Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Yes Cruithne (although strictly speaking I am not trying to convince anyone of anything. Just saying I have my position and it is a valid position. If anything, some Atheists are trying to convince me otherwise.
What of that?
What is your point and would you like to start a thread about it?
I don't know. I must be unclear on your position.
Are you saying you yourself believe that prayer works? If so, then you are a theist surely?
I don't think there are many people that think their particular god is the only true god. I would think the majority of theists believe that Muslims, Jews, Christians etc are all praying to the same god. I dont think anyone disputes that - it's generally that religion people have a problem with.
I don't think you've asserted "why" prayer works (as implied in the thread title) as much as you've asserted that prayer works regardless of religious affiliation.
Then it is best to use less-ambiguous and more-explicit phrasing in stating the case, beyond merely saying that "Prayer works" (e.g, "Sometimes, when you or I engage in supplication to God, we find that our desired outcome comes to be . . . and sometimes we find that our desired outcome does not come to be.").
That is neither here nor there. The focus is on 'prayer works for people no matter what idea of god they pray to.'
Your eg simply moves into specifics which are not the focus of the OP
Quote:
But then the issue is "But even when the submiited prayer does 'seem' to be 'answered', within what time frame is it 'answered'?" That is, asking for relief from the excrutiating pain of losing your leg in an accident and then the pain finally subsiding 3-4 weeks after an operation in which you had your remaining leg amputated and cauterized in a hospital. Would that be considered "answered prayer"? Or you pray for God's help to overcome your crippling social shyness and, 8 or 10 years pass before you can come to feel socially confident and skilled enough to be a viable social creature like so many of your fellow humans are. Is that to be considered "answered prayer"? Or you pray for a parking space downtown and, after driving around for 30-40 minutes, someone vacates a spot and you are able to take that parking spot. Was God answering a prayer of yours? Or was it just that, by random chance, someone else just happened to vacate their parking spot? (But then, in granting YOU this prayer request, God denied another human who also wanted to find a parking spot for their own car downtown . . . so God decided that you were meriting of His intervention but another human wasn't?).
You see where I'm getting at, Rotagivan? How does one really know when a prayer request was really granted specifically to one's specific prayer request and when it wasn't? The time frame of prayer fulfillment (or alleged prayer fulfillment) should have an impact on one's assessment.
This is a separate issue from the focus of the OP UsAll. Interesting, but not something I created the thread to explore.
Are you saying you yourself believe that prayer works?
No. No more than I am saying I believe the sun shines.
Quote:
If so, then you are a theist surely?
I have been a theist yes, but am not one now. That is why the OP is worded the way it is.
The OP If prayer works for whoever prays this shows that every idea of god(s) to which individuals choose to pray to, essentially delivers.
Thus, whatever is interacting with the one praying and answering that prayer is impartial in relation to organised religions.
If whatever does this interacting and answering is beyond ownership of any organised religion (which would seem to be the case) then all those organised religious ideas of god(s) are beside the point.
Whatever does the interacting and answering is the point.
Quote:
I don't think there are many people that think their particular god is the only true god. I would think the majority of theists believe that Muslims, Jews, Christians etc are all praying to the same god. I dont think anyone disputes that - it's generally that religion people have a problem with.
Well now, I don't get the impression that Muslims, Jews, Christians etc think they are praying to the same god idea.
Quote:
It's your position I'm unclear on.
Apparently. My position is not really the focus of this thread. But for the sake of clarity, my position does not exclude ideas of god, and in relation to this thread, that something seems to answer peoples prayers (to use the religious term for such type requesting)
I am not saying that this something is 'god' or even 'godlike' in the traditional sense of the word.
Before one can answer this question one must determine what is meant by "it works". Does one mean that prayer is an effective way to "get things"? Or perhaps that it is an effective way to align oneself with one's inner being, to seek the will of God and place oneself within that, and to find inner peace?
If prayer works for whoever prays this shows that every idea of god(s) to which individuals choose to pray to, essentially delivers.
Thus, whatever is interacting with the one praying and answering that prayer is impartial in relation to organised religions.
If whatever does this interacting and answering is beyond ownership of any organised religion (which would seem to be the case) then all those organised religious ideas of god(s) are beside the point.
Whatever does the interacting and answering is the point.
True or False? Acts 10
33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all
You will need to be less ambiguous with your post before anyone can give a T or F answer.
The nearest I can decipher in relation to the OP is that [34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons"] appears to be saying that Peters idea of god is that God is impartial in regard to race, religion, gender, belief, hair style, etc...
That's just it. If prayer really worked, we'd have prayed away every disease by now. We'd have no more poverty. There'd be no war. We'd be living in a global utopia.
Yep, if prayer worked, we'd have no need for prayer by now. I guess though that it's possible prayer only moves at the speed of light, and God is located at the edge of the known universe, and thus prayers are still billions of years from reaching him. Hmm.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
