Praying for a new car

[djewleu]

Why is this prayer successful most of the time, while prayers to find MISSING CHILDREN do fail?
Compare: prayer grants thousands of new cars given to church leaders every year, while supplications, intercessions, tears, crying, weeping, pain, trauma and horror for MISSING CHILDREN in the world [many from Christian families] is not taken care of?
Is there an answer for this situation?
What should we think of such a God?...

 

[lombas]

Why is this prayer successful most of the time, while prayers to find MISSING CHILDREN do fail?

Maybe it is because many people praying to own a new car already know that they will own one in the future (it is within their grasp) while missing children are by defintion outside their grasp.

You can save for a new car (a material good), you cannot do more but search for a missing child (immaterial).

Also, I could mention finding a child is worth so much more than a car, the latter will be more easily achieved.

 

[djewleu]

Her's a story almost true:
...
The Parable of The Old Volkswagen.
Once upon a time a church minister needed a new car.
His old Volkswagen was now not ideal for his job.
He went on his knees to pray and believe in his God’s promises written in the Bible.
After a month he got a new Toyota.
The church approved him as a man of successful prayer and strong faith.
Humbly, he acknowledged he only trusted his Lord.
Months later, a child of one of his church members went missing.
In desperation, the parents pleaded with the pastor to go pray with the entire church to ask his God to quickly find the disappeared child.
Three years later, the child was found murdered by a pedophile.

 

[lombas]

Her's a story almost true:
...
The Parable of The Old Volkswagen.
Once upon a time a church minister needed a new car.
His old Volkswagen was now not ideal for his job.
He went on his knees to pray and believe in his God’s promises written in the Bible.
After a month he got a new Toyota.
The church approved him as a man of successful prayer and strong faith.
Humbly, he acknowledged he only trusted his Lord.
Months later, a child of one of his church members went missing.
In desperation, the parents pleaded with the pastor to go pray with the entire church to ask his God to quickly find the disappeared child.
Three years later, the child was found murdered by a pedophile.

I disapprove of people praying for material goods except when "in need". I certainly disapprove of pedophilia. I don't see why the two are connected, however. And I'm not sure I like your insinuation...

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Because with each passing moment, the chances of finding a missing person, be it child or adult, drops. And praying for a new car will likely work, because that it already a probability in everyone's future.

 

[djewleu]

Wrong, I guess.
Pastors and similar opportunists taking a chance to trick their assemblies with superstitious concepts will insist their gods will answer their prayers for new cars, but AVOID serious issues like praying for MISSING CHILDREN, which are never found through their prayers.
The police find them, thank goodness!
There is no record of any MISSING CHILDREN having been found through pastors' prayers.
That is one strong reason I encourage people NOT to go to any church.
Serious social evils are NEVER resolved by any church.
The churches do ALWAYS take irrelevant matters as if they were important, to foster their hidden agendas.
New cars for their parasitic leadership is what matters in terms of deceiving their assemblies!

 

[Valjean]

Clearly the abduction of children occurrs only with God's assent (not a sparrow falls..." &c), so Why would He intervene. The boon of a Mercedes for his servants, however, is another matter.

 

[fantome profane]

Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?

Oh Lord, won't you buy me a color TV ?
Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me.
I wait for delivery each day until three,
So oh Lord, won't you buy me a color TV ?

Oh Lord, won't you buy me a night on the town ?
I'm counting on you, Lord, please don't let me down.
Prove that you love me and buy the next round,
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a night on the town ?

Everybody!
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends,
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?

- Janis Joplin

 

[Riverwolf]

Tell you what: instead of praying for the missing children, GO FIND THEM!!

God does surely not grant the prayers of somebody who is in the power to grant it himself or herself. Nor does God grant prayers that affect the physical world. At most, he will give strength and will. He answers prayers that will affect the mind.

It's called the "placebo effect."

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Pastors and similar opportunists taking a chance to trick their assemblies with superstitious concepts will insist their gods will answer their prayers for new cars, but AVOID serious issues like praying for MISSING CHILDREN, which are never found through their prayers.

Some people just believe, as some, if not most, Pastors just believe. They do not believe they are tricking anyone. They believe that if someone is aided or not in prayer is just God's will. They don't see it as superstition, trickery, misleading, misconception, lies, or any other negative connotation.
I myself gave up on such a lifestyle, but for some people it works. It brings them happiness, a sense of security, peace, and even belonging. And for many Pastors/Priests, or whatnot, they do it out of a love for there God, and to have a sense that they are helping there fellow man.
Is it a lifestyle for everyone, no. But should people be demonized and degraded for follow it? Of course not.

 

[djewleu]

Tell you what: instead of praying for the missing children, GO FIND THEM!!

God does surely not grant the prayers of somebody who is in the power to grant it himself or herself. Nor does God grant prayers that affect the physical world. At most, he will give strength and will. He answers prayers that will affect the mind.

It's called the "placebo effect."

That's a stupid and weird god!
It tells you to pray always but not to pray for things he is not interested, like finding MISSING CHILDREN!
An incredibly USELESS almighty!!!
He needs to be replaced!

 

[Riverwolf]

That's a stupid and weird god!
It tells you to pray always but not to pray for things he is not interested, like finding MISSING CHILDREN!
An incredibly USELESS almighty!!!
He needs to be replaced!

How can he be? God cannot separate himself from us. This is the one thing God cannot do, which logically includes several other restrictions.

Like I said: why should he do something we are perfectly capable of doing ourselves? Humanity is in its prepubescent stage: the stage where the parent stops doing things for the child, and the child is expected to start making his or her own food, do his or her own laundry, and clean his or her own dishes.

We are capable of finding missing children. If a town's child goes missing, and every member of that town searches, that child will be found. But since we're not willing to give up our own routines for the sake of this child, why should God do anything about it?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Tell you what: instead of praying for the missing children, GO FIND THEM!!

God does surely not grant the prayers of somebody who is in the power to grant it himself or herself. Nor does God grant prayers that affect the physical world. At most, he will give strength and will. He answers prayers that will affect the mind.

It's called the "placebo effect."

That's a stupid and weird god!
It tells you to pray always but not to pray for things he is not interested, like finding MISSING CHILDREN!
An incredibly USELESS almighty!!!
He needs to be replaced!

So according to you, we need to replace the placebo affect, a well accepted, understood, and provable psychological factor, because it's a stupid, weird and useless?

 

[Riverwolf]

So according to you, we need to replace the placebo affect, a well accepted, understood, and provable psychological factor, because it's a stupid, weird and useless?

I guess he doesn't realize that with my use of the term placebo effect, I have suggested that no external deity is answering prayers.

 

[darkendless]

People will always claim prayers are answered, but they only say so because they want to believe prayers are answered at all.

God can do anything if your mind will let him.

 

[Charity]

Sorry Guys but some prayers are answered, it just depends on who does the asking.

 

[djewleu]

So according to you, we need to replace the placebo affect, a well accepted, understood, and provable psychological factor, because it's a stupid, weird and useless?

I never heard of the placebo "Affect".

 

[Autodidact]

Sorry Guys but some prayers are answered, it just depends on who does the asking.

Actually, no, it doesn't. The only thing it depends on is random chance.

Or who do you think has the ability to have their prayers answered in the affirmative?

 

[Charity]

Actually, no, it doesn't. The only thing it depends on is random chance.

Or who do you think has the ability to have their prayers answered in the affirmative?

What are the chances of going to a friend's father and asking for a new car....It stands to reason a "Father" will give to his own child before answering the request of a "stranger" or someone who is not one of his own.....

 

[djewleu]

Actually, no, it doesn't. The only thing it depends on is random chance.

Or who do you think has the ability to have their prayers answered in the affirmative?

Correct.
"Some prayers are answered" means that god is excused for incompetence.
What would be the reason for a nice god not to answer desperate prayers for MISSING CHILDREN, for heaven's sake?!!!...