The power of prayer - or not...

Believers why do you pray?
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To be heard. And prayer has worked for me :)

And you should know that people should not but God to the test.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days
 
deicide128 said:
Comfort, wish list, or giving god some ruling advice
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sumtimes it can be good to talk to yrself.

If god is all knowing wouldn't it already see what your going to pray for?
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yes. jesus said: remember, your father knows what your needs are before you ask him. this is how you should pray: our father who art in heaven... etc.

of course... if god would change his masterplan and stuff only because we pray, there would be chaos. he can't change everything just because mortals pray for him, he knows us better than we know ourselves, he knows what is best for us.
 
Yes. The righteous in the "enemy" country pray for the defeat of the "enemy". Who is the enemy? Who is righteous? Who decides? Which god rules? And if there is only one god, how does he decide? Clearly this must be rediculous - even to "believers". Right? No? Oh well. What did I expect.
 
Yes. The righteous in the "enemy" country pray for the defeat of the "enemy". Who is the enemy? Who is righteous? Who decides? Which god rules? And if there is only one god, how does he decide? Clearly this must be rediculous - even to "believers". Right? No? Oh well. What did I expect.
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Example: Boxer A & B pray to god for victory;
Boxer A almost kills boxer B with a blow to the head; in interview;

Boxer A thanks god for his undisputable victory; Boxer B gets rushed to the hospital and dies overnight.

What the hell happened to boxer B's prayers? God dindn't listen, did he favor boxer A over Boxer B. or did he listen to a desperate gambling man to answer his prayer and give boxer A a quick victory because he bet the house?


Ah! I guess that's why they say "god works in misterious ways"

Godless
 
Yes. It was clearly god's will to let boxer B die and A go on to pugilistic glory. Then what did the prayer have to do with it? Asking god to do something he was already going to do? Bah. Same old roundabout. Prayer is just plain stupid no matter how you look at it.
 
Adstar said:
To be heard. And prayer has worked for me :)

And you should know that people should not but God to the test.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days
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So, has everything you've ever prayed for happened? No.

Have some things happened and others not? Yes.

Why didn't prayer work for those things that didn't happen?
 
Prayer equals Desperation. Not to mention very selfish despite what you wish for. Even if you are praying for others, it is still your wish. Praying is a pseudo-reality check to see if God's either listening or if He favors you over others. You know.... confirmation that one is on the right track to Heaven.

If you prayed for world hunger to end overnite and it happened, I would get on my knees right then and beg for forgiveness. Unfortunately God must be getting tired of hearing that one, either He can't deliver or He doesn't want to end it.
 
PsychoticEpisode said:
Prayer equals Desperation. Not to mention very selfish despite what you wish for. Even if you are praying for others, it is still your wish. Praying is a pseudo-reality check to see if God's either listening or if He favors you over others. You know.... confirmation that one is on the right track to Heaven.

If you prayed for world hunger to end overnite and it happened, I would get on my knees right then and beg for forgiveness. Unfortunately God must be getting tired of hearing that one, either He can't deliver or He doesn't want to end it.
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i believe you hav denigrated prayer cause of your aversion to patriarchal 'God' religion. but its not only patriarchal religionists pray, Indigenous peoples who had an animist woldview also prayed. different forms but still prayer, which is directed MEANING

to wonder whypraying wont suddenly end world hunger is naive. that problem is complex and is due to how we LIVE and how many conform to tis way of living,

But still IFyou have deep feelings to help someone or planet Earth etc do it. This deep feeling IS Meaning
 
PsychoticEpisode said:
Prayer equals Desperation. Not to mention very selfish despite what you wish for. Even if you are praying for others, it is still your wish.

If you prayed for world hunger to end overnite and it happened, I would get on my knees right then and beg for forgiveness. Unfortunately God must be getting tired of hearing that one, either He can't deliver or He doesn't want to end it.
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Or, he simply does not hear any such prayers. ;)
 
When I was back there in seminary school, there was a person there who put forth the proposition, that you can petition the lord with prayer.
Petition the lord with prayer, petition the lord with prayer!
You cannot petition the lord with prayer!

--Soft Parade, The Doors
 
I'm not going to discount a god who hears but does not act. I can no better prove god's existence than any religious person. The freewill package allows us to pray but to not expect god to interfere. Any intervention from the almighty is a breach of the freewill agreement. In other words, if god exists and he hears your prayers then he can only listen.

Of course if you've already gathered that prayer is beneficial, from a book written in god's words, then you have already been influenced. The freewill decision to pray did not come without some coercion.

The thought that you are talking to the most powerful presence in the universe and beyond is just that, a thought. If it makes you feel better, then good. There will be moments when something you ask for will happen, it can only be coincidence because god should be non-interfering. Its like gambling, people lose more times than win, but only tell you when they win.

What if you prayed that someone would die and they did? If you believe in god then say thanks. Don't feel guilty, there is no need. God, the associated beliefs and customs that come with him/her is only a convenience. If that's the meaning....then so be it.
 
superluminal said:
No. Random chance and coincidence has worked in your favor.

All Praise The Accidents Of Chance
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*************
M*W: Atheists don't 'pray', we think positively.

All Praise the Coincidence of Synchronicity in the Universe
 
Chance is merely a word that people use to conceal their ignorance of the real causes.
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Chance has nothing to do with knowledge, ignorance is seeking that which can't be proven to exist, with the idea that it does. :rolleyes:

The thought that you are talking to the most powerful presence in the universe and beyond is just that, a thought. If it makes you feel better, then good. There will be moments when something you ask for will happen, it can only be coincidence because god should be non-interfering. Its like gambling, people lose more times than win, but only tell you when they win.
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The only powerfull presence in the universe when you are praying is your own self. You are basically talking, wishing, to yourself for your benefit or of those around you, when you pray, it gives you solace, a since of not being alone, fear is the main cause of your prayers, hopes would be the next, you are only soothing your ego, in times of trouble. Prayer didn't work for those people on board of airplanes that crashed on wtc, nor did it help anyone in New Orleans, it only soothes their melancholy and fears.

Godless
 
Godless said:
. Prayer didn't work for those people on board of airplanes that crashed on wtc, nor did it help anyone in New Orleans, it only soothes their melancholy and fears.

Godless
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Depends, WTC terrorists surely prayed to their god that their mission would be successful. Likewise for those who pray for misfortune to befall Americans on a daily basis.

WTC is an example of God being unable to come through for opposite demands at a synchronous prayer moment. He can give to one what he cannot give to the other.

Or else prayer is just a pile of crap, a statement which undoubtedly makes more sense.
 
Experts called it the largest and best-designed study ever to test the medical effects of intercessory prayers — praying on behalf of someone else. That's different from studying the effect of a person's prayers and spiritual practices on his or her own health; many studies of that have shown a positive effect.
 
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