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What is the point of prayer

Patricio Swayze

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Patricio Swayze

Patricio Swayze 17058

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Earlier this week I was standing on the driveway watching my little girls ride their scooters when my next door neighbor came home from walking her dog. We got to talking and I mentioned that we are still thinking about moving to another neighborhood. She told me (twice) that she would be praying that we stayed. I thought that was bizarre. I mean, with all the things going on in the world these days, she would be praying that we don’t move away.

 

It got me to thinking, what is the point of prayer for most people. I’m not religious at all, so I have my biases. I am guessing for some people it is form of meditation that helps calm their nerves? Or do people think that God listens to each and every prayer and then holds a board meeting with the angels and decides which prayers he will answer? I have asked this before in another thread, but is there a threshold where he has to answer it? Like the prayer requests you see on social media…if you get thousands of prayers, does that make it any different than one or two people praying?

 

Any of y’all abrahamic types able to help me understand?

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SimonBolivar

SimonBolivar 10958

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9 minutes ago, Patricio Swayze said:

 

Or do people think that God listens to each and every prayer and then holds a board meeting with the angels and decides which prayers he will answer? 

 

 

Don't be fatuitous, he's running this solo and will answer that cancer plea right after he gives the Aggies their national title. 

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Doc Sam Beckett

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12 minutes ago, Patricio Swayze said:

 

Earlier this week I was standing on the driveway watching my little girls ride their scooters when my next door neighbor came home from walking her dog. We got to talking and I mentioned that we are still thinking about moving to another neighborhood. She told me (twice) that she would be praying that we stayed. I thought that was bizarre. I mean, with all the things going on in the world these days, she would be praying that we don’t move away.

 

It got me to thinking, what is the point of prayer for most people. I’m not religious at all, so I have my biases. I am guessing for some people it is form of meditation that helps calm their nerves? Or do people think that God listens to each and every prayer and then holds a board meeting with the angels and decides which prayers he will answer? I have asked this before in another thread, but is there a threshold where he has to answer it? Like the prayer requests you see on social media…if you get thousands of prayers, does that make it any different than one or two people praying?

 

Any of y’all abrahamic types able to help me understand?

 

I will be praying that you move, and since she told you twice, I will be praying that you move. 

Now sky daddy has a dilemma. Which prayer is answered? 

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crash_davis

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Everyone asks and assigns "some thing" to events beyond their control. Whether it be luck, your version of god, ancestors, dead cat, good luck charm, whatever, people have and always will be looking for something mystical and magical to assist in some way. It helps people cope and deal with the bullshit that life throws at them.

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jdhorn92

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 I won't speak for all people,  but for me Prayer has several meanings.  I don't think you will like my answer, mainly b/c its hard to articulate a response to "why do people pray?" or "if everyone is praying, why is there so much bad in the world". 

Spiritually speaking,  accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior means  entering in to a relationship.  Not like one with my spouse or drinking buddies or anyone in this community, but a relationship deeper than anything we could touch or describe.  I'm not a religions scholar and though I can describe in words many things, I find when I write about my Faith or Prayer or the Bible, I'm often at a loss for words. Ive always been reluctant to speak about my Faith with others, as I am far from perfect.

Prayer is a form of communication with God.  He listens but the answers aren't always what we want, when  or how we want them.  We Pray because it's an outlet, its a form of dialogue;  its a display of our appreciation for all the gifts and blessings we have a result of God sending his son to die on the cross for our sins.  In  the New Testament, we come to learn of a New Covenant with God.  We thought we were getting a King with a sword, what we didn't have planned out is for a King (savior) who would wear a much different crown. 
 

Prayer can be  asking for forgiveness, giving thanks, requesting guidance....its a noun and a verb at the same time.  I cant speak for your neighbor, but I presume she's Praying for you to come to peace with your decision to move.  She likely values you as a neighbor and doesn't necessarily want you to leave , but alas you will make your own mind up about that. Her Praying you don't leave is, imo, her asking God to help her come to terms with whatever  decision you make.

That probably a big nothing burger what i typed there, but on some level you may be wanting to be convinced of why prayer is a thing and I cant answer that for you.  Only you can answer that.  I cant sell you on the power of Prayer or why people do it....its not really a black and white topic easily answered, at least by this heathen. lol

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jdhorn92

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Thanks, I  often go to a Sunday School class with my wife and I fold like a cheap suitcase in that room.  Put me in any situation , socially, work  or whatever and i have no problems talking, articulating points etc......put me in that room and ask me a question about my interpretation of a passage or ask me to read several verses, its like i have marbles in my mouth.  I think my spiritual walk is just on a really twisted path, but I am on it.  What i started doing though about a year ago is Praying in bed at night and right before my flight takes off ( I travel weekly for work).  I use that time to do and ask for many things, but mainly its just to make sure i have a dialogue with God, that help center me a bit .

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El Tri

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3 minutes ago, crash_davis said:

Uvalde school shooting? If so, what did "God" have to do with that?

nothing. that's exactly the point. either god allowed it to happen and he's a jerk, or god is powerless to stop it so what's the point in prayer, or more likely, there is no god

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Brisketexan

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Depends on the prayer.

I kind like ritual prayers, like praying the rosary.  That's more of a discipline, and intentional thinking sort of thing.  It's contemplative, meditative, and focuses your spirit.  I respect that.  Many world religions have such prayers.

We also recently went to a minyan shiva (jewish prayer of the community for someone who died).  The variation on the Kadish that we recited (I know I'm getting the identity of the prayer wrong, just roll with me) was quite beautiful.  It is a prayer that literally MUST be said in and by the community, and instead of focusing on the person who died or on the mourners, it focused on the community as a whole in light of the sovereignty of God.  As something of a universalist, who sees God in that light, it made sense, and I thought it was quite humbling and profound.

As for personal prayer....I've mostly always hated it.  It's often so damned transactional.  When I was younger, I tried making it more conversational, but that didn't work well -- I was an angry teenager, so my prayers were mostly variations on me telling God "fuck you, you piece of shit."  No lighting bolts struck me down, though, so all is good.  But I do remember arguing about that with people -- how could you "talk to God" that way?  Well, if God's too much of a pussy to handle a 15 yr old in Houston being ripshit pissed at God, that's not much of a God, is it?  

Nowadays, I don't pray much.  I pray in groups, as a community and communal experience.  On the rare occasions that I try to pray personally, it's mostly meditative and self-reflective, hoping to find some strength or wisdom in myself or in my circumstances.  To simplify, not "God, I'm praying for a new car," but rather "I pray to find the peace and intelligence within myself so that I can create a path to a new car."  And the way I figure, if there is an omniscient God, God knows what I'm thinking and getting at, let's not overthink this shit.

But fuck if I know.  Not sure if I even believe in God.  Somedays maybe yes, some maybe no.  But I think that contemplation and being intentional are good things, and I think that being in community and acknowledging that there's something greater than the individual are good things.  And hey, if you want to pray for me, I'll take all the help I can get.  Maybe it works, maybe not.  But throw everything you've got at the problem, don't bother me none.

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HouTex

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19 minutes ago, El Tri said:

nothing. that's exactly the point. either god allowed it to happen and he's a jerk, or god is powerless to stop it so what's the point in prayer, or more likely, there is no god

Or, God gave humans free will and some humans do horrible things.  Yet I still pray because I have some degree of faith.  On the OP, I would never pray that someone I know do something for my benefit.  I would pray that he made the best decision for him and his family.  And I sure wouldn’t tell him that I’m praying for him.  That’s just creepy to me. 

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El Tri

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2 minutes ago, HouTex said:

Or, God gave humans free will and some humans do horrible things.  Yet I still pray because I have some degree of faith.  On the OP, I would never pray that someone I know do something for my benefit.  I would pray that he made the best decision for him and his family.  And I sure wouldn’t tell him that I’m praying for him.  That’s just creepy to me. 

hence my second option "or god is powerless to stop it so what's the point in prayer,"

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Rimbo

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1 hour ago, Post Oak said:

To make yourself feel better 

This is basically it.

Theologically, God already knows what you want and what you're gonna ask for. So it's something you do for yourself. Which dovetails nicely into why anyone who does it loudly and in public is a hypocrite.

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HouTex

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Just now, El Tri said:

hence my second option "or god is powerless to stop it so what's the point in prayer,"

Yes, we are saying similar things.  God’s gift of free will means, in my view, that He doesn’t have complete control over everything such that every thing that happens in the world is His will.  I differ from my Evangelical brethren in this regard.  And to repeat, all that said, I still pray for His intervention and for wisdom and strength in dealing with life’s struggles.  

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Patricio Swayze

Patricio Swayze 17058

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Enjoying the answers. Both the serious and comical.

Can we circle back around to pray requests? Like “hey everyone, little Johnny was diagnosed with elephantitus of the balls, please pray for his cure and speedy recovery”.

How does that work? Do people believe their God takes into consideration the number of prayers he gets on a subject?

I am sure when God sees Aggy praying for a national championship he is “fo fuck’s sake, not this shit again.”

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Brisketexan

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Just now, Rimbo said:

This is basically it.

Theologically, God already knows what you want and what you're gonna ask for. So it's something you do for yourself. Which dovetails nicely into why anyone who does it loudly and in public is a hypocrite.

Unironic AMEN! from me.

Few things are a bigger turnoff than people who do the whole arms spread hands up thing at a restaurant or some shit like that.

Also, back when I waited tables, the table that PERFORMED that ostentatious public prayer?  They were guaranteed to be the meanest customers and shittiest tippers of your career.

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UpperWestside

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I pray, but I don’t really have a well thought-out answer on the specifics of any prayers I have. I stay away from asking for money and usually just ask God to be with my family and friends and to let me do whatever it is I am supposed to do today. Praying for money for myself just feels wrong and not in line with anything I should be doing. It seems selfish to pray like that I guess.  The only thing I can consistently say that I ask for is to be able to help brighten someone’s day that needs it. It helps being in a large city, but sometimes just the act of talking to someone that looks like life threw the kitchen sink at them that day helps. 
 

I also steadily maintain to people that if you are not religious that you don’t have to be in order to do nice things for others. I would classify my mother as not religious yet she is the most giving and caring human being I have ever known. Always thinking of everyone else and how to make their day better. 

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Brisketexan

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Just now, Patricio Swayze said:

Enjoying the answers. Both the serious and comical.

Can we circle back around to pray requests? Like “hey everyone, little Johnny was diagnosed with elephantitus of the balls, please pray for his cure and speedy recovery”.

How does that work? Do people believe their God takes into consideration the number of prayers he gets on a subject?

I am sure when God sees Aggy praying for a national championship he is “fo fuck’s sake, not this shit again.”

God does not bless Aggy because they have yet to account for their many, many, many sins.   Baaaah means no.

 

Otherwise, I've just always kinda thought that at the very least, the more good energy people put out in the universe, the better.  So, pray for Johnny's balls.  Put that good energy out there.  Will it help shrink his ginormous nads?  Probably not.  But maybe so.  And it doesn't hurt.  I know, it's pretty ironic to see Brisket typing "be positive, send out good energy," but there you have it -- and I really do try to do so, for real.

But maybe what can and should be coupled with that is the fact that faith, and prayer, are things to be put in action.  So, you complete your act of prayer not when you kneel and say "dear 8 pound 9 oz baby Jesus, please shrink Johnny's enormous nads."  You complete the prayer when you show up at Johnny's house with a tube of nad cream to sooth his swollen sac, and you tell Johnny that you really are thinking about him, he's a good kid, and you believe in him and that he can get through this.

Americans are really good at selfish prayer, and about faith being a matter of words and show, but not action.  Wanna pray for Johnny's nads?  Do so in conjunction with bringing him nad cream and telling him you support him.

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Patricio Swayze

Patricio Swayze 17058

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God does not bless Aggy because they have yet to account for their many, many, many sins.   Baaaah means no.
 
Otherwise, I've just always kinda thought that at the very least, the more good energy people put out in the universe, the better.  So, pray for Johnny's balls.  Put that good energy out there.  Will it help shrink his ginormous nads?  Probably not.  But maybe so.  And it doesn't hurt.  I know, it's pretty ironic to see Brisket typing "be positive, send out good energy," but there you have it -- and I really do try to do so, for real.
But maybe what can and should be coupled with that is the fact that faith, and prayer, are things to be put in action.  So, you complete your act of prayer not when you kneel and say "dear 8 pound 9 oz baby Jesus, please shrink Johnny's enormous nads."  You complete the prayer when you show up at Johnny's house with a tube of nad cream to sooth his swollen sac, and you tell Johnny that you really are thinking about him, he's a good kid, and you believe in him and that he can get through this.
Americans are really good at selfish prayer, and about faith being a matter of words and show, but not action.  Wanna pray for Johnny's nads?  Do so in conjunction with bringing him nad cream and telling him you support him.

I repped mostly because you wove Johnny’s nut nightmare so eloquently throughout your post in various ways. Would read again.
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UpperWestside

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9 minutes ago, Patricio Swayze said:

Enjoying the answers. Both the serious and comical.

Can we circle back around to pray requests? Like “hey everyone, little Johnny was diagnosed with elephantitus of the balls, please pray for his cure and speedy recovery”.

How does that work? Do people believe their God takes into consideration the number of prayers he gets on a subject?

I am sure when God sees Aggy praying for a national championship he is “fo fuck’s sake, not this shit again.”

I think you will get varied responses to this. If someone asks me to pray for them I will. Maybe a 100 other people prayed and it went unanswered. Honestly I don’t know and neither does anyone else as to the reason why it was not answered. That’s life I guess.

An example here would be a friend’s family member in DeSoto (Former head high school football coach) that has been struck with an incurable disease. I pray for him, but am I just praying for him to be pain-free as he nears the likely end of his life or can he be healed? Again I don’t know how it plays out, but if letting someone know I prayed for their family member brings a measure of comfort I think that might serve its purpose. 

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Rimbo

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11 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Unironic AMEN! from me.

Few things are a bigger turnoff than people who do the whole arms spread hands up thing at a restaurant or some shit like that.

Also, back when I waited tables, the table that PERFORMED that ostentatious public prayer?  They were guaranteed to be the meanest customers and shittiest tippers of your career.

... and, I might add, also doing exactly what Jesus told us NOT to do:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew 6%3A5-15&version=NASB

5 And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they [a]will be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But as for you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.  7 “And when you are praying, do not use thoughtless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

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MonkeyDoughnut

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12 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Few things are a bigger turnoff than people who do the whole arms spread hands up thing at a restaurant or some shit like that.

Was it someone on Surly or elsewhere talking about punking a kids girlfriend of boyfriend when they came over for a holiday dinner?  Doing a full level 10 prayer, twirling, etc before letting them off the hook. It was funny as hell and I've been saving it up to use myself as our family is perfectly messed up enough to pull it off.

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