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I think the solution to the problem is for C-D to enact an immediate ban on the posting of all videos.
I love the videos! Videos can exemplify a point in a way the written words cannot. If you don't like the message of this video, don't ban all videos. This is an early Christian tactic. Next, you will want to burn all books too.
I recently overheard colleagues at work talking about how Jesus helped one of them to find the perfect house to buy. They were referring to it as a "God thing!" Meanwhile, I am wondering why the prayers of the homeless and starving are not a "God thing."
1. Prayer works, and it is not inclusive of a particular religion, belief, or creed.
2. Regarding the prayers for the homeless and needy: are we expecting a Deus ex Machina to suddenly whisk all problems away? I feel that too many people expect a "yes" answer.
God does nothing.
If we are the arms, legs, eyes, and mouthpieces of God, then the real question has to be to each of us: what have we done today to help people less fortunate than ourselves. Even a little goes a long way.
But let us not lump all unfortunates into the same barrel. There are, unfortunately, too many "unfortunates" who make a living being unfortunate.
Besides the poverty being quite obvious here in the Philippines, and it is impossible to erase all of it--some of the poverty here is an on-going business to fund anti-government activities in Mindanao--and the rest of the world: nations seem to gather together to aid unfortunate people in times of great crisis. We see this not only today but in history as well.
3. Prayer is a synergy that gets the creative juices of love and innovation of mankind to get into hyperdrive.
Prayer doesn't work but It's quite interesting to see a system where you can spend years praying for a loved one to be saved, see them die and still continue to claim that prayer works 100% of the time. I guess if you really want something to work(and make you feel better) then you can convince yourself of anything.
I've also been informed 3 days ago that all of my good fortune isn't because of hard work and good timing but rather because my uncle's step-mother put my first name on some internet prayer list.
The only part that I would disagree with you is the statement that "prayer doesn't work."
The fact that we pray for something with a result of the opposite effect does not mean that prayer doesn't work.
What is does mean is that what we desire was not in the grand scheme of things. A loved one was meant to pass at a certain time. In the grand scheme of things, your loved one was given the blessing of death and moving on to a different plane.
Many skeptics of prayer have been surprised by their own experimentation with prayer, even though they still don't believe in prayer.
Prayer, as I have come to understand it, is not just a one-way communication to some etheral entity that is outside humanity or maybe even outside the universe.
Prayer is a multi-communication highway between everyone living on the planet, and for some even non-human creatures as well. If God dwells in and amongst us, rather than in some never-never-land of heaven, then God is part and parcel of each of us. Insomuch as we humans are connected to each other in both physical and spiritual ways, prayer is communicated to each and everyone of us.
An amusing story I read spoke of a husband and father who was critically ill. He should have died. But his family and friends prayed for him, and he made a miraculous recovery. However, this man changed his life for the worse. He had, what you might say, lost the "salt" of life, and he eventually passed, a rather bitter person. The reporter of this story claimed that the spirit of the man visited him with these last words: "I had the last laugh after all." Interpretation: while the man's family wanted to keep him around for a few more years, the man actually wanted to pass on to the next level, and he was greatly disappointed that he had not.
The only part that I would disagree with you is the statement that "prayer doesn't work."
The fact that we pray for something with a result of the opposite effect does not mean that prayer doesn't work.
What is does mean is that what we desire was not in the grand scheme of things. A loved one was meant to pass at a certain time. In the grand scheme of things, your loved one was given the blessing of death and moving on to a different plane.
Many skeptics of prayer have been surprised by their own experimentation with prayer, even though they still don't believe in prayer.
Prayer, as I have come to understand it, is not just a one-way communication to some etheral entity that is outside humanity or maybe even outside the universe.
Prayer is a multi-communication highway between everyone living on the planet, and for some even non-human creatures as well. If God dwells in and amongst us, rather than in some never-never-land of heaven, then God is part and parcel of each of us. Insomuch as we humans are connected to each other in both physical and spiritual ways, prayer is communicated to each and everyone of us.
An amusing story I read spoke of a husband and father who was critically ill. He should have died. But his family and friends prayed for him, and he made a miraculous recovery. However, this man changed his life for the worse. He had, what you might say, lost the "salt" of life, and he eventually passed, a rather bitter person. The reporter of this story claimed that the spirit of the man visited him with these last words: "I had the last laugh after all." Interpretation: while the man's family wanted to keep him around for a few more years, the man actually wanted to pass on to the next level, and he was greatly disappointed that he had not.
That's a very nice story and post, chum; but I'm afraid, all that it means, to anyone looking at it without a Faith -filter on. is that there is NO evidence that prayer works but plenty of evidence that, whatever happens, those determined to believe in the efficacy of prayer can convince themselves that it is all part of the 'grand scheme of things'.
The grand scheme of things is, by all reasonable evidence, down to random factors and there is no good evidence that any intelligence is behind prayer, historical events or remarkable occurrences, good or bad.
The only part that I would disagree with you is the statement that "prayer doesn't work."
You most certainly have the right to be wrong.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wallisdj
The fact that we pray for something with a result of the opposite effect does not mean that prayer doesn't work.
What is does mean is that what we desire was not in the grand scheme of things. A loved one was meant to pass at a certain time. In the grand scheme of things, your loved one was given the blessing of death and moving on to a different plane.
If things are destined to happen and praying for something really has no bearing on the outcome then it means that prayer doesn't work.
It definitely makes people feel better to ask whatever god they believe in to mess with the laws of physics; maybe in the hopes that they can get what they want(even if all they want in a 1 way chat), but it's all pointless in the end.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wallisdj
Many skeptics of prayer have been surprised by their own experimentation with prayer, even though they still don't believe in prayer.
By all means provide examples. Clearly the results couldn't have been very impressive if it failed to make believers out of people willing to try it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wallisdj
Prayer, as I have come to understand it, is not just a one-way communication to some etheral entity that is outside humanity or maybe even outside the universe.
Prayer is a multi-communication highway between everyone living on the planet, and for some even non-human creatures as well. If God dwells in and amongst us, rather than in some never-never-land of heaven, then God is part and parcel of each of us. Insomuch as we humans are connected to each other in both physical and spiritual ways, prayer is communicated to each and everyone of us.
You seem to have confused the internet with prayer. Praying is really just a one way conversation with yourself and if you are hearing voices back; then it's a bad sign of mental health.
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