

Registered Senior Member
Why do people pray for a certain outcome? For example that poor girl that they disconnected the feeding tube to (terri schiavo). By praying for god to do something, like changing the judges' mind, goes against that judges' free will. And god doesn't want to do that.

Heck, even praying for anything for that matter. If god already knows the future, then praying now in the present for a "particular" outcome is useless because that outcome is already known to god. And if it isn't the "prayed for" outcome then that prayer did no good. If god listens to prayers and agrees to change things then the future is unknowable...even to him...because he can change his mind at any time since he, too, has free will, right?
 
Yeah, you are forgetting one small point... religion is all bullshit. if there is a god out there, I guarantee it is not properly represented in any religion.
 
One ought to pray for things one can truly receive without there being any interference with other people's free will.

Pray for wisdom, for patience, for understanding.
 
Don t let all that dogma about 'Yahweh' sway your praying capacity....and praying isn't just particular to christianity but goes way back. for example with sacraments, drums, chanting, dancing. THAT is prayer too--visualized praying!

Praying is also commensurate with magic. 'amen' means 'so be it'. I.e., you are WILLING your intention
 
Think this way..

1. Human need a shoulder to lean-on and cry
2. You confess to god (even if it is imaginative as per you) what you can't share with your kith and kin. You feel like relieved when you tell somebody instead of taking your secrets to the graveyard.
3. For weak-hearted people, its a belief that an "extra-terrestrial" power will do the magic. This will get many people going stronger. It is a psychological advantage for those.

Dont you now find the prayer is good for some thing...atleast...for some people!

Well.., for me? I am hard-core believer of God and prayers.
 
mario said:
Why do people pray for a certain outcome? For example that poor girl that they disconnected the feeding tube to (terri schiavo). By praying for god to do something, like changing the judges' mind, goes against that judges' free will. And god doesn't want to do that.

Heck, even praying for anything for that matter. If god already knows the future, then praying now in the present for a "particular" outcome is useless because that outcome is already known to god. And if it isn't the "prayed for" outcome then that prayer did no good. If god listens to prayers and agrees to change things then the future is unknowable...even to him...because he can change his mind at any time since he, too, has free will, right?
Click to expand...

Prayer is not good for those who don`t know how to pray.
 
enton: Prayer is not good for those who don`t know how to pray.
*************
M*W: What an ass you are! Prayer is nothing more than wishful thinking or having positive thoughts. By this definition, even atheists "pray." There is NO WRONG WAY to pray for a positive outcome.
 
Medicine Woman said:
enton: Prayer is not good for those who don`t know how to pray.
*************
M*W: What an ass you are! Prayer is nothing more than wishful thinking or having positive thoughts. By this definition, even atheists "pray." There is NO WRONG WAY to pray for a positive outcome.
Click to expand...
What is prayer atheistically speaking?
 
Medicine Woman said:
enton: What is prayer atheistically speaking?
*************
M*W: I just told you.
Click to expand...
I hope to hear this song:

When You Wish Upon A Star
Louis Armstrong

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you

If your heart is in your dreams
No request is to extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do

Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
As sweet fullfillment of their secret drowns
Like a boat out of the blue
Fate steps in and see's you through

Moma when you wished upon a star
Your dreams come true


(instrumental break)

Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
As sweet fullfillment of their secret drowns
Like a boat out of the blue
Fate steps in and see's you through

Baby when you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true
When you wished upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Your dreams come true
 
Every time I read the title of this thread I think of the old song "War" and I hear in my head, "Prayer. What is it good for. Huh! Absolutlely nothin. I'll say it again..."
Not that I necessarily agree with that, but it makes me giggle. :)
 
Oh? I find that meditation and calmness of mind is good for me and has nothing to do with prayer.
 
Me too.
However, prayer does have the same benefit to believers.
So, it IS good for that, if you believe in prayer.
 
Ok, well, me being the pragmatist I tend to think in terms of the non-subjective outcomes of a thing. I also find, subjectively, that chanting certain nonsense syllables (that sound a lot like certain native american languages) helps me think when I'm trying to solve a technical problem (Really! I do! Call me crazy...).

But the objective outcome of prayer is really random as far as I know.
 
superluminal said:
But the objective outcome of prayer is really random as far as I know.
Click to expand...
The same could be said for any meditation technique, yet it still offers a benefit to many.
 
I totally agree. But I don't meditate for objective outcomes. I meditate for subjective peace and focus. I don't ask for things.

I guess there are two answers to the thread title.

1) Subjectively, plenty. Hope, peace, a sense of connectedness to god, etc.
2) Objectively, nothing. Unless you categorize the enhanced performance of the person doing the praying as an objective outcome. But I would argue this.
 
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