Why do people pray?

Discussion in 'Religion & Philosophy' started by pitbull, Oct 5, 2020.

  1. pitbull

    pitbull Banned Donor

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2018
    Messages:
    6,149
    Likes Received:
    2,857
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    After praying, you're still scared of taking action.
    Don't you trust your God?
    Then why the prayer?
     
    DennisTate and Market Junkie like this.
  2. MJ Davies

    MJ Davies Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2020
    Messages:
    21,120
    Likes Received:
    20,246
    Trophy Points:
    113
    It's easier to believe that someone else is responsible for our lives. It's basically a way to not take personal responsibility.
     
    An Taibhse likes this.
  3. VotreAltesse

    VotreAltesse Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2017
    Messages:
    6,163
    Likes Received:
    3,096
    Trophy Points:
    113
    There is many aspects in prayer. It's a symbolic cooperative act. People tend to gather in mosques, synagogues and church. Beyond a system of belief, it's important to notice that religion is a social phenomenon that doesn't know any true equivalent in the atheist world.
    In european languages at least praying could be a synonym of asking, I discussed with some arab speaker that mentionned that in arabic there is multiple aspects such contemplation.

    Obviously if you consider prayer as "begging something the sky would give you", well bad news it won't happen. If you consider prayer as a moment of self reflexion and contemplation then it's something else.
     
    undertheice likes this.
  4. alexa

    alexa Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2008
    Messages:
    18,965
    Likes Received:
    3,421
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    Like everything else it depends on the awareness and intention of the person who prays. Is God within or without if they even believe in a god. Many people believe in a higher power within themselves. I guess at its best it would be a bit like honest journal writing. Helps the person to get in touch with themselves and hence become one less ****ed up person in the world. Brian Thorne a person Centred Counsellor used to talk about 'the unseen world' those places where most people do not venture because they do not know they are there or are too scared to look. You need to let go to get there. :).
     
  5. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2012
    Messages:
    150,182
    Likes Received:
    62,818
    Trophy Points:
    113
    well if they are praying in public.... per the bible

    https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew 6:5-6&version=NIV
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2020
  6. Market Junkie

    Market Junkie Banned

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2016
    Messages:
    2,390
    Likes Received:
    1,920
    Trophy Points:
    113
    It's a great question, pits.

    There were no doubt people onboard Germanwings Flight 9525 who prayed to their various gods for a safe flight before taking off from that airport in Barcelona back in 2015.

    About 40 minutes later their remains were splattered across a mountainside in the French Alps.

    Bottom line: Stop deluding yourselves, there is still no credible or compelling evidence to prove that any creator-god exists...
     
  7. FatBack

    FatBack Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2018
    Messages:
    52,312
    Likes Received:
    48,705
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Better question, why does the beliefs of others bother some? If someone prays, so be it. No need to denigrate them. Live and let live. The op is not asking this to learn but to belittle.
     
    James California likes this.
  8. ToddWB

    ToddWB Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2018
    Messages:
    6,219
    Likes Received:
    5,403
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Praying is the most powerful weapon we have... who would of tho't a non-politician would have prevailed against the most corrupt Democrat machine in my life? God .. may your will prevail and thank you for your grace to your children, may it continue .. amen.
     
    JAG* likes this.
  9. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2012
    Messages:
    150,182
    Likes Received:
    62,818
    Trophy Points:
    113
    this is the way prayer works

    100 people with cancer pray, 1 survives, the one that survives tells everyone prayer worked, the other 99 are silent

    I do think prayer has a purpose though, it can make you feel better when you have no control over a situation and it could even have a placebo effect

    so if it makes one feel better, I say go ahead and pray, it doesn't hurt and may help them

    I do believe state of mind has an effect on our health, so if prayer improves your state of mind, have at it
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2020
    JET3534 likes this.
  10. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2012
    Messages:
    150,182
    Likes Received:
    62,818
    Trophy Points:
    113
    same is true of those that do not believe, to each their own

    I can disbelieve in the sugar pill having any real effect, while at the same time believe that if they believe then it could have a placebo effect

    so does the sugar pill work or not... I guess one could see it both ways... Which one is right?
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2020
  11. alexa

    alexa Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2008
    Messages:
    18,965
    Likes Received:
    3,421
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    I have not usually gone with prayer but I did for a few years though not in a Christian context and I found it very powerful, mainly I think because it demanded a deep level of honesty from me to myself. I would not pray for anything except the strength to deal with what I had to. I think within my understanding of spirituality is the letting go of certainly ego and finding your path. There is I think quite a nice little line which did come from a Christian whose name I cannot remember. I am not sure exactly how it went but something like 'Do not become embittered because you have been unable to endure the burden of pain entrusted to you'. :) I think I am remembering that one wrong but if you think of pain as being entrusted to you to work through it somehow feels different.
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2020
    ToddWB and pitbull like this.
  12. pitbull

    pitbull Banned Donor

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2018
    Messages:
    6,149
    Likes Received:
    2,857
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    The OP didn't mock anyone here.
    The OP just asks if the believers are aware of the effects of their prayers.
     
    JET3534 likes this.
  13. CKW

    CKW Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2010
    Messages:
    15,298
    Likes Received:
    3,384
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Prayer is our focused communication with our creator. I pray when things are good, thing are bad...I start the day off in prayer, pray throughout the day and pray before my sleep. I pray for others, pray for myself pray in praise. When I step our and see the beauty outside my door I pray thanks.

    Prayer isn't a tactic to get something as it is simply fellowship with God.
     
    alexa, FatBack and ToddWB like this.
  14. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2012
    Messages:
    150,182
    Likes Received:
    62,818
    Trophy Points:
    113
    seems to be a common theme among religion with some truth to it, some Buddhist believe that same about suffering

    https://www.school-for-champions.com/religion/buddhism_four_noble_truths.htm

    "The basis of Buddhism is a doctrine known as the Four Noble Truths. The First Truth is that suffering, pain, and misery exist in life. The Second Truth is that this suffering is caused by selfish craving and personal desire. ... The Fourth Truth is that the way to overcome this misery is through the Eightfold Path"
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2020
    alexa likes this.
  15. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2012
    Messages:
    150,182
    Likes Received:
    62,818
    Trophy Points:
    113
    yep, some take the bible too literally

    In Mark 11 verse 24 Jesus says:

    • "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
    In John 14, verse 14, Jesus says:

    • "Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in my name, I will do it."
     
  16. CKW

    CKW Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2010
    Messages:
    15,298
    Likes Received:
    3,384
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Which brings another reason for prayer, ...praying for understanding when reading God's word.
     
    JAG* and ToddWB like this.
  17. alexa

    alexa Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2008
    Messages:
    18,965
    Likes Received:
    3,421
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    I lived in a buddhist community for a couple of years. :)
     
    FreshAir likes this.
  18. FatBack

    FatBack Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2018
    Messages:
    52,312
    Likes Received:
    48,705
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    OK, sure. Your ridicule was loud and clear. No need to pray when I can see someone blowing smoke.
     
  19. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2012
    Messages:
    150,182
    Likes Received:
    62,818
    Trophy Points:
    113
    yep, don't take the words you read literally, you need to pray for your eyes to work like the Mormon's seer stone

    someday someone will translate the bible so everyone can read it <wink>
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2020
  20. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2012
    Messages:
    150,182
    Likes Received:
    62,818
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I believe a lot of what Buddhist believe, though not all their myths

    I think many religions have some truth to them, just over the years baggage was added to make them more for the masses
     
  21. alexa

    alexa Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2008
    Messages:
    18,965
    Likes Received:
    3,421
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    I did not remain a practising buddhist after I left the Buddhist community though at the same time it has always stayed with me. There is though a strong impetus in Buddhism not to be dogma. There is even a little book called 'Buddhism without Beliefs' which is created to bring you into active practise rather than 'being a buddhist'. What I have found as my life has gone on, on several occasions and not through practising buddhism just going through life, is that imo the buddha got it right! ;) In particular that would be through identifying with your heart or inner feeling self, rather than ego or false self which you have created because of your experiences in life but loads of things which I cannot remember at the moment.

    I believe that spirituality is spirituality. There is only one of it. People may belong to religions and speak the talk of their religion but spirituality is spirituality and you do not need to belong to a religion to experience it - though granted it is helpful to have the support of others doing the same. One of our tv progrmans did a series of programs one of which were British Sufis on a retreat. I listened to them and I could see that it was not different to Buddhism. Religion can be dogma, spirituality is about practise. I think some religions seem to divide religion and spirituality. In Buddhism really both are the same because it is practise. In many ways it is just good psychology but psychology on inner development rather than behavioural therapy or something.
     
    DennisTate and FreshAir like this.
  22. DennisTate

    DennisTate Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2012
    Messages:
    31,491
    Likes Received:
    2,601
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male

    I pray to change the mind of our Creator regarding the future of the earth and then I hit the forums in order to attempt to inspire several people to somewhat shift their thinking toward the direction that we need to go in in order to have a much less violent and scary future.



    https://www.near-death.com/science/research/future.html#a02

    Some optimism................. can shift the whole formula and your having the courage to think about this idea will tend to make you more positive...... more optimistic...... more hopeful....... which may be important parts of your having an increase in FAITH.
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2020
  23. DennisTate

    DennisTate Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2012
    Messages:
    31,491
    Likes Received:
    2,601
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male

    If Rabbi Yeshua - Jesus actually stated the following ideas to his disciples as was shown to near death experiencer Dr. Bruce MacDonald...... do you think that The Dali Lama and the historical Jesus might have gotten along really well?




    .....
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2020
  24. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2012
    Messages:
    150,182
    Likes Received:
    62,818
    Trophy Points:
    113
    can prayer change God's plan?

    or is God making it up as he goes?
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2020
    DennisTate likes this.
  25. DennisTate

    DennisTate Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2012
    Messages:
    31,491
    Likes Received:
    2,601
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male

    My belief is that many prophecies are visions of events that already took place in another time line.......... so it is like they are already history but they took place in what looks like the future......... but in actuality we are creating a whole new future right now that is unique from any previous time line.

    AboveAlpha on this forum got me thinking along a whole new angle on what Ezekiel chapter thirty seven and Revelation 20 really meant when he wrote about the new Multiverse Theory that he and some of his friends were working on.



    The Philosophical implications of Multiverse Theory?


    So the scary future shown to Dannion Brinkley back in 1975 can be avoided this time around. In what he was shown.... China and the Islamic world came to dominate the world and plunged the earth into another Dark Age.


    https://www.alamongordo.com/Prophecies_of_Dannion_Brinkley.html
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2020

Share This Page