Prayer serves no purpose.

[Uberpod]

Prayer is a form of self-talk that I have no objection to, but I wish people would keep it to themselves a bit more.

 

[Father Heathen]

Even if there is no one on the other end, I imagine prayer still has some therapeutic, emotional/mental benefits akin to meditation, or writing in a diary.

 

[YmirGF]

Though I believe prayer is largely unnecessary, I realize that given specific belief systems about the nature of reality, prayer could well be therapeutic or psychologically beneficial.

 

[YmirGF]

Even if there is no one on the other end, I imagine prayer still has some therapeutic, emotional/mental benefits akin to meditation, or writing in a diary.

Haha. So many miles away from each other and yet we are on the same wavelength. Nice...:drool:

 

[Vinayaka]

I love it when I watch sports games when both sides pray for the win, and then only one side wins. Then afterward the winners thank God, but the losers slink off to the dressing room to pout about the loss.

 

[Uberpod]

I love it when I watch sports games when both sides pray for the win, and then only one side wins. Then afterward the winners thank God, but the losers slink off to the dressing room to pout about the loss.

One wonders why they do that, it was just a contrived game, and the sporting event was also trivial. :sarcastic

 

[Vinayaka]

One wonders why they do that,

Makes no sense to me whatsoever, but neither did the 3 stooges. It's comedy, I guess.

 

[yokomodoful]

I would if they already knew everything I was about to say. I'd just go and do something more interesting instead.

So you only spend time with those you love for entertainment and to do something interesting?

 

[Father Heathen]

Makes no sense to me whatsoever, but neither did the 3 stooges. It's comedy, I guess.

"Never mind these starving children. There are balls that need chased around!" - God.

 

[Astravalon]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]

And by the standards of christian mythology, god would already know everyhing you're about to pray about - whether you were simply conversing or asking for something - meaning the system is still redundant. You can't converse with someone that already knows what you're going to say before you were even born.

Well, let's just say that the dynamics involved are likely far different[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]from human-to-human conversation (assuming both humans aren't[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]somehow clairvoyant, of course!). [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]

Some say it's another version of my own mind, that's cool too...I can accept that but it makes no difference to what I believe in...what I feel...what my heart tells me to do (which is often the right thing).

I've wondered about that myself, how much of it is God and how[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]much is my own mind. Actually, if God permeates everyone and[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]everything, that would explain why the line between the two[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif](God/mind) is hard to distinguish, I suppose. [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]Either way, it works! :yes:[/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]

I take your point, but in this thread we're speaking of the god of christian mythology. Who, indeed, claims to be omniscient. At the very least christian prayer is a waste of time.

Well heck, I find quilting to be a waste of (my) time, but if enough[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]quilters tell me that it enriches their (and others') lives somehow,[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]that would make my complaining about it another waste of (my)[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]time.

(Though I did enjoy cross-stitching for a time, back in the day). [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]

Prayer is a form of self-talk that I have no objection to, but I wish people would keep it to themselves a bit more.

I agree that the more public forms of praying can be a bit much,[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]especially considering that, at least in the case of the Christian[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]scriptures, Jesus advises doing so privately rather than making a[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]public display out of it. [/FONT]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]This is one reason why I never understood campaigns to keep prayer[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]in schools – prayer isn't even visible if done the way Jesus advises,[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]so it can't be outlawed. Making a show of praying, however, can be[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]outlawed, and, to be honest, I would think Christians would find[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, sans-serif]that a 'scriptural' move on the lawmakers' part.

-
[/FONT]

 

[Quintessence]

Prayer is a form of self-talk that I have no objection to, but I wish people would keep it to themselves a bit more.

What do you mean? Can you give an example?

I guess I'm a bit confused because when I think of prayer, I think of it as a highly private conversation between only that person and their god or something that happens during religious services. It's not something you share unless the other person chooses to involve themselves.

 

[Uberpod]

What do you mean? Can you give an example?

For example, when people tell me they are going to pray for me like it is a good thing. Or they request we pray together. :ignore:

 

[Me Myself]

ITherefore, if everything you have said, and will ever say to it, no matter what that may be, is already known, it is a waste of time.

No.

If it feels fulfilling its not a waste of time. If the person enjoys the prayer then it is time well spent,

 

[Quintessence]

For example, when people tell me they are going to pray for me like it is a good thing. Or they request we pray together. :ignore:

Fair enough. It'd be a bit uncomfortable for me only because I'm unlikely to share their theology, but other than that, I find no discomfort in seeing that someone cares about me.

 

[Uberpod]

Fair enough. It'd be a bit uncomfortable for me only because I'm unlikely to share their theology, but other than that, I find no discomfort in seeing that someone cares about me.

If someone "cares about you" outside your frame of reference and beyond their domain, is that good? If I said I was going to plant some seeds for you in the hope that you would gain intelligence and drop your faith. Could that be good?

 

[Me Myself]

If someone "cares about you" outside your frame of reference and beyond their domain, is that good? If I said I was going to plant some seeds for you in the hope that you would gain intelligence and drop your faith. Could that be good?

Gain intelligence yes, lose faith no.

To my perspective.

 

[Quintessence]

If someone "cares about you" outside your frame of reference and beyond their domain, is that good? If I said I was going to plant some seeds for you in the hope that you would gain intelligence and drop your faith. Could that be good?

Whenever it comes to asking these kinds of questions - whether something is "good" or not - that is a decision each person can make for themselves. At the risk of causing some groans and moans, it comes down to whether or not you choose to view the glass as half-empty or as half-full. I can choose to get ***** and fixate on a nasty interpretation of the person's actions and the negative elements of their behavior... or I can choose to be grateful and hold onto what is positive in the person's actions.

For the sake of everyone's mental health, I strongly recommend going with the second of these. Constantly seeing the worst in everything is, after all, symptomatic of clinical depression. Let's not go there, eh?

 

[Sand Dancer]

Prayer isn't just about asking for stuff. Prayer can be just thanking God for who He is. Or just telling Him about your day.

 

[Matthew78]

It's true. I was having a think about it today. This is for Christians...just to be clear.

1) pray for something.

2) is it part of god's divine plan?

2a) yes > prayer is redundant

2b) no > prayer is futile

3) There is no purpose to prayer.

At best, you have a point against petitionary prayer but not all believers that I know of, Christian or not, consider prayer just for petitionary purposes. Some do it because they want to voice a concern to God. Some want to confess their wrong-doings to God and ask God for forgiveness. Other people have different purposes for prayer. The main point, as far as I understand it, is to open the line of communication with God. It's like the act of worship itself; I was told by a fundamentalist minister that worship is for the benefit of believers. God doesn't derive any psychological benefit from worship because he is perfect and self-sustaining; therefore, it is for the benefit of believers by getting them to focus on the Almighty and his plans for their lives.

I personally do not believe in petitionary prayer. The last time I prayed to any divine being for help, it was for a divine being to cure a friend's son of a brain tumor. But this boy died and it destroyed any hope that I had that petitionary prayer might work. I do think you have a point; if a believer in Christ prays to God, petitioning God for something, it's redundant if God has already willed it and it's futile if God has decided against it. Yet the famous "Lord's prayer" has petitionary elements in it, "Please give us our daily bread; please forgive us as we have forgiven others; lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one".

 

[NobodyYouKnow]

Prayer is spending time with God. Do you consider spending time with the ones you love a waste of time?

/thread.