As a born-again believer, I really don’t know how to identify with the idea of prayer being like offering a wish list to God and hoping He’ll come through on it. I honestly from experience and understanding of the Word of God understand prayer to be something we do to change ourselves more than it “changes” His mind.

Peace out, interesting reading on this blog.

I don’t see, however, what difference it can make to the real world. I say ‘real’ because there is a clear difference to the spiritual domain. The world we live in is made of billions and billions of random happenings, some leading to good things, others to bad things. Let’s say that you wish someone to fare well on some important exam. So, you pray. Suppose now that that same person Does fare well on the exam. Is it God’s work? He studied, he knew all the stuff -> he did well on the exam. Where is the divine intervention? As to me, nowhere… I’m a non believer… But now, what if that person doesn’t do well on that exam. Is God to blame? I think not… If you fail, it isn’t God’s fault, it’s yours BUT if you succeed, than you had God’s help (?). God is only there for good things. Make no mistake, I’m not complaining, I’m just saying how I feel and I think you’ll find it to be a bit true.

When some people see a beautiful landscape, or a delicate flower, they say it’s God’s work. But, when you look at the poor african people, dying through starvation and poverty, or a 3-year-old child who is probably going to die because of bad water, that too is God’s work, isn’t it? It must be… he supposedly created the universe and all…

Have I never begged and pleaded with God? Of course I have. I’m human. But I wholeheartedly agree that I do not want God to change from his BEST plan to accomodate MY idea of what’s best for me. That’s the essence of faith.

The lotters is useless, after all, all things were already given. So that is sort of missing the mark.

I don’t pray for anyone. I see it then it happens. We create our world by our thoughts.
And I also know of karma. We will reap that which we have sown.

I don’t practice any religion either. I am that I am. All things are within us. I guess you could
say I am a bit of everything.

To put it in a “different” light, praying is like asking a semi-rhetorical question to the deity you worship: you don’t expect an answer, but anything that shows up as a result of having made the “request” won’t be turned down.

When you ask someone for help, have you demanded that (s)he help you or merely asked?

Also, the selfishness of praying depends a lot on what is being prayed for. Is praying that your son/daughter does well on a very important exam selfish? Is praying your soldier spouse doesn’t come to harm on the battlefield selfish? Whether it is a placebo or not is not the question, but the fact is saying those words, whether (S)He/They exist(s) or not, will reassure the one who prays.

There are selfish prayers, sure. But I believe not all of them are.

The funny thing is I don’t follow any religion, yet I’m standing up “prayer”

PS: Isn’t “I hope I win the lottery this week” kind of a prayer? ^_^

God is not a person, God is a presence. God is
lived not seen..

When you have a time alone (prayer) you are not having a time
alone with anyone…..But your very own presence.
There is no thou and I, there is only “I.”

Praying is not just asking it is demanding, give me this,
give me that.. Prayer is for your own selfish needs. Of
I WANT this.. And you use the excuse “well so and so
needs this or that” You haven’t a clue as to what another
person needs.. The mask you wear is subtle, and only covers
up what you “think” is for the better of another.

Kneeling down and praying in churches or synagogues, bowing
before images is foolishness. You do this because others
do it.. And if you don’t do it, you feel left out. Fear
sets in.. Instead of standing in the presence of “I” you
are being dictated to.. A follower of the robe wearers.

It takes courage to stand away from the crowd.. You feel
that so many do it so it must be the “right” thing to do.
You just recycle all the things you see and hear..

It is a religious act.. A crowd act.. And one that is
most foolish. A follower of the crowd instead of a
leader..

This is of my own understanding.. You don’t have to agree.
It is just something you can think upon. Maybe say,
“I have never thought of it that way before.”

Yet, I agree with Kanzentai. Prayer is like positive thinking: repeating the same thing over and over again will inevitably lead to concentrating on it, therefore finding an answer.

I believe (wrong verb, me being a “awaiting evidence” kind of guy) a prayer is like a request, not an order. I think I recall the words “please” or “if you could” (yes, 3 words, not just one) show up quite often in a prayer. I think even the most fanatical of religious zealots doesn’t say “I told God this was the right thing to do!”, they usually say the opposite

Sentences like: “Please tell me”, “Help me achieve”, “I need your counsel”, “How do I get this stain off?” are the prayer’s “tools of the trade”. How can this work, being that you very rarely (if ever) get an answer? It’s simple.

While praying, one usually states all he knows or thinks he knows about the “prayer’s topic”, which should be futile, since (s)he’s “all-seeing, all-hearing, all-knowing”. But yet it isn’t. It allows, under the guise of a one-way dialogue with a semi-real entity, the praying person to reflect on it. And being as he or she isn’t aware he/she’s doing so, the answer comes as an insight. This insight is “blamed” on God’s divine intervention. Doesn’t insight feel “perfect”? That one instant where everything just comes into place in an unexplainable magical way? Isn’t “unexplainable magical” one of a deity/god’s traits? Well, this proves nothing regarding its (un)existence, but it’s a nice point of view

The question here is: would that person have reached the same answer (be it right or wrong, both can happen) if she/he had not prayed? Would it have come in more/less handy?

Keep this in mind: I follow no religion ^_^

Is it so strange when you are in a difficult situation to ask for a friend’s assistance or advise?

On the other hand there are many actions some Christians embrace that are little more than superstition. We all have room for growth, I have as much error as the next fellow, more than others.