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Praying to a God You Don’t Believe In
- Thread starter Psalm23
- Start date
PoetPhilosopher
Veteran Member
I've at times prayed to gods I do believe in, but that I don't typically worship, which means it wouldn't have really made sense for me to pray to them.
I guess I did this on my way out of Christianity. For much of a year, I would ask Jesus to show me a sign if I was making a mistake choosing atheism. It seems self-contradictory, and it was, but the transition wasn't instantaneous, and it made sense to me to confirm that those prayers weren't going to be answered if that were the case.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
I think I know where you're getting at but the question doesn't make sense to me. If someone doesn't believe in god (in particular his existence) then they are praying to a concept in their mind, anthromophism idea, or so have you. There's no real being to pray to because one doesn't exist. So, if they are praying to god but doesn't believe in its existence it could be for mental soothing-like talking to a loved one as if they have not died.
If you believe in it as in trust, to those who believe he exists they may pray for awhile and leave because maybe their god didn't show them why they should have faith and trust in him.
But all in all they're not praying to god they don't believe in (his existence). Concept, maybe... someone else's idea of god, possibly, but not god itself.
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I've prayed to gods I don't prefer. By not preferring, I mean either that I don't know them well, or I simply dislike them. Sometimes this happens because of a group situation I'm in, in which a prayer is dedicated to a non-preferred deity, or at the request of a person(but only if the prayer request directly deals with their ailments, not mine).
Voted Yes. We would pray at primary school as part of the school assemblies which is where I picked it up. I would have stopped praying when I became an atheist, with maybe a handful of exceptions when I was upset.
I have a fairly clear memory that the last time I prayed as it would have been eight years ago when the guy I was in love with became involved in the arms industry. I was probably the only person in his immediate social circle who tried to talk him out of it, effectively coming out as bisexual in the process. He didn't listen. So eventually I reached the point where I prayed for his welfare, (effectively) his soul and that he might have some divine guidance. There was nothing else to be done, so it was worth a try. Based on his linkedin page, he left the job two years later but we haven't spoken since. I still miss him even after all that.
Psalm23
Well-Known Member
There is a song I know of that has the lyrics “ just praying to a God that I don’t believe in”. The song title is “ Breakeven” by the Script. That line from this song may have inspired this thread.
stvdv
Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
I have problems believing in something IF not having experienced it personally:
When doctors told me I was about to die around 1992, I prayed something like: "God, I don't know you, or what/who you are, but if you exist and do nothing then soon this body is finished the doctors told me. I am okay with that, but if you have other plans with me, you better do something". After that prayer I went to sleep.
Science and doctors could not help me anymore, and gave me a kind of "death sentence"
That worked miracles for me
God is the Great
Psalm23
Well-Known Member
I have problems believing in something IF not having experienced it personally:
When doctors told me I was about to die around 1992, I prayed something like: "God, I don't know you, or what/who you are, but if you exist and do nothing then soon this body is finished the doctors told me. I am okay with that, but if you have other plans with me, you better do something". After that prayer I went to sleep.
Science and doctors could not help me anymore, and gave me a kind of "death sentence"
That worked miracles for me
God is the Great
That sounds like a wonderful but scary experience . How was the recovery process? Was it difficult or easy or in between? No need to share if you feel uncomfortable doing so.
stvdv
Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
I had been terribly sick, vomit and diarrhea for 2 month, and to die felt like a relieve. So, these 2 month were quite a challenge. Took me 2 month of suffering before I went on my knees. Next morning all big troubles were gone, so that part was easy (the lost 20 kg did not return miraculously though; later on I thought "I should have asked "God" to give me back my 20 kg that I lost)
The hard part was when I tried to get better on my own
The easiest part was when I kind of gave up doing it myself
Trailblazer
Veteran Member
Maybe Jesus knew something that you didn't know.
Trailblazer
Veteran Member
No, I never did that. I hardly ever even pray to the God I do believe in.
Never prayed to any God -- but don't believe in any, either.
Yes, for roughly the first 12 years of my life (save the part where I didn't know how to talk yet).
Because I was indoctrinated to believe if I didn't, unfortunate circumstances would befall me.
My thoughts? Children shouldn't be indoctrinated into a religion. They should be taught about it and be free to choose whether to participate on their own accord in the household religion, to learn about other religions, or to live a life without religious affiliation.
Sand Dancer
Crazy Cat Lady
I prayed a few times after I left Christianity to see what happened. I was desperate. Not much happened. I prayed again when I considered becoming LDS, but I just can't be sincere.
